Faults:

Transmission, transmission again, and now it's a transmission again. Yes, the car has its third transmission in it, and it is showing the same symptoms. Dealer says can't rebuild, orders a rebuilt and installs it every time. Got the first replaced just 2 months out of warranty at no cost by contacting Nissan, the next one on the 12 month/12k mile warranty that the trans had, but I'll be on my own on this one. A 5000 dollar transmission every 2 years is just a part of owning a Maxima (a very common problem).

Timing chain guide breaking and chain rattling. Secondary chains eat thru their tensioners (supposedly new parts have fixed these problems). Approx 60k miles (known flaw with Nissan service bulletin).

A/C suction hose failed at faulty crimp. Approx 40k miles (common problem).

Chrome trim above the doors on the roof turned grey and peely looking (very common problem). Approx 40k miles.

Rattly exhaust noise, which Nissan has a service bulletin for, dealer said not confirmed, and I have just got used to it.

General Comments:

Drives well except for torque steer and poor turning radius. Handles and accelerates great.

I find the seats uncomfortable, but my wife likes them.

Just finally wore out the front brakes at 65k, which I think proves the car hasn't been abused. This was suppose to be our newer reliable car to go places in, but here we are on vacation right now, wondering if it's gonna get us home, once again. The transmission obviously can't be fixed, and the Internet is full of people with the same problem.

Faults:

Transmission went at 87K.

General Comments:

I had this car since 2005, never had any major problems until the Fall of 09.

Rattling noise upon crank. By the time I got to the dealer, the noise had stopped and they said they couldn't hear it. So I was like, maybe it's nothing serious.

Then it started slightly jerking. A mechanic I took it to couldn't feel the jerk, but he did say the timing chain needed to be replaced (Nissan had a service bulletin about it, but service bulletins don't require notifying the customer). Took it back to Nissan with the service bulletin that the mechanic printed out for me. I showed it to them, and he said WE AIN'T OBLIGATED TO FIX THIS. So he gave me a quote of 1700.00. This was Oct 09 with 66K.

Dec 09, the jerking was detected, and I was told it was the motor mounts. Had all the mounts replaced, including tranny mounts. Fixed the problem for maybe a week, and the jerking continues. Now we are back at don't feel the jerk. Took to a tranny shop, and we are now in 2010, because no one can feel or find the jerk at Nissan. The tranny shop said my valve body is bad, and Nissan picked a crappy transmission for this car. The valve body goes bad, and then it will eventually mess up the transmission.

Nissan won't fix the valve body without getting a whole transmission, but the valve body can be purchased for 1075.00 from Nissan through an auto body shop. So with all this search and rescue, now car is out of warranty, even with the extended warranty, so Nissan USA told me.

It's 2011, Feb 07, the car cranked for work, went back in the house to brush up my hair. Got in the car to go to work, put my foot on the brake, the car was in reverse, looked back to make sure the coast is clear. Let foot off brake and nothing, pressed a little gas and nothing. The car is in the shop as I type.

Nissan really needs to step up to the plate for this one. I'm 37 and making a living for me and my elderly mom. So it's almost pay check to pay check, with minimum to no leisure money. Especially 3k to get car fixed. I have had a Nissan ever since I was able to get a car in my own name (21 yrs of age). I don't know if I would buy another Nissan ever, even though I have found out the 2011 Maxima is not made with the AISIN transmission.

Nissan really sucked with this pretty on the outside, sucks under the hood car.

In response to the getting car serviced as described by Nissan or maintenance book, yes, but when the dealership gives you the run around on this and that, when they know what the problem is and feel like oh it's almost out of warranty, then they will be responsible... Let's tell them this. I'm sure that cuts into somebody's money when the company has to pay for repairs. I will still say Nissan needs to step up to the plate, and stop playing around with people's lives!!