2004 Nissan Maxima SE from North America - Comments

I lucked out for the last three months I've experience the hard jerk in the transmission like the others. Today I took my car to the dealer with the complaint, and couldn't get it to duplicate the hard shift. As I rode with the tech, he asked me to apply the brake and give it gas "power brake"; the engine hopped, they said it was the motor mount. They offered to fix it and flush and change my transmission fluid. The motor mount is electronic and was cracked, but when they replaced the transmission fluid and took it for a drive, it hard shifted or jerked. Luckily they were driving when this happened, and they ordered a new transmission right then, and they put it in on Friday.

Also on that test ride they heard the front strut rattling and replaced that also. The tech said if you complain about the strut, it will be replaced.

Now I have 93000 miles on, but I do have the 100k mile warranty.

Wow, this is very interesting; my car just got all messed up when driving out of work. Now it only says 5th gear, and won't go down to 1st or 2nd. Well now I am going to file a complaint as well.

"* Timing belt replaced within the last 6 months"

I thought these cars came with timing chain, not timing belt.

I bought my 04 Maxima in 05 and just started having problems with the transmission. I flushed the fluid, but that still didn't fix the problem. Now I'm thinking of purchasing a new transmission. But I don't know if that will fix the problem. I can't believe Nissan hasn't done anything about this.

I am a used car dealer, and I purchased in the last six months about 8 Nissan Maximas 04/05/06, and 5 of 8 cars had the same problem - transmission jerking. And I will not sell any more Nissans on my lot until a solution comes to end this problem. Please if you have suggestions on the transmission, post it.

I can't believe so many people have a similar problem to mine. My problem occurred a little above 50K miles. It started off one cold morning. I shift to drive gear and I heard a loud hard jerk. I thought I had hit something. After checking around, and turning off the car and on to check the shifting, much to my dismay, it's the car that caused the jerk. I asked around but no one seemed to know the problem. But I noticed that when I don't warm up my car, and on very cold days, the jerking is harsher than when the car is heated up.

I finally took it to a friend's family auto shop. They diagnosed it as a transmission problem and parts of it have to be replaced. Being an idiot, I didn't know about the warranty for transmission, so I haven't taken it to the dealership. Now I'm knowledgeable, I feel lucky that I'm able to take my car to the dealership for a checkup within the warranty.

I am filing a complaint to support the recall on this transmission problem. It is irresponsible of the auto maker for neglecting our concern and safety.

Looks like the Nissan bean counters are just doing what they are told. Only fix what we have too. The 2004 Nissan Maxima has more problems than they can fix. Unless an outside independent source forces them to fix the problems, they will not. Cheaper to do nothing. The dealer has no interest in fixing the problem when they can just charge you for a new transmission.

I called NHTSA and raised this as a safety issue. The NHTSA will act if they receive a certain amount of complaints. The transmission problem is a safely issue if it fails to provide sufficient acceleration that will allow you to get out of harm’s way or to safely maneuver in traffic. Also, if the transmission fails to downshift to assist in the deceleration of the vehicle, the NHTSA will act. This is the case we must make when we file a complaint. Just to say it is a piece of crap is not enough. We must focus on the unsafe factor of the transmission not properly operating the vehicle.

I have called and registered my complaint. I focused on the safety factor. I urge you to PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE call NHTSA or submit an online form to this agency. Only by doing this will we get some results and make Nissan pay for their mistakes and flaws. Log onto the website which is https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/#gen_info or call at 1-888-327-4236 and make your complaint heard to get some results. We can complain and pay or do something.

I am interested in hearing from you after you have registered your complaint.

Donald

Donaldharrison1@netscape.net.

I have a 04 Nissan Maxima with 87,000 miles and also have problems with the jerking/slipping going into other gears. Started around about of 75,000 miles. Nissan is gaining a bad reputation over this transmission problem!

I recently purchased a 2004 Nissan Maxima SE, and experienced the same jerking as everyone else. Mine was really bad, and many times at lights the car felt like it was in neutral, very bad jerk when it finally engaged into gear.

At first my dealer couldn't duplicate the problem, but after the car warmed up for 20 minutes they saw I wasn't lying. They fixed the car under the 60k warranty in one day. It seems to be perfect so far, driven it 300 miles. The whole transmission didn't need to be replaced it was the TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY.

I didn't ask them how much it would cost if I didn't have the warranty, but I m glad I didn't have to pay. I was also told that this problem happens in SE models not SLs because the SE has one more gear in the transmission. I hope this helps everyone.

I have an 05' Maxima SE and it has about 74k miles. I started having the same problem when it turned just about 70k miles so I took it to the dealership, they said it was the computer on the mission. They replaced it for about $1500, but problem didn't solve. Then took it to dealership again. I was told that clutch was wrong. They replaced it new for another $3000. Nothing has changed. What a rip off. I called in dealership, took 1 hour just to get connected but they kept changing their words. Then I went to the dealership but what they said was "we have never seen this kind of problem before. so we don't really know lot much what to do."... I had no words, now I see everyone is having the same problem. so people please file the complaint to NHTSA.

I can't believe I spent almost $5k for nothing. People who have this problem please file it to NHTSA.

I have a 2004 Nissan Maxima with 61,038 miles on it.

As I am driving, my car will jump sometimes lightly and at other times very hard. If I put the car in reverse and then put the gear back into drive, I will have to wait for the car to jump into gear. When I brake, the car will jump before stopping. It feels like the engine is slipping. At times, the car jumps so hard that I see other people look my way. This can happen at any time, day or night, hot or cold... the car would have been driven for hours, so yes it is warmed up.

In June of 2008, I took the car to a transmission shop and I was told I needed two transmission mounts and a transmission flush which would cost over $900.00. I took it to my mechanic and I had it the done for a little over $600.00. A few days later I had the same problem. I took the car back to my mechanic three more times and they could not find anything wrong.

In September of 2008, I took the car to a Nissan dealer and it passed all of the diagnostic tests. I was very disappointed.

On 2/6/2009, I took the car to a Nissan dealer and I was told that I needed a transmission which will cost me $4507.00, I need a right engine mount which will cost $361.00, both front struts are making a chucking noise... $832.00, lower control arm bushings are broken... $809.00. All of these repairs because of the car's jerking. The mechanic told me that if I get this done, the car should last about 6 to 7 more years. I had to pay $98.00 for the dealership to trouble shoot, when the amount is usually $65.00 for inspection at other places.

I cannot afford to buy a new transmission, I would be better off trying to buy something else (NO NISSAN) to drive. I still have payments on this car, so that is not even being realistic.

I am fed up with this car and there is nothing that I can do about it. I only drive the car to work & places that I must go to, because I am scared to rely on it. I can't even enjoy my weekends anymore because I have to depend on the car for work, and I do not want to wear it down anymore than I have to.

I have read other complaints by people with the same make and year who are having the same problems with nothing being done about it. I NEED HELP, PLEASE. THESE CARS NEED TO BE RECALLED. THANK YOU.

Hi.

I have a 2004 Maxima, and 1 day I couldnt get it started. I took it to a Nissan dealership they told me that my fuel line was frozen. After sitting in the shop over the weekend, they still couldnt get it started. They suggested a new 02 sensor. After replacing the sensor they told me they got the car running for about 45 seconds, and then it shuts off automatically. Now the car won't even start. Corporate Nissan claims they never heard of this problem, and they suggessted that they rip out my motor just to see what the problem is. I took it to another mechanic, and they are still trying to figure out why my car won't start. Does anybody have any ideas??...Thank you.

I have a 2005SE Maxima and had my transmission replaced after all this 1st and 2nd gear jerking and slipping got too bad to take. It cost me $4000. Got the car back and it runs great, but they dealer then told me that I have to have my timing chain replaced and that it is a known problem with the buzzing sound coming from the chain guides, but since my car has gone over 60,000 miles (72,000) it is not covered and it will cost me another $1600. I have filed my complaint with Nissan and NHTSA. I too had a 1996 Maxima that I still have and love (one of the last built in Japan I imagine). 200,000 miles and the only thing I have had to do to it was brakes, struts, oil changes. That was the main reason I bought another Nissan. I think this will be my last for me and my family and friends.

Please contact me at cortezd@ca.rr.com if recall or class action happens.

I called Nissan and they have no records of any transmission problems with the 2004/2005 Nissan Maxima. If everyone would call Ashly at Nissan USA 866-799-1690 extension 1460 I am sure they will have a record of it very soon. She couldn't find anything in the Nissan problem database.

Cortezd@ca.rr.com.

Well whoever you talked to an Nissan (Ashley?) is full of you know what. If you go through and read all the posts you clearly see how many of us have called and complained. I'm one of those.

We traded our 04 Max in back in October and I am glad to be rid of it. We will never buy another Nissan again. They were of zero help to us when we had transmission problems. I'm happy to not have that headache any longer.