THE CAR IS OVER WINDING AND SOUNDS LIKE THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING. THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT SPIKE IN THE RPMS BEFORE IT SHIFTS BETWEEN GEAR TO GEAR. IT'S ONLY GOT 98K AND IT'S METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED. IT'S BEEN HAPPENING FOR ABOUT A THOUSAND MILES.
2005 Nissan Maxima powertrain problems
moderate 738 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500
Complaints
738
Recalls
0
Crashes
6
Avg fix
$2,500
What owners are reporting 17 most recent
DECEMBER 2007 - TOOK CAR INTO NISSAN DEALER BECAUSE TRANSMISSION WAS HESITATING AND SLAMMING HARD INTO THE "DRIVE" GEAR. DEALER DISCOVERED TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. JANUARY 2008, I RECEIVED MY CAR BACK WITH A REMAN TRANSMISSION FROM NISSAN. FEBRUARY THROUGH MAY 2008 - TOOK CAR INTO DEALER A FEW MORE TIMES DUE TO ISSUE WITH TRANSMISSION AGAIN. OCTOBER 2008 - RETURNED CAR AGAIN TO NISSAN…
TRANSMISSION HARD SHIFT FROM PARK INTO DRIVE. SECONDS DELAY THEN BANGS INTO GEAR.
WHEN I BROUGHT MY CAR AFTER 2-3 MONTHS I HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, I TOOK IT TO THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP TO GET IT FIX. AFTER , A COUPLE OF WEEKS I STILL WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR , I TOOK IT BACK THEY SAID , IT WASN'T NOTHING WRONG WITH IT . THEN MY AIR CONDITION WENT OUT, IT WAS MY AIR COMPRESSOR TOOK IT IN TO THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP TO GET IT FIX, AFTER, A WEEK OR TWO IT WENT OUT AGAIN TOOK …
MY CAR STARTED JERKING ALL OF A SUDDEN. I , TOOK IT TO TRANSMISSION SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS MY TRANSMISSION GOING BAD. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WILL COST ME $3,000 OR MORE TO REPAIR. I HAD ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR A YEAR. I DIDN'T REALIZE THIS IS AN GOING ISSUE UNTIL I STARTED RESEARCHING FURTHER INTO THE HISTORY FOR THE MALE AND MODEL OF THIS CAR. NISSAN NEEDS TO STEP UP AND OWN UP TO THEIR DEFECTIVE…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK, LUNGE AND SLAMMED INTO GEAR. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES, TYPICALLY IN THE LOWER GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AT LEAST FIVE TIMES BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE F…
I HAVE A TRANSMISSION ISSUE WITH MY 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. I BOUGHT THIS CAR IN APRIL 2009 WITH A LITTLE OVER 36K MILES. AS OF DECEMBER 28, 2009 MY CAR HAS 56K MILES. CAR HAS REALLY BAD JERKING MOTION UP SHIFTING AND DOWN SHIFTING BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND GEARS EVERY DAY. THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING. BROUGHT MAXIMA TO NISSAN DEALER SHIP WHO SUGGESTS TO FLUSH TRANSMISSION AND CHANGE MOTOR MOUNTS WHICH…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THERE WAS A VIOLENT JERK WHEN SHIFTING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEARS, AND ALSO WHEN SHIFTING FROM SECOND AND THIRD GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC OR A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,000.
I OWN A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA SL. AT ABOUT 65000 MILES I STARTED TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS WITH MY TRANSMISSION. WHEN CHANGING THE GEAR FROM PARK TO DRIVE THE CAR WOULD VIOLENTLY KICK BACK AND FORTH. THE SAME WOULD OCCUR WHEN EVER THE CAR TRANSITIONED BETWEEN THE 5 GEARS. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM ONLINE AND HAVE ALSO SURVEYED MANY LOCAL MECHANICS. I HAVE LEARNED THAT THIS IS A RECURRI…
2005 NISSAN MAXIMA SE, TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. SOMETIMES SHIFTS VIOLENTLY, WHEN IN REVERSE & JUMPS FROM 2 TO 3 GEAR, ALMOST LIKE BEING REAR ENDED, ALSO REVS UP TO 5 OR 6 RPM ON THE TACT WITHOUT FOOT ON PEDAL, AND LOOSES POWER. I TOOK IT TO A NISSAN DEALER WHO TOLD ME I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION FOR $4000.00 AND BECAUSE OF THE SHIFTING THE MOTOR MOUNTS ALSO NEED REPLACED. ONE TIME THE CAR WILL …
Common questions
How serious is the powertrain problem on the 2005 Nissan Maxima?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 738 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $2,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $2,500 for powertrain repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Other problem areas on this vehicle
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities.
Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area.
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