AFTER 65000 MILES TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SHOW PROBLEMS. MOSTLY FROM 1 TO 2 GEAR IT JUMPS LIKE A MULE. ALMOST UNDRIVEABLE. I HAVE SPOKEN TO THE DEALER BUT WARRANTY IS NO LONGER ACTIVE SO MOST SPEND 3500 DOLLARS. I WOULD NEVER BUY NISSAN AGAIN. *KB

12/29/2011 · NHTSA ODI #10441606.0

2006 Maxima · powertrain

I PURCHASED A 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA WITH APPROX. 16,000 MILES IN SEPTEMBER 2006. IN 2009 WITH APPOX. 50,000-60,000 MILES ON THE CAR, THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SLIP. IT JERKS WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND DRIVE, IT SHIFTS UP AND DOWN HARD AND IT JERKS WHEN I AM AT A COMPLETE…

12/27/2010 · NHTSA ODI #10372554.0

2006 Maxima · engine

THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS, JUMPS OUT OF GEAR BETWEEN GEARS. OFTEN IT WILL GO TO SHIFT THEN IT REVS UP NOT IN GEAR INSTEAD OF SHIFTING THEN AFTER A FEW SECONDS IT SLAMS HARD INTO GEAR. THIS IS NOT A DAILY CONSTANT ISSUE IT IS RANDOM AND SOMETIMES WILL GO WEEKS BETWEEN HAVING THE…

12/24/2011 · NHTSA ODI #10441162.0

2006 Maxima · powertrain

PURCHASED 2006 MAXIMA. TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND KNOCKS!! THE CAR ONLY HAD APPROX 80K MILES WHEN THIS STARTED!! WE HAVE REPLACED MOTOR MOUNTS BUT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. IT IS BECOMING MORE FREQUENT AS WELL. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND THIS APPARENTLY IS A PROBLEM FOR MANY OWNERS…

12/24/2010 · NHTSA ODI #10372313.0

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Active recalls showing 1 of 1

severe NHTSA 05V512000 07/11/2005

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE DRIVER PREFERRED PACKAGE, THE WIRE HARNESS FROM THE DRIVER'S SEAT POWER LUMBAR SUPPORT SWITCH MAY BE ROUTED INCORRECTLY AND COULD BE PINCHED UNDER THE DRIVER SEAT

A PINCHED HARNESS, IN COMBINATION WITH DRIVING VIBRATION, MAY RESULT IN A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE HARNESS THAT COULD LEAD TO A FIRE IN THE SEAT.

Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIRE HARNESS AND ROUTE IT CORRECTLY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 16, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

Common questions

Is the 2006 Nissan Maxima reliable?

It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 6.8 out of 10 based on 576 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2006 Nissan Maxima has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.

What's the most common problem on the 2006 Nissan Maxima?

Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is powertrain, with 372 complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $2,500 at an independent shop.

What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?

The powertrain is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $2,500 at an independent shop. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.

How do I check if my Nissan Maxima has open recalls?

Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.

Is an extended warranty worth it on a 2006 Nissan Maxima?

Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 576 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $2,500, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans aren't always better value.

Related vehicles

Recall and complaint data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public records database, last synced 1 day ago. Editorial commentary written by ProblemsByVin contributors and reviewed by ASE-certified mechanics. We are not affiliated with Nissan. Some links on this page are affiliate links and we may earn a commission if you complete a quote or purchase.