SERVICE INFORMATION If a customer describes lack of power or poor acceleration, perform the following checks before attempting any repair: * Check for stored DTCs. * Check if the driver is resting their left foot on the brake pedal while accelerating. Advise the customer not to rest their foot on the brake while accelerating. * Use CONSULT-III plus in Engine Data Monitor to check operation of the brake lamp circuit signal. Monitor the brake switch during the incident; it should be "OFF". Please see this bulletn for further details.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2006 Nissan Maxima powertrain problems
moderate 372 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500 · see powertrain across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
372
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
4crashes
When does it fail?
Of the 372 powertrain complaints filed for the 2006 Nissan Maxima, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 75,000-100,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
How fast does it fail?
Cumulative share of the 12 mileage-bearing powertrain complaints filed against the 2006 Nissan Maxima by each odometer reading. Median failure: 89,000 mi.
10% have failed by70,000 mi
Half the fleet by89,000 mi
90% have failed by105,000 mi
Curve based on owner-reported odometer mileage at the time of complaint. Reflects when owners filed, not when symptoms first appeared. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve.
What stands out
Powertrain accounts for 65% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 12 categories tracked.
Owners have filed 372 powertrain complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering powertrain on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2006 Nissan Maxima powertrain complaints cluster around a single dominant failure mode: the automatic transmission. Owners report violent jerking and hard shifts, especially between 1st and 2nd and between 2nd and 3rd gears, starting anywhere from 35,000 to 90,000 miles—often shortly after warranty expiration. Many describe hesitation or a 5–10 second delay before the transmission engages from Park into Drive or Reverse, followed by a jarring clunk. Some report the transmission slips during highway acceleration, engine RPMs race, and the car loses power momentarily before re-engaging with a hard jerk. Stop-and-go traffic aggravates the problem; a few owners say the transmission revs and stalls at traffic lights.
Code P0750 (solenoid malfunction) and P0780 (shift malfunction) appear in diagnostic scans. Nissan dealerships uniformly recommend full transmission replacement ($3,000–$4,600); transmission fluid flushes and motor mount replacement offered as interim fixes have failed to solve the underlying issue. A technical service bulletin exists, but Nissan refuses warranty assistance once the powertrain warranty expires. Replacement transmissions often arrive as refurbished units, covered only by a limited 12-month/12,000-mile warranty. Multiple owners report needing two, three, or even four transmissions over the vehicle's life. One owner replaced a front cam position sensor three times in succession, each time with only temporary relief, suggesting possible wiring or control module problems underlying the shift failures. No recall has been issued despite hundreds of complaints filed with NHTSA.
Same Nissan Maxima powertrain reports on nearby years: 2005 · 2007
Failure modes owners describe
Hard shifting and jerking between gears
Transmission shifts violently or with noticeable jerking when moving from one gear to another, particularly during upshifts (1st to 2nd, 2nd to 3rd) and downshifts. Owners report the car lurches forward or the entire vehicle shakes during gear changes.
When: Typically appears around 50,000–90,000 miles; several owners report onset as early as 35,000–40,000 miles and others around 100,000+ miles
Symptoms owners cite: Violent jerking when shifting between gears; Hard shift from 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd; Lurching forward during downshift; Delayed shift engagement (5–10 second delay from Park/Neutral to Drive/Reverse); Loud banging or thumping noise accompanying gear engagement
Codes mentioned: P0750, P0780
Repairs/costs cited: Owners cite transmission replacement costs of $3,000–$4,600; some dealers recommend replacing solenoid pack or valve body ($300–$500) as interim fix; transmission fluid flushes attempted by several owners without success; some dealers replaced engine mounts ($700–$1,000) before diagnosing actual transmission problem
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan dealerships offer only limited 12-month/12,000-mile warranty on replacement transmissions; CVT extended warranty available only on newer Altima models; no recall issued; Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) exists but Nissan does not assume financial responsibility; some dealers replace transmissions with refurbished units from other vehicles
Transmission slip and loss of power
Transmission loses engagement while vehicle is in motion, causing engine RPMs to race while vehicle decelerates or fails to accelerate. Occurs unpredictably, creating dangerous situations on highways and in traffic.
When: Reported across wide mileage range (60,000–112,000 miles); one owner reported issue within days of purchase at 78,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Transmission slips during acceleration; engine revs but car does not move or slows unexpectedly; Engine RPM surges to 5,000+ without corresponding acceleration; Sudden loss of power on highway forcing vehicle to coast; Transmission disengages and re-engages with violent jerk; Vehicle nearly stalls in traffic
Codes mentioned: P0780
Repairs/costs cited: Transmission replacement recommended by all repair facilities consulted by owners; one owner replaced transmission twice within 5 years and faced third replacement at 125,000 miles
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No manufacturer assistance provided; out-of-warranty claims denied despite pattern of early failures; extended warranty coverage does not apply post-expiration
Delayed or no engagement from Park/Neutral to Drive/Reverse
Transmission hesitates or fails to engage when shifting from Park or Neutral into Drive or Reverse. Delay ranges from a few seconds to complete failure to move, requiring owner to restart engine or wait extended period.
When: Throughout ownership; one owner reported at 55,000 miles after recent purchase
Symptoms owners cite: 5–10 second delay before transmission engages into Drive or Reverse; Complete failure to move when shifted into Drive (engine runs but no movement); Loud bang or thump when transmission finally engages; Car jerks forward violently when engagement finally occurs
Repairs/costs cited: No targeted repair identified; owner forced to replace entire transmission
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No response or assistance documented
Transmission bands and valve body deterioration
Internal transmission components (transmission bands, valve body, solenoid pack) degrade, diagnosed via code or visual inspection. Mechanics report wear patterns consistent across multiple vehicles.
When: Variable; one owner reported at 89,000 miles after good maintenance history
Symptoms owners cite: Hard or delayed shifts as primary indicator; Shift solenoid malfunction (diagnosed via code P0750); Valve body assembly problems identified on diagnostic scan; Transmission bands failing
Codes mentioned: P0750
Repairs/costs cited: Solenoid pack replacement costs $300–$500 but did not resolve jerking in at least one case; dealers universally recommend full transmission replacement ($3,000–$4,600) rather than component-level repair
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan dealerships state they replace entire transmission rather than repair components; replacement transmissions are often refurbished units from other vehicles
Transmission revving and stalling in stop-and-go traffic
Engine RPM surges and vehicle stalls or nearly stalls when at rest or in low-speed stop-and-go driving, particularly below 25 mph. Problem worsens as car warms up.
When: Reported years into ownership; one owner described onset after extended idle periods
Symptoms owners cite: Engine revs to high RPM when stopped at traffic light; Vehicle stalls momentarily then lurches forward; Severe jerking at every stop light or intersection; Problem intensifies as engine warms up after 30 minutes of driving
Repairs/costs cited: No specific repair identified in complaints; owners report transmission replacement as end result
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No assistance documented
Sensor and electrical control issues
Front and rear cam position sensors (CPS) fail or malfunction, causing erratic shift behavior and hesitation. Owners replaced sensors multiple times with recurring failures.
When: Intermittent; one owner replaced sensor three times over extended period
Symptoms owners cite: Delay shifting into Park; Transmission sticks in 5th gear while driving; Hard shift around 20–25 mph; Intermittent hard shift into Drive
Repairs/costs cited: Front and rear cam position sensor replacement attempted; initial fix lasted 4 weeks before symptom recurrence; owners replaced sensors at personal cost ($80 in parts from aftermarket supplier; Nissan dealer replacement also performed)
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No explanation provided for repeated sensor failures or underlying electrical wiring harness issues
Synthesized from 372 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 13 most recent
Transmission failure under normal driving. *kb
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
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 stop with my foot on the break.
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 starting in 2004. We are still paying on this car! *tr
Transmission is slipping and bucking so hard that it feels as if you either hit someone or someone has hit you from behind. Causes you to lose speed and makes the cars behind you to slow down to avoid rear ending collision. When the vehicle is like this it gives you a very uneasy feeling as to what will happen next to cause you to become a hazard and put yourself and others in danger. The…
I bought my 2006 Nissan maxima se in 2007 with about 8k miles on it. The regularly maintained car now has a little under 81k miles and is having transmission problems. It started with the car jerking and a loud noise when shifting from drive to reverse and reverse to drive. Now the car is jerking when accelerating. The car stalls then surges forward. I took my car to my local mechanic because I…
***faulty transmission*** my 2006 Nissan maxima jerks, takes time to accelerate in traffic, and it barely wants to move once stopping for a red light. The gear spontaneously gets stuck in either 1st or 5th and I have to pull over and turn the car off and then back on so that I can get to my destination. This is so dangerous. My car has been properly maintained throughout the years and upon my…
Tl*the contact owns a 2006 Nissan maxima. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, the vehicle began to jerk and stall. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who stated that the transmission needed to be replaced. The manufacturer had not been notified. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.
Transmission slips and jerks during take-off and acceleration. This is a major safety issue when attempting to cross traffic or clear intersections.
I have a 2005 Nissan maxima and the car is jerking and jumping while driving and upon stopping. It occurs everytime I drive the car and I've took it to the shop and it was put on a diagnostic and they stated that its a transmission problem. Their should be a mandatory recall for these cars because I'm not the only one with this problem. Please help us and look into this. Nissan is not trying…
Had powertrain trouble with your 2006 Nissan Maxima?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the powertrain problem on the 2006 Nissan Maxima?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 372 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?
Across the 333 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most powertrain failures cluster between 75,000 and 103,000 miles, with the median around 88,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 75,000; a quarter make it past 103,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
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.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2006/Nissan/Maxima.
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. Some links on this page are affiliate links.