2005 NISSAN MAXIMA Complaints

I AM CURRENTLY THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. MUCH TO MY TOTAL SHOCK AND DISMAY, I RECENTLY HAD TO REPLACE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AT ONLY 98,700 MILES. SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SPORADICALLY JERK HARSHLY WHEN ADVANCING TO FIRST GEAR BETWEEN 20-25 MPH. THIS STARTED TO HAPPEN MORE AND MORE FREQUENTLY AND AT TIMES THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE RIGHT BEFORE JERKING INTO FIRST GEAR AND THEN QUICKLY THRUST FORWARD WITH REVVED UP RPMS. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I FELT EXTREMELY UNSAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THE SERVICE MANAGER INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS AN INCREASINGLY COMMON PROBLEM WITH 2004 & 2005 MODEL YEAR MAXIMAS. HE SAID THAT THE ONLY REMEDY WAS TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $4,000! I TOOK MY CAR TO A TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP FOR A SECOND OPINION AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING. THE MECHANIC CONFIRMED THAT THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE WITH MAXIMAS MANUFACTURED IN THOSE MODEL YEARS. I ENDED UP TAKING MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAD THEM REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE AND HAVE FOUND THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON VARIOUS INTERNET SITES BY OWNERS OF 2004 & 2005 MAXIMAS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR TRANSMISSION. IT'S CLEARLY APPARENT THAT THERE IS A MAJOR DEFECT WITH THE TRANSMISSIONS THAT WERE INSTALLED IN 2004 & 2005 MAXIMAS. I HAVE TAKEN VERY GOOD CARE OF MY VEHICLE AND HAVE KEPT UP WITH REGULAR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE INTERVALS. THERE IS NO WAY THAT I SHOULD HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT THAT MILEAGE IF IT WAS NOT DEFECTIVE. I BESEECH YOU TO RECALL ALL 2004 & 2005 MAXIMAS AND FIX THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM BEFORE IT CAUSES SEVERE ACCIDENTS IF THERE HAVE NOT ALREADY BEEN. *KB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH WHEN THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL INCREASE IN ENGINE RPMS AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE AND ACCELERATE INDEPENDENTLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000. UPDATED 12/12/11*LJ UPDATED 12/13/11

TOOK THE CAR TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY DETECTED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS HAVE WORN OUT AND WILL NEED REPLACEMENT. THE PART IS MADE OF CHEAP PLASTIC AND FAILS IN 2005 MAXIMA CARS AFTER ABOUT 65000 MILES. THE PART COST IS ABOUT $50 BUT THE LABOR COST IS ABOUT $1500. THE PROCESS OF REPLACING THE PART REQUIRES TAKING OUT THE ENGINE. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE CAR AND A POORLY DESIGNED PLASTIC PART IS INSTALLED WHICH HELPS CONTROL THE TIMING CHAIN OF THE ENGINE. IF THE PART FAILS EVENTUALLY THE ENGINE WILL FAIL. I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT THIS PROBLEM SHOWED UP AFTER MY WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. THIS REPAIR SHOULD BE PAID FOR BY NISSAN AND NOT BY THE CUSTOMERS. *KB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER SHIFTING GEARS WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK VIOLENTLY AND SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 102,000. *KB

WHILE DRIVING IN FIRST GEAR ON LIGHT THROTTLE, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED FROM 1ST GEAR INTO 2ND GEAR VIOLENTLY. NEARLY EVERY TIME UNDER LIGHT THROTTLE (UNDER NORMAL ENGINE OPERATING TEMPERATURE) SINCE THE FIRST OCCURRENCE, THE TRANSMISSION EITHER UPSHIFTS (1ST TO 2ND GEAR) OR DOWNSHIFTS (3RD TO 2ND GEAR) VIOLENTLY. *KB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR BRAKE RELATED REPAIRS AND THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT BOTH OF THE MOTOR MOUNTS WERE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT PLANNED TO NOTIFY THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

MY TRANSMISSION IS BADLY JERKING AND SCARED TO DRIVE. GEAR SHIFTTING IS NOT PROPERLY OPERATING. *KB

FEELS LIKE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING/CATCHING WHEN SPEEDING UP AND COMING TO A STOP. THIS STARTED AFTER ABOUT 90,000 MILES OR SO. *TR

TRANSMISSION WAS JERKING AND PULLING REAL HARD WHEN CHANGING GEARS. TOOK IT TO NISSAN DEALER THREE TIMES AND HAD DIFFERENT THINGS CHECKED AND DONE (FLUSHED, AND RINGS CHANGED), AND IT JUST GOT WORSE TIL I HAD TO STOP DRIVING IT. I AM STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON CAR AND CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY $3400 FOR TRANSMISSION. CAR COST TOO MUCH TO BE HAVING PROBLEMS LIKE THIS SO SOON. PLEASE HELP. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS MALFUNCTIONING AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE TRANSMISSION AND THEY STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRING THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,120.