YearToAvoid

2005 Nissan Maxima Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA has 777 owner complaints about transmission problems in the 2005 Nissan Maxima, 82% of all 948 complaints for this model year. That is the highest transmission complaint count among 19 Maxima model years. These complaints report 8 crashes, 2 fires, and 15 injuries. Median mileage at failure: 85,000 miles.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
777
82% of 948
Crashes reported
8
Fires reported
2
Injuries reported
15
Median mileage
85,000 mi
Related recalls
0

When 2005 Nissan Maxima transmission complaints were filed

First complaint May 13, 2005, latest Apr 3, 2021.

2005 Nissan Maxima transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per quarter672005 Q22009 Q12010 Q42012 Q32014 Q22016 Q12018 Q22021 Q2
777 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2005 Q2 to 2021 Q2; peak 2011 Q3 (67).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2005 Nissan Maxima

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Maxima model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 2005777 (82%)
  2. 2006393 (68%)
  3. 200716 (12%)
  4. 20088 (10%)
  5. 200911 (3%)
  6. 201015 (5%)
  7. 201122 (21%)
  8. 201218 (17%)
  9. 201324 (39%)
  10. 201422 (23%)
  11. 20150 (0%)
  12. 201633 (23%)
  13. 201711 (11%)
  14. 20181 (3%)
  15. 20193 (17%)
  16. 20203 (14%)
  17. 20210 (0%)
  18. 20220 (0%)
  19. 20230 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2005 Nissan Maxima have transmission problems?
NHTSA has 777 owner complaints about the transmission in the 2005 Nissan Maxima, 82% of all complaints for this model year, including 8 that report a crash. Median mileage at failure is 85,000 miles.
Which Nissan Maxima year has the most transmission complaints?
The 2005 Nissan Maxima has the most transmission complaints (777), compared with 777 for the 2005.
Is there a transmission recall for the 2005 Nissan Maxima?
No NHTSA recall campaign for the 2005 Nissan Maxima is classified under transmission & powertrain. Complaints alone do not trigger a recall; check the full recall list and your VIN.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.