YearToAvoid

2011 Nissan Maxima Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA lists 22 transmission and powertrain complaints for the 2011 Nissan Maxima, 21% of all 106 complaints filed for the year. Owners report failure to shift, sudden power loss, and full transmission replacement, with a median failure mileage of 95,000. No related recall is listed for this issue.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
22
21% of 106
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
95,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical transmission symptoms owners report

  • Vehicle would not shift out of first gear shortly after purchase, with a check engine light and a transmission code that returned after being reset.
  • CVT transmission fails outright and requires full replacement, sometimes reported around 98,200 miles and other times near 107,400 miles.
  • Intermittent high RPM surges with no corresponding increase in speed, followed by the transmission suddenly engaging and lurching the car forward.
  • Hesitation shifting from 1st to 2nd gear with a loud clunking noise under hard acceleration, sometimes taking many seconds to complete the shift.
  • Transmission suddenly stops engaging while driving on the highway, causing loss of acceleration and forcing the driver to coast to the shoulder.
  • Transmission slips out of gear abruptly at highway speed, causing sudden slowing and near rear-end collisions.

When 2011 Nissan Maxima transmission complaints were filed

First complaint May 9, 2011, latest Jun 29, 2024.

2011 Nissan Maxima transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per month2May 2011Feb 2015Jun 2017Mar 2018Aug 2020Jan 2023
22 complaints filed with NHTSA from May 2011 to Jun 2024; peak Jun 2017 (2).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2011 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

How common are transmission problems on the 2011 Nissan Maxima?
NHTSA lists 22 transmission and powertrain complaints for the 2011 Maxima, which is 21% of all 106 complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a transmission recall for the 2011 Nissan Maxima?
No related recall is listed in NHTSA data for this problem area on the 2011 Maxima.
At what mileage do 2011 Maxima transmission problems usually appear?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA is 95,000 miles, though some owners reported issues as early as 1,800 miles and others past 110,000 miles.
Did the transmission problems cause crashes or injuries?
NHTSA data shows 0 crashes, 0 fires, and 0 injuries linked to these transmission complaints on the 2011 Maxima.
How does the 2011 Maxima compare to other years for transmission complaints?
The 2011 Maxima's 21% share is lower than 2013's 39% and similar to 2014's 23% and 2016's 23%, based on NHTSA's year-by-year breakdown.

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.