no report yet
Front assembly: power adjust
Risk. 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.
2005 Nissan MaximaProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 948 owner complaints about the 2005 Nissan Maxima, most often about the power train. It is covered by 2 safety recalls.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through March 3, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: MercurySable99, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2005 Nissan Maxima has problems
948 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
777Power train15 crash/fire/injury
61Engine
40Engine and engine cooling
38Electrical system
33Vehicle speed control
25Structure
17Steering
17Tires
14Service brakes, hydraulic
9617 other systems23 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 777 | 15 |
| Engine | 61 | 2 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 40 | 1 |
| Electrical system | 38 | 6 |
| Vehicle speed control | 33 | 1 |
| Structure | 25 | 2 |
| Steering | 17 | 2 |
| Tires | 17 | 3 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 14 | 1 |
| 17 other systems | 96 | 23 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
2 recalls
2005 Nissan Maxima recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
no report yet
Child seat: latch strap
Risk. IF A CHILD SEAT IS NOT PROPERLY SECURED, THERE IS AN INCREASED RISK OF INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Nissan.
Mileage at failure
When do power train problems start?
85kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 686 power train complaints. 71% were reported before 100,000 miles.
15under 30k miles487under 100k miles199100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Power train
81 owners mentioned a cost$3,500median
Middle half: $3,000 – $4,000
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2005 vs. every other Maxima year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Maxima median. How we score
'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2005 Nissan Maxima safety ratings
2005 Nissan Maxima 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Stability control: Optional
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words
What Maxima owners report
Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
VEHICLE MAKES CLUNKING, JERKING NOISES AND BAD CLUNKING SOUNDS WHEN YOU PUT IT INTO GEAR OR SHIFT GEARS, DIGITAL GEAR DISPLAY SHOWS VEHICLE IS IN 5TH GEAR ALL THE TIME, ACCELERATES VERY SLOWLY.
THE CAR HAS A SOUND AS IF IT WERE METAL FATIGUE IN THE FRONT OF THE HOOD A HARD BLOW SOUNDS LOUD EVERY TIME THE CAR MOVES FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM THEY SAY WHAT IS A FACTORY DEFECT I AM AFRAID THAT IT IS A METAL THAT IS UNDER FATIGUE AND THE ENGINE…
MY CAR ONLY HAS 112337 MILE AND NEEDED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION, NOW AT 112954 HAVE TO REPLACE THE ABS CONTROL MODULE. THE TRANSMISSION WAS HARD SHIFTING/ JERKING WHEN YOU GET TO ABOUT 30-35 MPH. SO IT COST ALMOST 4,000.00 TO FIX AND THE THE SPEEDOMETER AND ODOMETER QUIT WORKING AFTER 500 MILES…
Own a 2005 Maxima?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.