Problems with 2004 Nissan Maxima POWER TRAIN

The car is jerking/bucking violently when shifting from reverse into drive and again when shifting into first and second gears. it is also jerking when downshifting from second to first gear. at first, the shifting problem was an occasional occurrence, however, it has progressively gotten worse. now it is almost constant. after researching this problem, i have found that hundreds and hundreds of '04-05 maxima owners are experiencing the exact same problems. this is quite obviously a nissan manufacturing defect that should be corrected by nissan corp. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. the contact was driving approximately 35 mph when the vehicle suddenly stalled. the contact was able to restart the vehicle and continue to drive without failure. additionally, the contact stated that when the gear was shifted from park to reverse, the vehicle would jerk. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing or repairs. the approximate failure mileage was 71,914.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. the contact stated that while driving approximately 45 mph, the vehicle hesitated while accelerating. the contact depressed the accelerator pedal repeatedly and the vehicle lunged forward independently. the vehicle was taken to a mechanic for diagnostic testing. the mechanic advised that the speed and abs sensors would have to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired however, the failure persisted. the vin was not available. the approximate failure mileage was 10,000.

Transmission is jerking when shifting thru most gears and sometimes gets worse while driving long periods. i feel this problem needs to be taken care of and nissan needs to be held responsible and needs to be put out there for everyone to see how money hungry they are for not wanting to help. they are taking money from people when they know the problem. i even seen companies come out with parts that help the problem because they know there is a market for this problem. you need to make nissan fix there problem and make right because in today market this is not going to end well with the people who are getting screwed over. i have been working with green light auto who is tired of dealing with this car because it has this issues now let me tell you this new mounts, fluid all new even sensors and 02's that are noted to go and cause these issues. still have the problem. you need to make them fix this problem before the transmission fails and kills someone due to an accident then we will start having people sue and get some help from legal matters. class action law suite is also filled and is going on as well. shows that everyone is tired of the crap. *tr

My transmission stop working. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. the contact stated that while driving approximately 30 mph, the vehicle jerked forward when switching gears. additionally, the vehicle stalled intermittently. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis. the mechanic stated that the transmission would have to be replaced. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 110,000. *tr

Delayed engagement between gears. the automatic transmission slips and the rpm's increase while vehicle is attempting to transition between 1-2, 2-3 & 3-4 gears. the vehicle will jerk and make a loud noise once engaged into a new gear. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. the contact stated that when attempting to shift into drive or reverse, the vehicle would shake violently. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and did not offer any assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the failure and current mileage was 68,000.

The transmission slips frequently, often hesitation when switching from park/reverse/drive and when switching from 1st to 2nd or 2nd to 3rd. the slip often results in lack of power to the wheels and then a sudden jerk when it does finally kick in. it can be very dangerous when you pull into traffic and expect the vehicle to accelerate normally and instead get stuck between gears. should be a recall on this transmission since it is apparent from online research that this is a very common occurrence. *tr

When shifting from park-reverse or reverse-drive, the transmission has a short delay before "jumping" into gear. this problem was intermittent and seemed to only occur during extremely cold temperatures. i had a transmission flush performed ($65) that seemed to remedy the problem but it returned within 5k miles. several months later, the transmission randomly became unresponsive at speeds of 20-30mph at which time the rpms would increase rapidly with loss of acceleration. another transmission flush was performed and the problem seemed worse. finally while driving on the interstate at 70mph the vehicles transmission suddenly "slammed" then the service engine light was activated with a noticeable power loss. upon slowing down to exit the highway the vehicle stalled and died. it restarted but the throttle was restricted. the vehicles gear was changed to manual mode and it was discovered that the transmission was stuck in 5th gear. at that point the vehicle got stuck in 5th gear after 15-20 min of driving and the low speed power loss became almost constant. the vehicle was no longer driven until it was put on diagnostics by a transmission specialist ($60) and the code indicated the failure of 3 sensors: cam position sensor, electronic acceleration position sensor and transmission speed sensor. the nissan dealership was contacted to inquire about the issue and the error codes and they acknowledged this as a common problem with no suggestions other than replacing the sensors. the electronic acceleration position sensor required a new throttle body which was then replaced ($115). the 2 cam sensors ($120) and transmission speed sensor, aka transmission revolution output sensor, were then purchased ($125). i had to take the car to a nissan dealer and pay another $365 to get the new sensors flashed. the problem still remains. i'm now looking at getting the tranny replaced. *tr

After stopping at traffic signal, the car doesn't move and starts jerking when shifting between gears. 2 months back the gear wouldn't shift from 5th, took to dealer they replaced a bad sensor and now it jerks and doesn't move when shifting gears. *tr

Car began experiencing hard shifting from d to r or r to d. hard shifting then began to occur during 1st to 2nd gear and 2nd to 1st gear. shifts are hard and feel as if the car has been hit by another car. if you do not anticipate the hard shift the car could jump forward into another vehicle. owner looking into replacing the valve body as this appears to be the main (costly) fix for this issue. *tr

Car jerks when changing shifts. results need a transmission. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. the contact stated that while driving 25 mph and releasing his foot from the accelerator pedal, the vehicle jerked violently. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection where they advised that the transmission needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified but provided no assistance. the failure mileage was 90,000.

Transmission experiences extremely harsh shifting between 1st and 2nd gear.seems to be worse when vehicle is warmed up. occurrence is intermittent. vehicle will slip completely out of gear when turning a corner under braking, then slam back into gear as gas is applied exiting the turn. vehicle also will hesitate when shifting from reverse to drive for 10 seconds, then slam into drive. vehicle slipping out of gear and then slamming into gear could lead to possible rear collision. also feels like it could not go back into gear when driving on a hill. with the number of blog posts regarding this issue it is obviously not isolated. i have been informed that the only 'fix' is to replace the transmission at my expense to the tune of $3000-$4000. neighbor traded in her .05 maxima for a toyota because dealer told her she had to pay $4000 for a new tranny for the maximum. as it is apparent that nissan will not voluntarily own up to what it obviously a manufacturing or design defect, i hope they will soon be forced into issuing a recall and fixing this issue. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. the contact stated while shifting from park to reverse he heard a loud noise coming from the engine. the vehicle was able to be driven to an independent mechanic where it was confirmed that the transmission was slipping. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted about the issue. the failure mileage was 90,000 and the current mileage was 96,000.

The transmission shifts hard from 2nd to 3rd after driving about 20 minutes. then it shifts hard up and down. when going from park or reverse into drive it will not engage gear and then slams into gear. while driving at freeway speeds it will slip gears. it also slips gears after pulling out at a stop sign. a diagnostic check revealed that it has a pressure control solenoid c stuck on .i have found many many online posts on forums about the same exact problem at about the same mileage on many 2004 maximas. i am concerned that i can not drive it safely and nissan knows about this failure in the car and choose to do nothing. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. the contact stated that while driving 20 mph and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle began to jerk and the rpms increased to 6000. the accelerator pedal also became unresponsive. the failure recurred numerous times. the vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnosis and the transmission was flushed however, the failure recurred. the vehicle was returned to the dealer and the throttle body was replaced. the failure recurred. the dealer then informed the contact that the transmission would need to be replaced. the manufacturer had not been notified. the failure mileage was 100,000 and the current mileage was 107,000.

Maxima has begun shifting very hard from 1st to 2nd gear, and into reverse. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. the contact stated that the vehicle hesitated when shifting gears. in addition, the vehicle was slow to respond when accelerating at initial start-up or when accelerating from a complete stop. the dealer was contacted and advised the contact that the transmission would need to be replaced or rebuilt. the vehicle was repaired on 9/13/2012. the approximate failure and current mileage was 123,303. updated 01/18/13*lj the consumer stated the dealer advised that the cam and crank shaft sensors went bad. the sensors are responsible for telling the vehicle which gear to be in at start up. with the sensor failure, the car sits in 5th gear. there is no immediate acceleration after sitting idle, or when starting the car. updated 1/24/2013*js

Delayed engagement of transmission from reverse to drive and neutral to drive, also "shift jerk" at various speeds while accelerating. *tr

Car shifts really hard from 1st to 2nd and revs like its not catching gear like its supposed to do and the transmission flush is not the fix nissan has a lot of complaints about this why is nothing getting done higher up before someone gets killed or serious injured. 543 reports and what has got done thus far. also when putting in drive it pauses then switches into gear cause it to jerk real bad like the tranny an motor mounts are about to fall out. please someone take action about this issue !!!!!! *tr

Car will not shift right-- dealership can't repair the problem and they do work on car and it doesn't fix the problem. we are out repair bills and the car is not fixed by no means. *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would shake violently whenever the transmission was shifted from park to drive. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the valve body needed to be replaced. also, the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for a second opinion who stated that the transmission motor mounts and the radiator needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 102,000 and the current mileage was 113,065.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. the contact stated that while driving approximately 20-30 mph, the vehicle began jerking and shifting violently. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where they advised her that they would drain and seal the transmission fluid. the vehicle was repaired by draining and sealing the transmission fluid. the failure recurred approximately two weeks after the repair. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was approximately 55,000. the current mileage was approximately 60,000. the vin was unavailable.

In 2012 my 2004 nissan maxima would not change gears properly. it would jerk, idle up, and take a while to change gears. the transmission was replaced by a nissan dealership in 2012 for $3,725.64. since having my transmission replaced, i spoke to about 5 owners of a 2004 nissan maxima that i met at the gas station or grocery store parking lot who told me they had the same issue and had the transmission replaced. there are tons of complaints on line. apparently, there is an issue with the nissan transmission but nissan is not taking responsibility. please help us in this effort to investigate and receive reimbursement for the transmission problems. thank you very much *tr

Whenever i first crank my 2004 nissan maxima se up and shift the gearshift from park to reverse there would be a really hard kick and then when i shift it from reverse to drive it would kick really hard again. and then when i start moving forward it would be slow by picking up speed because it would be stuck in 5th gear instead of being in 1st gear like it suppose to be in. so other words it would take the maxima 45 seconds to a minute to get to 55 to 60 mph. and i already have taken it to the nissan dealership where i brought it from a total of three times before they finally told me its the transmission and that could cost me anywhere from $3500 up to $4000 just to get it rebuild. and i definitely don't have that kind of money to be spending on getting the transmission rebuilt. i have had this maxima every since march 12, 2008 and its been good to me until this happen. so please could you help me? it would be much appreciated thanks. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. the contact was driving 25 mph when he noticed that the vehicle would jerk when shifting gears. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was 120,000 and the current mileage was 124,000.

Driving on the freeway at about 60 mph i noticed the engine light turned on and the cars power was gone. i continued to step on the gas but still no power at all. the transmission was stuck on 5th gear. once i came to a complete stop and i press on the gas the engine just revs up with very little power. i take it to the dealership for them to confirm i needed a new transmission. i didn't want to pay $3,000 at a nissan dealership so i decided to take it to my local mechanic in which he said he's worked on maximas before with the same problem. he said the issue is in the valve body (part of the transmission) so he replaced it. i got the car back after a $1,500 bill and everything was working just fine. until today 6-18-14, approximately two years from the first incident. once again my transmission is stuck on 5th gear. prior to this there was some jerking from 3-4 gear and a hard jerk from p to r. here i am now facing another bill. this could of easily caused an accident and after numerous reports from other drivers nissan needs to address this issue! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. the contact stated that as the engine was started and the gear was placed in drive, the vehicle would jerk abnormally. the failure would also occur when shifting from first to second gears, accelerating or reversing. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who inspected the vehicle and located the failure at the transmission. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 106,000 and the current mileage 110,000. the vin was not available.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. the contact stated that while shifting gears the transmission became hesitant. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 60,000 and the current mileage was 67,000.

It started with a delay from reverse to 1st, or vice-versa, followed by a hard "thud" as the car got into gear. then, every time the car warmed up, the transmission would slip while switching gears. now, the car will only operate in reverse and 5th gear. so it's like driving a lawn mower. i see that hundreds of others have had this same problem and reported it on-line. although my car was at the dealership just this weekend, and they mentioned nothing about a history with this model/year. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. the contact stated that while driving 60 mph, the vehicle stalled and failed to accelerate. after a few moments, the vehicle began to accelerate. the vehicle then jerked while shifting gears and nearly crashed into another vehicle. the failure had occurred previously. the vehicle was taken to repair shop, where they stated that the vehicle had a manufacturer's defect on the valve body of the transmission. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified, however no assistance was provided. the failure and current mileages were 100,000.

Seems like when weather is warm, transmission jerks in 1,2,3 gears. happens when slowing down and speeding up. research indicates that this is a common problem with them make and model. shouldn't nissan be made to own their issue. most vehicles never have a transmission problem, especially when regularly serviced. not the case with this car. my wife won't drive it, and i won't let her. im trying to be very careful with it, but the problem is there. i can't afford the fix. help. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. the contact stated while driving approximately 40 mph, the vehicle began to stall. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the technician stated the power transmission needed to be replaced. the vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions for the identical failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated the vehicle was not included in any recalls. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 128,000 and the current mileage was 140,000.

Nissan maxima 2004 automatic transmission failure. symptoms started as a hard jerk into gear when going from drive to reverse and back to drive. i changed the fluid and that worked for awhile but the hard jerking started again which led to transmission failure. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. the contact stated that while driving 45 mph, the vehicle jerked abnormally. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection and they advised the contact that the transmission needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired and the failure recurred. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 78,000. the vin was unavailable.

I am the original owner of a 2004 nissan maxima. i like many others that have filed a complaint, am experiencing a transmission failure. the failure starts on the downshift from second to first gear after the car has been driven about 20 miles. the transmission begins to jerk. i have also experienced late shift on acceleration and a hard "thunk" when shifting into reverse. dealer quoted $4000 for transmission replacement. i have noticed several complaints filed with nhtsa for this same failure, a class action law suit that has been filed in sept. 2011, and several complaints on nissan forums. when will nissan be held accountable for a defective part? *js

I am the only owner of my 04 nissan maxima and have experienced my maxima violently jerking when taking off or when stopping. also while taking off to turn at an intersection or at a stop sign it sometimes stalls. i have 3 children under the age of 5 and am very concerned that my car is going to stall and i will be hit in the side of my car. i had the car tested by a private company and they said it was the transmission. i have looked online and there are thousands of complaints about the nissan maxima 04-07 models. no one is doing anything about it and someone will end up getting hurt if this problem continues. please check out website http://www.aboutautomobile.com/complaint/2004/nissan/maxima/automatic+transmission. *tr

Shifting from reverse to drive, 1st to 2nd or 2nd to 3rd - engine revs, transmission jerks after short delay. when going on downhill bends this means that the car wants to jerk off the road, somewhat. apparently due to improper cooling on the transmission fluid, it gets gummy, and then the solenoids clog up and get stuck. there is also a lot of wear on the gears. for the first repair, a flush and replacing the solenoids will usually give another 20k miles, but the problem doesn't get fixed unless a custom cooling system is put on the transmission lines. it's a crappy design. instead of running the cooling lines to the engine and putting a thermostat on a switch, there should be a dedicated cooler on the transmission. also, it's ridiculously hard to get to the transmission fluid filter, which is inside the transmission case. how hard would it have been to put an external filter down in the pan? *tr

Transmission shifts when it wants to. 5 second delay going into gear from park to drive after transmission heats up. slips into to 2nd and 3rd with a high rev. after slowing,slips into neutral then bangs into gear. after a stop it slips very hard between two gears. often smell burned oil or fluid inside cabin. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. while driving approximately 25 mph, the contact noticed that the vehicle became hesitant to accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. the vehicle also began to jerk. the failure occurred constantly. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for a diagnostic test. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 98,100.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. while driving 60 mph, the vehicle jerked forward and began to decelerate. the contact continued to depress the accelerator pedal until the vehicle began to accelerate normally. the failure recurred intermittently. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the approximate failure mileage was 142,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. the contact stated that while traveling 60 mph the vehicle began to shake violently and stalled. the contact was able to eventually merge to the side of the road. the vehicle was able to be driven to the contact's home. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was confirmed that the transmission valve body had failed. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure and current mileage was not available.

The problem first occurred while driving at approximately 30 miles an hour. the automatic transmission made a thud noise and the gear indicator showed 5 instead of d and would no longer shift and felt like it would not accelerate. even when trying to manually shift the transmission it would not go into d and would continue to indicate 5. nissan serviced the transmission with a fluid change and this did not fix the problem. this has occurred on several occasions since then. the problem occurs at various speeds and now it sometimes causes the vehicle to shut off. this is a hazardous situation and we have been fortunate this has not occurred in heavy traffic and involved us in an accident. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. the contact stated that when shifting from first to second gear or from second to first gear while driving 35 mph, the vehicle would jerk severely. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who advised the contact that the transmission needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was notified of the failure who offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 120,000 and the current mileage was 140,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. the contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, the transmission exhibited hard shifting with a loud clanking noise. the failure recurred whenever the vehicle was in operation. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified and advised the contact that the vehicle be diagnosed by an authorized dealer. the approximate failure mileage was 120,000.

Vehicle was purchased used, at first the vehicle jerked abruptly from 1st to 2nd, after driving it for a few miles it seems like its not gearing properly, now the vehicle starts jerking as soon as i start driving jerking from 1st, 2nd to 3rd, after 30 miles the vehicle drives ok. also there's been times when the accelerator pedal is pressed and the vehicle fails to accelerate. vehicle also jerks when changing to reverse. i took the vehicle to different mechanics and was advised that the transmission needs to be replaced, the cost could be about 4,000 to 5,000 which is about what the vehicle is worth. this should be taken care of by nissan, there are many complaints about the same problem its obviously a manufacture problem and owner shouldn't be responsible for replacements costs. *tr

Transmission jerks when shifting from 1st to 2nd and when downshifting. also jerks and banks hard when the vehicle is put into drive after reversing. if the brake is not pressed really hard, the vehicle lungs forward very hard. *tt

Turned into hard shift then uptick of 500 rpms between 2nd and ... 2004 nissan maxima shimmy in steering,transmission jerk. 2004 nissan maxima. *js