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Nissan Maxima 2004–2008 problems by year and mileage

6th generation (A34)

NHTSA data through 24 September 20263,157 complaints, 2,678 with mileageMethod

Which year is yours? Tap it to see what breaks on it.

• 200480kmedian
• 200585kmedian
• 200684kmedian
• 200785kmedian
• 200875kmedian

Each tile shows the median mileage at which that model year’s failures were reported. The 2005 reports latest and the 2008 earliest, but part of that gap is age: the 2005 has had 3 more years on the road to accumulate mileage.

The short answer

“Is the 2004–2008 Nissan Maxima reliable?”

Median of reported failures

81,000 mi

90% of reports came by

126,000 mi

Reports with mileage

2,678

Recalls

5

Most reported

1. Transmission and driveline67.4% of complaints · median 85,000 mi
2. Engine5.8% of complaints · median 100,000 mi
3. Tyres5.7% of complaints · median 29,000 mi

When each system fails ↓

Documented problems

• Transmission2007–2008
• Engine2004–2008
• Body

What each one is ↓

Owners filed 3,157 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004–2008 Nissan Maxima; the transmission and driveline leads with 67.4% of them, and half of the 2,678 that record an odometer reading came by 81,000 miles. A count like this can’t rate reliability on its own: NHTSA records what owners chose to report, not how many of each car were sold.

Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 62,000 and 100,000 miles.

Before-you-buy checklist ↓At your mileage ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗

How many miles does a 2004–2008 Nissan Maxima last?

Figure 1 · Nissan Maxima 2004–2008 · 2,678 reports with mileage

Mileage at failure

Complaints per 5,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 201 complaints.

201151101500

7.5% of all reports fall between 80,000 and 85,000 miles

25k50k75k100k125k150k175k200k

• Rest of the range
• Median
• 200,000+ — 19 complaints (0.7%), plotted separately

10%

30,941

25%

62,000

Median

81,000

75%

100,500

90%

126,000

Tallest bin: 201 complaints between 80,000 and 85,000 miles. Based on 2,678 complaints that record mileage. Bin width 5,000 miles.

Show the numbers

Complaints by mileage bin

Mileage	Complaints	Share
0–5,000	94	3.5%
5,000–10,000	35	1.3%
10,000–15,000	34	1.3%
15,000–20,000	29	1.1%
20,000–25,000	31	1.2%
25,000–30,000	31	1.2%
30,000–35,000	31	1.2%
35,000–40,000	34	1.3%
40,000–45,000	53	2.0%
45,000–50,000	52	1.9%
50,000–55,000	67	2.5%
55,000–60,000	87	3.2%
60,000–65,000	151	5.6%
65,000–70,000	141	5.3%
70,000–75,000	177	6.6%
75,000–80,000	179	6.7%
80,000–85,000	201	7.5%
85,000–90,000	179	6.7%
90,000–95,000	165	6.2%
95,000–100,000	154	5.8%
100,000–105,000	145	5.4%
105,000–110,000	86	3.2%
110,000–115,000	88	3.3%
115,000–120,000	67	2.5%
120,000–125,000	83	3.1%
125,000–130,000	37	1.4%
130,000–135,000	55	2.1%
135,000–140,000	29	1.1%
140,000–145,000	26	1.0%
145,000–150,000	16	0.6%
150,000–155,000	27	1.0%
155,000–160,000	8	0.3%
160,000–165,000	15	0.6%
165,000–170,000	12	0.4%
170,000–175,000	18	0.7%
175,000–180,000	6	0.2%
180,000–185,000	4	0.1%
185,000–190,000	7	0.3%
190,000–195,000	4	0.1%
195,000–200,000	1	0.0%
200,000+	19	0.7%

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.

What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.

Common Maxima problems, and when they happen

Figure 2 · Nissan Maxima 2004–2008

When each system fails

Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.

System0–12,000 mi factory-defect window12,000 mi and beyond wear and service lifeMedian

1. Suspension141 reports22,0003,500–65,000Suspension: 141 reports, median 22,000 miles, middle half 3,500 to 65,000 miles.
2. Tyres181 reports29,00018,000–45,000Tyres: 181 reports, median 29,000 miles, middle half 18,000 to 45,000 miles.
3. Engine and its cooling system142 reports75,00056,000–95,000Engine and its cooling system: 142 reports, median 75,000 miles, middle half 56,000 to 95,000 miles.
4. Electrical system131 reports78,00049,000–117,000Electrical system: 131 reports, median 78,000 miles, middle half 49,000 to 117,000 miles.
5. Transmission and driveline2,128 reports85,00070,000–102,000Transmission and driveline: 2,128 reports, median 85,000 miles, middle half 70,000 to 102,000 miles.
6. Body structure155 reports92,00068,000–115,000Body structure: 155 reports, median 92,000 miles, middle half 68,000 to 115,000 miles.
7. Engine182 reports100,00074,000–120,000Engine: 182 reports, median 100,000 miles, middle half 74,000 to 120,000 miles.

5001k2k5k10k20k50k100k200k

• Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”

Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.

All systems in a table

Complaints by vehicle system

System	Complaints	Share	Median	25–75%
Transmission and driveline	2,128	67.4%	85,000	70,000–102,000
Engine	182	5.8%	100,000	74,000–120,000
Tyres	181	5.7%	29,000	18,000–45,000
Body structure	155	4.9%	92,000	68,000–115,000
Engine and its cooling system	142	4.5%	75,000	56,000–95,000
Suspension	141	4.5%	22,000	3,500–65,000
Electrical system	131	4.1%	78,000	49,000–117,000
Hydraulic brake circuit	127	4.0%	60,000	39,000–80,000
Throttle and speed control	121	3.8%	92,000	66,000–114,000
Steering	82	2.6%	48,000	7,500–97,000

System by system, in words

Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 81,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.

The transmission and driveline accounts for 67.4% of complaints (2,128 reports, 1,890 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 85,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 70,000 and 102,000 miles.

A single system taking 67.4% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.

The engine accounts for 5.8% of complaints (182 reports, 156 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 100,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 74,000 and 120,000 miles.

The tyres account for 5.7% of complaints (181 reports, 112 of them with a mileage figure), and they fail early — a median of 29,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 18,000 and 45,000 miles.

Body structure accounts for 4.9% of complaints (155 reports, 121 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 92,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 68,000 and 115,000 miles.

The engine and its cooling system accounts for 4.5% of complaints (142 reports, 111 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 75,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 56,000 and 95,000 miles.

The suspension accounts for 4.5% of complaints (141 reports, 107 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 22,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 3,500 and 65,000 miles.

Known problems with the 2004–2008 Maxima

Before you buy a 2004–2008 Maxima: the 3-minute check

Generated from 2,678 mileage-tagged complaints, 5 recall campaigns, 3 documented problem areas. Print this page — the checklist survives print.

For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 62,000 and 100,000 miles, with a median of 81,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.

On inspection, the transmission and driveline and the engine are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The transmission and driveline in particular shows a median failure mileage of 85,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.

None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.

Maxima problems by mileage: where your car sits

Type your odometer reading, or read the common mileages in the table. Your marker lands on the timing chart above and on the curve below.

Your odometer, milesGo

Figure 3 · Nissan Maxima 2004–2008 · 2,678 reports with mileage

Share of reports below each mileage

Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.

100%75%50%25%0%

25k50k75k100k125k150k175k200k

• 60,000 mi — 22% of reports below
• 90,000 mi — 60% of reports below
• 120,000 mi — 86% of reports below
• 150,000 mi — 95% of reports below
• 200,000 mi — 99% of reports below
• Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
• Your odometer — appears after you enter it above

The staircase tops out at 99%: the remaining 0.7% of reports (19) came above 200,000 miles.

Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.

2004–2008 Nissan Maxima recalls (5)

NHTSA records 5 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.

Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.

Recall repairs are free at an authorized dealer, for any owner. Summaries below shorten NHTSA’s own wording.

1. Oct 2006 · 2007 · SteeringIf the key is turned to the "off" position without the transmission being in the "park" position, it is…

   The defect. Certain passenger vehicles equipped with an 'intelligent key' fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 114, "Theft protection." During an inspection of some vehicles at the assembly plant, it was found that the steering…

   What can happen. If the key is turned to the "off" position without the transmission being in the "park" position, it is possible that the steering wheel can lock when turned to the right.

   The free fix. Dealers will inspect and replace the steering wheel lock assembly free of charge. The recall began on december 18, 2006. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

   NHTSA campaign 06V-402 (2006-10-23).

2. Feb 2006 · 2006 · SuspensionIf the bracket is cracked, the stability of the vehicle may be affected under severe driving conditions.

   The defect. On certain vehicles, the rear subframe may have been manufactured incorrectly, which could result in a crack in a bracket which holds part of the rear suspension.

   What can happen. If the bracket is cracked, the stability of the vehicle may be affected under severe driving conditions. This could lead to a loss of control of the vehicle which could result in a crash.

   The free fix. Dealers will inspect the rear subframe to determine if it was manufactured incorrectly and replace it, if necessary. The recall began on february 27, 2006. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

   NHTSA campaign 06V-046 (2006-02-13).

3. Nov 2005 · 2004–2006 · SeatsA pinched harness, in combination with driving vibration, may result in a short circuit in the harness that…

   The defect. On certain passenger vehicles equipped with the driver preferred package, the wire harness from the driver's seat power lumbar support switch may be routed incorrectly and could be pinched under the driver seat.

   What can happen. 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.

   The free fix. Dealers will replace the wire harness and route it correctly. The recall began on january 16, 2006. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

   NHTSA campaign 05V-512 (2005-11-07).

4. Jul 2005 · 2005 · Child SeatIf a child seat is not properly secured, there is an increased risk of injury to the seat occupant in the…

   The defect. Certain vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 225, "Child restraint anchorage systems." The lower anchorage brackets in the rear seats do not meet the location requirement in this standard. This may cause…

   What can happen. 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.

   The free fix. Dealers will replace the lower anchorage brackets with modified brackets to ensure that the standard is met. The recall began on august 28, 2006. The Infiniti q45 model vehicles are being campaigned…

   NHTSA campaign 05V-338 (2005-07-26).

5. Jul 2004 · 2004 · VisibilityThis could create excessive internal stress in the glass and eventually cause the glass to shatter, creating…

   The defect. On certain passenger vehicles equipped with skyview roofs, the glass for the roof may not have been quenched properly after the forming process, resulting in temper imbalance.

   What can happen. This could create excessive internal stress in the glass and eventually cause the glass to shatter, creating a risk of injury.

   The free fix. Dealers will inspect and replace the glass in the skyview roof. The recall began on september 7, 2004. Owners should contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

   NHTSA campaign 04V-326 (2004-07-07).

Crashes, fires and injuries owners reported

What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 3,157 complaints against this generation:

Crashes

81 (2.6%)

Fires

31

Injury reports

59

Fatality reports

1

These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.

Maxima problems by model year

The 2004 drew the most complaints of this generation, 1,425, most of them about the transmission and driveline, and the 2008 the fewest, 79. A typical year drew about 576.

That makes the 2004 stand out at roughly 2.5 times a typical year. A count like this follows how many cars of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as how often they failed, so it is not by itself evidence of a worse year; what each year's reports name, in its card and row, is the useful part.

What Maxima owners reported

The contact owns a 2004 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle made an abnormally loud popping sound, and the contact noticed that the sky view roof glass had shattered. The contact stated that pieces of shattered glass had fallen inside the vehicle. The contact pulled over to the side of…

2004 · 165,000 miles · Visibility equipment

The contact filed the complaint on behalf of the owner of the 2006 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that while the vehicle was stationary and being serviced with the engine running, the service technician closed the front driver's side door and moments later the front and rear driver's side curtain air bags deployed.…

2006 · 91,000 miles · Airbag system

The contact owns a 2007 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle in the morning, the vehicle would start after several attempts. The contact stated that he opened the hood and checked the battery and became aware that both battery terminals were corroded. The contact cleaned the…

2007 · 170,000 miles · Steering

The contact owns a 2007 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated while driving at highway speeds, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as designed. The vehicle jerked and then stopped. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was…

2007 · 147,000 miles · Throttle and speed control

Built from 2,678 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-09-26 · open data · how it is built

Other Maxima generations

• Maxima 1995–1999 187 reports with mileage, most about the electrical system
• Maxima 2000–2003 623 reports with mileage, most about the electrical system
• Maxima 2009–2014 778 reports with mileage, most about the steering
• Maxima 2016–2023 155 reports with mileage, most about problems owners could not categorise

Other large cars from the same years

• Mercury Grand Marquis 2003–2011
• Buick Lacrosse 2005–2009
• Ford Taurus 2000–2007
• Toyota Avalon 2005–2012