Problems · by component
2004 Nissan Maxima electrical system problems
56 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2004 Nissan Maxima cite electrical system, 4% of all 1,426 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
56
4% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
8
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the electrical system
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“04V326000 ONE OF THE RECALL NUMBER THE OTHER IS 05V512000 NOT SURE WHAT TO DO AT THIS POINT I'VE CHANGED MY TIMING CHAIN ALSO ALREADY I ALSO RECEIVED A LETTER STATING IF I HAD TO REPLACE IT TO CONTACT NISSAN I BELIEVE I'M JUST GETTING THE RUN AROUND”
“FOR STARTERS I REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR THEN THE BATTERY AND THEN THE CRANKSHAFT SENOR AND THEN DORMAN THAT IS ON THE POSSESSIVE SIDE OF THE BATTERY. AND IT DOESN'T WANT TO START STILL. NOW JUST MAYBE YOU CAN HELP ME ON THIS.”
“THE BODY CONTROL MODULE KEEPS THE FRONT AND BACK LIGHTS FROM WORKING. THE TAIL LIGHTS ALSO NOT WORKING. THE LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS NOT WORKING COST FOR REPLACING WITH LABOR AND TAX IS OVER 1K IN CALIFORNIA. WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT I COULD NOT SEE THE ROAD. I HAD TO PULL OVER AND GET TOWED HOME.”
“ENGINE RECALL I WAS DRIVING MY CAR AND WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE. I WAS ON HIGHWAY 62 EAST IN MINNEAPOLIS MN GOING THE SPEED LIMIT 60 MILES AND I LOOK AND SEEN SMOKE COMING FROM HOOD AND THE BACK OF MY CAR FROM THE TAIL PIPES.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, THE WIRING UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER'S SEAT CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT CONTACTED. AN AUTO TECHNICIAN EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT A WIRE BURNED THROUGH, WHICH LIKELY CAUSED THE FIRE. THE CONTACT WAS UNSURE OF WHAT REPAIRS WERE NEEDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY SERVICED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V512000 (SEATS). THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH TIM DAHLE NISSAN (4528 STATE ST, MURRAY, UT 84107) WHO STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO SPEAK WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT LIABLE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175,000.”
“ON OCTOBER 5, 2016 MY HUSBAND CAME HOME FROM PT AND PARKED THE CAR UNDER OUR CARPORT. WHEN HE GOT OUT OF THE CAR THERE WAS NOT SIGNS OF SMOKE OR ANY WARNING LIGHTS ON IN THE CAR. HE CAME IN THE HOUSE AND STARTED TO GET DRESSED AND ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER OUR NEIGHBOR WAS KNOCKING ON THE DOOR" SCREAMING YOUR CAR IS ON FIRE". THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED OUT TO PUT OUT THE FIRE AND AFTER IT WAS OUT THEY FOUND THAT THE FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE AND RULED IT AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. I CALLED NNA AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED, SENT PHOTOS, THE POLICE REPORT, AND FIRE REPORT AND THEY STATED THAT IT WOULD TAKE 6 WEEKS FOR THEM TO EVEN DECIDE IF THEY WOULD INVESTIGATE AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT HELP WITH ANY FEES TO HAVE THE CAR PRESERVED. WE LIVE ON A MILITARY BASE SO WE HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED AWAY SO THAT MILITARY HOUSING COULD ASSESS THE DAMAGE THAT WAS DONE TO THE CARPORT AND WE CAN NOT AFFORD TO PAY DAILY FOR HAVING THE CAR SIT AT A TOW YARD WHILE NISSAN DECIDES IF THE WILL EVEN INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. I REALLY FEEL LIKE THERE SHOULD BE A CLASS ACTION AGAINST NISSAN BECAUSE WITH ALL THESE COMPLAINTS THIS CAN'T JUST BE ISOLATED INCIDENTS. *TR”
Showing 6 of 56 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.