Problems · by component

2004 Nissan Maxima suspension problems

102 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2004 Nissan Maxima cite suspension, 7% of all 1,426 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
102
7% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the suspension

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“ME AND MY BOYFRIEND WERE SOLD THIS CAR FOR 2500 AND THE CAR NEEDED A NEW BATTERY, A NEW CONVERTER . ONCE I BROUGHT THOSE ITEMS AND PUT THEM IN THE CAR STARTED HAVING COMPRESSION PROBLEMS TO THE POINT IT HAS A SLOW TAKE OFF , CANNOT GO UP HILLS , AND WE HAVE TO SHIFT GEARS JUST FOR IT TO MOVE .. THIS CAR WAS SOLD TO US LIKE THIS AND WE ALMOST FELL OFF A CLIFF BECAUSE OF THE COMPRESSION PROBLEM AND NOT BEING ABLE TO GO UP ANY HILLS .. THE PEOPLE WHO SOLD US THE CAR SAID THEY WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM OR REFUND OUR MONEY .”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 20, 2020Suspension, Vehicle speed control, EngineCrash reportedODI 11340304
“VEHICLE HAS 91000 MILES ON IT AND TRANSMISSION IS FAILING.(JERKS WHEN VEHICLE TAKES OFF FROM STATIONARY POSITION. FRONT END GIVES ROUGH RIDE, AFTER REPLACING STRUTS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 22, 2017Suspension, Power trainODI 11000646
“[XXX] STARTING IT UP TAKES 2-3X WITH PUTTING THE GAS PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, THEN IT JERKS INTO GEAR. WHILE DRIVING IT JUST STALLS OUT WHICH IS VERY SCARY & DANGEROUS AND IT GOES FROM DRIVE TO 5TH GEAR NO 1-4, AND IT HESITATES & WHEN DRIVING UP TO A RED LIGHT FOR EXAMPLE, THEN IT STARTS TO CONK OUT. ALSO NO PICK UP FROM AN IDLE POSITION, I JUST BOUGHT IT 9/17/14 AND CALLED DEALER AND HE TOLD HIM IT WONT PASS INSPECTION "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON" CONSTANT. IT FEELS LIKE TRANSMISSION ISN'T IN PROPER GEAR (5TH) JUST STALLS WHILE DRIVING. EVERYONE BEHIND ME LEANS ON THE HORN AND YELLS AT ME WHEN IT STALLS OUT IN DRIVE. IM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. THE DEALER (NORTH SHORE AUTO MALL, LYNN MA 01905, MGR NAME [XXX], REAL JERK !!) SAID THEY DID A 21 POINT INSPECTION, BUT THAT'S BS, THEY WOULD HAVE CAUGHT THAT SEEING THAT THEY ARE IN THE BUSINESS AND KNEW THEY SOLD ME A CAR W/BAD TRANSMISSION/ALTERNATOR. NOW THEY DON'T WANT TO KNOW ME. PLEASE GIVE ME SOME RESOURCES THAT YOU KNOW OF TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. I COULD GO ON & ON ABOUT THE TREATMENT I HAD TO ENDURE BUT THAT WONT HELP HOPEFULLY YOU CAN REGARDS [XXX] *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 20, 2014Suspension, Power train, EngineODI 10637691
“WHILE VEHICLE IN FOR ROUTINE SERVICE, THE TECHNICIAN POINTED OUT SIGNIFICANT ROT TO FRONT PASSENGER FLOOR BOARD ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE. I SEE FROM THE LISTED COMPLAINTS THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM FOR THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE AND MODEL YEAR. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 2, 2013Suspension, StructureODI 10546568
“TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND HESITATES AS YOU PLACE IN GEAR. ONCE YOU PLACE IT IN GEAR FROM DRIVE TO PARK TO REVERSE IT JERKS VERY HARD WHICH PLACES PRESSURE ON THE MOTOR MOUNTS CAUSING THEM TO HAVE PROBLEMS. ALL OF THE NISSAN MAXIMA'S HAVE A SERIOUS MANUFACTURED FLAW WITH THERE TRANSMISSION. THIS IS A SERIOUS FLAW AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED BY NISSAN, ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS MADE ARE ALL STATING THE SAME THING. THIS IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURE DEFECT. THIS DEFECT OCCURS EVEN IF YOU ARE SITTING STILL WITH YOUR FEET ON THE BRAKES AND ATTEMPT TO SHIFT FROM PARK TO DRIVE TO REVERSE THE VEHICLE JERKS SO HARD IT MOVES THE VEHICLE EVEN THOUGH YOUR FEET IS ON THE BRAKES. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE. ONCE THE ENGINE WARMS UP THE TRANSMISSION BEGINS TO SLIP EVEN AS THE VEHICLE APPROACH A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN THE CAR DOWN SHIFTS ITSELF AND JERK AS IT SHIFTS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 25, 2013Suspension, Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 10505059
“WE HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH OUR TRANSMISSION FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW, WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP (CERRITOS NISSAN) AND THEY SAY THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THIS WILL BE OUR THIRD TRANNY AND THE CAR ONLY HAS 120,000+ MILES ON IT. OUR FIRST TRANSMISSION LASTED 5YRS. BEFORE HAVING TO BE REPLACED AND NOW THIS ONE HAS LASTED 3YRS. THE TRANSMISSION NOW IS STUCK IN 5TH GEAR WHEN YOU SWITCH TO THE TIP TRONIC SETTING TO SEE THE GEARING AND THIS IS THE REASON THERE IS NO POWER DURING ACCELERATION. WE ALSO NEED MOTOR MOUNTS NOW BECAUSE OF THE VIOLENT JERKING THAT THE TRANNY DOES WHEN PUT INTO GEAR. AND THE DEALERSHIP ALSO SAID WE NEEDED A TIMING CHAIN REPLACEMENT BECAUSE IT WAS BAD AS WELL, TOTAL REPAIR COST $6700.00+. I'VE RECENTLY TAKEN MY CAR TO ANOTHER MECHANIC AND HE SAID THE TIMING CHAIN WAS PERFECTLY FINE. OUR DRIVER SIDE WINDOW SWITCHES DO NOT WORK AGAIN, THAT WAS REPLACED 1YR AGO. AND WE ARE NOW ON OUR THIRD SET OF FRONT STRUTS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 7, 2012Suspension, Power train, Electrical systemODI 10487668

Showing 6 of 102 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.