Problems · NHTSA complaints

2006 Nissan Maxima problems

Owners filed 576 complaints about the 2006 Nissan Maxima with NHTSA between Feb 2006 and May 2024. The most-cited component is power train (393).

Complaints
576
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
21
Reported by owners
Fires
4
Reported by owners
Injuries
12
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train393
  2. Engine47
  3. Service brakes, hydraulic40
  4. Vehicle speed control35
  5. Electrical system26
  6. Engine and engine cooling24
  7. Structure20
  8. Suspension19
  9. Electronic stability control (esc)17
  10. Steering17
  11. Service brakes14
  12. Air bags13
  13. Tires12
  14. Exterior lighting6

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
200610
20079
200816
200916
201088
2011120
201263
201377
201462
201533
201641
201719
20189
20196
20203
20211
20220
20232
20241

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Power train

393 reports4 crashes
“I BOUGHT THIS 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA SL WITH 137,806 MILES. I DROVE IT HOME. THE NEXT DAY, IT WOULD NOT START, I WENT AND BOUGHT A BATTERY, ON THE WAY THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON., THEN THE TCS AND SLIP LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC SHOP, HE KEEP IT ALMOST 4 WEEKS, AND THEN TOLD ME IT WAS NOT WORTH FIXING/REPAIRING IT. I COULD NOT BELIEVE, I JUST SPENT OVER $4,000.00 ON THIS CAR AND I ONLY DROVE IT HOME!!, I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER WELL KNOWN MECHANIC SHOP, HE TELLS ME THAT IT NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION, MOTOR MOUNTS, SENSORS AND PROBABLY MORE. IT IS NOT WORTH FIXING IT. I AM A 57 YEAR OLD LADY AND I DONT HAVE THE MONEY TO BUY ANOTHER CAR AND I DONT HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX IT. I HEAR THAT THESE CARS HAVE ALOT OF TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND MORE. I WISH I HAD KNOWN THAT BEFORE BUYING IT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 21, 2020Power train, Electronic stability control (esc), Service brakesODI 11360137

Engine

47 reports2 crashes1 fire
“This Vehicle is Severely Defective. This Vehicle is not safe to be on the road. This Vehicle has had several repairs for the same repair issue but the problem still exists. I have spent thousands on this Vehicle and this vehicle is still inoperative and not drivable. This Vehicle is a hazard for the road. VEHICLE IS UNSAFE! VEHICLE has still not been Repaired. Please I like to be Compensated and Reimbursed for the Loss I have suffered. Please compensate and/or reimbursed me for the $10,000.00 I lost in a Defective, Inoperable, and Unsafe Vehicle. Thank God My Child and I did not get seriously hurt while I was driving this vehicle. I remember one incident while I was driving this vehicle: Right in the middle of me driving this vehicle I was going about 40-45 mph on the highway, the vehicle just shut down all of a sudden. The entire Electrical System just Shutdown. That was very frightening! So, yes I like to be Fully Compensated for all my troubles with this vehicle.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 17, 2024Electrical system, Unknown or other, EngineODI 11589401

Service brakes, hydraulic

40 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD WHILE THE BRAKES WERE ENGAGED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC ON THREE OCCASIONS, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS AN ABS BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE CAUSING TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE DAMAGES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. UPDATED 08/11/14*LJ UPDATED 08/13/2014 *JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 28, 2014Service brakes, hydraulic, Service brakesODI 10594505

Vehicle speed control

35 reports5 crashes
“ABS, TRC,BRAKE, STABILITY LIGHT ON, CAR JUMPS WHEN BRAKING AND LOUD NOISE WHEN BREAKING 25MPH AND LOWER. DEALER REFUSE TO DO THE REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY, THIS IS A LARGE PROBLEM FOR NISAN OWNERS. COST OF REPAIR 2-3000.00”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 12, 2017Vehicle speed control, Electronic stability control (esc), Service brakesODI 10972092

Electrical system

26 reports3 fires
“My brakes dont work unless my 3 dashboard lights come on. Slip, tcs and abs. Sometimes I forget and drive off. When I brake at the light you could here the wires buzzing as if there was a short circuit. Finally on my passenger side in the 'back, the tire was wiggling and noticed some lugs were missing plus the hubs lugs were loose. I haven' t taken to go get it inspected because I dont have money at the moment.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 22, 2023Electrical system, Wheels, Service brakesODI 11518387

Engine and engine cooling

24 reports1 crash1 fire
“RATTLING SOUND ON FRONT RIDE SIDE OF VEHICLE. TOOK TO NISSAN DEALERSHIP ON 12/11/14 TO HAVE ASSESSED. WAS CONFIRMED THAT IT IS THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONING SYSTEM. IT WILL COST $2000 IN LABOR ALONE TO REMOVE ENGINE AND COMPONENTS TO ACCESS, PARTS WILL BE ANYWHERE FOR $200-$2000. THE TIMING CHAIN TENSION SYSTEM IS DEFECTIVE AND PRONE TO PREMATURE FAILURE. DEALERSHIP DOES NOT KNOW WHY THIS HAPPENS BUT RECOMMENDED I DO NOT DRIVE UNTIL CAN BE REPAIRED DUE TO THE FACT THAT IF THE TIMING LOSES TIME IT WILL BLOW MY MOTOR. I FEEL AS THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL ISSUED TO CONSUMERS. THE VEHICLE IS NOT YET PAID OFF AND WILL REQUIRE $2000-4000 IN REPAIRS TO BE SAFE TO DRIVE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 12, 2014Engine and engine coolingODI 10663759
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.