NISSAN MAXIMA · model year

2006 NISSAN MAXIMA

733 NHTSA complaints, 30 crash reports, and 2 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2006NISSANMAXIMA carries 733 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 30 crashes, 7 fires, 17 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2006 MAXIMA is power train with 266 filings, followed by power train:automatic transmission (127) and engine (47). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 2 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 3 investigation files overlapping the 2006 MAXIMA. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

733
Complaints
30
Crashes
7
Fires
17
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

733 filings

Crashes Reported

30 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
POWER TRAIN266
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION127
ENGINE47
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL34
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC31
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM24
UNKNOWN OR OTHER18
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING18
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)17
STRUCTURE:BODY17
STEERING15
SERVICE BRAKES14
SUSPENSION11
AIR BAGS11
TIRES9

Recalls (2)

06V04600013/02/2006

SUSPENSION:REAR

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.

05V51200007/11/2005

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST

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.

Recent Complaints

20240517ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

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.

20240517ENGINE

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.

20240517UNKNOWN OR OTHER

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.

20230718AIR BAGS

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. The contact stated that during the failure, there was no one seated in the vehicle. The contact stated that there was no impact to the vehicle to cause the air bags to deploy. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 90,948.

Mileage: 90,948

20230422ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

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.

20230422SERVICE BRAKES

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.

20230422WHEELS

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.

20210526CrashUNKNOWN OR OTHER

When you're driving in hazardous conditions the car loses stability and it caused me to go into a spin and hit a wall, anytime it rains you can feel that the car starts to lose grip of the road and I fear for my life every time it remotely starts to rain or the road is wet. And there's a recall on the Nissan Maxima regarding the rear suspension something and the effect of the recall on that vehicle is what's happening to my vehicle.

20210526CrashSUSPENSION

When you're driving in hazardous conditions the car loses stability and it caused me to go into a spin and hit a wall, anytime it rains you can feel that the car starts to lose grip of the road and I fear for my life every time it remotely starts to rain or the road is wet. And there's a recall on the Nissan Maxima regarding the rear suspension something and the effect of the recall on that vehicle is what's happening to my vehicle.

20201211ENGINE

WELL MY CAR WHILE DRIVING IT WILL COMPLETELY SHUT OFF IN ME WHILE IM DRIVING IT. AFTER IT CRANKS BACK UP IT IS VERY SLOW TO TAKE OFF

Mileage: 200,000

20201211POWER TRAIN

WELL MY CAR WHILE DRIVING IT WILL COMPLETELY SHUT OFF IN ME WHILE IM DRIVING IT. AFTER IT CRANKS BACK UP IT IS VERY SLOW TO TAKE OFF

Mileage: 200,000

20200921SERVICE BRAKES

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.

Mileage: 137,820

20200921ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

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.

Mileage: 137,820

20200921POWER TRAIN

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.

Mileage: 137,820

20200328POWER TRAIN

TRANSMISSION SLIPPING FROM 2ND TO 3RD AND 3RD TO 4TH WITH A HARD KNOCK GOING FROM PARK TO DRIVE. WHILE DRIVING AND SLOWING TO 25MPH TO GO AROUND A TURN THE CAR JERKED AND HARD KICKED DOWNSHIFTING CAUSING ME TO ALMOST TO HIT FROM BEHIND.

Mileage: 153,200

20191119ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

I WAS DRIVING IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA AND SUDDENLY STEERING WHEEL GOT STIFF, BRAKES SEEMED TO BE ON, DASHBOARD LIGHTS APPEARED WITH "TCS OFF" "SLIP" AND "CHECK ENGINE " ALL APPEARED ON DASHBOARD. I ALMOST CRASHED DUE TO THIS.

Mileage: 161,210

20191025POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY FAILED TO ACCELERATE AND BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARDS DOWN A SLIGHT INCLINE. AFTER RESTARTING THE ENGINE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT DRIVE FORWARD. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

Mileage: 200,000

20190919POWER TRAIN

WHEN ACCELERATING IN LOW GEARS, THE VEHICLE JUMPS AND JERKS AND SOMETIMES REVS UP THE ENGINE. BAD TRANSMISSION. WHEN PLACED INTO REVERSE, IT STOPS AND JERKS.

Mileage: 200

20190823ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

"TAKATA RECALL" IN MOTION, SHIFTING HAS A LARGE CLOCK SOUND I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF IT'S A RECALL ON THE COIL. BOTH CITY STREET AND HIGHWAY, WHEN ACCELERATING IT SEEMS TO STALL IN MOVING TO THE NEXT GEAR OR ACTUALLY NOT EVEN SHIFT INTO THE NEXT GEAR IN MOTION, SO WILL NOT ALLOW THE CAR TO PICK UP ANY MOMENTUM. REVERSE IS VERY LOUD WITH A SOMEWHAT BANG TO IT. AS I SAID BEFORE IT COULD BE THE COIL BUT I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW TO IDENTIFY IF IT'S ALSO A DRIVESHAFT.

Mileage: 193,588

20190823ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

"TAKATA RECALL" IN MOTION, SHIFTING HAS A LARGE CLOCK SOUND I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF IT'S A RECALL ON THE COIL. BOTH CITY STREET AND HIGHWAY, WHEN ACCELERATING IT SEEMS TO STALL IN MOVING TO THE NEXT GEAR OR ACTUALLY NOT EVEN SHIFT INTO THE NEXT GEAR IN MOTION, SO WILL NOT ALLOW THE CAR TO PICK UP ANY MOMENTUM. REVERSE IS VERY LOUD WITH A SOMEWHAT BANG TO IT. AS I SAID BEFORE IT COULD BE THE COIL BUT I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW TO IDENTIFY IF IT'S ALSO A DRIVESHAFT.

Mileage: 193,588

Compare 2006NISSANMAXIMA to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA have?
The 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA has 733 NHTSA complaints, 30 crashes, 7 fires, 17 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA?
Yes, the 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA has 2 recall(s). The most common affected component is SUSPENSION:REAR. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA?
The most-complained component for the 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA is POWER TRAIN with 266 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION and ENGINE.
Is the 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.