2006 Nissan Maxima Problems, Recalls & Reliability
733 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2006 Nissan Maxima, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 44/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Transmission & drivetrain leads the reports, typically around 85,500 miles.
Below average
Where 2006 sits among all Maxima years
What owners report
“The car's transmission slipped, the rpm's went up and then the car slammed into gear.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2006 Maxima
“When going to accelerate or change gears (park to reverse) the car jerks. When driving in city and i break then take off, the car engine rev's like the gear has slipped ..”— owner report to NHTSA, 2006 Maxima
“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 report to NHTSA, 2006 Maxima
“Its a 2006 nissan maximum when driving it. Jerks then it sounds really loud with strange noise s like its trying to shift gears but stuck wont. Drive or pull in a automatic car its a very scary situation”— owner report to NHTSA, 2006 Maxima
“Driving down the interstate, merging into the exit lane, i pressed the brake pedal to slow down to the light, as soon as i tap the gas pedal the car jumps out of gear and revs to approximately 6,000 rpm. Car then violently kicks back into gear, more than likely damaging all motor mounts and…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2006 Maxima
“"takata recall" transmission slipping and wiring on headlights going out all this going on while in motion.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2006 Maxima
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 626 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 85,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 69,000 and 104,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (2)
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.
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…
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.
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.
Technical service bulletins
81 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and body & structure — are on file for the 2006 Nissan Maxima. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2006 Maxima TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2006 Nissan Maxima reliable?
The 2006 Nissan Maxima drew 733 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 44/100, scored against the model's worst year (2004).
What are the most common 2006 Nissan Maxima problems?
The top reported problems for the 2006 Nissan Maxima are transmission & drivetrain (397 complaints), engine (71), and brakes & stability (55).
At what mileage do 2006 Nissan Maxima problems show up?
Owners most often report 2006 Nissan Maxima problems around 85,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 69,000 and 104,000 miles.
Does the 2006 Nissan Maxima have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 2006 Nissan Maxima. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.