Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2004 Nissan Maxima owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I noticed a smell when I was driving a couple weeks ago, so I took my 2004 Nissan Maxima into a local mechanic that I trust on 6/26/15. After putting the car in the air, it took him two seconds to note the problem: the floor panels on the front passenger and driver side are completely rotting/rusting through from the inside out. You can see my carpet through the bottom of my car on the driver's side. Mind you, there is no history of flood damage to this car (I paid the $40 for a carfax to find out), and I live in tennessee, where we do not get enough snow for salt to cause any damage. I've done an amazing job taking care of my car and am highly disappointed with this situation. I've also done my research and have noticed multiple complaints on this issue on the NHTSA website, so I know I'm just one of many 2004 Maxima owners with this problem. This problem is an immense safety hazard. …
The floor boards on both the drivers and passenger side front have rusted out. Most of the other metal/ flooring has not rusted out like it has in these two spots. The rust does seem to lead up close to the sub frame which worries me of the integrity of the frame. The flooring has rusted out to the fabric/insulation portion of the interior. Also of concern is when you are getting in and out of the car the floor is so weak that your foot/leg could go through it. In time your feet can and will go through the floor with out warning.
Transmission jerks, slips while driving also banging sounds when you change gears this has been happening for awhile I had transmission fluid flushed, had the engine speed sensor replaced, now I was told I need transmission replaced 90,898 miles had to replace under car body because it rotted out
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Nissan Maxima. After inspecting the vehicle, the contact discovered that the driver and passenger side floorboard of the vehicle was rusted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000.
Front subframe completely rotted out lower control arm become unattached, had to repair subframe and all components, absolutely a safety risk, many recall on these vehicles but I don't understand why they don't have one for this vehicle
I have a 2004 Maxima sl with 90,000(mi) as I was driving on a rainy day I noticed the passenger front mat was getting wet when I got home I removed the mat and carpet and to my surprised I found a sizable rust hole in the floor passenger side . I took the car to the dealer and informed the manager of my discovery she told me that she was going to contact Nissan and find out what to do. In the mean time I stopped by a few autobody shops to get quotes on fixing it I tried 5 shops and most of them refuse to touch it because is a structural part of the vehicle, they also told me they thought I should go see the dealer as the car shouldn't rust like that being so new. …
I have extensive rust through on both driver side and passenger front floor pans. It appears there was originally a double layer of metal and both layers are rusted with large holes in them. The car is beyond the five year rust through warranty but this really is severe and difficult to notice since it is under the car. The rust does not appear to be from the outside but appears to be from the inside out. I do not know what would cause the rust to begin from the inside but seems to be a design defect to me. I will take this up with Nissan as I bought the car new, but I doubt they will offer to stand behind this, since this is extremely dangerous as it is possible for fumes or road debris to come through the carpet and into the passenger compartment. I am not certain what the mileage was when this began but this amount of rust did not begin recently. …
When having routine maintenance done, my mechanic informed me that the front passenger side floor board was rusted to the point where there was a hole enabling him to see the interior carpet from underneath. Upon researching this issue, it appears that I am not the only one experiencing this dangerous and costly structural issue. I will be contacting Nissan dealership and headquarters directly, although it appears that they have not assisted others and have turned a blind eye to this issue. I can't even believe that I have been driving with passengers in my vehicle who's feet May have gone right through the floor at any given time causing serious injury! Nissan needs to step up and admit that there is an issue here. It appears as though low grade, inferior materials were used on this vehicle. …
The car started up and was running fine. My wife went back into the house to get our daughter and found the car had stalled. The car has not started since. I am concerned about this situation, because of the fact that the car justed stalled for no apparent reason. I hate to think what could have happened if my wife was driving the car. In addition, according to several post on edmunds.com this is happening to other consumers. I have had other problems with this car since I purchased it 3-12-03. It has been back to the dealership several times for the following reasons: service engine lights coming on, leaking sunroof, cd not working, a fog/condensation behind center console screen, and interior molding coming loose. I have called Nissan USA and spoke to matt at [phone] ext 8454. If you can help with this please contact me at [phone]. Thank you for your time and efforts.
Noticed a piece of metal hanging down from under the car on the passenger side front door. When I bent down, noticed that it was a piece of sheet metal from the floorboard. When I was able to get the car onto a lift, I noticed that the entire floorboard on the passenger side was completely rotted. I have noticed that on this website and many other pages on the internet, people have complained about this same problem, but Nissan hasn't made any attempts to do nothing about it. This poses many safety concerns beside the obvious foot going thru the floor or water coming up thru the floor, but also poses a safety concern of fumes making their way into the passenger compartment. We have owned this car since it was brand new and have always been very happy with Nissan and its reliability, but this isn't helping Nissan's cause.
Body complaints in other Maxima years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2004 Nissan Maxima?
NHTSA has 56 complaints about the body & structure of the 2004 Nissan Maxima, 4% of the model year's 1,426 complaints. The component named most often is body (29 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Nissan Maxima body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2004 Nissan Maxima, though it has 2 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2004 Nissan Maxima body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 91,000 miles, and 15% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 2 injuries to body & structure problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.