Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
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).
Tl* the contact owned a 2004 Nissan Maxima. While the vehicle was parked in the garage at the contact's home, the hood blew up and the front end burst into flames. The contact opened the garage door and extinguished the fire. There were no injuries or property damage. The maintenance indicator illuminated. The vehicle was driven to five star Nissan of florence (311 n cashua dr, florence, sc 29501, [phone]) where it was diagnosed that the speed sensor failed. The contact stated that the insurance company totaled the vehicle. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 96,149.
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 .
Engine recall I was driving my car and while I was driving the car caught on fire. I was on highway 62 east in minneapolis mn going the speed limit 60 miles and I look and seen smoke coming from hood and the back of my car from the tail pipes.
I bought a 2004 Nissan Maxima se a year and two months ago. It had 91,000 miles on it. The transmission started slamming gears a few months ago right around 100K miles. I had it looked at and no problem could be found. But then on 1/8/15 the transmission got stuck in 5th gear. It would go into park and reverse fine but in drive it went straight into 5th. I was able to get it to slowly drive to a friends house where I parked and left it over night and borrowed a vehicle from them. The next morning I came back cranked it and it was fine. So I drove it towards the repair shop. It dies as I pull in. They run a diagnostic and they say the cam sensor is bad. …
My 2004 Nissan Maxima shuts down while running, causing the transmission to default into 5th gear, (2-4 gears effectively disappear) and the all electricity , radio, A/C, and power steering to shut down. On straight highways one can keep driving by shifting into neutral immediately, and trying to restart the engine with the key. Usually it restarts and runs but in a deficient power mode. The vdc light appears, letting you know that the transmission will be stuck in 5th gear, with the option of manually starting in 1st gear. Either shifting from 1st to automatic or manually to another gear, defaults the car into gear 5. The car is drive-able in this condition, but one has at stoplights, to immediately shift into neutral, and manually with foot pedal, keep the rpms above 1100. Fortunately I was driving straight. If turning a corner, and not very strong, I'd have no control over my car. …
I have had numerous ignition coils replaced over the course of the last 16 months. Several times incurring weeks without the vehicle. There have been several electrical problems resulting in part replacement and the engine catching on fire. Nissan corporate sent technicians to research the issue and had to replace the engine as a result of the fire, saying fortunately I stopped the vehicle before the fire got out of control. Under the hood was charred and melted plastic and oil. Since having the engine replaced, I have gone 9 months and have the same problems with coil failures and replacement. I am perusing lemon law action at this time but need to see what else can be done. I am at the point where I have no confidence in the vehicle and everytime I smell something out of the ordinary, I fear that I will see more smoke and another fire. …
Shifting from reverse to drive, 1st to 2nd or 2nd to 3rd - engine revs, transmission jerks after short delay. When going on downhill bends this means that the car wants to jerk off the road, somewhat. Apparently due to improper cooling on the transmission fluid, it gets gummy, and then the solenoids clog up and get stuck. There is also a lot of wear on the gears. For the first repair, a flush and replacing the solenoids will usually give another 20K miles, but the problem doesn't get fixed unless a custom cooling system is put on the transmission lines. It's a crappy design. Instead of running the cooling lines to the engine and putting a thermostat on a switch, there should be a dedicated cooler on the transmission. Also, it's ridiculously hard to get to the transmission fluid filter, which is inside the transmission case. …
After 100,000 miles transmission started shoes of failure. Shifting past second grar would cause the car to stalll, then buck. Car would also buck when accelerating at high speeds. Also the car would stall and the accelerator would become unresponsive when shifting at high speeds. Forced to release the acceloratot and the press it again, until the transmission would shift correctly and "catch" the gear. Massive gas consumption caused by faulty transmission. Most errors caused when shifting in high speed or uphill. Specifically when shifting from 1st to 2nd gear. Car would slow down and work harder to accelerate after driving at high speeds for any period of time. Transmission shifts would cause bucking and the body of the car to jerk and shake.
I was inspecting under the hood and the radiator split at the top, spraying coolant everywhere. The cap was functioning. No injury but very dangerous. The radiator looks like it is made of some type of plastic. I have a photograph of the radiator. I contacted Nissan and they told me to take it to a dealer. I didn't ask for compensation. I asked that the Nissan engineering dept review the defect for safety reasons and received no reply. I replaced the radiator myself. This is a safety issue. I have the radiator in my garage. Thanks [redacted]
Tl- the contact owns a 2004 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the ABS light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection, but the cause of the failure was unknown. The dealer did not diagnose the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact left the dealer and took her vehicle to her residence. The contact then noticed a fire emerging from the engine compartment. A police report was filed. There were no injuries. The manufacturer was not notified about the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000. Dyd ... Updated 03/24/14
Engine complaints in other Maxima years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2004 Nissan Maxima?
NHTSA has 121 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2004 Nissan Maxima, 8% of the model year's 1,426 complaints. The component named most often is engine (16 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Nissan Maxima engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling 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 engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 84,000 miles, and 9% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 7 fires and 0 injuries to engine & cooling 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.