Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
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).
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 .
Tl contact owns a 2004 Nissan Maxima. Since the vehicle was purchased, the contact has experienced failures with the radio and headlights, the rotors were replaced three times, the front coil springs were replaced twice, and the battery wiring burned. Currently, the transmission pulls when the vehicle is accelerated. The vehicle will be taken to the dealer to diagnose the transmission failure. The manufacturer stated that no recalls were available for any of the failures. The current mileage was 49,000 and failure mileage was 26,000.
Seven months ago I started to hear a rattling noise coming from the front of car whenever I go over a bunch of bumps in the road. In the last month the rattling turned into a clunking noise. Took my 2004 Nissan Maxima se to the dealership (this car was purchased new in the spring of 2003. And now has only has 23,971 miles on it) and they said they couldn't hear the noise or find the noise. Just last week the noise got worse. Husband drove it and said it was the driver's side strut. Husband looked at left strut and said he found fluid on top of the strut. Took it back to the dealer and they said the same thing, they couldn't hear the noise and said the strut was fine. I have had three other passengers in the car and they hear the noise plain as day every time you go over a bunch of bumps. My dealer service was nice enough to call Nissan USA and see if they would fix it under good faith. …
[redacted] starting it up takes 2-3x with putting the gas pedal all the way to the floor, then it jerks into gear. While driving it just stalls out which is very scary & dangerous and it goes from drive to 5th gear no 1-4, and it hesitates & when driving up to a red light for example, then it starts to conk out. Also no pick up from an idle position, I just bought it 9/17/14 and called dealer and he told him it wont pass inspection "check engine light on" constant. It feels like transmission isn't in proper gear (5th) just stalls while driving. Everyone behind me leans on the horn and yells at me when it stalls out in drive. Im afraid to drive it. …
My 04 Maxima currently has just over 50,000 miles on it. I have noticed some hard shifts over the past few months, but they had been very intermittent. The other day however I noticed the service engine soon light was on and when accelerating from a stop I realized that I barely had any power! After engine shut off the acceleration was back to normal. The service engine soon light remained on. The code was pulled and reset. P 0797 pressure control solenoid, stuck on. Repair cost approximately 4000 dollars. Problem outstanding. The struts have also gone bad. Problem outstanding. I have also had to replace the battery. The front right rotor is warped and causes steering wheel shim when downhill braking. Problem outstanding. My car had begun to idle very low twice and actually died once. Problem outstanding. …
I ve been trying to get the problems fixed with my new car. It has been shaking (steering wheel), on my 2004 Nissan Maxima since the day I bought it, April 8/2004 @ dobbs Nissan memphis, tn. I ve had the car in 5 different car dealerships--- #1april 12/04 courtesy Nissan inc., richardson, tx-- #2 April 14/04 dobbs Nissan, memphis, tn---#3 May 7/04 carlock, tupelo, ms ---#4 May 17/04 crump Nissan, jasper, al--- #5 columbus, ms numerous times. After 5 (five) sets tires, that s 20 (twenty) new tires, 12 being continental all weather and 8 Bridgestone potenza s-03 and 10 (ten) balance jobs, I still have the problem. The car has around 10,000 miles now and about half of them were put on going to the dealers. I sent a registered letter May 25-2004 to consumers affairs, and then Nissan flew in a technical specialist from ca. He took a few pictures of the tires. Guess what? …
Tl contact owns a 2004 Nissan Maxima. The contact received a recall notice in September of 2006 regarding the subframe of the vehicle. The recall repair consisted of a rear wheel alignment. When she received the recall notice, she took the vehicle to the dealer and had the recall repair performed. Six months later, she took the vehicle back to the dealer for a tire inspection. The dealer stated that both rear tires appeared to be manufacturer defects. The contact purchased two new tires in March of 2007. The dealer refused to honor her warranty for the new tires because her vehicle was purchased at another dealer. She took the vehicle to the tire shop for a rotation and the mechanic stated that the tread was worn on both of her new rear tires. The mechanic also confirmed that when the recall was repaired, the rear wheel alignment was never performed. …
Tl contact owns a 2004 Nissan Maxima. While driving the contact heard a buzzing sound which alerted him that the motor mounts were failing. The dealer stated that the engine motor mounts were torn , and the front and rear mounts on the cross member were replaced. Approximately one month later the contact heard the buzzing sound and felt the engine shifted. The dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. Approximately three months later the vehicle was taken to the dealer again. The dealer replaced the front and rear motor mounts. The contact continued to hear the buzzing sound. The dealer advised the contact to replace the transmission fluid, and the right front strut. However, the repair did not solve the failure. The dealer informed the contact that the ECM computer should be replaced. …
I think you need to look into the issue of shimmy or vibration in the Maxima's 2004-2005-2006. My car has the shimmy and I and the dealer have done just about everything Nissan says to do to resolve the issue. I even bought new tires another brand and it is still there. $$$ what is happening is that there is a constant shimmy in the steering wheel. The shimmy is mostly very light except for certain speeds the you can see it in the wheel. It is not the tires .. It May be the wheels or the steering components. If you or Nissan would poll all of the owners of the maximas you will find that this issue is the norm and not exception. Go out onto the web to www.Maxima.org and under 6th gen look at the complaints under shimmy. I don't know of anyone who has a Maxima that doesn't have the shimmy and I am sure there are many who just live with it. …
I almost got involve into an accident. I just bought a 2004 Nissan Maxima se (automatic) and its giving me transmission problems. The transmission slips (when the car is hot) between second and third gear, sometimes from first to second. I just wanted to buy a reliable car because we were going to have a baby. She was in the car when the accident was about to happen. My wife, my 4 months old baby and I where going to see my family and needed to take the highway. I needed to make a stop before entering the highway (to enter to the right lane). Since my car jerks when it shifts from first to second gear and from second to third gear, a tractortrailer almost hit me when I entered the highway. Because the transmission in my car is not reliable. It might get me into an accident because of the design flaw from the Nissan corporation. …
Suspension complaints in other Maxima years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 2004 Nissan Maxima?
NHTSA has 102 complaints about the suspension of the 2004 Nissan Maxima, 7% of the model year's 1,426 complaints. The component named most often is front › macpherson strut (26 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Nissan Maxima suspension problems?
No. NHTSA lists no suspension 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 suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 13,000 miles, and 62% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 1 fire and 0 injuries to suspension 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.