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 2006 Nissan Maxima owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My car caught fire due to electrical in the engine the whole front of my car is burned me and my family was asleep the neighbor came and knocked on the window and said my car was on fire I called the fire department they put the fire out and I asked how was the fire started the firemen told me the fire started from the engine
I have a 2006 Nissan Maxima. I was going 30 MPH, I hit a truck that was stopped at a red light. My airbags did not deploy. $4870 in damage but my insurance company said there was not enough damage to be considered a total loss ($170 away from being considered a total loss).
Purchased a 2006 Maxima with 62,000 miles on it. Body is rust free, car is in excellent condition. However, while inspecting the bottom of the car, noticed that both the driver and passenger side of the floor boards are rusted clear though and that a hole around 10-12 inches is forming. The only thing holding your feet from hitting the road is the carpet. This car has no other signs of rust issues on the underside of the vehicle. After discovery, I went to the internet only to learn that this is a major issue with altimas and maximas and that nothing is being done about it, both by Nissan as well as the safety watch dogs. I've owned many cars with the Takata airbags, and never an issue, even in one my wife had an accident in. Airbag worked like it should, yet that recall is widely known and is being addressed. …
Excessive corrosion of floorboards. Only carpet is between road and ground on both driver and front passenger compartment. Car never in accident and exterior/body shows no signs of corrosion. Believe this is a design flaw and could be dangerous if carpet lets loose and feet can hit ground.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that the floor of the front end of the vehicle was rusted rotted out. The failure was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 77,000. The VIN was not available.
My 2006 Maxima have rusted out front floor boards. The car only has 69,000 miles on it and has been garage sense buying the car new in 2006. There seems to be a problem with floor because of other owners having the same problem.
Got the car in 2012 and was doing fine for a while until the end of 2014. Car had started jerking when switching between park, drive, and reverse and would also stall in between. By February, the car started revving and stalling during stops and was bad when I was in traffic. I had to try and get above 25 MPH because below that, the car would seriously act up. Eventually stopped driving until this year when I took it to a shop to get checked out. While driving there the car revved and stall at every light and I almost hit the back of a car when it decided to rev at a 4 way stop on a hill. It's either jerking,stalling, or revving. I know it's a transmission issue and will be a costly fix. I honestly don't have the money for it. In between all this, the paint has severely started to fade and I have noticed other nissans in my area going through the same issues. …
My 2006 Nissan Maxima has been feeling weird for some weeks now. Every time it was taken to the mechanic shop they were never ever able to pinpoint the issue. After having spent hundreds of dollars on a new valve body, transmission flush, etc. The issue now seems to be the transmission! My transmission is completely out! I am very disappointed that I have spent $21,000+ on this car to get nothing but dept out of it! After almost getting into multiple accidents from the sudden jerking of the transmission, I can say I will never purchase another Nissan vehicle again!!!!! I wish I would have done research on this vehicle sooner so that I could have traded it in before it was too late. My mother who also purchased a Nissan (quest) is beginning to have the same problems. We are very disappointed with the company. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that while the vehicle was being appraised for a trade-in on a new vehicle, the owner of the dealership, noticed that the front driver and passenger floor boards were rusted through. The owner stated it would cost $1000 to have the floor boards replaced. The contact enclosed a copy of the bill for $506 to have the floor boards replaced at the auto body shop, as well as pictures. The owner of the dealership, suggested that the driver's side be replaced because it was in the same rotted out condition as the passenger side. The approximate failure mileage was 47,000. Updated 3/22/13
The floor boards in this 2006 Nissan Maxima are badly rotted through. It probably has been going on for quite some time. I spoke with the Nissan dealer today. They want $1200 to patch the floor boards. It is a major safety defect in manufacturing and design. I believe this and all cars of this model and year should be recalled and fixed by Nissan. There are numerous postings on the internet for the same problem on this and other Nissan model cars of the same vintage. Nissan refuses to acknowledge this defect and take any action. I need your intervention.
Body complaints in other Maxima years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2006 Nissan Maxima?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the body & structure of the 2006 Nissan Maxima, 3% of the model year's 576 complaints. The component named most often is body (17 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2006 Nissan Maxima body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2006 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 2006 Nissan Maxima body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 80,000 miles, and 6% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 1 fire and 1 injury 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.