6th generation (A34) · A34 (Nissan FF-L, shared with Altima L31 / Quest V42) · 3,878 complaints, 3,252 with mileage
Owners filed 3,878 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004–2008 Nissan Maxima, and 3,252 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 61,000 and 102,000 miles. The median is 82,000 miles.
The most-reported areas are the transmission and driveline (55.3% of complaints, typically around 85,000 miles), the tyres (4.7% of complaints, typically around 28,000 miles), the engine (4.7% of complaints, typically around 99,500 miles).
| System | Complaints | Share | Typical mileage | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 2,145 | 55.3% | 85,000 | 70,000–101,779 |
| Tires | 182 | 4.7% | 28,000 | 17,688–44,000 |
| Engine | 182 | 4.7% | 99,500 | 74,000–120,000 |
| Structure | 155 | 4.0% | 92,240 | 68,000–115,000 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 144 | 3.7% | 74,075 | 55,000–92,000 |
| Suspension | 143 | 3.7% | 22,000 | 3,639–65,000 |
| Electrical System | 134 | 3.5% | 78,500 | 47,000–117,000 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 131 | 3.4% | 56,925 | 38,789–79,000 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 121 | 3.1% | 91,545 | 65,850–114,500 |
| Steering | 82 | 2.1% | 47,523 | 7,500–97,000 |
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 1,725 | 1,416 |
| 2005 | 1,152 | 984 |
| 2006 | 733 | 641 |
| 2007 | 169 | 136 |
| 2008 | 99 | 75 |
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 82,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 55.3% of complaints (2,145 reports, 1,907 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 85,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 70,000 and 101,779 miles.
A single system taking 55.3% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
The tyres account for 4.7% of complaints (182 reports, 113 of them with a mileage figure), and they fail early — a median of 28,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 17,688 and 44,000 miles.
The engine accounts for 4.7% of complaints (182 reports, 156 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 99,500 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 74,000 and 120,000 miles.
Body structure accounts for 4.0% of complaints (155 reports, 121 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 92,240 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 68,000 and 115,000 miles.
The engine and its cooling system accounts for 3.7% of complaints (144 reports, 113 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 74,075 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 55,000 and 92,000 miles.
The suspension accounts for 3.7% of complaints (143 reports, 109 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 22,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 3,639 and 65,000 miles.
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2004 model year drew the most — 1,725 complaints — while 2008 drew the fewest at 99. The median year sits at 733.
That makes 2004 an outlier: roughly 2.4 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
No recall campaigns covering this generation appear in NHTSA's post-2010 recall file. That is not the same as an absence of problems — recalls address safety defects specifically, and many of the complaints above concern faults that are expensive or annoying without meeting that threshold.
Of the 3,878 complaints filed against this generation, 119 reported a crash; 57 reported a fire; 134 reported an injury; 4 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 3.1% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 61,000 and 102,000 miles, with a median of 82,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the transmission and driveline and the tyres are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The tyres in particular shows a median failure mileage of 28,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
First Maxima use of the JATCO JF010E Xtronic CVT. Overheated fluid lets the steel push-belt slip on the pulleys, shedding metal debris; symptoms are judder, whine, delayed engagement and eventual loss of drive.
VQ35DE timing chain guide and tensioner wear producing cold-start rattle and, if ignored, chain jump. Subject of the Falco v. Nissan North America timing-chain class settlement.
SkyView / panoramic glass roof water leaks into the headliner and A-pillar.