My problem started during the summer of 2010. I took my 04 Nissan Maxima into a Nissan dealership because it was shifting funny. Nissan stated that the transmission was shifting normally and found nothing wrong. I have a secondary vehicle so the Maxima was not a car that was driven everyday. In January I took the Maxima out to be driven. While driving it suddenly slammed into gear making a clunking noise. I noticed that the his/her shift option was now not working. I stop the car and take off again. The car continues to slam into gear but now the car was not accelerating normally. You could literally hold the gas petal to the floor and barely move. I was finally able to get the car home, where I parked it. The next day I took the car out for a test drive to see if the problem still existed. The problem seemed to have disappeared. I made an appointment with Nissan and took it back in for the problem. Once again Nissan said that there was nothing wrong with the car. I take the car back home but before I could get home the problem occurred again. Again I get in the car the next day and the problem seemed to have disappeared. This led me to believe that the problems occurs when the transmission heats up.
Several weeks go by without me driving the car. One day it was nice out so I decided to wash the car. While washing the car I let it run. The car cut off abruptly for no apparent reason. I crank the car up and take it for a test drive and AGAIN the problem with the transmission occurs. I had the car towed into the dealership this time. The service manager called me to tell me that they could get the problem to reproduce itself. He suggested that the technician drive the car home that night, to which I agreed. Again Nissan claimed that there was not a problem with the transmission.
Several more weeks go by and I decide to take it to AAMCO and have them run a diagnostic test on the car. AAMCO found 2 fault codes pointing to the transmission. They also stated that the fluid was burnt. After talks with my extended warranty company it was agreed that the transmission would be rebuilt. The car was in the shop for almost a week before I go to pick it up. I drove the car not even 20 miles and it cuts off. I crank it back up and again the transmission problem back. I took the car back to AAMCO. They found a cam shaft sensor fault and replaced that. I drove the car 10 more miles and it cut off AGAIN. I cranked it back up and AGAIN the transmission problem was back. I was able to drive the car home with very little acceleration.
It was then that I decided to do some research on this problem with the transmission. To my surprise this was not a uncommon problem for owners of the Maxima. It seems as if the 2004-2006 models are having this problem. To my understanding the transmissions were redesigned for the 2007 models. The link to what I found is as follows: www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/nissan_maxima.html
I then call Nissan consumer affairs with my complaint. I was given a file number and informed that a regional manager would call me in 24 hours. I didn't receive a call within the 24 hour time period but I did receive a call. The "regional manager" informed me that because the car has high mileage and because I didn't purchase the car from a Nissan dealer that there was nothing that they could do. Keep in mind that the problems are popping up anywhere from 80,000 to 100,000 miles. I would expect a transmission to last well over 100,000 miles, especially a Nissan. It seems as Nissan has a problem and won't acknowledge it. The right thing for Nissan to do is issue a recall on these vehicles and make it right for the owners. I am not the only one with this problem. There are 100's of people like myself all across America with this same problem.
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