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NHTSA vehicle safety data

2004 Nissan Maxima Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2004 Nissan Maxima has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 1,426 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Nissan dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2004 Nissan Maxima, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2004 Nissan Maxima owner complaints

Owners have filed 1,426 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 Nissan Maxima, describing incidents dated March 18, 2003 to August 24, 2026.

Most-cited components

  • Power Train 934 complaints
  • Tires 148 complaints
  • Engine 121 complaints
  • Suspension 102 complaints
  • Service Brakes 72 complaints
  • Electrical System 56 complaints

Of the 1,426 complaints on file, 33 report a crash and 16 a fire; across all 1,426 complaints, owners report 30 injuries and 2 deaths (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

  • ODI #11766671 · Filed

    The contact owns a 2004 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that while driving 15 MPH, the ABS independently activated. In addition, the contact became aware of an abnormal sound. The failure was a persistent failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

  • ODI #11651242 · Filed

    The contact owns a 2004 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle made an abnormally loud popping sound, and the contact noticed that the sky view roof glass had shattered. The contact stated that pieces of shattered glass had fallen inside the vehicle. The contact pulled…

  • ODI #11517777 · Filed

    UNKNOWN - I recently purchased this vehicle today from a private seller on April 18, 2023. Previous owner had stated the driver seat adjuster motor(to move the seat forward and backwards) has never functioned properly and gets stuck in the far back position or rotates counterclockwise at times(while…

Read all 1,426 complaints

Owner-reported

2004 Nissan Maxima mileage at failure

1,175 of the 1,426 complaints on file for the 2004 Nissan Maxima give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.

Mileage at failure by component, from owners' complaints to NHTSA
Power TrainMedian 85,000 milesMiddle half 70,000–100,000 milesBased on 820 complaints
TiresMedian 30,000 milesMiddle half 20,000–45,000 milesBased on 86 complaints
EngineMedian 85,000 milesMiddle half 60,000–110,000 milesBased on 96 complaints
SuspensionMedian 13,000 milesMiddle half 2,000–40,000 milesBased on 76 complaints
Service BrakesMedian 65,000 milesMiddle half 35,000–85,000 milesBased on 56 complaints
Electrical SystemMedian 80,000 milesMiddle half 25,000–120,000 milesBased on 43 complaints

A component's median is its 50th percentile, and its middle half runs from its 25th to its 75th percentile.

Owners give the mileage themselves, often as a round number, and NHTSA doesn't check it. A complaint that names several components counts under each one, and mileages that can't be right, such as 999,999, or 50 miles on a five-year-old car, are left out.

These figures describe the complaints owners filed. They don't predict when a particular vehicle will have a problem, and vehicles that never had one aren't counted.

Mileage from NHTSA's complaints file of October 31, 2026. How these figures are worked out

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2004 Nissan Maxima in 1 investigation. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

DRIVER SEAT POWER LUMBAR SUPPORT SWITCH

NHTSA #05V512000 · Seats — Front Assembly — Power Adjust · NHTSA notice

Reported November 7, 2005 · NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Potentially affected: 102,551 vehicles

Nissan campaign PB011 · Owners notified January 16, 2006 · Vehicles built December 4, 2002 – August 11, 2005 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE DRIVER PREFERRED PACKAGE, THE WIRE HARNESS FROM THE DRIVER'S SEAT POWER LUMBAR SUPPORT SWITCH MAY BE ROUTED INCORRECTLY AND COULD BE PINCHED UNDER THE DRIVER SEAT.

Safety consequence

A PINCHED HARNESS, IN COMBINATION WITH DRIVING VIBRATION, MAY RESULT IN A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE HARNESS THAT COULD LEAD TO A FIRE IN THE SEAT.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIRE HARNESS AND ROUTE IT CORRECTLY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 16, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

Notes

NISSAN RECALL NO. PB011.CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

NISSAN/SKYVIEW ROOF

NHTSA #04V326000 · Visibility — Sun/Moon Roof Assembly · NHTSA notice

Reported July 7, 2004 · NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Potentially affected: 32,100 vehicles

Nissan campaign PU401 · Owners notified September 7, 2004 · Vehicles built December 4, 2002 – December 17, 2003 (per NHTSA) · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Defect description

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH SKYVIEW ROOFS, THE GLASS FOR THE ROOF MAY NOT HAVE BEEN QUENCHED PROPERLY AFTER THE FORMING PROCESS, RESULTING IN TEMPER IMBALANCE.

Safety consequence

THIS COULD CREATE EXCESSIVE INTERNAL STRESS IN THE GLASS AND EVENTUALLY CAUSE THE GLASS TO SHATTER, CREATING A RISK OF INJURY.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE GLASS IN THE SKYVIEW ROOF. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

Notes

NISSAN RECALL NO. PU401. CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Other Nissan Maxima model years

Check your 2004 Nissan Maxima VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Nissan Maxima at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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