NHTSA vehicle safety data

2005 Nissan Maxima Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2005 Nissan Maxima has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 948 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 2005 Nissan Maxima, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2005 Nissan Maxima owner complaints

Owners have filed 948 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 Nissan Maxima, describing incidents dated January 1, 2004 to March 2, 2025.

Most-cited components

  • Power Train 777 complaints
  • Engine 101 complaints
  • Electrical System 38 complaints
  • Vehicle Speed Control 33 complaints
  • Service Brakes 28 complaints
  • Unknown or Other 27 complaints

Of the 948 complaints on file, 16 report a crash and 10 a fire; across all 948 complaints, owners report 29 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

  • ODI #11646032 · Filed

    While driving my car down the road the vehicle randomly shut off lost power and I had to quickly pull into a plaza but was almost hit, looking through many different Nissan forums a lot of mechanics and owners are saying that the original crankshaft/camshaft position sensors on the Altima/maxima…

  • ODI #11537062 · Filed

    On June 6th. 2019 my 2005 nissan maxima struck a disabled vehicle left in the middle lane of the Long Island Expressway (a 3 laned highway). Although I was traveling at 60 mph when the collision occurred and struck the disabled vehicle from the rear, the passenger airbag never deployed. This…

  • ODI #11478670 · Filed

    The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that the power steering would fail to operate. The steering wheel would require excessive force in order to steer the vehicle. The contact would frequently replenish the steering fluid however, the failure persisted. The dealer nor the…

Read all 948 complaints

Owner-reported

2005 Nissan Maxima mileage at failure

814 of the 948 complaints on file for the 2005 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 680 complaints
EngineMedian 90,000 milesMiddle half 70,000–110,000 milesBased on 83 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

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.

FMVSS 225/LOWER ANCHORAGE BAR

NHTSA #05V338000 · Child Seat — Latch Strap · NHTSA notice

Reported July 26, 2005 · NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Potentially affected: 90,016 vehicles

Nissan campaign R0604 · Owners notified August 28, 2006 · Vehicles built September 1, 2004 – July 11, 2005 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

CERTAIN VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 225, "CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS." THE LOWER ANCHORAGE BRACKETS IN THE REAR SEATS DO NOT MEET THE LOCATION REQUIREMENT IN THIS STANDARD. THIS MAY CAUSE DIFFICULTY IN ATTACHING SOME CHILD SEATS TO THESE BRACKETS.

Safety consequence

IF A CHILD SEAT IS NOT PROPERLY SECURED, THERE IS AN INCREASED RISK OF INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LOWER ANCHORAGE BRACKETS WITH MODIFIED BRACKETS TO ENSURE THAT THE STANDARD IS MET. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 28, 2006. THE INFINITI Q45 MODEL VEHICLES ARE BEING CAMPAIGNED UNDER A SEPARATE RECALL (PLEASE SEE 05V374000). OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261 OR INFINITI AT 1-800-662-6200.

Notes

INFINITI RECALL NO. R0604/NISSAN RECALL NO.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.

Other Nissan Maxima model years

Check your 2005 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.

Check a Nissan VIN