NHTSA vehicle safety data

2006 Nissan Maxima Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2006 Nissan Maxima has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 576 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 2006 Nissan Maxima, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2006 Nissan Maxima owner complaints

Owners have filed 576 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 Nissan Maxima, describing incidents dated January 4, 2006 to July 17, 2023.

Most-cited components

Power Train 393 complaints
Engine 71 complaints
Service Brakes 59 complaints
Vehicle Speed Control 35 complaints
Electrical System 26 complaints
Structure 20 complaints

Of the 576 complaints on file, 21 report a crash and 4 a fire; across all 576 complaints, owners report 12 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11589401 · Filed May 17, 2024
This Vehicle is Severely Defective. This Vehicle is not safe to be on the road. This Vehicle has had several repairs for the same repair issue but the problem still exists. I have spent thousands on this Vehicle and this vehicle is still inoperative and not drivable. This Vehicle is a hazard for the…
ODI #11532953 · Filed July 18, 2023
The contact filed the complaint on behalf of the owner of the 2006 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that while the vehicle was stationary and being serviced with the engine running, the service technician closed the front driver's side door and moments later the front and rear driver's side curtain…
ODI #11518387 · Filed April 22, 2023
My brakes dont work unless my 3 dashboard lights come on. Slip, tcs and abs. Sometimes I forget and drive off. When I brake at the light you could here the wires buzzing as if there was a short circuit. Finally on my passenger side in the 'back, the tire was wiggling and noticed some lugs were…

Read all 576 complaints

Owner-reported

2006 Nissan Maxima mileage at failure

504 of the 576 complaints on file for the 2006 Nissan Maxima give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.

Mileage at failure by component, from owners' complaints to NHTSA
Component	Median	Middle half	Based on
Power Train	Median 85,000 miles	Middle half 75,000–100,000 miles	Based on 348 complaints
Engine	Median 90,000 miles	Middle half 70,000–115,000 miles	Based on 58 complaints
Service Brakes	Median 60,000 miles	Middle half 45,000–90,000 miles	Based on 51 complaints
Vehicle Speed Control	Median 85,000 miles	Middle half 70,000–105,000 miles	Based on 32 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

REAR SUSPENSION SUBFRAME

NHTSA #06V046000 · Suspension — Rear · NHTSA notice

Reported February 13, 2006 · NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Potentially affected: 759 vehicles

Nissan campaign PB016 · Owners notified February 27, 2006 · Vehicles built January 24, 2006 – January 26, 2006 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE REAR SUBFRAME MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED INCORRECTLY, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRACK IN A BRACKET WHICH HOLDS PART OF THE REAR SUSPENSION.

Safety consequence

IF THE BRACKET IS CRACKED, THE STABILITY OF THE VEHICLE MAY BE AFFECTED UNDER SEVERE DRIVING CONDITIONS. THIS COULD LEAD TO A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE REAR SUBFRAME TO DETERMINE IF IT WAS MANUFACTURED INCORRECTLY AND REPLACE IT, IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 27, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

Notes

NISSAN RECALL NO. PB016.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.

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.

2006 Nissan Maxima 4-DR. w/SAB

—

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Not Rated

Frontal Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 5, Passenger: 4

Side Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 4, Passenger: 4

Side Pole

Not Rated

Rollover

Not Rated

Safety Technology

576 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2006 Nissan Maxima.

Electrical System; Unknown or Other; Engine

ODI #11589401

Incident: October 1, 2017 · Filed: May 17, 2024

This Vehicle is Severely Defective. This Vehicle is not safe to be on the road. This Vehicle has had several repairs for the same repair issue but the problem still exists. I have spent thousands on this Vehicle and this vehicle is still inoperative and not drivable. This Vehicle is a hazard for the road. VEHICLE IS UNSAFE! VEHICLE has still not been Repaired. Please I like to be Compensated and Reimbursed for the Loss I have suffered. Please compensate and/or reimbursed me for the $10,000.00 I lost in a Defective, Inoperable, and Unsafe Vehicle. Thank God My Child and I did not get seriously hurt while I was driving this vehicle. I remember one incident while I was driving this vehicle: Right in the middle of me driving this vehicle I was going about 40-45 mph on the highway, the vehicle just shut down all of a sudden. The entire Electrical System just Shutdown. That was very frightening! So, yes I like to be Fully Compensated for all my troubles with this vehicle.

Air Bags

ODI #11532953

Incident: July 17, 2023 · Filed: July 18, 2023

The contact filed the complaint on behalf of the owner of the 2006 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that while the vehicle was stationary and being serviced with the engine running, the service technician closed the front driver's side door and moments later the front and rear driver's side curtain air bags deployed. The contact stated that during the failure, there was no one seated in the vehicle. The contact stated that there was no impact to the vehicle to cause the air bags to deploy. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 90,948.

Electrical System; Wheels; Service Brakes

ODI #11518387

Incident: March 3, 2021 · Filed: April 22, 2023

My brakes dont work unless my 3 dashboard lights come on. Slip, tcs and abs. Sometimes I forget and drive off. When I brake at the light you could here the wires buzzing as if there was a short circuit. Finally on my passenger side in the 'back, the tire was wiggling and noticed some lugs were missing plus the hubs lugs were loose. I haven' t taken to go get it inspected because I dont have money at the moment.

Suspension; Unknown or Other

ODI #11418613

Crash 1 injury

Incident: August 14, 2020 · Filed: May 26, 2021

When you're driving in hazardous conditions the car loses stability and it caused me to go into a spin and hit a wall, anytime it rains you can feel that the car starts to lose grip of the road and I fear for my life every time it remotely starts to rain or the road is wet. And there's a recall on the Nissan Maxima regarding the rear suspension something and the effect of the recall on that vehicle is what's happening to my vehicle.

Power Train; Engine

ODI #11383102

Incident: September 16, 2020 · Filed: December 11, 2020

WELL MY CAR WHILE DRIVING IT WILL COMPLETELY SHUT OFF IN ME WHILE IM DRIVING IT. AFTER IT CRANKS BACK UP IT IS VERY SLOW TO TAKE OFF

Power Train; Electronic Stability Control (ESC); Service Brakes

ODI #11360137

Incident: July 23, 2020 · Filed: September 21, 2020

I BOUGHT THIS 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA SL WITH 137,806 MILES. I DROVE IT HOME. THE NEXT DAY, IT WOULD NOT START, I WENT AND BOUGHT A BATTERY, ON THE WAY THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON., THEN THE TCS AND SLIP LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC SHOP, HE KEEP IT ALMOST 4 WEEKS, AND THEN TOLD ME IT WAS NOT WORTH FIXING/REPAIRING IT. I COULD NOT BELIEVE, I JUST SPENT OVER $4,000.00 ON THIS CAR AND I ONLY DROVE IT HOME!!, I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER WELL KNOWN MECHANIC SHOP, HE TELLS ME THAT IT NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION, MOTOR MOUNTS, SENSORS AND PROBABLY MORE. IT IS NOT WORTH FIXING IT. I AM A 57 YEAR OLD LADY AND I DONT HAVE THE MONEY TO BUY ANOTHER CAR AND I DONT HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX IT. I HEAR THAT THESE CARS HAVE ALOT OF TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND MORE. I WISH I HAD KNOWN THAT BEFORE BUYING IT.

Power Train

ODI #11319612

Incident: March 28, 2020 · Filed: March 28, 2020

TRANSMISSION SLIPPING FROM 2ND TO 3RD AND 3RD TO 4TH WITH A HARD KNOCK GOING FROM PARK TO DRIVE. WHILE DRIVING AND SLOWING TO 25MPH TO GO AROUND A TURN THE CAR JERKED AND HARD KICKED DOWNSHIFTING CAUSING ME TO ALMOST TO HIT FROM BEHIND.

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

ODI #11281178

Incident: November 18, 2019 · Filed: November 19, 2019

I WAS DRIVING IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA AND SUDDENLY STEERING WHEEL GOT STIFF, BRAKES SEEMED TO BE ON, DASHBOARD LIGHTS APPEARED WITH "TCS OFF" "SLIP" AND "CHECK ENGINE " ALL APPEARED ON DASHBOARD. I ALMOST CRASHED DUE TO THIS.

Power Train

ODI #11271043

Incident: October 24, 2019 · Filed: October 25, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY FAILED TO ACCELERATE AND BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARDS DOWN A SLIGHT INCLINE. AFTER RESTARTING THE ENGINE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT DRIVE FORWARD. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

Power Train

ODI #11256735

Incident: September 19, 2019 · Filed: September 19, 2019

WHEN ACCELERATING IN LOW GEARS, THE VEHICLE JUMPS AND JERKS AND SOMETIMES REVS UP THE ENGINE. BAD TRANSMISSION. WHEN PLACED INTO REVERSE, IT STOPS AND JERKS.

Other Nissan Maxima model years

Check your 2006 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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