Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2004 Nissan Maxima
NHTSA data on file today
The 2004 Nissan Maxima has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 1,426 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #05V512000 DRIVER SEAT POWER LUMBAR SUPPORT SWITCH NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #04V326000 NISSAN/SKYVIEW ROOF NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Power Train 934 complaints
- Tires 148 complaints
- Suspension 102 complaints
- Engine and Engine Cooling 70 complaints
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic 61 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).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $8,000–$12,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2004 Nissan Maxima has a high number of complaints, particularly concerning the power train, which suggests potential recurrence of costly issues. Furthermore, the recall campaigns indicate issues with the seat and glass assembly. Given this, the vehicle's reliability can be seen as below-average, although the data is limited in scope.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| power train | 60,000–120,000 miles | $1,000–$3,000 | very common |
| tires | 30,000–60,000 miles | $400–$800 | common |
| suspension | 50,000–100,000 miles | $500–$1,500 | common |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter changes
- Brake pad and rotor inspection
- Tire rotations
- Transmission fluid change
- Cooling system check
- Suspension check
- Air filter replacement
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Transmission slipping
- Unusual tire wear patterns
- Clunking noises from suspension
- Brake system pulling
- Engine overheating signs
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2004 Nissan Maxima at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.