2004 Nissan Maxima Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 70 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the 2004 Nissan Maxima, 5% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 68,759 miles. The words owners use most often: “timing chain” (19% of reports).
- 70engine and engine cooling complaints
- 68,759median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 17%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Timing chain: mentioned in 13 of 70 complaints (19%)
- 1ST 2ND: mentioned in 7 of 70 complaints (10%)
- Motor mounts: mentioned in 6 of 70 complaints (9%)
- Rattling noise: mentioned in 5 of 70 complaints (7%)
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 56 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 70 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 2 a fire.
Nissan Maxima engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Maxima | 1 | 33% | 72,600 |
| 2018 Maxima | 1 | 3% | 90,000 |
| 2016 Maxima | 2 | 1% | 133,870 |
| 2012 Maxima | 2 | 2% | 94,623 |
| 2011 Maxima | 2 | 2% | 45,850 |
| 2010 Maxima | 3 | 1% | 2,975 |
| 2009 Maxima | 4 | 1% | 70,750 |
| 2008 Maxima | 2 | 3% | 3,877 |
| 2007 Maxima | 6 | 5% | 26,901 |
| 2006 Maxima | 24 | 4% | 84,000 |
| 2005 Maxima | 40 | 4% | 80,000 |
| 2004 Maxima | 70 | 5% | 68,759 |
| 2003 Maxima | 54 | 26% | 86,000 |
| 2002 Maxima | 30 | 15% | 64,000 |
| 2001 Maxima | 28 | 16% | 75,000 |
| 2000 Maxima | 72 | 20% | 58,000 |
| 1999 Maxima | 38 | 23% | 93,000 |
| 1998 Maxima | 5 | 4% | 69,000 |
| 1997 Maxima | 12 | 12% | 84,000 |
| 1996 Maxima | 17 | 18% | 117,500 |
| 1995 Maxima | 22 | 14% | 11,750 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine and engine cooling for the 2004 Nissan Maxima. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Shifting from reverse to drive, 1st to 2nd or 2nd to 3rd - engine revs, transmission jerks after short delay. When going on downhill bends this means that the car wants to jerk off the road, somewhat. Apparently due to improper cooling on the transmission fluid, it gets gummy, and then the…
Drove my 2004 nissan maxima off the lot on 3/3/14 and noticed a jerk once i got to 30mph, the dealership told me after i purchased it that what ever problems i have i need to fix myself because i bought the car "as is". *tr
I bought a brand new nissan maxima 2004. After driving for 5 years, it has given nothing but headache and stress. It would not accelerate or would be jerking/shaking after stepping on the accelerator. While driving in the freeway, my car would slow down and couldn't drive pass 20 mile per hour…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2004 Nissan Maximas have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 70 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the 2004 Nissan Maxima (5% of the 1,426 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2004 Nissan Maxima engine and engine cooling?
No recall currently lists engine and engine cooling for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems start?
The median reported mileage is 68,759 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the 2004 Nissan Maxima?
The most frequent phrase is “timing chain”, in 13 of 70 complaints, followed by “1st 2nd” (7).
Other 2004 Nissan Maxima problems
- Power Train problems (934)
- Tires problems (141)
- Suspension problems (102)
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems (61)
- Electrical System problems (56)
- Structure problems (56)
- Engine problems (51)
See all 2004 Nissan Maxima problems or engine and engine cooling problems across all Maxima years.