2006 Nissan Maxima

Typical pattern

2.3% of complaints about the 2006 Nissan Maxima came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2006 vehicle — around the middle of the 250 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 6.4 yr in service. The most-reported system is power train (394 complaints), typically at 6.4 yr or about 85,000 miles.

Complaints: 730
Median age at failure: 6.4 yr
Median mileage: 84,500 n=639
Crash / fire / tow: 5.3% of reports
Safety recalls: 2

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System

0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y

Power train

394 reports · 85,000 mi

6.4 yr

1.3%

Engine

47 reports · 101,000 mi

8.4 yr

8.5%

Service brakes, hydraulic

40 reports · 60,000 mi

5.3 yr

Speed control

35 reports · 86,000 mi

7.2 yr

14.3%

Electrical system

26 reports · 77,000 mi

7.4 yr

11.5%

Engine cooling

24 reports · 84,000 mi

5.8 yr

8.3%

Structure

20 reports · 80,000 mi

8.9 yr

10%

Suspension

19 reports · 68,743 mi

4.3 yr

15.8%

Other

18 reports · 98,000 mi

8.2 yr

11.1%

Steering

17 reports · 38,500 mi

4.3 yr

23.5%

Electronic stability control (esc)

17 reports · 105,000 mi

8.2 yr

5.9%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

06V046000 2006-02-13

Suspension:rear

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.

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.

05V512000 2005-11-07

Seats:front assembly:power adjust

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.

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.

In owners’ own words

Other 9,000 mi 5 mo in service

THE PAINT OR COATING ON THE PAINT GETS SCRATCHED WITHOUT ANY EXTRA ORDINARY USAGE. I BELIEVE IT EVEN HAPPENS FROM RAIN. THE CAR IS ONLY 4 MONTHS OLD HAS SCRATCHES AL OVER IT. *JB

Other 42,000 mi 4.2 yr in service

THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT RECENTLY STARTED TO ROCKING TOWARD THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WHICH ALERTED ME TO HAVING A PROBLEM. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME I GET INTO THE CAR THE SEAT IS LEANING TO THE LEFT DOOR. I CONTACTED THE DEALER IN WHICH I PURCHASED THE CAR, THEY SAID IT IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO BECAUSE THE WARRANTY IS UP. I SHOULD CONTACT THE MANUFACTURE NISSAN WHICH I HAVE ALSO DONE . *TR

Other 60,000 mi 8.8 yr in service

CAR WILL NOT COMPLETELY START, (AND THE START IS FINE) ALARM STATES ITS STOLE ETC. ANTI-THIEF... BEEN IN SHOP FOR WEEKS AND THEY CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT IS HOW TO FIX IT. *TR

Electrical system 59,200 mi 2.6 yr in service

2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. IGNITION SWITCH NON FUNCTIONAL. HAVE TO PAY $650.00 FOR REPAIRS. THE MAX ONLY HAS 59,000. MILES ON IT. *TR

Other Maxima model years

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.