NHTSA Complaint #10429956 — 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA

I AM CURRENTLY THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. MUCH TO MY TOTAL SHOCK AND DISMAY, I RECENTLY HAD TO REPLACE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AT ONLY 98,700 MILES. SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SPORADICALLY JERK HARSHLY WHEN ADVANCING TO FIRST GEAR BETWEEN 20-25 MPH. THIS STARTED TO HAPPEN MORE AND MORE FREQUENTLY AND AT TIMES THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE RIGHT BEFORE JERKING INTO FIRST GEAR AND THEN QUICKLY THRUST FORWARD WITH REVVED UP RPMS. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I FELT EXTREMELY UNSAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THE SERVICE MANAGER INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS AN INCREASINGLY COMMON PROBLEM WITH 2004 & 2005 MODEL YEAR MAXIMAS. HE SAID THAT THE ONLY REMEDY WAS TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $4,000! I TOOK MY CAR TO A TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP FOR A SECOND OPINION AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING. THE MECHANIC CONFIRMED THAT THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE WITH MAXIMAS MANUFACTURED IN THOSE MODEL YEARS. I ENDED UP TAKING MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAD THEM REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE AND HAVE FOUND THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON VARIOUS INTERNET SITES BY OWNERS OF 2004 & 2005 MAXIMAS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR TRANSMISSION. IT'S CLEARLY APPARENT THAT THERE IS A MAJOR DEFECT WITH THE TRANSMISSIONS THAT WERE INSTALLED IN 2004 & 2005 MAXIMAS. I HAVE TAKEN VERY GOOD CARE OF MY VEHICLE AND HAVE KEPT UP WITH REGULAR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE INTERVALS. THERE IS NO WAY THAT I SHOULD HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT THAT MILEAGE IF IT WAS NOT DEFECTIVE. I BESEECH YOU TO RECALL ALL 2004 & 2005 MAXIMAS AND FIX THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM BEFORE IT CAUSES SEVERE ACCIDENTS IF THERE HAVE NOT ALREADY BEEN. *KB