NHTSA Complaint #10551834 — 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA

MY WIFE'S 2004 MAXIMA WHICH SHE ORIGINALLY PURCHASED NEW AT THE POMOCO NISSAN DEALERSHIP IN HAMPTON, VIRGINIA HAS 59,000 MILES ON IT CURRENTLY AND THE VEHICLE'S AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION JERKS VIOLENTLY WHEN DECELERATING AND THEN SLAMS INTO GEAR. THE EVENT OCCURS AROUND AN ESTIMATED SPEED OF 25-30 MPH DURING DOWNSHIFTING OF THE TRANSMISSION. THE EXPERIENCE FEELS LIKE SOMEONE HAS CRASHED INTO YOU FROM THE REAR...AND THE FORCE FROM THE GEARING THRUST THROWS THE CAR FORWARD VIOLENTLY. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME THE CAR IS DRIVEN AND IS A CRITICAL SAFETY CONCERN FOR US. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO WESLEY CHAPEL NISSAN DEALERSHIP LOCATED IN WESLEY CHAPEL, FLORIDA FOR AN INSPECTION AND THE TECH SAID THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $3300 FOR PARTS & LABOR. AS REFLECTED IN THE LOW MILEAGE, THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN VERY LITTLE AND HAS BEEN METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED BY HER AND HAS REMAINED GARAGED THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND DISCOVERED THAT NUMEROUS 2004 MAXIMA OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME TRANSMISSION (FAILURE) PROBLEMS WITH SIMILAR MILEAGE RANGE, BUT NO RECALL WAS EVER ACTIVATED BY THE NISSAN COMPANY TO REMEDY THE ISSUE. HOWEVER, THERE WAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ISSUED FOR A FEW NISSAN MODELS REGARDING FAULTY TRANSMISSIONS EXCLUDING THE MAXIMA. CALLED CONSUMER AFFAIRS AT NISSAN TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE PROBLEM, BUT WAS TOLD BY REP THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO BECAUSE THE WARRANTY FOR THE VEHICLE HAD EXPIRED. I EXPLAINED TO THE REP THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND THAT NISSAN NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM SINCE THIS IS A RECURRING THEME WHEN IT COMES TO THIS SPECIFIC YEAR OF THE MAXIMA MODEL. *TR