# Yet another dreaded "Engine Coil Failure"



## Jackal (Feb 18, 2004)

00 Maxima SE, 45k miles. August 03, I traded in my 99 Camaro for this car...now I wish I hadn't!!!

SES light came on last week, car started running rough, dealer diagnosed as "misfire in #5" and suggested I let them replace all 6 coils at a price of around $550.00. I've been working on cars pretty much my whole life so I asked them how much one coil would cost, figuring i'd replace #5 and it would hopefully alleviate the problem. ONE coil = $74.99  

I did not buy the coil at that time, thinking I could get them cheaper at an auto parts store. I called every store within 50 miles and got the same answer from all of them..........."Sorry, we do not have those in stock and cannot order them, but if we did/could then they would be $49 a piece". :wtf: 

So I went back to the dealer and bought a new coil for #5. Replaced it, and it ran great for about a month, then started the same thing. Took it to Autozone and was told that I had to call the dealer and ask them what the code means. I did, and ws told it meant multiple missfires and that I needed to replace the other 5 coils.

Does anyone know where I can get these coils OTHER than the dealership? Website, auto parts store, etc? 

I wish Nissan would just recall these SOB's!


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## BlueBOB (Jan 29, 2003)

there were two different types of coil packs that came out on different cars and one brand has been notorious for failing. don't ask me why.

after doing some searching, I found that http://www.nissan-autoparts.com/ has them for about $53 a piece, so that might help you out.

check www.maxima.org or you can ask here for any other information or problems you have with your max.

my mother just gave up her 99 Camaro for an Altima. much better choice imo. that camaro was falling apart and she had that thing at the dealership everytime somethin didn't seem right and she never drove it hard... freakin pos.


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## maximadave (May 5, 2002)

the coil packs should be covered under emission warranty. Check out http://maxima.theowensfamily.com/tsb/ and find your Max with the TSB for coil replacement. If the dealer fails to perform the TSB, call Nissan at 1-800-NISSAN-1


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## Jackal (Feb 18, 2004)

BlueBOB said:


> there were two different types of coil packs that came out on different cars and one brand has been notorious for failing. don't ask me why.
> 
> after doing some searching, I found that http://www.nissan-autoparts.com/ has them for about $53 a piece, so that might help you out.
> 
> ...


Thanks!! I searched http://www.nissan-autoparts.com/ but have yet to find coil packs for the 2000 Maxima, but i'll keep searching.

My Camaro was the same way as your mom's. It was in and out of the dealership the whole time I owned it. I don't regret getting rid of it!


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## Jackal (Feb 18, 2004)

maximadave said:


> the coil packs should be covered under emission warranty. Check out http://maxima.theowensfamily.com/tsb/ and find your Max with the TSB for coil replacement. If the dealer fails to perform the TSB, call Nissan at 1-800-NISSAN-1


Thanks for the reply!

Would the coil packs still be covered even though I bought it used in August 03? I'm pretty sure the warranty only covers original owners.

http://maxima.theowensfamily.com/tsb/ has two TSB's that apply to my Max:

1. NTB01-059 - Ignition Coils
2. NTB00-039a - Tranny slips from first to second

I assume that, even though Nissan knows there is a problem, i'm gonna end up paying to get both of the above mentioned fixed because there is no recall. :balls:


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## BlueBOB (Jan 29, 2003)

OMG!!!

I found them yesterday for $53 and now I can't find them at all!

I even looked under my year and those were $83!

ugh


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## BlueBOB (Jan 29, 2003)

I found my mistake... for some reason I accidently picked the 94 max instead of the 95 max. From 95-2001, all the Maxima's used the same coil pack. The 2002-2004 max's might also use the same coil pack, but I don't know for sure.


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## Jackal (Feb 18, 2004)

BlueBOB said:


> I found my mistake... for some reason I accidently picked the 94 max instead of the 95 max. From 95-2001, all the Maxima's used the same coil pack. The 2002-2004 max's might also use the same coil pack, but I don't know for sure.


That's cool. I appreciate you looking for me. I thought maybe I needed another cup of coffee!!!

I sent an e-mail from that site asking abou the 2000 coil packs and the reply I got was the one I did not want to hear:

"Sorry, those are only available from the dealership"  

So I guess my only option is to call Nissan and try to get them to replace them for me for free (plus fix the tranny). If they refuse, then i'll just buy the coil packs and replace them myself. No way would I try to fix the tranny, so I guess i'll just have to take it somewhere to get that done.


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## BlueBOB (Jan 29, 2003)

Try Courtesy Nissan in Richardson, TX
www.courtesyparts.com

They are VERY knowledgable and are extremely helpful when it comes to modding or doing any maintenance to your car. They used to offer a discount to Maxima.org members, but they discontinued that a while back


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## maximadave (May 5, 2002)

Jackal said:


> Thanks for the reply!
> 
> Would the coil packs still be covered even though I bought it used in August 03? I'm pretty sure the warranty only covers original owners.
> 
> ...


how many miles on the Max?


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## Jackal (Feb 18, 2004)

maximadave said:


> how many miles on the Max?



48K


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## maximadave (May 5, 2002)

Jackal said:


> 48K


it should be covered under the drivetrain or emissions warranty then. Best thing to do is to call Nissan and tell them.


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## ZMan1922 (Dec 1, 2014)

First is it the coil pack. Lets say your code was Po301 - Take the coil pack off the number 1 cylinder and swap it with the number 2 cylinder. Cylinder 1 is front passenger side and cylinder 2 front drivers side. Reset the code reader and your service engine light should be gone. swapping may fix it - miracle hehehe I did this 2 years ago and it fixed the problem after of course a spark plug change. Two years later, my car sounds like crap and miss firing. The service engine light would actually start to blink. 
Anyways,
when you swap, if the coil pack is bad the service engine light will come on and your car will still be missing and sound like crap. When you put the reader on and now the code is P0302 then you are getting miss fire on cylinder 2. This means your coil pack is history. 

First step in miss fire - change the plugs. When I change plugs , I like to swap coil packs with each side of the engine and usually this fixes miss fire BUT if car still sputters, and missing and runs like crap like the exhaust is plugged then do the the above coil pack swap to see if code changes in the reader. Like I said, if code changes, then its your coil pack. 

Buying a new coil pack is painful. If you have the cash then change them all - just for the hell of it and save the old ones as back up. If continuous then change the coil pack harness for the hell of it. If still miss firing - you got problems!!!!


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