# QX4 engine misfiring



## Daisley (Dec 8, 2005)

My 01 Qx4 3.5l runs fine, most of the time. However, once in a while, on start-up, it runs very ragged, like its running on 5 cylinders. It runs poorly til I shut it off, come back a bit later, and it starts and drives just fine. When it is acting up, the SES light is flashing, and gives code 1320 (ignition signal). Its really intermittent. If it was a faulty coil or ECM, I would think it would run poorly all the time~ Any thoughts?


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## GravityHappens (Feb 3, 2006)

QX4 /Pathfinders 01-02 have defective coils, same problem with the 99-00 maximas. TSB recommends replacing all. Should be a recalled part as they all go bad and expensive to replace all at once. no dice you're on your own nissan won't help out.


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## KLL (Dec 2, 2005)

this is correct, these kind of problems can occure due to coil, spark plugs or spark plug wire problems.


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## smassey321 (May 27, 2005)

The code (or a better code reader) should tell you what cylinder is is having the issue. Once you figure that out, you can move that coil pack to another cylinder and then see if the code also changes to the new cylinder. That is the easy/free way to troubleshoot a potential bad coil pack.


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## Daisley (Dec 8, 2005)

So far its only happened 3 times, each time a couple of weeks apart. To this point, it clears up on re-start, so I'm not able to do any advanced diagnostics on it. 
Can this fault be brought on initially by bad spark plugs? Would new plugs cure/slow the imminent failure of the coil? or is it just lousy quality components?
Should I get rid of this thing before it fails altogether?


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## smassey321 (May 27, 2005)

Daisley said:


> So far its only happened 3 times, each time a couple of weeks apart. To this point, it clears up on re-start, so I'm not able to do any advanced diagnostics on it.
> Can this fault be brought on initially by bad spark plugs? Would new plugs cure/slow the imminent failure of the coil? or is it just lousy quality components?
> Should I get rid of this thing before it fails altogether?


Even though the problem has fixed itself, the code is still stored. Your plugs are good to 105k miles. I changed mine at 60k and they still looked OK.


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## Burdabit (Jan 9, 2006)

Hi,

I have an 02 Pathy that just started doing the same thing. I have 94K miles on it and the problem started 3 weeks ago and has happened once - maybe twice - since then. I'm not sure about the second time since it was more like a hiccup after it had been running for a minute or two. But the first time was that shaking on startup that you describe. So far, my SES light hasn't come on though. I checked the TSBs at www.nissanhelp.com but didn't see one. My Service and Maintenance Guide says to replace plugs at 105K so I'm going to do that now and see if that helps. If not, I'll move on from there I guess.


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## GravityHappens (Feb 3, 2006)

Daisley said:


> So far its only happened 3 times, each time a couple of weeks apart. To this point, it clears up on re-start, so I'm not able to do any advanced diagnostics on it.
> Can this fault be brought on initially by bad spark plugs? Would new plugs cure/slow the imminent failure of the coil? or is it just lousy quality components?
> Should I get rid of this thing before it fails altogether?



Sometimes when the coils first start to go the ecm will not store a code, supposed to however OBDII is not perfect. CHanging plugs will not help, faulty / defective parts. Mil will come on engine runs like poo but nothing in the memory to go on. Happens all the time.


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## KLL (Dec 2, 2005)

replace spark plugs each 20000 km. if one is corroded or broken you face such situation. before starting to fix something else, if i were you i would be replacing spark plugs.


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## GravityHappens (Feb 3, 2006)

KLL said:


> replace spark plugs each 20000 km. if one is corroded or broken you face such situation. before starting to fix something else, if i were you i would be replacing spark plugs.



Sorry KLL, normal plug replacement interval 105k here in the US .Should not have a problem before that, defective coils. Try to buy some of them, have been slow to fill, lots of backorders.


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## KLL (Dec 2, 2005)

105? sometimes language prevents me to understand part names correctly. is spark plug , the thing made of by bosch NGK and generates sparks to ignite fuel? if so i am suggesting to replace sparg plug each 15-20000 km for greater performance and fuel economy and better emmision values. 105 km can be the upper limit before the spark plug go dead. it is cheap and very easy procedure for a better ride. also cheaper part replacement after air filter. and i belive it is not illegal to replace a sparkplug before its time.

i am insisting on replacing spark plugs and spark plug wires before coil. coils can not be broken easily.it is just a simple coil in the end.


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## nic_07 (Nov 21, 2006)

GravityHappens said:


> QX4 /Pathfinders 01-02 have defective coils, same problem with the 99-00 maximas. TSB recommends replacing all. Should be a recalled part as they all go bad and expensive to replace all at once. no dice you're on your own nissan won't help out.


Do all '01-02 Pathfinders have defective coils(100%)...or just most of them?
I guess if this problem will definately happen to all '01-02's .


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## smassey321 (May 27, 2005)

I have owned 2 01s and have had no issues with the coils. At 70k miles on the 2nd one. I also work with someone with an 01 with no coil issues.


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## trev (Jan 6, 2007)

I have a 2001 infiniti qx-4 

205,000 kms.
If your vehicle starts misfiring on starts or run, I will bet my first born its your ignition coil.


The engine is a 3.5 litre and the same as the maxima. There is a class action and petition going on right now for the the same issue on the maxima. Over 3,000 owners have signed the petition. ALL the same problem.
"engine misfires, go to the dealer-dealer says replace all 6 coils-between 700 and 1300 bucks" (screw you!)


The new coil has a NEW number admitting the old coil is NO GOOD!


So here is what you do to protect yourself.

1st. STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM THE DEALER!!!!

2nd. Go to Partsource or auto zone and buy a OBDII computer around 90 bucks

3rd. Keep it in your vehicle. Whenever your engin light comes on, plug in the obd2 asap and get the fault code. IT WILL REPORT THE CYLINDER THAT IS BAD!!!

whe it reports the bad cylinder, go buy a new coil and change it.

IF YOU CANT CHANGE IT, (simple) Take the coil and the code to a mechanic and TELL HIM which clinder it is and CHANGE THAT COIL.


Whole this should cost you around 200 bucks.

Coil
Computer
Installation.



You can go one step furthere and buy a spare coil and keep it in case you loose another.


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## 88pathoffroad (Jun 6, 2004)

KLL: people would be changing the spark plugs every three months if they did them every 20K. I believe that's overkill. With the Iridium plugs used in the newer 3.5's(IIRC, they could use platinum plugs instead but I seem to remember Iridiums being used), they last quite a bit longer and do not need replacement for "performance" reasons. And coils DO go bad on these, it's a fairly common problem, like other people have pointed out. Thank you for the input, though.


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## ghutchin (Nov 14, 2004)

I tried cyclinder by cyclinder replacement. A big pain in the butt. I ended up replacing them all. No problems since. Do you have engine flarring too? (does it rev up with no power when it shifts from 1 to 2 and 2nd to 3rd?). 

I had to replace my Transmission Control Module. I waited a long time and wish I did it sooner.

2001 Pathfinder built in March 2000.


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## tcrote5516 (Sep 30, 2006)

I change my heads after each fuel fill up, including valves, spark plugs and sometimes i swap out the exhaust headers as well. Some call it over kill, I call it preventative maintainence. hehehe


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## Virgie (Jan 31, 2007)

*Pathfinder-2001-misfires*



trev said:


> I have a 2001 infiniti qx-4
> 
> 205,000 kms.
> If your vehicle starts misfiring on starts or run, I will bet my first born its your ignition coil.
> ...


Hi, I am new in this forum and I have the same problem with a Pathfinder 01, but I live in Montreal and when I try to know which one has a problem, they answer back that they can not know and if I don't want to change all of them I can try 3 at a time front or back and pray that work??


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## jhhall (Feb 22, 2007)

Wow - this is good reading - but a bit scary. I just bought a 03' Pathfinder LE, do you know if this problem happens with it as well? I hear a lot about the 01 and 02 Pathfinders but not much at all about the 03's having this problem. What's different (if anything at all) about the 03?


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## Nissan Baby (Apr 8, 2015)

when your 2001-02 pathfinder or infinity qx4 doing this misfiring do not replace anything until the part dies cause you will spend a lot of money if you do it..you just like chasing a ghost.what i found out is just drive it then cut off the over drive by pushing the overdrive bottom on the shift lever and it will go away the shaking vibration cause by misfiring..every time misfiring occur just simply cut off the over drive till it disappear the shaking vibration...100% sure you will be happy and like my post


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