NHTSA Complaint #10104745 — 2000 NISSAN MAXIMA

IN OCTOBER 2004, ON THE FIRST COOL DAY OF THE FALL SEASON IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, MY 2000 NISSAN MAXIMA GLE BEGAN TO MISFIRE, BUT THE PROBLEM CORRECTED ITSELF AFTER A FEW MILES OF DRIVING. A MONTH LATER, ON ANOTHER COOL DAY IN NOVEMBER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. THIS TIME, THE EVENT ILLUMINATED THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LAMP. THE VEHICLE HAS CONTINUED TO MISFIRE INTERMITTENTLY (BUT FREQUENTLY) EVER SINCE. WHEN I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY LOCAL NISSAN DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS, THE SERVICE ADVISER PULLED TWO TROUBLE CODES (P0306 AND P1320) AND TOLD ME THE FAULTS INDICATED REPLACEMENT OF ALL SIX IGNITION COILS (PER RECOMMENDATION OF TSB NO. 01-059). THE DEALER WANTS $75 FOR EACH COIL, AND APPROXIMATELY $200 IN LABOR TO INSTALL THEM. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, I DISCOVERED THE PREVALENCE OF THE PROBLEM WITH OTHER '00-'01 MAXIMA OWNERS. I HAVE OWNED AND MAINTAINED MY VEHICLE SINCE IT HAD 4000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, AND THIS IS THE FIRST MAJOR PROBLEM THAT IT HAS EXPERIENCED IN 72,000 MILES. *NM