NHTSA Complaint #10239948 — 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA

I HAVE A 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA, 5-SPD, WITH 142K MILES. GENERALLY THE CAR IS A TREAT TO DRIVE AND I HAVE HAD NO SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS TO DATE WITH ITS OPERATION. HOWEVER, UPON TRAVELING WESTWARD, FROM VA ALONG I-70 IN OH, THE CAR SIMPLY CUT OUT FROM ITS CURRENT SPEED AND STOPPED ACCELERATING AND BEGAN TO HESITATE AND BUCK. IT WAS AS THOUGH THE IGNITION COILS BRIEFLY STOPPED WORKING OR THE FUEL FILTER SUDDENLY BECAME CLOGGED WITH PARAFFIN. SINCE MY WIFE AND I WERE TRAVELING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS, THIS WAS A BIT DISCONCERTING. I IMMEDIATELY MOVED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE FAR RIGHT LANE AND DEPRESSED THE GAS PEDAL FOR MORE FUEL. THAT ACTION WORKED BRIEFLY, BUT THEN THE CAR BUCKED REPEATEDLY AGAIN. WE WERE ABLE TO MANAGE THE REMAINING 80 MILES TOWARD HOME THEREAFTER. I FEEL THAT EITHER THE IGNITION COILS ARE MALFUNCTIONING W/O WARNING, OR THAT SOME OTHER MECHANISM OF FUEL FEED SYSTEM IS FAILING ALSO W/O WARNING. THE CAR DOES NOT KNOCK OR PING, MAYBE THE GASOLINE OR FUEL INJECTORS ARE FOULING (HOWEVER, I USE 87 RON GRADE GASOLINE, AND OFTEN ADD OCTANE BOOSTERS, I ALSO CLEAN THE FUEL INJECTORS BY RUNNING CHEVRON'STECHRON ABOUT EVERY 3500 MILES). THIS MAY SIGNIFY A SEVERE PROBLEM LURKING; I HOPE YOU CONSIDER ISSUING A RECALL FOR THE 1999 MAXIMA. *TR