1999 Maxima Shakes - is dealer's diagnosis correct ?

My Maxima 1999 started the following behavior about six months back...

- initially, "service engine" light came on. I took the car to a local
mechanic and the code apparently said "primary ignition failure". Since
obviously my car was starting fine, he just reset the light and said
everything was ok.

- after a couple of weeks, sometimes all the lights would come on:
"service engine", "traction control off" and "slip" and the car starts
to shake.


- I took the car to Nissan dealer. They say that my ignition coil is
coming apart and needs to be replaced. They reset the "service engine"
light, but it came back again after a couple of days.


- Currently, "service engine" light is ON all the time and the car
shakes when all the other lights come on (happens couple of times a
week). I noted that it has nothing to do with warm engine/cold engine,
but it always happens from the time of start (that is, the shaking does
not start when I am driving, but from the time I start the car).

I find the dealer diagnosis incredible - is the technology so advanced
that they can sense a falling apart ignition coil ?

Any insights on what the problem might be, I would like some help
before spending $$$$ on the ignition coil.

Thanks
Regards
- Sam

wrote:
> My Maxima 1999 started the following behavior about six months
back...
>
> - initially, "service engine" light came on. I took the car to a
local
> mechanic and the code apparently said "primary ignition failure".
Since
> obviously my car was starting fine, he just reset the light and said
> everything was ok.
>
> - after a couple of weeks, sometimes all the lights would come on:
> "service engine", "traction control off" and "slip" and the car
starts
> to shake.
>
>
> - I took the car to Nissan dealer. They say that my ignition coil is
> coming apart and needs to be replaced. They reset the "service
engine"
> light, but it came back again after a couple of days.
>
>
> - Currently, "service engine" light is ON all the time and the car
> shakes when all the other lights come on (happens couple of times a
> week). I noted that it has nothing to do with warm engine/cold
engine,
> but it always happens from the time of start (that is, the shaking
does
> not start when I am driving, but from the time I start the car).
>
> I find the dealer diagnosis incredible - is the technology so
advanced
> that they can sense a falling apart ignition coil ?
>
> Any insights on what the problem might be, I would like some help
> before spending $$$$ on the ignition coil.
>
> Thanks
> Regards
> - Sam

Sounds like another dealer guessing exercise.
I suggest you get a second opinion from a real mechanic.

The problem is the ignition coils. The CEL suggested that but you
chose to ignore both the CEL and the dealers diagnosis. Some of the 99
year Maxima's are prone to premature ignition coil failure. Replace
the coils and that should take care of your problems.

Nirav
96 Max GLE, 117k

"njmodi" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> The problem is the ignition coils. The CEL suggested that but you
> chose to ignore both the CEL and the dealers diagnosis. Some of the 99
> year Maxima's are prone to premature ignition coil failure. Replace
> the coils and that should take care of your problems.
>
> Nirav
> 96 Max GLE, 117k

Should not the dealer or competent independent mechanic be able to test this
and confirm the diagnosis?

Your suggestion sounds like you know what you are talking about, but
sometimes
dealers and unscrupulous independent mechanics diagnose by guess
and replacement.

One more time: It is the ignition coils. Go to the dealer and let them
fix your car.

Nirav
96 Max GLE, 117k

njmodi wrote:
> The problem is the ignition coils. The CEL suggested that but you
> chose to ignore both the CEL and the dealers diagnosis. Some of the 99
> year Maxima's are prone to premature ignition coil failure. Replace
> the coils and that should take care of your problems.
>
> Nirav
> 96 Max GLE, 117k
>

You might try this first, just to see if it works. It's free and takes
very little time.
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....hlight=hanshin

Dave

Don't worry, Nirav is obviously quite confident about his diagnoses and
you should therefore not think twice about spending your hard-earned
money in replacing all the coils. His directive to have the dealer do
the job is also spot-on as this is a very delicate operation that
should only be attempted by an official Nissan-certified master
mechanic.

. . . NOT ! ! !




njmodi wrote:
> One more time: It is the ignition coils. Go to the dealer and let
them
> fix your car.
>
> Nirav
> 96 Max GLE, 117k

wrote:
> Don't worry, Nirav is obviously quite confident about his diagnoses
and
> you should therefore not think twice about spending your hard-earned
> money in replacing all the coils. His directive to have the dealer
do
> the job is also spot-on as this is a very delicate operation that
> should only be attempted by an official Nissan-certified master
> mechanic.
>
> . . . NOT ! ! !
>
>

I didn't do the diagnosis, the car ECU did that and the dealer
confirmed it:

1. The CEL is lit and indicates an ignition failure
2. The dealer confirms the symptoms as being ignition coil failure
3. He has a 99 year Maxima - this model year is known for premature
coil failure

The original post was asking for confirmation of the diagnosis and that
is what was provided.

As you imply, replacing the coils is straightforward and if he wants to
take it on, good for him. He'll be able to replace all 6 coils for the
price the dealer will charge to replace one.

Why do I recommend the dealer over his mechanic? his mechanic sent him
home after pulling the ignition failure code - without diagnosing
either bad coils or the root cause. This mechanic doesn't deserve his
business.

feynman - if you knew all the answers, maybe you should have helped him
by providing something more useful than a sarcastic reply.


Cheers.
Nirav
96 Max GLE, 117k

Wow! Thanks for the very informative link. It seems quite plausible
that the ubiquitous coil failures would have some mechanical cause
other than something to do with the coil winding/insulation. When mine
go, and from what I have been reading it is only a matter of time, I'll
give the Maxima.org method a shot.


David Geesaman wrote:
> njmodi wrote:
> > The problem is the ignition coils. The CEL suggested that but you
> > chose to ignore both the CEL and the dealers diagnosis. Some of
the 99
> > year Maxima's are prone to premature ignition coil failure.
Replace
> > the coils and that should take care of your problems.
> >
> > Nirav
> > 96 Max GLE, 117k
> >
>
> You might try this first, just to see if it works. It's free and
takes
> very little time.
> http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....hlight=hanshin
>
> Dave