I just hit my 80k mark a couple days ago so the service light went on, I have a few questions:

1. I talked to my uncles friend he said u don't need to change the spark plug wires if the ends are not oily. Is he right?

2. Is is time to change tranny fluid? I don't shift hard it's a auto. I also went driving 80-90 steady to Vegas and I put cruise control on at 81-83 and the engine kept down shifting and up shifting by itself like 80 is the mark point. But I don't think it has ever done this before.

3. What else should I consider, I want to keep this car a long time. Thanks.

3.

 

our cars dont have spark plug wires, we have direct igniton coil packs.

When the transmission was shifting was this going up and down hills or on a flat surface?

 

Spark plugs should be changed, and your tranny fluid should have been flushed and filled 45,000 miles ago...

Replace the fuel filter, engine coolant flush and fill, check your in-cabin filter, check brake fluid, pads, rotors, lines... Check steering rack for any leaks, axles for leaks, tears in boots, check struts... The list goes on and on... Basically, check everything.

 

If you have 80K on an auto transmission and it's never been serviced, that is likley your shifting issue. Get the transmission serviced "now". Don't gust get it flushed and filled either. Go somewhere where the service includes removing the pan, checking for debris (could alert you to a bigger more expensive issue down the road), and replacing the gasket. I had mine done in this manner and the tech said that flushing and filling does not remove metalic debris, as there is a magnet that collects that. The only way to really clean and service is to remove the pan.

As far as the plugs go, I have 83K on my 03', and as long as it is running fine (and mine is idling and excelerating as good as day 1) I have no plans to touch the plugs. Perhaps at 100K maybe.

Engine coolant is way, way, overdue if that's never been done.

All the other stuff that upstatemax mentions I certainly agree with, in fact most of these things should be eyed on a very regular basis.

 

75K miles..... i have to replace my two front control arms, rotors and pads. my struts and springs are not blown or leaking but I can definately feel its not as good as day 1.

check your tires, brakes, fluids.

i didnt change my tranny fluid till 65K and when i did, the fluid came out nasty. good thing i change it.

 

I just got my 60k service done. Amongst other things, got the transmission fluid flushed on my 03 auto. It shifts a lot more smoothly overall.

 

Just passed 100k on the way to the F1 race in Indy. The car still runs like a champ and I dont plan on changing the spark plugs on it until I start having issues.

Definitely do the engine coolant flush, and the complete transmission service including dropping the pan. I dit the above two on my car at 92000, and I am not sure if it was because of that or my driving but my gas mileage has been ranging in the high 23 to 24 mpg, whereas I never used to come close 23 since I bought the car new.

 

Does anyone know if Nissan stealerships remove the pan and clean the filter and replace the gasket when they do their transmission flushes?

 

They don't.

 

thanks for your replies guys.

The shifting issue happened on a flat road.

wow we don't have spark plug wires? i never knew

I will be geting my engine flushed come next oil change thanks for ur concerns.

I will be checking whatever I can

do you think I should be thinkning about seafoam at all?

 

I have 54,000 miles on my wifes 03Maxima and thinking of getting the AT flushed/filled now I read to get filter replaced. Where can you get this done PROPERLY and by an honest mechanic using quality products. I live 18miles south of Trenton,NJ

 

Do it yourself... Not that hard.

The how-to is in the stickies.

 

Glenn, how close are you to Moorestown Mall? There is a place right by there called Naz Automotive. They aren't Nissan specialists or anything but I always found them to be honest. The place isn't beautiful but you aren't paying for it either.

I used to work close to them but now I work farther north and one of the benefits I miss from my old job is having a trustworthy mechanic close by. I'm not even sure if they do transmission flushes (haven't been there in a few years) but they are a good general mechanic.

 

Why do most guys forget the coolant change? It's Important.

 

Good call coolant flush

 

read your owners manual. there is a maintenance schedule in the back

 

First off you didn't tell the year of make on the maxima. If it is a 2000 then this is what I would think you need to address starting with the highest priority on the top.

1) ATF flush. Don't go with the MaticD fluid, pick a good multivehicle ATF, I like Castrol Import. Others Mobil1 have MV ATFs or Mercon V are suitable replacements.
2) Change plugs and coils if there are any misfires/pinging or any ignition codes.
3) Coolant flush and replace upper and lower radiator hoses.
4) Power steering fluid exchange.
5) O2 sensors will throw in codes sooner than later.
6) Fuel filter.

 

No offense, but...

Everybody learns something at some point in time, but my problem is how does someone have 400+ post and NOT know any direction on typical maint items??? It takes a lot of reading on this site to get that many posts....so how in the world does that happen and no info is known on normal maint? Lots of stickies in the maint section, too! I certainly know very little compared to others on here, but I find this question troubling.