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Cold Engine/Cold Weather Start Up Issue

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Old 01-04-2010, 10:34 AM
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Cold Engine/Cold Weather Start Up Issue

For the past couple of weeks my car has been having some cold engine/cold weather start up issues. SES light came on and got the code pulled - Misfire in cylinder #6. Could be bad coil or spark plug, so I changed out all the plugs (needed them changed anyway). Code went away and the car seemed to run fine for a week or two. This morning the issue came back...

Inital start up on cold engine (in cold weather - 40/50 degrees in garage 20 degrees outside) the car has a rough idle under load, in D or R, but not in N or P. The SES lighted flashed for a few seconds but didn't stay on and after about a 5 min warmup the car runs normal.

Car Stats:
'03
112k miles
Change fluids regularly (can't remember if I put in 5w30 or 10w30)
New OEM plugs
No other major maintenance issues

Can it be anything other than a bad coil and if so, do I have to change all 6 or can I just change out the 1?

Anything else I can check or is my car just like me and it hates cold weather? (live in GA)
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Old 01-04-2010, 11:24 AM
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could be a bad coil
you can just change one
check connection

tbh, 20 is meh, try -15
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Old 01-04-2010, 08:09 PM
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With the weather i've had the max parked and driving my f-150. I got in the max this morning to check up on it and the e-brake light and battery light came on. I let her get warm and moved her around on the driveway. I took her out later on to go to the bank and no lights were on. Kinda in the same boat, doesnt seem like anything to worry about, just cooooold weather.
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Old 01-04-2010, 09:06 PM
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you can swap the coil pack # 6 with say coil pack # 4 and see if the CEL code would point to #4, if it points to #4, then your coil pack is toast, if it points to # 6 again, then it could be your wiring harness/connection.
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Old 01-05-2010, 11:17 AM
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Originally Posted by nsnrider
you can swap the coil pack # 6 with say coil pack # 4 and see if the CEL code would point to #4, if it points to #4, then your coil pack is toast, if it points to # 6 again, then it could be your wiring harness/connection.
good thinkin'


thanks!
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Old 12-08-2011, 12:23 PM
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Hi

I am having this exact same issue.
what did you do to fix it.

thanks
Faisal
2003 maxima
67k miles
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Old 12-10-2011, 09:33 AM
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I've had the same issue. I just got a 2000 Maxima for my first car, and it wouldn't stay running when it was cold. I just changed my spark plugs today, which was apparently a first in this car's 218,000 miles. It seems to work fine, but I'll give it a week and see how it's doing then. I really don't want to have to buy new coils at 60 bucks a pop.
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Old 12-11-2011, 05:32 AM
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It was a bad coil.
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Old 12-13-2011, 01:27 PM
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Try testing your coils one at a time.. there is a write-up somewhere on the Z32 forums over on Nico of doing this.. I'll see if I can find it. I would recommend replacing all coils though if replacing one. Though, if you can't afford it then this would be beneficial to you.
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