1998 Nissan Maxima Automatic. 55,000 miles.

It rides very smoothly but it never goes past 3rpm. It goes past 3rpm when I floor it but it pauses for a second or two before it goes anywhere and then the car all of a sudden kicks in and the rpms go flying up. I hit the gas and it doesn't seem to go anywhere until I floor it basically. The car is old and has never had a 60,000 maintaince because it hasn't reached that point yet but I think if I do all that everything should be fine. I do have warranty on it, but I'm guessing they won't do anything about it until the car stops moving.

 

I hear a failing TPS might be a cause of this?

 

Check the MAF too.

 

could be your cat too, I've heard of that happening and the result was a bad cat.