My 2000 Maxima GXE 5spd is doing something very bizzare, When Im driving the Engine will suddenly sound like its misfiring or something (i.e. the Subaru boxer sound), the car will become very shaky and it feels as if I have about 50% power. It used to happen very randomly starting about 1 month ago, now it happens every day when I'm driving, sometimes from a cold start, but mostly when the car seems to warm up. The car has 124,000 miles. I'm thinking maybe ignition coils, spark plugs, mass air flow sensor, knock sensor? Maybe Fuel pump??

Any help is very appreciated.

 

misfires that severe should be throwing a CEL...

Check for codes first then report back. How are your plugs? the 50% power issue sounds like MAF, but the early 5th gen had coil issues as well...

Check your codes first.

 

My vote goes to coil packs or MAF as well.

 

Thanks Guys, I've been thinking the same thing how its weird that I have these symptoms and still no CEL, I actually have 6 new coil packs and NGK double platinum spark plugs to be put in the car after the symptoms first started. I have since ordered a new MAF from Courtesy Nissan online and it should be here in a day. I was planning on putting it all in on my own but the car is just running so shi**y, I think im just going to have to pay a mechanic to do it to expedite the fix.

 

Same thing happened to my car once and I actually had a bit of fun pretending I was driving a Subaru

 

Haha, i'm in the same boat, my buddies have been calling it the Maxima STi...can't say I haven't been playing it out a little bit. As much as I "like" the subie sound however its starting to sound like the good ol' VQ screaming in pain

...and it's driving me nuts!

 

Did you get OEM coil packs? And seriously don't pay a ****ing mechanic to change plugs, coils and a MAF. That's all **** you can do with a spark plug socket, couple screw drivers and 20min out of your day.

 

So it turned out that my CEl bulb was out and that faulty ignition coils were the problem, I installed the 6 new oem coils and its running like new