1999 Nissan Maxima Electrical Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE CONTACT SMELLED AN ELECTRICAL BURNING ODOR AND VARIOUS WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF COMPLETELY AND WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AS SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CONTACT THEN NOTICED FLAMES. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE WITH ICE WATER SHE HAD INSIDE THE VEHICLE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC ARRIVED AT THE SCENE AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE ALTERNATOR CAUGHT ON FIRE. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE 1997 AND 1998 MODELS WERE INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 02V171000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). ALTHOUGH THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS A 1999, SHE FOUND SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ONLINE AND ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH THE RECALL. AUTONATION NISSAN MARIETTA (925 COBB PKWY SE, MARIETTA, GA 30060, 770-674-6081) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

11252943

Incident

Sep 3, 2019

Mileage

96,000 mi

CAR HAD JUST BEEN SHUT OFF FROM RUNNING TO STORE I RAN INSIDE MY HOUSE REAL QUICK CAME BACK OUT TO LEAVE AGAIN BUT CAR DIDN'T START. BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND I NOTICED WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER HOOD. SMELLED LIKE ELECTRICAL PARTS WERE BURNING SO I OPENED HOOD TO NOTICE FIRE COMING FROM ALTERNATOR. I USED MY SHIRT TO PUT OUT AND DURING INSPECTION OF DAMAGE FOUND THE FIRE BURNED WIRE HARNESSES AND PART OF VALVE COVER ASSEMBLY WHERE OIL CAP IS LOCATED. THIS IS AN ORIGINAL OEM PART AND THE CAR ONLY HAS 118,000 ORIGINAL MILES. FOUND THAT A RECALL WAS DONE ON THE YEARS PRIOR FOR SAME ISSUE BUT DEALER STATED THEY WOULD NOT DO NOTHING DUE TO NO RECALL. ALTERNATOR S DON'T JUST CATCH FIRE...

NHTSA ID

11024584

Incident

Sep 20, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, WHO STATED THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

10618617

Incident

Feb 24, 2014

STARTED THE CAR. HEARD A STRANGE NOISE WHILE DRIVING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY ABOUT 10 MPH, THEN SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING, STOPPED THE CAR AND SAW SMOKE COMING OUT FROM THE ENGINE. TURNED THE CAR OFF, OPENED THE HOOD AND SAW THAT THE ALTERNATOR WAS ON FIRE. AFTER RESEARCHING THE INTERNET, FOUND SEVERAL CASES WHERE THE 1999 MAXIMA HAS AN ISSUE WITH THE ALTERNATOR CATCHING ON FIRE, IN SOME CASES CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BURN. ALSO FOUND OUT THAT NISSAN HAD A RECALL ON THE 1998 MAXIMA FOR ALTERNATOR FIRES. CALLED NISSAN ABOUT THE PROBLEM. A NISSAN REP CALLED BACK AND CALLED IT A "THERMAL INCIDENT." I EXPLAINED THAT A FIRE IS NOT A "THERMAL INCIDENT" BUT IS A FIRE (THIS IS LIKE DESCRIBING A SHOTGUN WOUND AS ACUTE LEAD POISONING). THE NISSAN REP SAID THAT DUE TO THE AGE AND MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE, ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN. I EXPLAINED THAT I UNDERSTAND THAT COMPONENTS DO FAIL OVER TIME, BUT THAT A FIRE IS UNACCEPTABLE AND THIS EVENT COULD HAVE CAUSED A HOUSE TO BURN DOWN OR A CAR ACCIDENT. THE NISSAN REP SAID THAT THE LIFE OF A NISSAN IS 100,000 MILES AND BASICALLY SAID THAT ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN AFTER THAT. I ASKED HER IF THAT WAS NISSAN'S POSITION AND SHE ASSURED ME THAT SHE SPOKE FOR NISSAN. I EXPLAINED THAT I HAD SEVERAL CARS WITH OVER 100,000 MILES AND THAT I HAD REPLACED COMPONENTS, BUT NONE OF THE VEHICLES CAUSED A FIRE. SEARCH THE INTERNET FOR MAXIMA ALTERNATOR FIRE--THERE ARE SEVERAL INSTANCES FOR YEARS BEFORE AND INCLUDING 1999. THIS SEEMS TO INDICATE THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE MAXIMA AND THAT THEY SHOULD BE RECALLED. CAR FIRES ARE UNACCEPTABLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10438156

Incident

Nov 30, 2011

Mileage

170,000 mi

1999 NISSAN MAXIMA, IGNITION COIL FAILURE AND SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT ON. CAR LOOSES PICKUP, ROUGH IDLING AND KNOCKING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10339796

Incident

Nov 1, 2009

Mileage

61,000 mi

I BOUGHT A NISSAN MAXIMA 1999 FOR MY DAUGHTER ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT SHE GOT IN HER CAR ONE MORNING AFTER JUST HAVING HER VEHICLE AT A MECHANIC FOR A CHECK UP/SERVICE. THEY TOLD HER THE CAR WAS FINE. SHE THEN PROCEEDED DOWN THE ROAD TO THE FREEWAY, STOPPED FOR GAS AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START. PANICKED BY THE 'AREA' OF TOWN SHE WAS IN I HAD A TOW TRUCK FROM AAA DISPATCHED TO MEET HER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE MECHANIC AND WE WERE TOLD THAT THE KEY TO THE VEHICLE HAD BECOME DEPROGRAMMED. I PROCEEDED TO CALL THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY REFUSED TO HELP ME UNLESS I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THEM. A SCAM ALERT TO ENSURE THAT YOU MUST USE A DEALERSHIP AT HIGH COST. MY FEAR IS THAT SHOULD MY DAUGHTER BE HEADED THROUGH THE ARIZONA DESERT IN 120 HEAT AND THIS SAME SITUATION WOULD HAVE COME UP WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO CONTACT SOMEONE, HER (OR ANYONE ELSE'S) LIFE COULD HAVE BEEN IN DANGER. I FIND THIS KEY MALFUNCTIONING TO BE A SEVER SAFETY HAZARD AND THAT MORE PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THAT THEY COULD ENDANGER THEIR LIVES IF THE KEY MALFUNCTIONS AND THEY ARE NOT NEAR A DEALERSHIP. I BELIEVE A SAFETY RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED. I HAVE ANOTHER NISSAN FX45 THAT I DO NOT WANT TO DRIVE FOR FEAR THAT THE KEY COULD MALFUNCTION IN A SIMILAR MANNER LEAVING ME STRANDED AS WELL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10330901

Incident

May 17, 2010

Mileage

200,000 mi

I HAD CHECK IGNITION LIGHT ON WHILE MY 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND FOR YEARS AFTER THAT. YOU GET TIRED OF GOING BACK TO THE DEALER AND THE PROBLEM IS NEVER SOLVED. THE PROBLEM TURNS OUT TDO BE THE IGNITION COILS; ALL REPLACED AT A COST OF ABOUT $800.00. THE RECEIPT IS IN THE CAR AND I CAN PRODUCE MY EXACT COST OF REPAIR IF A RECALL WOULD BE ISSUED. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. MY LIGHT HAS NOT COME ON SINCE REPLACING ALL THE COILS. HOPEFULLY MY COMPLAINT WILL BE THE ONE THAT BEGINS AN ACTION BY YOU. *TR

NHTSA ID

10325784

Incident

Jun 15, 2001

Mileage

66,335 mi

THE IGNITION COILS ARE DEFECTIVE. THE COILS WILL, AFTER A BRIEF TIME, BEGIN TO MISFIRE AGAIN EVEN AFTER BEING REPLACED. MANY PEOPLE HAVE BLOGGED WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10324433

Incident

Apr 7, 2010

Mileage

127,500 mi

THE COILS ON MY NISSAN MAXIMA 1999 CAN NEVER GET FIXED. THIS A "NISSAN PART" PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. I HAVE THE CAR FOR ALMOST 6 YEARS AND THE COILS HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM EVER SINCE I FIRST GOT THE CAR. THE DO NOT WANT TO TAKE RESPONSIBLY ON THIS AND THE PROBLEM SEEMS NOT BEING RESOLVED BY ANYBODY. PLEASE LOOK ON THE INTERNET AND YOU WILL SEE THAT THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE BEING RIPPED OFF BY THE NISSAN DEALERS. I WILL GIVE YOU A WEBSITE AND YOU WILL SEE THAT I AM NOT TELLING YOU JOKES. HTTP://WWW.CARSURVEY.ORG/REVIEWS/NISSAN/MAXIMA/R64073/. AGAIN, THERE IS NO SOLVE TO THIS PROBLEM, EVEN IF WE CHANGE THE COILS TEN TIMES, THE PROBLEM WILL STILL REMIND. PLEASE, YOU ARE THE GOVERNMENT AND THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. I HOPE THIS HELPS TO GET MORE PEOPLE AND FINALLY MAKE THEM PAY FOR THIS PART IGNITION COILS ARE A DEFECTIVE PARTS ON NISSAN MAXIMAS 1999!!!!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10314788

Incident

Feb 19, 2010

Mileage

119,460 mi

1999 NISSAN MAXIMA - RUNS ROUGH AND LOSES POWER. HAS LESS POWER WHEN PULLING AWAY FROM STOP SIGN INTO INTERSECTION. HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR OVER 1 YEAR. IGNITION COIL PROBLEMS NEED TO REPLACE ALL 6 COILS, HAVE REPLACED EGR VALVE, O2 SENSORS AND PLUGS TO NO AVAIL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10310298

Incident

Feb 10, 2010

Mileage

160,000 mi

CAR BEGAN RUNNING VERY ROUGH. NEEDED IGNITION COIL REPLACEMENT. $800.00 WHY DOES EVERY MAXIMA HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM? *TR

NHTSA ID

10260398

Incident

Jan 3, 2009

Mileage

120,000 mi

I HAVE A 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA AND HAVE 145,000 MILES ON IT. IGNITION COIL HAS GONE BAD AND NISSAN WANTS TO CHARGE ME 1200 DOLLARS TO REPLACE. IT SEEMS I HAVE READ THIS AS A PROBLEM IN ALOT OF MAXIMA'S. CONSIDERING RECALLING THIS ISSUE IN OLDER MAXIMAS? *TR

NHTSA ID

10257566

Incident

Jan 5, 2009

WHILE DRIVING MY CAR, IT STARTED TO MISS, SPUTTER, RUN BAD, VIBRATE AND ALMOST TURN OFF. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND AFTER HAVING THE CODES READ (P1320) AND RESEARCHING DTC P1320 AND/OR SPARK KNOCK (DETONATION) DUE TO IGNITION COIL (S). I FIND OUT THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH SEVERAL YEARS OF MAXIMAS. I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT THERE ARE NEWER COILS WITH A GRAY DOT, THAT IS TO BE USED TO REPLACE THE OLDER DEFECTIVE ONES. NOT ONLY ARE THE BAD ONES RECOMMENDED FOR REPLACEMENT, BUT ALL 6 ARE RECOMMENDED FOR REPLACEMENT. WHY IS THIS? I BELIEVE IS WAS BECAUSE OF A KNOWN DEFECT IN THE PARTS. I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED SEVERAL OF THESE COILS AND IT DON'T TAKE LONG BEFORE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS BACK ON, AND THE CAR IS ONCE AGAIN MISFIRING AND GETTING BAD GAS MILEAGE BECAUSE OF CODE P1320, ANOTHER BAD COIL. NISSAN SHOULD RECALL THESE CARS AND FIX THIS CONTINUOUSLY ONGOING PROBLEM . THIS MISFIRING ON INTERSTATES AND BUSY ROADS AT HIGH SPEEDS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS, BECAUSE IT SLOWS THE CAR DOWN ALL OF A SUDDEN AND COULD RESULT IN A REAR END CRASH. THIS MISFIRING ALSO RESULTS IN FUEL NOT BEING BURNED IN THE CYLINDER AND IS WASTED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10240485

Incident

Apr 15, 2003

Mileage

88,000 mi

I HAVE A 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA, 5-SPD, WITH 142K MILES. GENERALLY THE CAR IS A TREAT TO DRIVE AND I HAVE HAD NO SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS TO DATE WITH ITS OPERATION. HOWEVER, UPON TRAVELING WESTWARD, FROM VA ALONG I-70 IN OH, THE CAR SIMPLY CUT OUT FROM ITS CURRENT SPEED AND STOPPED ACCELERATING AND BEGAN TO HESITATE AND BUCK. IT WAS AS THOUGH THE IGNITION COILS BRIEFLY STOPPED WORKING OR THE FUEL FILTER SUDDENLY BECAME CLOGGED WITH PARAFFIN. SINCE MY WIFE AND I WERE TRAVELING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS, THIS WAS A BIT DISCONCERTING. I IMMEDIATELY MOVED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE FAR RIGHT LANE AND DEPRESSED THE GAS PEDAL FOR MORE FUEL. THAT ACTION WORKED BRIEFLY, BUT THEN THE CAR BUCKED REPEATEDLY AGAIN. WE WERE ABLE TO MANAGE THE REMAINING 80 MILES TOWARD HOME THEREAFTER. I FEEL THAT EITHER THE IGNITION COILS ARE MALFUNCTIONING W/O WARNING, OR THAT SOME OTHER MECHANISM OF FUEL FEED SYSTEM IS FAILING ALSO W/O WARNING. THE CAR DOES NOT KNOCK OR PING, MAYBE THE GASOLINE OR FUEL INJECTORS ARE FOULING (HOWEVER, I USE 87 RON GRADE GASOLINE, AND OFTEN ADD OCTANE BOOSTERS, I ALSO CLEAN THE FUEL INJECTORS BY RUNNING CHEVRON'STECHRON ABOUT EVERY 3500 MILES). THIS MAY SIGNIFY A SEVERE PROBLEM LURKING; I HOPE YOU CONSIDER ISSUING A RECALL FOR THE 1999 MAXIMA. *TR

NHTSA ID

10239948

Incident

Aug 24, 2008

Mileage

142,000 mi

THREE FAULTY IGNITION COILS IN 1 1/2 YEARS. TWO IN LESS THAN ONE MONTH ON MY 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA GLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10233177

Incident

Jul 3, 2008

Mileage

126,000 mi

I HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH AL 6 IGNITION COILS OF MY 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA THAT I NO LONGER HAVE. I HAVE WRITTEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON AN ISSUE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10217615

Incident

Mar 21, 2001

IGNITION COIL FAILURE, DEFECT AND REPLACEMENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10211600

Incident

Dec 12, 2005

THE IGNITION COILS ARE DEFECTIVE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10209282

Incident

Jul 16, 2007

MY 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA WILL DISPLAY SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT AND CANNOT BE RESET. I HAVE REPLACED THE IGNITION COILS AND SPARK PLUGS PLUS THE AIR TEMP SENSOR. THIS CODE P1320 IS ALWAYS ON AND THERE SEEMS TO BE MANY OTHER NISSAN OWNERS WITH THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10208881

Incident

May 15, 2007

Mileage

74,878 mi

MIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED. KNOCK AND SPARK FAILURE TROUBLE CODES. ERRATIC IDLE AND POWER SURGE AT OR ABOUT 2000 RPM. IN SOME CASES THE IDLE HAS BEEN ERRATIC ENOUGH FOR THE ENGINE TO STALL. THE PROBLEM IS NOT CONSISTENT AND IS TEMPERATURE DEPENDENT. COLD MORNINGS (LESS THAN 50 DEGREES F) CREATE THE MOST PROBLEMS. SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER ON ACCELERATION HAS PROVEN DANGEROUS. REPLACED IGNITION COIL PACKS, SIX PER CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10208619

Incident

Feb 15, 2007

Mileage

70,000 mi

PRIOR TO GETTING MY 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA INSPECTED, THE 'SERVICE ENGINE SOON' LIGHT TURNED ON AND I EVENTUALLY FOUND OUT THAT THE LIGHT IS ON BECAUSE A FEW OF MY IGNITION COILS ARE NO LONGER WORKING. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS WILL BE ABOUT A $1500 REPAIR (BECAUSE I WAS TOLD THAT I NEED TO REPLACE ALL OF THE COILS BECAUSE THEY CAN'T DETECT WHICH ONES ARE OUT) AND I AM A COLLEGE STUDENT WHO DOESN'T MAKE MUCH MORE THAN TWICE THAT IN A YEAR. I WAS RESEARCHING ONLINE TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY CHEAPER IGNITION COILS I COULD PURCHASE, AND CAME TO FIND OUT THAT THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WITH THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM THAT A PETITION HAS BEEN CREATED WITH OVER 3,000 SIGNATURES(HERE IS THE PETITION: HTTP://WWW.PETITIONONLINE.COM/MOD_PERL/SIGNED.CGI?NIS_IGN&851). I AM GOING TO CONTACT MY LOCAL NISSAN DEALERSHIP TOMORROW (AS I WAS BUSY GETTING ESTIMATES FROM OTHER MECHANICS EVER SINCE I FOUND OUT ABOUT MY FAILED IGNITION COILS UNTIL TODAY WHEN I LEARNED THAT MANY OTHERS WITH '99-'03 NISSAN MAXIMA'S HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM) AND HOPEFULLY SOMETHING WILL BE DONE, BUT MORE THAN ANYTHING I BELIEVE THAT THEY SHOULD DO WHAT'S MORALLY RIGHT AND ISSUE A RECALL. *JB

NHTSA ID

10202229

Incident

Sep 4, 2007

MY 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA SE HAD ONE COIL REPLACED IN 2003. THIS YEAR I REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AS WELL. MY AIRBAG LIGHT FLASHES CONSTANTLY AND MY CLOCK GOES IN AND OUT OF SERVICE. MY SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR RUNS VERY ROUGH. WHEN IDLING IT SOUNDS LIKE A CHOKING PIECE OF CRAP AND ON THE HILLS THE LIGHT FLASHES. I WAS TOLD I HAD A BAD COIL AGAIN AND TOOK IT FOR A DIAGNOSTIC THAT SAID MULTIPLE MISFIRE AND REPLACE ALL SIX COILS. I HAVE READ COMPLAINT AFTER COMPLAINT ABOUT COILS. WHEN I BOUGHT MY MAXIMA NEW I THOUGHT I WAS BUYING A CAR THAT WAS RELIABLE BUT I AM HEARING THAT COIL REPLACEMENT IS THE RULE NOT THE EXCEPTION. I ALSO HAVE REAR BRAKE NOISE....SINCE YEAR THREE OF OWNING THE CAR. I HAVE REPLACED TWO SETS OF BRAKE PADS AS WELL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10194050

Incident

Jun 19, 2007

ANYONE CAN SPEND JUST A MOMENT OF TIME ON THE INTERNET AND FIND THAT NISSAN MAXIMAS FROM 1999 TO 2003 , PERHAPS A LENGTHIER TIME PERIOD, MINE IS A 1999. HAVE MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH IGNITION COILS AND STARTERS. YET NO RECALL HAS EVER BEEN ISSUED! I HAVE SEEN HUNDREDS OF CONSUMER WEBSITES OF PEOPLE REPORTING THESE PROBLEMS WITH COILS AND STARTERS. I JUST HAD TO REPLACE STARTER AND COILS. SOME PEOPLE REPORT REPLACING THEM EVERY 10,000 - 20,000 MILES!!! THIS IS A PRICEY REPAIR AT ABOUT $1000 TO $1500 PER EVENT! PLEASE URGE NISSAN TO RECALL THESE DEFECTIVE PARTS AND REFUND THOSE WHO HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR THIS SERVICE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10190626

Incident

May 12, 2007

I HAVE 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA AND IT STARTED GIVING PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION COIL WHEN IT HAD ONLY 50000 MILES AND THE MECHANICS WERE NOT ABLE TO FIND WHICH COIL WAS HAVING THE PROBLEM, AND FINALLY ASKED ME TO CHANGE ALL THE SIX COILS FOR AROUND $1000.00. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THIS IS SEEN IN MANY MAXIMA'S AND INFINITY I30. *AK

NHTSA ID

10187856

Incident

Apr 10, 2004

Mileage

50,000 mi

I HAVE A POTENTIALLY DEADLY PROBLEM WITH MY 133,000-MILE, 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA. IT MIGHT BE RELATED TO THE CRANK SENSOR ON NEWER MAXIMA, A STEERING COLUMN LOCK, A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH, FAULTY CLUTCH DEPRESSION SWITCH, AND THE ANTI-THEFT KILL SWITCH, PERHAPS EVEN A RANDOM GROUND. THE PROBLEM WAS CONCEIVABLY CATASTROPHIC.*AK UPON ENTERING MY CAR USING THE REMOTE, OCCASIONALLY THE CAR WON'T RESPOND, AND MUST BE UNLOCKED MANUALLY. IN THESE INSTANCES, NEITHER THE DOME LIGHTS NOR THE HEADLIGHTS SHINE. WHEN THE IGNITION KEY IS ROTATED TO THE START POSITION, AS THE CLUTCH IS BEING DEPRESSED, SOMETIMES THE GAUGE LIGHTS APPEAR AND THEN QUICKLY FADE AND DISAPPEAR; THE CAR JUST DOESN'T CRANK. A FAINT, DIMINISHING TELLTALE BUZZING SOUND CAN BE HEARD. WHAT'S WORSE, THIS CAN HAPPEN SPONTANEOUSLY WHILE DRIVING, IN WHICH CASE THE CAR'S STEERING WHEEL LOCKS AND THE BRAKES BECOME INOPERABLE. I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN ON THREE OCCASIONS, TWICE WHILE DRIVING IN A MALL PARKING LOT (FEBRUARY AND MARCH ''07) AND THE OTHER TIME (JUST LAST WEEK) WHILE TURNING INTO MY NEIGHBOR'S DRIVEWAY, TO TAKE OUT HER OAK TREE. THE IGNITION CRANK SENSOR MUST SLIP INTO AN INOPERABLE MODE DURING DRIVING OR WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE CAR, OR THE ANTI-THEFT SWITCH SOMEHOW INTERFERES WITH STARTING, OPERATION OR DRIVING. MAYBE THE MASTER IGNITION COIL IS FAILING (BUT THAT DOESN'T EXPLAIN THE HEADLIGHT AND DOME LIGHT PROBLEMS). THE CLUTCH SWITCH MAY NOT ENGAGE WHEN ITS PEDAL IS BEING DEPRESSED. SOMETIMES, I CAN RESTART THE CAR AFTER AN INCIDENT IN WHICH IT WAS PARKED FOR A WHILE. MY BATTERY IS BRAND NEW, AND THERE DON'T SEEM TO BE ANY SHORTS AS FAR AS I CAN TELL. BUT NOTHING ELECTRICALLY WORKS (NOT EVEN THE RADIO) WHEN I HAVE TO UNLOCK THE CAR MANUALLY. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT DRIVING THE CAR BEYOND MY NEIGHBORHOOD. I MIGHT HAVE TO BECOME A HERMIT, OR WORSE, A COLLEGE PROFESSOR. ANY IDEAS? THE CAR IS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE OTHERWISE AND HAS ALL SERVICE RECORDS.

NHTSA ID

10185666

Incident

Feb 11, 2007

Mileage

132,300 mi