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...
1999 Nissan Maxima engine problems
40 complaints (24% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 95,000. 2 crashes reported.
- owner complaints
- 40
- of this car's complaints
- 24%
- typical mileage
- 95,000
- crashes
- 2
- recalls
- 0
Which part fails
- Engine9
- Exhaust system5
- Exhaust system: emission control4
- Engine: gasoline3
- Cooling system: radiator assembly2
- Exhaust system: emission control: gas recirculation valve (EGR valve)1
- Cooling system1
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
Nissan Maxima engine problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 1999 Nissan Maxima engine
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Check engine light 29Misfire 22Knocking 12Stalling 11Won't start 8
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
What 1999 Nissan Maxima owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 nissan maxima. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, the contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the crank shaft position sensor, the knock sensor and the coils needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. However, the failure recurred. The vehicle was then taken to another mechanic, who diagnosed that the knock sensor, solenoid control and the crank shaft position sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. However, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 130,000. Ma 08/13/15 updated 10/25/2017
Garage-kept since new 1999 nissan maxima has developed severe rust/body rot in the "radiator support member" which also attaches front engine mount points. This damage was caught during an oil change when the protective plastic shield was removed - which exposed the degree of danger. Inattentive owners could miss this entirely and the engine could literally rip from the car over severe bumps! Be sure to check under your radiator!
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 nissan maxima. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH the vehicle stalled. Upon restart, the vehicle operated as normal momentarily before stalling again. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that two oxygen sensors failed. The fuel pump and filters were replaced, but the failure continued. The mechanic examined the vehicle again and informed the contact that either the engine was not getting enough fuel or the computer system was faulty. Upon examining the vehicle further, the mechanic noticed that a lot of water was being stored within the engine compartments due to a clogged hose. The mechanic repaired the hose and drained the water from the engine. The failure had not recurred since. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 182,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Tl*the contact owns a 1999 nissan maxima. The contact stated that the ignition coils failed on the vehicle. The failure caused the check engine light to illuminate and the vehicle to lose power. The dealer inspected but could not find anything wrong. A different mechanic stated that three of the six engine coils failed. The failure mileage was 143,500 and the current mileage was 160,000.
Need 6 engine coils on 1999 nissan maxima.
1999 nissan maxima. Service engine soon light displayed at approximately 140k miles. Computer diagnostics indicated replacement of knock sensor. Replaced by independent nissan mechanic. Light reappeared 1 week later. Mechanic checked electrical harness and found it to be okay. Due to known issues with maxima ignition coils all 6 were replaced by same independent nissan mechanic. Service engine light came on while driving away from mechanic. Diagnostics was vague, general message. Took vehicle to nissan dealership. Dealer indicated that using after market coils was the problem but could not promise that using official nissan parts would resolve the problem. Contacted nissan national office, but the corporate office refuses to take ownership of the problem. The customer representative indicated there was a known issue with interference with the coils but nissan would not replace the coils. Replacing parts and diagnostics from 3 mechanics in addition to the nissan dealership cost over $2000.00. At present, the service engine light remains on with the vague code and nissan has no idea of how to resolve the problem.
1999 nissan maxima, ignition coil failure and service engine soon light on. Car looses pickup, rough idling and knocking.
Check engine light egr. The egr valve on my 1999 has been replaced multiple time and the light keeps coming on after few thousand miles. This plus the coil issue is wide spread and there is nothing anybody has done about this.
I purchased a 1999 nissan maxima gle 4 door and the "service engine soon" light has been on. I took the car to a local auto parts store and had a "cold pull" performed and was informed that the spark plug on cylinder 5 was "triggering" the knock sensor resulting in the "service engine soon" light to be on. I went on the internet for more info about the knock sensor and the spark plugs for this car and seen more comments from other owners with the same issue for the same car. Comments stating that they have replaced the spark plugs and the coils and it was only a temporary fix for the recurring issue. This is the first car I have owned and the previous owner of the car ensured that the maintenance of the car was up-to-date. For this car to be ten years old it is in excellent condition, (kbb value $4500), aside from the spark plug and knock sensor issue. Will there be a recall to service the thousands of 1999 nissan maxima's with this issue? I can't afford to pay anywhere from $800 - $1,000 to have all of the coils replaced as well as the spark plugs, only for it to be a temporary resolution to the recurring issue. I am on a fixed income (ss) and after paying for medical expenses, car insurance, living costs, I cannot afford to pay for a temporary resolution. Please recall the 1999 nissan maxima's, this is a common issue with this year and model car.
Questions about the 1999 Nissan Maxima engine
Does the 1999 Nissan Maxima have engine problems?
Owners have filed 40 complaints about the engine of the 1999 Nissan Maxima, 24% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 1999 Nissan Maxima engine problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 95,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 1999 Nissan Maxima engine?
There is no recall for this problem on this model year.
What year does the Nissan Maxima have bad engine?
The Nissan Maxima model years with the most engine complaints are 2004 (121 complaints), 2005 (101 complaints) and 2003 (96 complaints).
Other 1999 Nissan Maxima problems
Electrical 83Airbags 18Brakes 9Transmission 8Suspension 6Acceleration 5Body 4Fuel system 4Seat belts 4Tires 4Locks 2Steering 2Visibility 1
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