IllustrationPROBLEMS WITH IGNITION COILS ON VEHICLE.*MR THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION COIL FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE ON THE DASH. *NM
2000 Nissan Maxima
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Maxima years
Owner complaints for the 2000 Nissan Maxima are substantially higher than the model-year median of 99.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Maxima years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
210–25K
6625–50K
5550–75K
4375–100K
32100–150K
14150K+
231 reports with mileage · 129 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 171 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 72 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
25 crash reports6 fire reports17 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
171 reportsMY 2000 NISSAN MAXIMA HAS BEEN EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS WITH THE "CHECK ENGINE SOON" LIGHT. A DEALER HOOKED IT UP TO A COMPUTER AND INDICATED A CODE OF P1320 - FAULTY COIL - MISFIRE ON CYLINDER 4. HE TOLD ME IN HIS EXPERIENCE WITH 2000 NISSAN MAXIMAS HE CAN REPLACE ONE, BUT CUSTOMER WILL BE BACK BECAUSE THE COILS ARE DEFECTIVE AND …
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MY 2000 NISSAN MAXIMA HAS BEEN EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS WITH THE "CHECK ENGINE SOON" LIGHT. A DEALER HOOKED IT UP TO A COMPUTER AND INDICATED A CODE OF P1320 - FAULTY COIL - MISFIRE ON CYLINDER 4. HE TOLD ME IN HIS EXPERIENCE WITH 2000 NISSAN MAXIMAS HE CAN REPLACE ONE, BUT CUSTOMER WILL BE BACK BECAUSE THE COILS ARE DEFECTIVE AND OTHER WILL EVENTUALLY GO. I FEEL SINCE THEY ARE DEFECTIVE CYLINDERS, NISSAN SHOULD RECALL THE PARTS. *NM
SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON AND ENGINE STARTED MISFIRING. TOOK CAR TO NISSAN DEALERSHIP AND WAS QUOTED $900 TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE IGNITION COILS. CAR HAS 85000 MILES. *NM
MY 2000 NISSAN MAXIMA CONSTANTLY KNOCKS AND PINGS WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE ON THE HIGHWAY OR UP A HILL CAUSING A DANGEROUS CONDITION ON A ENTRANCE RAMP OR WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PASS. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY NISSAN DEALERS THAT THE IGNITION COILS NEED TO BE REPLACED (FOR $1000) AND THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUE BY THE NHT…
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MY 2000 NISSAN MAXIMA CONSTANTLY KNOCKS AND PINGS WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE ON THE HIGHWAY OR UP A HILL CAUSING A DANGEROUS CONDITION ON A ENTRANCE RAMP OR WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PASS. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY NISSAN DEALERS THAT THE IGNITION COILS NEED TO BE REPLACED (FOR $1000) AND THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUE BY THE NHTSA TO DO SO. I CONSIDER THIS A DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT NISSAN SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A RECALL TO COVER THE COST OF THIS DEFEAT. *JB
SES LIGHT COMES ON CONSTANTLY, GETS ANNOYING, MAKES YOU THINK YOUR NOT SAFE LIKE SOMETHING'S WRONG. TURNS OUT TO BE IGNITION COILS. DOING RESEARCH, FOUND HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF CASES WHERE THE 2000 MAXIMA HAD IGNITION COIL FAILURE ANYWHERE FROM 18K TO 90K MILES. THIS CAUSES FOULED PLUGS, MISFIRES, FAILURE TO START, AND LOS…
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SES LIGHT COMES ON CONSTANTLY, GETS ANNOYING, MAKES YOU THINK YOUR NOT SAFE LIKE SOMETHING'S WRONG. TURNS OUT TO BE IGNITION COILS. DOING RESEARCH, FOUND HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF CASES WHERE THE 2000 MAXIMA HAD IGNITION COIL FAILURE ANYWHERE FROM 18K TO 90K MILES. THIS CAUSES FOULED PLUGS, MISFIRES, FAILURE TO START, AND LOSS OF POWER. *NM
2000 NISSAN MAXIMA SE HAS SERIOUS ISSUE WITH IT'S COMPUTER CONTROL. AN ENGINE CODE OF PO 403. *JB
THE IGNITION COILS ON MY WELL MAINTAINED 2000 MAXIMA GLE HAVE ALL GONE BAD 2 TIMES SINCE PURCHASING THE CAR. IT HAS COST ME A TOTAL OF $750 TO REPLACE. NISSAN HAS RECOGNIZED THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE COILS AND REFUSE TO REPLACE THEM. *JB
BEGINNING AT 17,000 MILES AND CONTINUING TO 73,000 MILES REPEATED HARNESS WIRING BREAKS RESULTING IN ENGINE COIL FAILURE, EMISSION CONTROL MALFUNCTIONS, CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILURE, AND ENGINE MISFIRING. CAR LOST POWER AND BECAME UNUSABLE FOR BRIEF TIME PERIODS. APPREHENSIVE DRIVING CAR FOR FEAR OF PROBLEM OCCURRING UNEX…
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BEGINNING AT 17,000 MILES AND CONTINUING TO 73,000 MILES REPEATED HARNESS WIRING BREAKS RESULTING IN ENGINE COIL FAILURE, EMISSION CONTROL MALFUNCTIONS, CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILURE, AND ENGINE MISFIRING. CAR LOST POWER AND BECAME UNUSABLE FOR BRIEF TIME PERIODS. APPREHENSIVE DRIVING CAR FOR FEAR OF PROBLEM OCCURRING UNEXPECTEDLY. CAR HAD BEEN REPAIRED EIGHT TIMES. EMISSION CONTROL MODULE REPLACED AND EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM REPROGRAMMED. COILS REPLACED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND FRAYED WIRES REPAIRED. CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE IGNITION COIL WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE STALLED ONE TIME AND MISFIRED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE IGNITION COIL WAS THE PROBLEM; ALTHOUGH NO REPAIRS WERE MADE.
MY 2000 MAXIMA HAS 82000 MILES ON IT, AND THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE IGNITION COILS SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN DECEMBER 2004 (WITH 69000 MILES ON IT). I HAVE LEARNED THAT THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY COMMON PROBLEM WITH 2000 MAXIMAS. IF I HAD KNOWN I WAS GOING TO HAVE SO MANY PROBLEMS, I DEFINITELY WOULD HAVE BOUGH…
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MY 2000 MAXIMA HAS 82000 MILES ON IT, AND THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE IGNITION COILS SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN DECEMBER 2004 (WITH 69000 MILES ON IT). I HAVE LEARNED THAT THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY COMMON PROBLEM WITH 2000 MAXIMAS. IF I HAD KNOWN I WAS GOING TO HAVE SO MANY PROBLEMS, I DEFINITELY WOULD HAVE BOUGHT A DIFFERENT CAR. NISSAN'S IGNITION COILS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AND RECALLED. *NM
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.