Mileage on the car???

 

Yeah, I'm following this thread too... I'm ready to pick up a boost gauge this weekend. I have a very similar misfire problem. today i actually got check engine lights when I downshifted from 3rd to 2nd while slowing down. Should I completely stop driving my car before i can get this fixed? will it cause "catastrophic" damage (like the whole water pump impeller issue) if it keeps happening?

as you can plainly see, i'm a noob.

 

Could very well be the coil harness. The 2001 1/2 and later models have a heat shield around the harness. On the '00 and early '01 the harness is exposed to the heat from the back of the engine (turbo, exhaust manifold) and over time will crack. Inspect the harness to see if you can see any cracked insulation or exposed copper. More info and a DIY replacement here.