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It's almost 2017 and I am in the process of replacing my black 1997 Maxima with over 350,000 miles with a one owner black 1999 Maxima with 188,000 miles!
The 99 passed CT emissions with 2 "Not Ready" codes but engine light on now with p0138 and p0158 codes for O2 sensors.
Here's the issue - there's no rear O2 sensor after the cat. I'll prob replace the bank 1 sensor, but very confused about the lack of downstream one. I thought maybe the exhaust was replaced after the cat and they just welded in pipes but there is a rubber plug (not a grommet) where the harness would have gone through the floor that looks like it was always there.
Were there 1999 Eastern cars that had no rear cat? I ask because this was a one owner (bought from dealer new in 99 - traded in this year same dealer)
Congratulations on your purchase. It looks like my 99 model when we first got it. Where are you located?
I've had four Fed Spec 4th gens and they all had a rear cat and O2 sensor. Can you remove the plug and look to see if someone just shoved the wire and plug up inside the car?
When I buy a 4th gen with usually 150,000+ miles, the first thing that I do is replace the O2 sensors. New O2 sensors seem to help gas mileage and give the cars some nice low end pep around town. I've had great luck with NTK sensors that I get a RockAuto.com
There is often a "ghost code" for the Knock Sensor that accompanies O2 sensor codes. That KS ghost code will disappear when the O2 sensor codes are resolved.
Clean purchase, keep the 350k mile maxima for fun and see how much longer it can last. Not worth getting rid of it to be honest. While you have the 188k, clean those headlights and get some clear signals! both easy and cheap, makes the car look a lot better on the front end. More pics of the 97 and 99 would be nice.
Thanks everyone, I'm excited to solve the mystery on that missing O2 sensor, I'll pop that plug this weekend maybe.
The 97 will no longer start… long story… it began to stall out of nowhere, just complete die while driving. Then would not start, I'd leave it for45 mins then it would start right up, I'd drive it and it would die again. So I replaced both crank shaft pos sensors and the cam sensor. Hooked batt up and it wouldn't turn over-real violent sound light timing was off. So I put the old crank sensor back on (the tranny one) and it would crank normally but no start. So one by one I put all the old sensors back on and it now still cranks but no start.
I had an issue similar to this 2 years ago, we tested every last thing, voltage to f pump, voltage everywhere etc, ran additional ground etc etc. Would crank beautifully, but no start. Wouldn't even chug with starting fluid. I was giving up when I went out and bought a new battery…. put it in… car started right up.
Its been fine for 2 years now until this stall issue and now no start. Im almost going to try the new battery for the heck of it, but I did battery and alternator in June and came across the 99. My mechanic is coming over this Sat to give it one last attempt. I can't afford to keep them both so the 97 might go. I'm in CT if anyone is interested. I have a feeling the engine/tranny in the 97 runs smoother than the 99 but could just be the O2 code from the O2 sensor.
Almost forgot to share this… when I got the 99 the keyless entry fob didn't work. I tried new battery, no luck, then I got all my remotes from the 97 and sat in the car doing the program sequence about a million times, got the flashers to flash the first time, but never the second, thus not programmed. After all my searches I was about to just give up when I noticed the dome light not on when I opened the door. Checked the bulb by switching it on the light and it was good… Ah Ha! Drivers Door switch!
I unscrewed the door switch on the drivers door and the thing fell apart all broken. Took the passenger side door switch off the 97 and put it on the 99… light comes on, program sequence works - keyless entry back in business!
Programming relies on the car knowing if the drivers door is closed and then opened at the end.
I never ran across that solution in any of the forums - they all seemed to point to not doing it correctly, so I thought I'd share it for others!
Back to your "no O2 sensor after the cat" question. If you have a California emissions car, there is no O2 sensor after the cat.
Federal emissions cars had 3 O2 sensors total, 2 upstream sensors and 1 downstream sensor. The downstream sensor was located after the cat.
California emissions cars had 4 O2 sensors total, 2 upstream sensors and 2 downstream sensors. The downstream sensors are located in the exhaust y-pipe right after each pre-cat.
Raise your hood. Look for a shiny metal identification tag fastened to the passenger side of firewall. The top row is the Vehicle Identification Number, starting with J. The second row is model information. The first five characters are BLHUL. The 12th character is the destination:
Thank You! Wouldn't have guessed this was a California car but checked that tag and 12th letter is a V. That explains the "no downstream O2 sensor" and yes now I see the blue, the red and the white up front. They all look stock, so thinking I'll replace some O2 sensors!
Have the "p0138 02 sensor circuit high volts (bank 1 sensor 2) and p0158 Heated Oxygen Sensor 2 (Rear) (Bank 2) (Max. Voltage Monitoring)"
CEL codes, was thinking I'll do the bank 1 (white wire Cali car (faces fwd) and lower Bank 2, Red wire on bank 2 (below the blue wire o2).
Any Cali guys know if these two are same if I go with the Bosh or NTK replacements?
Today tried to quiet what I though was the spare tire rottling around in the trunk…
Literally took everything out (spare, jack, right left trim covers, floor cover etc)
Sounds like I have a bucket of baseballs in the trunk, not clanking, not metallic, sort of muffled rattle.
Bounced the car - no squeaks or creaks, shake the exhaust - quiet, spent lots of time under shaking everything, but can't get it to do it when parked.
Its when driving over manholes and bumps even at 20mph.
I was thinking struts, but then thought maybe the lateral link control rod. I'll prob do struts anyway, but not sure I'll want to attempt the control rod myself since I haven't seen too many posts about that being the cause of the noise.
Any other 4th gens know the sound I'm talking about? If I do struts are there separate strut bushings for the tops or do they come with?
Hi Dennis - wanted to thank you for the pic and the tag identifier. Now that I know this 99 is a Cali car I will try to replace the B1 "rear" O2 sensor. Tried once - too rusty for PB blaster and a torch so I'll try another time. Question for you, after replacing rotors and pads, noticed main beam is very rusty - prob typical up here in Connecticut, but brake shields were just rusted completely - not even there. Should I start looking for a non rusty (southern) axle?
Thanks!
Not sure of what you are referring to when you say "main beam". Is this the part that runs under the radiator? Or are you referring to the rear of the car? If you could post a photo, that would be helpful.
I'm a believer in the brake shields, so I would replace them. But overall, the big question is how is the body holding up? If it is starting to rust, you may not want to keep the car. To repair the rust cancer is just too expensive.
I used to live in northern Illinois and when I went to jack up the car to change a flat or something and the jack just ripped through the body, it was new car time.
Yes, sorry - rear axle assembly, part #1 in this pic. The dust shields are rusted off completely, and my concern is that their bolts and where they bolt to are bad.
The body is in nice shape for a northern car and I just got this 99 to replace my 97 so I plan on hanging on to it at least for a few years. Front fenders starting to show signs of bubbling under the paint in the usual area, but I can replace those like I did on the 97.
That main axle houses the wheel bearings/hubs and caliper brackets and struts, so that's my concern, Id try to locate one from a salvage yard so I don't spend more than the car is worth!
There have been a few threads on replacing the rear beam, one or two of them were how-to's with pics. One thing to consider doing is replace the bushings where the beam attaches to the body before you put the replacement on.
Just wanted to make another post for those wondering about my 97. I suspected cam or crank sensors since it was stalling, but after replacing all 3 it would no longer start.
My love for the 4th gen had me locate and buy the 1999 that I am driving now. Got a great deal and with 188k compared to the 350+ on the 97 I figured it was an upgrade. But being a troubleshooter, I was frustrated with the 97 no start issue still, and after reading so many posts I decided to do what I should have done from the start... get the dealer sensors!
Today I bought all 3 - the cam and the 2 cranks for $248 total from Nissan, did the cam first since I didn't have to lay in the snow, no start, did the crank near the pulleys, no start, did the one near the tranny, started right up.
I won't find out if it was one crank or a cam/crank combo, (but I'll add $300 to my selling price on LetGo!) There may be parts for cheap online, but only way to be sure is go with OEM. If I had from the start I prob would be driving that 97 still to see if I could break any mileage records, but then, I wouldn't have bought my 99, so maybe some fate and a good lesson learned?!
11-30-2016, 02:19 PM
