psing23

i was driving last night and it was all good.. then all of a sudden near my house i was at the light and i pressed the gas but the car was going madd slow... didnt pick up speed... the RPMS didnt go up either... it was accelerating really slow... it happened to me a few times before... i just shut the ignition off and turn the car back on and then everything is fine again? what could it be?
-danny

DA-MAX

iTrader: (10)

I take it this was in your '90 Max right? if so it was "safe mode", sometimes the computer thinks the tranny is messed up but it isn't and sometimes this happens when the tranny isn't fully warmed too. Now it this persists, then yes your tranny is taking the plunge, but it might happen ONCE in a while!!(I really do mean ONCE, if anymore something is wrong!)

speednsound007

really? never heard about this, do other cars have it? I'm gonna hop in after it's been sitting out in the cold all night and floor it, see if it goes all slow...


PJ

JibaroMax

Ive had that rpm thing happen to me twice already..i would press the gas all the way down..and the rpm would go up very slowly..then when i shut off the car and turned it back on i couldnt go in reverse until i gunned it real hard and then it kicked in but since then i had no problems with it.

Chris91SE

iTrader: (1)

just a HUGE warning...that is NOT a good idea...its very harsh on your motor...try to keep it around 2500 RPM's until the motor is fully warmed up...

DA-MAX

iTrader: (10)

but from prior experience and from various sources I've learned that "safe mode" is used in several instances:

1. when the tranny is dying out and to risk more problems the car locks up in 3rd gear to prevent further damage resulting form moderate to hard shifting; I also heard that it prevents the waste of fuel during the hard times of tranny failure which can result since the car is working it hardest to continue moving, but isn't moving as it usualy would, thus wasting gas, and thus "safe mode" kinda prevents that
2. when the tranny isn't fully warmed up it kicks in too, but I don't really see it as being consistent, since I've started my car before in the VERY cold weather and there is no "safe mode" activated, so I'm not 100% on that whole idea

IMO the entire TCU setup on the early Maximas is f'ed up, I think the entire setup between the VB, ECU and TCU was terribly designed and thats why we run into so many probs cause the system isn't in 100% tune w/ each other! Maybe I'm just paranoyed because of my 3 past rebuilds, but I seriously think after a I get my VB recal and reprogramed JWT ECU, everything will be fine, just wish I had done it $2000 ago!!!

FAST4EN

If you do a nice burnout or go and do some cookies in the snow, then your tranny will do this too. It's basically telling you to not do it, or it will charge you $1500+ for a rebuild. Well, the MECHANIC will...hehe

Foo90SE

Hehe..i did lots of playing in the snow and it didnt do it...isnt one of the lights on the 'power/comfort' switch supossed to blink or stay on or something when its in safe mode? my lights dont work so i duno

Cincy94Max

3. when you run out of gas. I did it the other day and just before I putt-putted to a halt, the car refused to go into OD.

psing23

i was driving for about 20 miles on the highway and all was good... i got off the highway and i stopped at one light... turned green all was still good... then i got to the 2nd light and thats when it happened... also happened to me once on the highway... i gassed it but it didnt down shift or go anywhere... happened to me a few times before... but i do not do anything out of the ordinary when this happeneds... is this telling me im in for a tranny rebuild or new tranny soon?

DA-MAX

iTrader: (10)

finding out about a tranny problem is very hard to do. you can really only specify the problem once it happens, <b>but I would suggest that you keep a good watch on the tranny conditions cause constant activation of "safe mode" is not ususal! and if it happens again and you really get curious, don't turn the car off(like you did) and take it to Nissan for their analysis</b> it might cost some dough, but you'll have an "expert" analysis! but like I said understanding the tranny is like a puzzle, and you'll never know when it'll go until the defenite signs hit and by then its too late......hope I didn't scare you!?