I know that this has come up before, but I can't find a definitive answer to the problem. I have an intermitant stall. The car can be cold or warmed up. I'm accelerating at slow speeds and the engine hits a flat spot (press harder on gas, no answer) and then often stalls out (dash lites all come on) or occasionally catches and runs (manual trans?). I hit the starter and it starts right up immediately and runs fine.
There is no check engine lite that stays on so I haven't checked for any codes. Would there be one without the yellow dash lite on?
It used to happen rarely, but since we have a 2005 now, this one's been driven only once a week. All of a sudden this stalling has happened three times in the last two days.
Did we ever figure out what causes this?

 

possible timing slip? Happened to me.

 

I would suspect the mass air flow sensor or coil packs....

 

I have the same thing which has started happening more frequently. It has even stalled when I was making a left turn, and traffic had to stop since my car didn't start right away as it usually does. The only thing I can think of is MAFS/air intake problem as my coil packs are pretty decent.

 

code scan. even if the light is off it still stores codes for like 100 starts or something

 

Now that I think about this, I had a previous VW GTI that had this problem years ago. It turned out to be a bad fuel cutoff relay. The relay was to cut off power to the electric fuel pump in case of an accident, but as it got older the relay got weak and couldn't stay closed and would cut off the fuel pump. I don't have the book closeby, but does the Maxima have any fuel pump relays? That would explain why the car starts right up afterward (relay resets).

 

My money is on coil packs. Actually, likely just one.

Mine did the same exact thing. It was one of my rear coil packs. It looked perfect (no cracks). My car would conk out/stall/hesitate under load.

I bought a set of six coil packs from someone who wrecked their car (had no stalling issues) and my car ran perfectly after that.

This has been discussed at great length before. There have been at least a half dozen guys with this stalling issue and I think every one was solved with new coil packs.

Coil packs can look brand new and even test out fine without a load, but when they go bad, I guess they just can't handle the load and the conk out the whole system briefly.

If you decide to buy them new, it pays to shop around. You can find them as low as $60 each at some places. Used ones, you are taking a gamble that the same thing won't happen, but if you get them cheap enough and only one is your problem, you are in much better shape than you are now.

 

Same 'reset' happens wit MAF transistors. I'm with grnmax except six coilpacks cannot communicate (theyre stupid) and thus no grp suicide.

Other issues: http://www.cardomain.com/ride/748507/5

Fuel relay:

 

I've had the stalling issue also but doubled. The first problem the car actually died and the problem was the ign coil relay. The second was more of a stumbling and it was coil packs like everyone else.

 

Double makes it more than triple hard to shoot the Trouble(s).

 

bhunter and I had very similar problem before, turned out every time relay was the root cause. For me it was the green ECCS relay in the fusebox by the battery. The sympthoms: car dies or does not start, tacho goes to 0 in an instant it dies, no fuel, computer not working, no spark, car sometimes restart within a second or less.

 

I just fixed this exact problem yesterday on my GXE. I read the codes on the computer, got a code 12, MAF sensor. Picked one up at an "automotive recycling center" for cheap, put it in the car and so far, no stalling.
To start, read the codes off your computer. It's a valuable resource. Sent me down the correct path.

Of course, I have no coil packs......

 

And if when it stalls there is no condes due to no power coming, than what?

 

Heh, then it's probably not his MAF sensor! But for the 5 minutes and 0 dollars it takes to read your codes, why not give it a try?

 

No Code = [nocode]

As u already diagnosed, [nocode] points to Engine Cont -Relay...or its ctrl/supply circuitry. Smtimes may be even ign sw...

[nocode] ≠ [noclue]

[noclue] =keine anung =blondiecode =always on



http://www.cardomain.com/ride/748507/5

 

Today I checked for ECU codes (none), Checked the coil packs for resistance ( at room temp and then heated them) all in spec, checked the MAF and the throttle position sensor (good) and the crank angle sensor (OK). I checked the fuel pump relay and it worked but I found one odd thing. When I turned on the key, I heard nothing. I realized I used to hear the fuel pump spool up, but I hear nothing. I can hear the relay clicking, and, even when I pulled up the rear seat cushion, I had to put my ear to the floor to hear anything from the pump ( a mild buzz, full tank). I'm beginning to wonder if the fuel pump is shot. I remember I replaced the fuel filter a few months ago and it made a huge difference in the way the car ran. Much smoother and less hesitation. Any ideas?

 

maybe a fuel pressure test?

 

Well I went to test the fuel pressure regulator and realized that the hose to it was hard and cracked. The Regulator and fuel pump checked out O.K. but I replaced the vacuum hose from the Fuel pressure regulator that goes to the intake butterfly ( the one with the gold tag that says don't remove the hose when engine is hot) and it's a new car. The hose was hard enough that it wouldn't seal well, but it wasn't a big enough leak to be noticed, and was enough to make the fuel pressure regulator not work correctly. I replaced all of the dozen or so vacuum hoses on the engine and it hasn't hesitated or stalled in a week. Seems to have fixed this problem.

 

Good job, this is worth linking to the stickies!