Just got done having my car tuned - plugs, filters, O2 sensor, etc.

My mechanic told me the ECU still isn't acting right when he's got his diagnosis equipment hooked up to it. He made a phone call to a friend withing Nissan to try to get some help. He was told that 89-94 Maximas had a bad design of locating the ECU too close to the AC components which can cause the ECu to fail after being exposed to too much moisture.

Anyone heard of this?

Anyone had any luck getting a break form Nissan in replacing it if it's true?

I'm waiting for a call for a quote on a rebuilt ECU. If the amount is real high, I might consider seeing what JWT can do with it instead of a stock replacement.

 

go with jim wolf and the 3rd gen maxima ecu does not have problems being mounted close to the a/c unit. I doubt your mechanic highly!. Sorry but it is not often that a ecu takes a dump on a 3rd gen. always make sure the evaporator drain is clear from debris though if it clogs water will puddle on the pass front floor board! seen this but usually never gets near the a/c
Goodluck

 

The AC components are not the issue BUT..... if you heator core leaks, it will leak directly into the ecu. As me how I know! But I caught it before it did any damage.

I haven't see hardly any ecu failures on this board though. I don't think it's a big problem.

 

I highly doubt that this guysproblem is within the ecu. "but decribe the problem better so I can have a understanding whats going on, and also this mechanic diagnosing your vehicle does he have a consult??? if he dosent I wouldnt beleive a thing he says. but anyways if im to be anyhelp describe what your car is doing the best you can. and I will see if i can muster up anything for you to help you out!

 

I don't know what a 'consult' is, but he does have one of those fancy schmancy diagnostic machines you plug into the car. I got the car tuned because the engine light was coming on in the mornings, and from the receipts I had, I don't think the previous owner ever had a full tune-up done to the car. After doing the tune-up, he ran a diagnostic on the car to make sure everything was correct. He said he was still getting readings from the ECU that didn't make sense (didn't mention what they were) considering everything that had just been replaced.

The person he spoke to has been a shop manager for Nissan/Infinity for 8 years. He may have mentioned it was in a TSB, but I don't remember for sure.

This guy's been my mechanic for 4 years and I have no reason to think he's pulling anything on me. When the VTC started clacking away he explained the noise and gave the 3 courses of action - replace, disable, or earplugs. I chose earplugs. He could have made a small mint replacing them, but gave me choices instead. Maybe the guy at Nissan is giving him bad info. If the engine light doesn't come on over the next few weeks, I'll probably just keep driving and see what happens.

Thanks for all the help so far. You guys rock!

 

The only TSB that I know of that concerns the ECU, concerns the knock sensor and that when the car is driven from a stop to wide-open-throtle, the computer retards the timing 3 degrees more than it should. The only way to test this is to have the consult and put it in a data monitor mode and have it hooked up while driving, to monitor the engines timming! This is only affects performance and under normal driving it is'nt really a factor, If the day comes that I go for diagnostics and use the consult, I will definitly have this tested to see if my ecu has this problem.

Other than that the ecu has no TSB that I am currently aware of (I have read all of them for the 93 SE).