I was driving a friend of mine around last night, and as I was accelerating, my car cut out!! Weird, I thought..... because this has never happened in the 2 years I've owned it. So, starting the car, we moved out, and it cut out again!!! WTF!! I noticed that it cut out as the tach reached 2500rpm and if I sat in P or N ('92 SE Auto) and stomped on the gas, it'd run like crap once it reached that rpm and cut out after I released the gas.

Could this be the o2 sensor, or should I start looking elsewhere? I just changed all of my injectors, so I've ruled that out. Plus, I've gotten new plugs and fuel filter, as well. I'm kinda at a loss, since this was intermittent, and ran fine after I sat for a few minutes. Thoughts anyone???

 

My max has similar problem. If I hold my foot still on the accelerator, it will surge back and forth between 4500 and 2500 rpm. I have the factory service manual and checked into it. All indications lead to the O2 sensor. If you get under there and unplug the thing, and it drives a little better than before, you've probably found the problem. The FSM has a bunch of diagnostic procedures to go through that check voltages and harness continuity and the like. But if you pass all the wiring tests it tells you to pull it and drive and see what happens. My problem started out like you describe but progressively got worse to the point where it became undriveable. I've got an O2 sensor on order and I hope it fixes the problem. The dealer told me that my problem was the MAFS which was not substantiated by any of the tests I ran. I then found out that the mechanics there work on commission. Funny huh? Good luck.

 

It sounds like those are the symptoms of having a bad Mass Air Flow Meter Sensor. It happened to me when I had my 90 Maxima. What you guys are describing is all the symptoms my car had when I had to replace the MAFMS. The people at Nissan do indeed work on commission too but they didn't even touch my O2 sensor. I wish that it is the 02 sensor you guys have to replace because replacing the MAFMS is going to kill the piggy bank. Good Luck!!!!!

 

the funny thing is about a nissan tech is we dont get paid to sell expensive parts!. we get paid to install the parts and install them fast its how we make our money. plus just so you know it is less labor to install a maf, then to install a o2 sensor so if it was me maybe i would look into the o2 sensor because it just puts an extra penny in my pocket and plus it saves you about 700.00 on a maf

 

The chilton manual lists a pretty simple test for the O2 sensor I checked it on my 92 it blinks back the result codes through the Dashboard. If you don't have or can get a manual
email me I'll look it up. Its simple requires a small screw driver and removing a small panel in the passenger footwell
by the ECU.

 

Well, thanks to MaximaSE91 and some inquiring, I found that it's the MAFS. And YES, it's a pretty penny, like Mr. Nismo said. I should be 'road ready' soon!!

 

I had the same cut out this spring but it didn't always happen. I would never know when it was going to go. It was like someone turned off the ignition on me or it would chug and sputter and stall.

It was the Mass Flow Sensor. I got one for $100 from BD Auto Parts (salvage)http://www.bdparts.com/request/bd/index.html
A new one from Nissan is over $500.

 

list on a factory one is 561 to be exact now.

 

if it cuts off at 2500 rpm then its the MAF.. it shouldnt be bad.. or it could, but usually if the MAF fell off the intake tube it self then just make sure it doesnt have any leaks.. go under the hood and check if its all sealed tight.

my car did that when i reved my engine doing that made my intake shake and the maf came off then my car shut off.. it scared me. but when i found out it fell off it was no problem after that

 

I got my O2 sensor installed and the problem is solved. By the way, I talked to the mechanic personally who does the repairs on my model Max...he said that he never diagnosed a MAFS problem on my car. He did not know what I was talking about. So somwhere between me dropping the car off and getting it back from the service counter, somebody diagnosed a bad MAFS and it was not the mechanic. As a matter of fact, he was very helpful so I do believe what he said. I was not trying to call all mechanics frauds, but the combination of events in my case left me scratching my head. If I did not have the factory service manual and a few hours to look into the problem, I would probably be out $500 for a MAFS and $139 for the O2 sensor plus intallation. As it turns out I paid $90 for the part online and the problem is fixed.