John83

Thanks LvR, that's a great write up. I'm gonna go out and see what I can find in the morning. Could a bad switch cause the blown fuse?

LvR

Its possible I guess

John83

This morning I went out to take a look at the car and found that tail light fuse was blown again. I popped in a spare 20 amp that I had, I know that it's supposed to be a 15 and I won't leave 20 amp in there. The brake lights will work when the pedal is depressed so I know that the brake light switch is functioning and that circuit has power. The headlights work but the tail lights are not coming on. In my head the fact that everything else on the circuit works and the fuse is blowing points to a short somewhere, maybe a bare wire grounding out.

Does this sound right?

I started to remove the switch to check that out, as in LvR's write up but I noticed that you have to remove the steering wheel to do so. That may be a little out of my mechanical league.

DMad8724

iTrader: (4)

John- Have you inspected your taillight assemblies? Odds are your symptoms are caused by the contact points on the bottom of the 1157 bulbs melting together, either on the bulb itself or where the bulb plugs into: causes the brake light circuit to overload the parking light circuit -> why you have no dash lights

maximajquery

Hi, I noticed lately my auto GXE is shifting at about 3500 RPM's. I have a short RAM cheap foam intake, and catback, only real mods. Would it likely have to do with the RAM intake? I threw away the stock air-filter box and won't make it to the junkyard for awhile...

Any other advice to get the auto to change gears at lower RPM's. Thanks.

maximajquery

Hi, I noticed lately my auto GXE is shifting at about 3500 RPM's. I have a short RAM cheap foam intake, and catback, only real mods. Would it likely have to do with the RAM intake? I threw away the stock air-filter box and won't make it to the junkyard for awhile...

Any other advice to get the auto to change gears at lower RPM's. Thanks.

Laevateinn

iTrader: (3)

We have the Power/Comfort Switch for our transaxles which changes the rpm shift point. If you have it in power mode, you'll have a higher rpm shift point.
Comfort: ~2400 rpm
Normal/Auto: ~2800 rpm
Power: ~3200 rpm

But of course it depends on how you drive the car. Autos adapt the shift points thru throttle position and vehicle speed. Intake should only have a nominal change in your trans's attitude.

Laevateinn

iTrader: (3)

Grab a wiring diagram and isolate the problem

I did the switch procedure about a year ago and you dont have to remove the steering wheel. Just remove the column cover behind the wheel. IIRC, 5 phillips screws. A long phillips screwdriver will help on the fifth one because it's pretty deep and the knee cover will be on the way even with the wheel tilted all the way up.

DMad8724

iTrader: (4)

I repeat: check your taillight bulbs! this is a very common everyday 3rd gen maxima occurence im not sure why lavaetin wants you to take apart your steering column

John83

I went out and looked at it this morning and I THINK that I found the problem. The little socket that one of the tail light bulbs plugs into was all burnt and melted. Could have been the problem all along and having a 20 amp fuse instead of a 15 in there let it cook that little socket. I removed that bulb so that should, hopefully, keep the problem from getting any worse. The brake lights are at least working, so we just can't drive it at night right now.

How difficult are those things to replace?

Thanks for the help so far.

maximajquery

Hmm, thanks for the info. Strange thing though is I noticed my harnesses were disconnected, but even after reconnecting, the power and comfort mode still shift (auto) at about 3500 rpm.

Maybe the switch could be broken?

booyaka84

Which trannies are interchangeable in 89-94 sohc vg30? Are all direct replacements, or do some require more part swapping?

Laevateinn

iTrader: (3)

Why not get a direct replacement for a vg? make sure the tranny is not from a VE. VEs have a different transmission, axles, and spindles.

DMad8724

iTrader: (4)

John- If you remove some of the trunk carpeting (dont really have to remove, just move it out of your way so you can see) around the bulb assemblies, you can remove the whole taillight setup (4 bulbs) you have to disconnect a plug that goes to the rear sidemarker (194 bulb in the corner of your tails) and another plug that goes to the car. So: disconnect two(2) harnesses and your whole bulb assembly will come out.

You either replace the whole thing from another Maxima that uses the same style taillights (92-94 bulb assembly wont fit 89-91 tails, and vice versa)

Otherwise if the metal base (ground) for the bulb is still good you can buy a "double contact pigtail" at your local autozone/whatever. It is 2 wires and the circle base and the two contacts (might be a spring too). You can mess around with your melted section and see if you can get that out. then cut that out and splice your two new power wires.

If this is too confusing (seems like it to me) let me know and I will buy one of the pigtails and take a picture to explain what im trying to tell you

EDIT: If you snip the 2 wires that are going to your melted bulb...then tape up the ends. Your lights and stuff should go back to normal. If not you might have done some other damage by putting that higher rated fuse in. IE if your lights still dont work how they should then your assembly is melted to the point where its still bleeding the circuits together. so just having the bulb out isnt helping and you need to snip the wires

John83

Thanks! The ground wire is intact but at least one of the other wires is burned and disconnected from the base of the socket that the bulb plugs into. With that wire disconnected the other lights are still not activating so I may need to just replace the whole tail light set up. I'll see if I can locate a junk yard around here. Thanks for all the help so far guys! I'll let you know how it works out.

Dhunterx

iTrader: (6)

Does anyone have any info on re-pinning the ignition lock and door locks? Some a**hat tried to boost my car and in the process ruined my driver side door lock and my ignition switch. Getting replacements isn't a big deal, but I don't want to walk around with more than one key to use the car. I'd rather just have them re-pinned to my original key. Obviously a locksmith can do it for me, but I don't want to know how much they'll charge. Any info is appreciated. Thanks.

John83

Alright, no luck. I went to a local junk yard and found three 3rd gen Maximas and they all had burnt bulb sockets on the tail light wiring. I picked the one that seemed to look the best, thankfully they only charged me $5.00 for it. Brought it home and plugged it in but I've still got no tail lights. Brake lights and turn signals work but no tail lights.

What now?

crit111

Hi Everyone,

I have a 1990 SLE (I believe?), appears to be a VG based off previous threads, 5 spd, ~140k, 2nd owner. Timing belt replaced @120k by Nissan dealer per previous owner (uncle). Recently replaced CV axles myself, however not related to this issue.

I've read the Gen Maintenance sticky, tried a few things I found there and still can't get it right.

It's not firing on Cyl 5. I did the "wiggle" test, removing plug wires while running to narrow this down. Replaced plugs (with NGK, not bosch), wires, cap and rotor...still not firing. Put old plug from cyl #5 in plug wire and held close to engine, its sparking. Did same test with other cylinders, spark appears to be as bright/same as others. Found the injector thread, ohmed it out, 13.4 ohms. Terminals didn't look corroded. Still not right.

A little history, which may or may not help, but when I first got the car it would run perfect sometimes, other times it would run like it does now, sluggish and hates life. HOWEVER, it would only start to run like crap the 2nd time you'd start it. Ex: start it and drive to work 5 miles away. 20-40 minutes later, start it again to drive to meeting and it would run bad. After the meeting/or whatever, it was hit or miss whether or not it would run well or bad. Sometimes it was good, sometimes it was bad.

Let friend borrow it, the car was driven daily for four months. Ran perfect for him the entire time. I get it back, ran perfect for me for about 6 months, then it started the "Sometimes I'll work, sometimes I'll run bad" game again. Now its just playing the "I run bad all the time game". I drive it once a week at a minimum, more in the summer. (I live in NH, and do drive it in the winter)

I ran the car to almost bone empty, filled with mid grade thinking maybe the gas was old and water bonded with the ethanol. Put fuel injector cleaner, dry gas, marvels mystery oil in it (in engine and small amount in gas tank per instructions...), Lucas oil fuel system cleaner, all the over the shelf remedies I could think of. (at different times...not all at once, over the course of every fill up).

I am at a loss, frustrated, and could use a little direction/help on where I should look next. Any info would be appreciated.

imported_Nismo_max

iTrader: (5)

just a quick question..is there any info out there about de-k motor into a 3rd gen. been looking everywhere for some write ups or infos and couldn't really find much ..just some about the 3.5..but if anyone has a link to it..i'll appreciate it much..

chrome91

iTrader: (1)

only Aaron has swapped a VQ into a 3rd gen, its so much work and fighting with wiring that pretty much nobody even attempts it.

billmcgraw

Just bought a 90 maxima for my daughters first car. I have no power locks, the only power window that works or sounds like its working is the pass door on drivers side but only by using switch on drivers door. The regulator on that window is bad the window wont go up the whole way but i can hear the motor working. The courtesy lights on the front doors are also not working. No running lights either but i'm sure thats another issue.
Ive visualy inspected the fuses under hood and inside car. Where do I go now?

chrome91

iTrader: (1)

SE or GXE? if its a GXE and the number pad on the door handle doesnt open the power locks either, its probably the door lock timer thats causing it

billmcgraw

Sorry dont know wich one it is? There isnt a number pad on door. could it be the switch on drivers side door bad? would that cause the other switches to not work?

chrome91

iTrader: (1)

are the mirrors body colour or black? black means you have a SE, body colour means GXE

if you dont have a number pad its probably a SE, one bad switch shouldnt cause the other to work. my best guess would still be the door lock timer but someone else might have another guess

billmcgraw

The car is black so are the mirrors Where is the door lock timer located?

chrome91

iTrader: (1)

i thought as i was typing it, watch it'll be a black car

this thread of mine from a few years ago should cover most questions since i had the same thing pretty much, although i never did get around to fixing it

http://forums.maxima.org/3rd-generat...t-working.html

BenStoked

iTrader: (7)

are the mirrors matte black (unpainted, SE) or shiny black (painted, GXE)

billmcgraw

The mirrors look matte or faded paint it has leather seats sunroof and that sport transmission dont know if both models came with that. also in rear windows there are FOUR DOOR SPORTS CAR stickers. I'm not too worried about the power door locks yet But i would like to get the windows working even if its just from the drivers door.

chrome91

iTrader: (1)

4DSC stickers means its a SE then

if it has a spoiler and fog lights thats another sign but GXE came with them from the factory as well, ive seen 1 GXE in person that came with factory spoiler and fog lights

hungster

Hi everyone, I'm on here looking for answers for my dad's 91 max. A hose on the heater control valve broke, so I ended up bypass it by just getting a pipe and connect both coolant hoses together. After that ordeal, we flushed the system and put fresh coolant in. The issue right now, the coolant fans are not coming on. The car's not overheating, but my dad mostly drives on the freeway. I'm afraid the car will overheat while in traffic. Is there a chance that disconnecting the heater control valve affect the operation of the coolant fans?? Thanks for the input guys.

billmcgraw

It does have a spoiler and did have running lights but were tore out at one time or another. I ordered a master switch off ebay for the windows so we will see if thats the problem. then on to the next fix window regulator and a new brake caliper.

tellgio

Hai. I have a 1992 Maxima SE. (Australia) The color code on the plate says AG3... the color IS Sand Grey... but everything I look at says it was not used in 1992... Anyone know what happened? Timewarp maybe? Cheers

chrome91

iTrader: (1)

was the colour used prior to 1992? could be that your 92 was built in late 1991

doubleclutch92

Am I the only one who has to replace the alternator like every 2 years? 92 SE5. Same with the freaking starter. Both have lifetime warranty, but still a pain. Napa starter, O'reilly auto parts(formaly schucks) alternator. Bought both back in 06-07.

chrome91

iTrader: (1)

the place i work at uses Napa parts, starters and alternators are troublesome. the rebuilt alternators especially seem to last like 8 months before crapping out again

07trail

New here and have some issue's and have lurked and tried to find things but came up short of what is happening to my car, first off it's a 1992 GXE auto and only has 42,000 miles on here and hardly ANY rust. Anyway trans had to be rebuilt and done with ALL the good parts you can find for the stock tranny to upgrade it and be trouble free, while on hoist I made my own crossover exhaust pipe because I thought it was dumb of Nissan to have exhaust pushing on each other before going out??? Changed plugs with NGK's and new plug wires/ cap/ rotor, put all new injectors in it and found two of the new ones bad again, changed the MAF sensor since it was acting up and now the TPS. Here's the deal it surges and you can see the Tach pause and then go up a few hundred RPM then pause and it does this till 3,000 RPM then runs great and wakes up but under that it has a miss feel does this surging and smells like fuel out the exhaust at first start up and hunts for RPM at a stop light 50-75 RPM. Been chasing for 3 months and ready for some ideas or is there a manual or specs. some one can PM me for injectors/ TPS and so forth....... Oh and I also install an aeromotive fuel pressure regulator and took out the stock because it was giving issue's........ Please help.

07trail

Oh and I forgot to mention I replaced the injector plugs with GM ones so those are new to and not gummed up.

doubleclutch92

Thanks for the feedback, how is that toyota treating you?

chrome91

iTrader: (1)

got it running again in June and a couple hours into flying around it quit on me, now it wont start. thought it was the dizzy so i replaced it, no dice. gonna test spark to see if i maybe got a bad coil. going to Vegas in a month so not really going to go further on it until maybe next year

at least for the 3 hours i drove it i had some fun

jvdwege

hi do any of you know what could be wrong with my 93 Nissan maxima. the first thing is when I speed up usually this car will let me do at least 45 in second before I shift to third but now it's like trying to die when over 3k rpms and in town it trys to die and when it does all I have to do is start it back up . also sometimes doesn't start after running. till maybe the engine cools after a couple hours. it has 142k miles


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