OH GOD!

OK, so the dealer says that they ran my car through the computer...Engine checks out OK, but I need a new torque convertor.
Estimate: $1400 + tax (CDN)

OK, so, no way the dealer will touch my car...Took it to a tranny shop. $760 + tax (CDN) for a rebuild...Checks the car...Torque convertor
is OK...looks like a tranny computer problem...

WTF???

What my car does:
1) about 50% of the time, when I first put the car in gear, the engine will shut off.
2) when I slow down to a light, the RPM will fluctuate wildly, and will lurch forward, or simply die (shut off).
3) sometimes when I accelerate, the RPMs "stutter".
4) sometimes when I begin to launch, my RPMs will slowly die, and the car shuts off.

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY IDEA WTF MAY BE GOING ON?
Please don't suggest a fuel filter or anything like that -- I've checked all of that stuff...

The problem is that the dealer thinks I need a new torque convertor,
but the tranny place says the T.C. is fine, so something must be f'ed up...but, there are no codes!!!

Please....for the love of my Maxima, please help!!!

thanks,
FLO_BOY

 

You still didn't specify what the problem is? All we got were solutions that other people proposed.

 

good point...I was (and still am) erratic...
please check my post, I've edited it...

thanks!
FLO_BOY

 

A torque converter is nothing more then a vain pump. There is no way it can cause the things that are happening to your car. Lets take a look at each symptom.

1) Car stalls when you put it in gear. I believe idle speed is adjusted (up slightly) when you put the car in any forward or reverse gear. If this isn't happening it's possible your idle drops to low and you stall. Electriacal problem - ECU/Compter

2) RPM's going wild. Hummmm doesn't this sound like a MAF sensor?

3) PRM's stutter upon accelleration. Again MAF sensor?

4) Car slowly dies and shuts off. Hummm MAF SENSOR???

Anybody else see the pattern here? If the ECU is getting incorrect air flow readings the engine doesn't run right.

Try this -

Disconnect the MAF sensor, you will go into limp mode. In limp mode you can drive but the tach will not go above 2K. Your idle should be ok and you will be able to drive the car. See if any or all of your symptoms go away. If the torque converter or tranny is causing your problems (I highly doubt it) then your symptoms should get much worse in this mode almost to the point of undrivable.

If your car drives in limp mode with the MAF sensor unplugged I bet you your MAF is not giving the ECU correct readings. It's telling it something, but what it's telling it isn't correct. Thats why no CEL light is comming on, the ECU "thinks" the MAF is working. Which it is, only the info it's getting from it is wrong.

 

OK, so the tranny shop thinks the torque convertor is fine...they think
its something electrical...The dealer said, with 100% certainty, that
the TC is the cause...what to do...

My horoscope said today "Make Repairs Yourself"...no joke!!!

I think I'll try your idea njmaxseltd...we'll see what happens...
Also, how come you think that "there is no way it can cause the things
that happening to my car", but the dealer said he's 100%

mo' miles, mo' problems...

FLO_BOY

 

Dealers are morons: I had a dealer (servie master technician!)tell me that he's NEVER seen a knock sensor go bad on a Max. I believed him until I read in this forum that my hesitation problems could be my Knock sensor. I replaced my knock sensor... after tuning or replacing nine other things the dealer was 100% certain caused the problem.

After I changed the Knock Sensor... my car runs like a bat outa hell!

Point being: don't trust the dealer. They just want your money!

You problem could be in the wiring. Though I would rule out engine component failures first. This sounds like you have more than one driveability issue. It usually happens that multiple things fail simultaneously. It's most likely not related to your tranny at all.

Pick the symptom that happens most often and track that problem down first. Like, if your Max dies when you stop.... start there and disregard all the rest.

Make sense?

PS I have had many things fail in 130k miles that never posted a code.


Good luck

 

for advice and support...

Spent three hours with wiring, found a poorly spliced MAFS wire (it
wasn't me...don't know who), respliced and car runs about 90% better...

just need to fully replace wire, and all will be gold!



FLO_BOY