I have a 97 Maxima SE Automatic 93K miles. Last week when I filled my tank (to the full line) My car started, hesitating when I would step on the gas. It felt like it was going to stall. This went on for about a day and then it stopped, ran perfectly. Yesterday when my tank was between 1/4 & E it started again, continued after I filled it up. It did it again this morning for about 10 miles and then ran perfectly. Any ideas? Also when at a stop it feels like it's going to stall, and idle moves. Husband is concerned about timing belt??

 

not timing belt...those last the life of your car...my guess? TPS- throttle position sensor. read up on it...bout $100 for a new one, and fairly easy install. you've got the symptoms of needing a new TPS...the idle juming especially

 

I would also clean the throttle body with an air intake cleaner. You can read about how to do it on www.motorvate.ca. If it still acts up I would then test the TPS using a voltmeter and Haynes Manual.

 

Definitely not timing belt, considering that the maxima uses a timing chain.......

i don't think it's the Throttle body, considering that the symptoms come and go. Although a clean TB always helps.

After you filled up a second time, did you go to the same gas station as the first time? Did you use 91 or higher octane? When you say the idle moves, do you mean it's dropping, like the car's about to stall, or it's getting higher, like the engine is working harder? Also, what did the car idle at before all this, and where is it idling at when it's not jumping around?


My first guess is bad gas, or possibly water in the lines. But it could be a lot of different things

 

TB cleaning helps, but you might want to check your Fuel pump. You might have a faulty fuel Pump.
With a Bad TPS you whould have very bad IDLE. the car IDLE will go up and down. If you see that kind of problem then it can be the TPS.

 

My .02, could be a fuel filter. From the description, several potential causes. Agree with everyone that it is not the timing chain.

 

Not bad gas. I only use Chevron @ 91 octane. From the start, I'll tell you you're talking to a chick so my terms are going to be extreamly technical...My car idles between the 0 & 1 mark. When I'm stopped it does feel like I'm going to stall (kinda like when you're stopped and you let the clutch out too far on a stick) It then idles higher, like it's trying to keep from stalling. Thanks for all your help everyone

 

Do you have a CEL? This is a long shot, but it could be your MAF sensor plug.

 

CEL = Check engine light. The orange light on the dash on the bottom right side. He's asking if it's been on.

I'm gonna lean towards it being the TPS (Throttle position sensor). Or just a fluke of bad gas.

Dont think a fuel filter or fuel pump would cause hesitation like she's describing.

 

Just a note that not too many people know about bad gas:

Depending on when your gas station (the one you get your gas from most of the time) recieves their delivery should affect when you fill up. Hypothetically your gast station recieves new gas on mondays, do not fill up until late tuesday or wednesday. The reason is because when the gas tanks at the station are filled, the crap at the bottom of the tank gets stirred up, and takes a while to settle again. While that crap is stirred into the gas, any gas being pumped has crud in it.

Now since your saying it normally idles between 0 and 1K RPMS, i'm guessing its at about 750 RPMs, which is the ideal idle for the max. Dirty TB ruled out.

I agree with TPS or MAF. MY maf went bad, and the car would stall right out. But if the connection is loose, or it's on it's way out, that might be what's causing it.

I also agree that it shouldn't be the fuel pump or filter. A dirty fuel filter will give you bad gas mileage and (sometimes) higher idle, and a loss of power, but i've never heard of hesitation. A faulty fuel pump will give you continued symptoms, not those that just come and go. Unless it's a loose connection somewhere , in which case that would explain why the problem comes and goes.