Ok, I left the stealership (just to get some stupid little parts ordered) and my car has been running fine for a long time. It did sit for a while, from feb. 05 to sept. 05, and I've been driving it on and off since sept. 05, but I would go out and start it up, run fluids thru it etc during these times. Ok, so yesterday I leave the stealership, and as a light turns green my rpms die. Ok, not cool, just start it back up, right? It won't start... it tries to start, it's cranking so there's power but it won't turn over. I turn on the emergencies, and keep tryin, and eventually get a tow truck to get me back to the stealership, like a freaking block away. So the shop tells me there is a check engine light on, code comes up at "t0340 - cam position sensor". Now they tell me that cars that sit a while sometimes get water in a computer, and they're charging me 3-500 dollars for ONLY diagnosis. "main wiring harness that powers the injector... have to check it 'inch by inch'" this is what they told me they have to check that'll take that much to diagnose. Of course they also charged me $95 just to pop the hood and clear the computer. Figures. So they tell me if ****'s really wrong it'll be $1200. I don't know wth they're talking about, and I don't know if this thread is in the right forum, but PLEASE HELP ME! I need some knowledge laid on me, cuz it seems like they're feeding me crap. Thanks.

 

So right now is your car starting or not?

The Camshaft position sensor will cause the problem you are having, i.e. the car will crank (which is the same thing as turning over by the way), but will not fire.

Replace the camshaft position sensor and you should be all set. Its in the timing chain cover right near the belt tensioner - held in place with a single 10mm bolt. 2 mins to change it out.

I can't believe the dealership gave you that story...

 

Check codes yourself, then see Never let a dealership get you

 

yea... i hate the stealership... i'm a loser tho and my parents pay for my repairs, they don't like me touching the car cuz they think i'll break it... they don't mind me doin simple things like oil changes or simple mods, but for example my mom freaked out when i told her i was gonna buy an aftermarket suspension & install it myself... she told me to take it to the stealership to save on tow fees (since i was a block from it). so you think all i need to do is replace that stupid sensor? why do you think the sensor would've gone bad outta nowhere? oh i didn't finish the story really... the guy @ the stealership got it to start, he held the gas to the floor until it turned over, obviously flooded.

 

So where is the car right now? does it start? go buy the sensor, get a 10mm wrench, and swap out the sensor. Swapping that sensor is easier than an oil change...

 

If your 'rents are paying why the hell are you b!tching?

 

cuz i'd like to save them some money. even tho they are paying for it, i appreciate it and i don't want them to be taken advantage of it. just because it's not my money doesn't mean i don't care.

the car is @ the stealership right now, being 'diagnosed'. i guess they got it to start, but it was tough to start it, every time it was acting like it was flooded i guess. i never got it to start, this is what the douchebags are telling me.

 

Explain to your parents that the dealsership = and you could do it for much cheaper.

 

i second that. so you guys think it's just the sensor? if it's really that simple i have no problem replacing that.

 

get ready....


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Is it that obvious in the entire thread?

 

Not to state the obvious, but the car reported that it's a bad CmPS Sensor, a bad CmPS sensor will cause a no-start condition, you had a no-start condition... hmm... dunno, but if it looks like a bad sensor, behaves like a bad sensor and the car reports a bad sensor... it's most likely a bad sensor. or is it?

 

ok, thanks for all your kindness. why is everyone on the internet so nice? it's just surprising that something so simple would make my car like that. sorry for being a skeptic. just wanted some second opinions from *hopefully* nissan techs, or someone who knows more about cars than i do. didn't want any attitude, i got enough of that from the stealership.

 

You just caught NMex and I on a good day...

 

Yes, sometimes it does. I replaced mine last year. $80 part, literally 5min of labor - it's stupidly easy if you have a 10mm ratcheting wrench (or was is 12mm?).

It's possible the wiring has a problem, and the dealer tech guides tell them to inspect that first. But if you can find any spare CmPS, just swap it in and see if that fixes it, or buy a new one.

Dave

 

I had a wiring situation with my CrPS

 

ok, thanks guys, truly. i'll replace the sensor and see if that changes anything. i'm not ruling out that the dealer is telling the truth, it could very well be a wiring problem. i'd just like to explore the *cheaper* venues rather than the freakin dealership, goin for the most expensive stuff first. thanks again.

edit:
just curious, how much did your wiring problem cost nmex?

 

Yes indeed. Yours was what I like to describe as "easy to trace". Having the frayed ends of the harness hitting the drive belts is a reasonably easy problem to detect .

Of course, the local dealer would have insisted on replacing the entire harness

 

They weren't fdrayed easy enough to detect with the human eye, only I saw what could have happened and actually it did happen

I did a hack job but made it look good.


The thing turns over as fast as it's sister VQ in my driveway ..

 

of course, they want the most money possible... i don't think my issue is quite that obvious tho. if they insist on replacing the entire harness, i'd like to get a second opinion but if the car doesn't really run that well then i can't really take it to another shop. i'll try to replace the sensor and see if that changes anything, if that doesn't help i guess i'm screwed & the stealership'll bend me (or my parents rather) over.

 

Do what you gotta do, but our work is done here.

 

agreed, thanks for the help.

 

 

dunno if anyone really cares, but i figured i would update this thread for the last time. i got my car back, it was ~$400. The sensor was ~$120 I think. They only charged me for the sensor, and 3hrs labor @ $95/hr. ridiculous, but at least they didn't try to replace a bunch of outrageous ****. my dad got back in town yesterday and he was pissed that i took it to the stealership, but that's what i was instructed to do by my mother, so whatever. it wasn't too bad all in all, but they didn't seem too confident that they solved the problem. oh and the bastards hit something w/the front of my car and tried to tell me it was like that when it went in there. i JUST had the whole car painted black, and now i have this damage on my front bumper, DAMNIT!!!!

 

Well glad you got the car back on the road.. you got a little bit of on the labor eh? pop the hood, look at the timing chain cover and look for a shiny new black sensor (right above the tensioner).

Thats what they replaced, and it took them 3 hours? right... I can understand an hour for diagnosis and at most another 15 mins for replacement, but 3 hrs... thats just wrong.

 

400.00 for a Cam Sensor change, WOW that hurts, bad.

 

I typed a reply already, but it didn't go for some reason, argh.

3hr of labor is a little suspect - but that's probably the book rate for following the factory manual to the letter. An intelligent tech will swap in a known good CmPS and test it first, often fixing the problem immediately. An inexperienced tech or someone looking to pad their labor number will go through all the troubleshooting and inspections and spend 3 hours. I would call the dealership and ask to talk to the tech, and see if you can get him to explain (admit) that he just swapped the sensor. It's quite possible that it took him 30min total, and the counter still charged you the full book rate of 3hours.

As for the bumper damage, did you notice it when you picked it up, or sometime later? Because if you saw it immediately and they could prove the car was damaged on arrival, IME your word is enough clout to make them fix it.

Just in case the service manager tries to puff up and act all tough when you argue these charges and/or damages, first try to find one of those feedback cards that you mail in comments - if you fill one out with negative that often causes them pain. I have seen service managers get awfully responsive when you threaten to mail in a negative feedback card. Maybe Nissan doesn't have these - I don't know since I don't take my car to the dealership.

Dave

 

Aren't you 21? What does it matter what your parents say you can do to your car? i'm 18, and if it was up to them, i'd be driving an automatic honda civic.

It literally takes 2 minutes to replace. An oil change is much harder.

 

3 hours to change a sensor, I swear the labor charges are a scam at dealers...

 

You can change the cam sensor yourself. Just have to have some patience. Surely don't need a tech to do that. Check the 4th gen how to section. I refuse to pay stealerships unless it's on my warranty, which I still don't take advantage of since I do mostly everything myself.

It will surely save you a couple hundred dollars.

The Camshaft Position Sensor is right above your crankshaft pulley. Here's a diagram to show you where it is (http://forums.nycmaximas.org/showthread.php?t=3679).

Hope this helps.

 

yea i'm 21, but my parents are kind enough to pay for any maintainence on my car. they won't pay for me to mod it, but anything that is required, like this they will pay for. the techs supposedly went entirely thru the wiring system and that's what they charged the 3 hrs of labor for. they didn't find a darn thing, so it was completely pointless. and the bumper damage i noticed when i picked the car up, and i pointed it out to one of the shop managers, and he was adamant that the damage was there when they got the car, and he blamed it on the tow truck driver. i'm screwed on that one.