Lately my Max has had some problems starting. The car will start okay when I turn the key, but it will then stall. I need to rev the engine to keep the car from stalling. This happens mostly when the car is cold. I'm wondering if this is a problem with the ignition, or something else. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

Start by performing the 60K service, it's in the stickies.

 

I had this issue too, I searched on www.motorvate.ca , trying cleaning the throttlebody first.

 

Thanks Blacck dragon, I'll give that a try.

 

It has also been suggested to try having your air idle control valve cleaned. Look it up to figure out what it is. I'm having the same problems. My car stalls easily. I haven't had the chance to try cleaning the AIC but i heard it works

 

Hi all, newbie to the Maxima.org forum. The problem you're having with cold starting sounds like what I've been working on for about 6 months now. The car won't start without some throttle opening (foot on the gas a little). The problem is that the IAV isn't operating while the starter's turning over the engine (it should), so the engine is starved for air. Opening the throttle slightly while starting the engine is the answer. Once the engine's started, then SLOWLY release the throttle, at which point the IAV will begin to operate and it'll idle properly. Release the throttle too quickly and you don't allow time for the IAV to open to the proper position and the engine just stalls. Release the throttle slowly and the IAV steps in to control idle perfectly. Is that what you're finding?

You won't have this problem when the engine's warm because the IAV remains in the right position for warm idle (partly open) when you shut the warm engine off. It's when you want to start it up cold again that the IAV should open wide, but it isn't.

The question is - why doesn't the IAV operate while the starter's engaged? It's a low-voltage question. Once the starter's released and the engine's running the system voltage comes up and the CPU can operate the IAV properly. For some reason the IAV isn't opening WHILE the starter's operating (because of low voltage?).

I've checked all the battery and fuse connections. I've checked and cleaned all the connections on the IAV, the TPS, everything on the throttle body. I completely disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled the IAV (twice) and finally replaced the IAV to no avail. The IAV itself isn't the problem. Cleaning the throttle body isn't likely to help either. The 60k service isn't going to do it. If you have the same problem I have, it's a wiring issue.

My Nissan dealer did some troubleshooting, including checking "...power at E9, E57, and E13 and the ECCS relay". Those were OK. Finally they found "....open circuit of excessive resistance between 13 and F10 connectors" (I'm reading this off the work order). That at least points me to wiring, but I don't know what (or where) these connectors are.

I realize I could just ask the dealer to continue troubleshooting, but

a) it can get expensive letting them test and test and test.... and
b) what's a forum for, anyway :-)

Does anyone out there have a schematic for a 97 G4 that would tell us what (and maybe where) these connectors are? That would be immensely helpful. In the mean time I'm looking at every connector under the hood, and I've even pulled the main connector off the CPU (that's a beast).

I hope you find the answer and please let us know.

Cheers!

 

My I30 does the same thing. I found another thread where they seem to have found the answer. Basicaly he just cleaned the throttle body with some STP cleaner.

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?p=3487440

 

Hey all,

I've been doing some troubleshooting on the Idle Air Valve and the famous Wiring Harness Problem that '97s suffer from. I found two broken wires on the IAV and I think I've got it fixed.

I'll know for sure tomorrow morning when I try to start it up cold.

Let you know...... BTW, this would apply to I30s too.

 

I'm having a similar problem, let us know if that fixes it...

 

what famous wiring harness problem?

well, my stupidty and impatiance I had today led me to find out that the car can start and operate fine with all four iacv connectors disconnected. The idle was tad bit high (1500 rpms). When it finally came to mind that I didn't connect the other connectors. I pulled over connected them started the car up again and got million and a half codes. I reset the ecu everything was back to normal.