NYC_Maxima97

Hey guys, I'm having a bit of problem with the Maxima. Driving normally on the road, the car will just shut off, there's no patern meaning, it could happen at any time, driving slow, or fast. The car has no problem starting back up.

Last year I replaced the camshaft position sensor because I was having similar symptons however at the time the car had difficulty starting also, so I'm ruling that out.

It's been idling fine except for last night when I was turning it on, it go up and down for like a sec and then settle, as soon as I would give it gas in neutral it would go up to about 2500-3000 and shut off. This happened a couple of time, then next time I started it again, it would idle and rev perfectly fine.

No fault codes and it's bothering me. Any ides what it could be?

Thanks,
Eugene

1995WhiteMaxima

Hmmmm, you are smart to have replaced the camshaft poS- I would have told you to check that first, but then again you probably wouldn't have started at all if that was defective.

1. The alternator's dying: Do you have issues with dimming lights? Do you hear a hum from the alt diodes when you place a screwdriver to the alternator and your ear to the end? That's a bad sign. SO CHECK THAT ALT! Start the car, make sure all the accessories are OFF and rev to a fast idle. Use a Voltmeter (DC scale) & measure the volts across the battery terminals if it reads less than 12 volts =BAD. Or turn on everything (AC, the rear window de-fogger, the radio, the headlights) and and rev up the motor and watch the voltmeter. It should still be reading around 14 volts. If it reads lower than 13 volts the chances are that your alternator is DONE-ZO!

Or

2. Fuel Pump: Turn the ignition ON (without turning the engine). You should hear a whirring sound right from where you are. That will be the main fuel pump. Then stick ur ear to the gas tank and unscrew the cap to hear the other pump whir. If you hear both noises, the fuel pumps should be OK. Does the issue occur all the time, even with a full tank of gas or just when the tank is lower?


Or give me more symptoms...GOOD LUCK!!!

pmohr

iTrader: (26)

Well a rev cut at 2500-3k would seem to point to a bad MAF, but I can't imagine that causing the engine to die.

And if the car has no problem starting back up, there's no alternator problem, because the battery would've been drained for the engine to die.

*shrug* no idea.

NYC_Maxima97

It's doesn't seem to be the alternator as there's no power losss in lights etc. I'm also ruling out a bad maf or else the car would go in safe mode and CEL would come on.

I'm thinking something related to fuel, either a fuel filter or pump. 95White Max the issue has happened with a full tank and almost empty, no relation there. I'll have to do some further investigation today when i get back from work.

BTW the car drives fine without any loss of power, just as it would normally.

Any other ideas?

1995WhiteMaxima

Hey...I just realized that you're on Staten Island too.

I agree with the above...chances are it is fuel related. When was the last time you changed the fuel filter? Change it, since its easy and could be clogged...or as preventative measure. Check the pump for noise like i mentioned above. If its pump related... ick...I'm sorry. You're not throwing any codes, so I doubt any sensors are at fault.

ALso, Check ignition module which expands with heat. Next time it dies pull off a plug wire and see if you can tell if it sparks. Put it close to a ground while you are cranking it if it is sparking then you'll see sparks or hear some clicking.

adampit

iTrader: (1)

I have the same problem occur every couple of months. I can be driving normally and when i am slowing down, my car will stall out. It happens for a few weeks, and then goes away for a couple of months. In the 2 years i owned my maxima, the problem has happend maybe 3 weeks out of there. It comes and goes, and never happens for my mechanic. We have tested the alternator, and doesnt seem to be the problem. No one seems to know.

Good Luck finding the problem.

speed racer

iTrader: (10)

You can also put a fuel pressure gauge on the fuel line to see if the fuel pressure is to spec. You would connect the guage in lieu of the fuel filter. Also, try cleaning all your grounds.

dr-rjp

iTrader: (4)

Are you, by any chance, using a drop resistor?

DrTySOUFMaX23

iTrader: (6)

that happened to me like a week ago and all i had to was replaced the crankshaft sensor and now it's fine.

i30SPEED

you might as well change the fuel filter.

this was happening to me alot so i changed it a couple weeks ago and its doing great.

and while your at it, you might as well get a 300zx filter. there bigger and last longer.

PTownMax

iTrader: (5)

change the coolant temp sensor, i had same problem and had no code.
not the guage one but the one that goes to ecu (there are 2)

vikter1

iTrader: (1)

I know this is an old thread but did you ever figure out what was wrong with your Maxima? My car is doing the same thing. Any tips will help thanks.

Crushed

The problem is definately the ECTS, engine coolant temperature sensor i think.....i had the same exact prob and I fixed it in no time, costs like $26 to get one at the dealership

j2b4osan

ects throws a code and puts the CEL on.
could be a bad harness I had one. shake the crap out of the harness while you let the car idle and see if it produces any symptoms(idle irregularity stalling)

97SEdriver

iTrader: (3)

My car was shutting down intermittently during driving, would start and drive fine most of the time.

Then it began to not start, but would run ok, then intermittently shut down.

I started a thread titled something like, would a dead battery cause a car to shut down during idle...or something like that.

It turned out to be the battery terminal was corroded to the point of being in two pieces. So, the battery would sometimes be connected, sometimes not, sometimes be getting charged by the alt, sometimes not.

So, check the obvious things, closely, sometimes it's a simple problem like that

TLMNICK

iTrader: (1)

What about a bad EGR valve or a fault in the EVAP system?

Nopike

iTrader: (2)

Many of the things mentioned would throw a code if there was a problem. If it were my car I would inspect and swap the fuel pump relay with another of the same type. I would also inspect and swap the ECCS relay with another of the same type. If that did not help I would consider replacing the ignition switch. I realize they are long shots and there are many possible causes but faults with any of these parts could cause your car to shut off without throwing a code. Checking and cleaning the battery connections is also a good suggestion. These items are also relatively easy to change or swap out and inexpensive.

If these simple things did not work I would then move on to some other possiblities that are more complex and expensive to diagnose. When in doubt try the cheap and easy stuff first.

goldmax04

i'm also having problems with my 2004 nissan maxima car shuts off while gaining speed and while parked. I tried replacing the cam shaft, crank shaft, and the ignition coil, I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO FROM THERE

AMP14

Hey goldmax, this is the 4th gen section. You'll get more help asking in the 6th gen section.

v_c@yahoo.com

My 95 maxima had warm start problems. Replaced cam sensors. Now it starts but stalls randomly at low rpms like at stoplights. Replaced idle control. Same thing. Any ideas? Costing more to troubleshoot than the car is worth.

catalinvint

I have a 96 Maxima SE , same problems explained across all the threads opened for the exact same issue.
My car after it worms up at stop light when it's idling , the rpm drops and comes back up , the car feels sluggish and after not so long time it cuts off.
If turn the key it starts right up so it's not the ECU.
When I drive on the highway and the issue starts to happen the car jerks like it's stalling and after you get the smell of gas in the car. So I suppose that is misfire.
What I did so far.
Cleaned MAF
Cleaned TB
Replaced coolant sensor.
Did 2 tune ups since then.
Spark plugs have only 20k on them.
Changed the alternator because it broke (no dimming issues before or after )
Changed starter motor because it broke from all the starting (it was original so it was about time).
Ran for over 2 months now with Lucas fuel injector cleaner in every full tank (I tank roughly once a week )
Changed the fuel filter.
The IACV works fine , the only thing that I will have to change and see the results is the MAF and the "big three"

tothemax2003

MAF sensor get an original and a crappy one from ebay and problems will go away

tothemax2003

sorry meant not a crappy one from ebay

zepah

I had the same problem and the solution was to replace the mass air flow sensor.

CMax03

iTrader: (3)

Crank or cam sensor.....

Tiffany Turner Courington

I have a 2003 Nissan Maxima 140,000 miles. I take good care of her had a complete tune up about a year and a half ago. Several times in the past few months my car has shut off while driving. The first time it conveniently shut off in front of a Firestone. I tried to start it back up nothing, so they hooked it up to there computer, $100 later, NOTHING. Manager said it might be the chip in your key is old. Well when I got home I switched keys, happened again.
Any suggestions.
Thanks, Tiffany

asand1

iTrader: (1)

Welcom to the ORG Tiffany. Try posting your problem in the 5th gen forum. Also you might change your member name before you get stalkers or jumk mail or something. Good luck.

901ScorpionKing

Hey, did you find out what the problem was yet?? My car (02) just started doing the same thing yesterday and I have no ideal what it is or where to start....

Inline6Silvia

I've been recently dealing with this issue on my 1995. I was not throwing any codes but it would bog and jerk accelerating from a stop at low speeds and it would randomly just shut off without warning. Sometimes it would be idling perfectly and just dip in RPMs and stall out for no apparent reason. I decided to take the MAF apart. People online were reporting that the pins connected to the plug on the MAF would loosen from the pins on the board inside the MAF and the fix was to resolder these pins. I checked and there was no play in the pins in my maf. Regardless I still resoldered the pins. For the last 3 days I have no experienced any bogging or jerking and it has yet to stall on me. So I'm keeping my finger's crossed that resoldering the MAF has fixed my problems. I did however pulled the codes on my ECU even though I wasn't showing a CEL and it seems I have a hidden EGR code. I thought only the knock sensor threw hidden codes.

bhunter

iTrader: (3)

I had that problem on a 92 SE that turned to be the ignition coil relay. It had come loose on the inside and would open the contacts and the car would die. It would always start back up. I was lucky to find it.

bugjuice07

I have a 97 Maxima with 211,000 miles doing the exact same thing. So far, this has been replaced: Alternator, Mass Air Flow Sensor, & fuel filter. It is still cutting off at random, except most of the time, it will not start right back up. You have to let the car sit for a few mins to about 30mins. There is a check engine light, but it has been on for years. Every OBD machine shows no codes. Any explanation as to what is causing this?

KP11520

Maybe everything mentioned above???

Something that came to my mind that nobody mentioned and I don't know if it's even feasible is: Could the ignition switch be failing intermittently and cut out from bumps and vibrations? Might there be a contact that can wear and disconnect because it has worn to where there is play?

I don't know. Hopefully, the other members that have intimate experience in this department can shed some light on the possibility/probability!

Best of Luck!

maximusrising

I had the same thing and just totally lucked out when I was poking around I stumbled across the MAF sensor connector was loose. That's all it was. So poke around and push and pull while it's running. Maybe it's something that simple.

Flipper

My 97 has had the same issue. Irratic. Car stops at any speed. Car can be immediately restarted. I'm convinced it is possessed, as it was there for a while and now can't remember the last time it occured. Didn't change anything.

This beast once went into a "I don't want to go" mode by not starting. After fighting the beast chasing everything from neutral safety to ignition switch. Thing started after sitting for a couple of weeks, with a turn of the key.

nnjguy1976

To also ask, I have a 95 Maxima GLE. Love this car. However, I'm concerned with its habits of late. Last summer into the fall, my evap light came on. The car started shutting off when I was warming it up. Then I try to start it and I have to wait a few min. The car would even shut off while driving. All winter, not one issue. Even passed inspection. Very recently I have noticed the ignition giving me issues with turning the key. First try gets nothing, not a sound. Second try he starts up as if no problems existed. My evap light is back on and it is starting the stall while idling again. This morning, I was getting my paper from my service station down the street. It stalled outside, I went to start it and the noise of it trying turning over would get slower and quieter until it disappeared. I grabbed the jumper box and it started but died shortly after I removed the box. I also had a fuel-like smell. I waited a min or two, and he started up again. Is it my ignition like my roommate thinks it might be? Or my alternator? Or even the fuel pump? PS the battery looks older then the car lol

emilianonp

sorry my english is not good
plus 6 months with problems nissan maxima 95 ..
I have changed all the parts described in this forum
the car walks 10 minutes stops.
after 20 minutes it starts working 20 minutes and the problem returns
I have lost more than 300 dollars in exchange for parts and this is the same
Do you have any help?
please I thank you