recerltlly when im driving my car it shuts off in the middle of regular driving...quick stops, and dipping through cars...basically, its happened a lot, and i have to throw my automatic max into neutral and restart engine quick to get control.

i took my car to a local mechanic who deals with many maximas and at one point even worked on production line of nissan maxima, so he is supposed to know the car very well..

he checked stuff out, ran the codes several times, and the only thing that comes up all the time is knock sensor

i know knock sensor is usually a ghost code and it means nothin, but i wanted to know if i should really take this serious at this point since my car is shutting off? is it the knock sensor doing this??

this is not, i repeat NOT an 02 Sensor issue as all of those have been replaced on my 110,000+ miles 97 max

 

It can, If the problem is bad enough the engine knock can actually damage the engine badly and start messing up pistons and stuff like that. but you would have to have a really bad KS for that to happen cause when mine was bad I had no problems except decreased gas mileage, loss of low end power and your other common symptoms of a bad KS.

 

No, the KS will NOT cause that. It's another problem.
For instance, I drove my 96 for months with the KS code. No problem. Plenty of power. Finally the mechanic found a defective connection and fixed it; the KS was actually good, but wasn't even connected. Now that it's connected I don't really notice much difference, but the code has gone away.
Your problem might be a bad MAF plug/socket connection. Clean with contact cleaner.

 

The only thing the knock sensor does is retard the timing.. It will not cause your car to shut off.. Have u tried cleaning TB, IACV, or replacing the ECTS or MAF sensors?

 

Its not ur KS. I've been driving with my check engine light on reporting its a faulty ks for months no, experienced No probs. Ur problem sounds like a sticking egr valve. Ur egr valve facing the front of the car is located on the right hand side of the motor near the rear under the throttle body assembly, or above the tranny 2 be more specific. U can push ur fingers up against its diaphram to feels its condition. if its conditon feels stiff, replace it. If u can't tell, dont remove it, go 2 a local parts store, ask to see theirs, and compare its condition with urs, after that, its at ur discretion.
p.s. From the systoms u described, it can also be a clogged fuel filter. Fuel filter is located inside the engine compartment against the firewall on the left side of the brake booster when ur facing the max from its front view.
Get back at me, let me know wat happens. Goodluck.

 

WRONG answer.

A knock sensor can shut the car off if it detects knock that is harsh and when the sensor starts to go bad it will start to send signals that are off and the ECU reads it as being a really bad knock. Not saying everything else you said was wrong.


If the knock sensor is the only code you have then I'd go ahead and replace it. I remember I had issues with my 3rd gen and other cars that had similar symptoms and codes such as this.

 

Theres a chance the knock sensor code can be a ghost code. I have done my research. U are right, it can shut ur car off. I think if the situation reached that point, u would be able 2 hear that knock. I have my on right now, but i dont want 2 replace it and it doesnt fix the problem. For sum reason when i use the scanner to clear that code, it wont clear, however the check engine light will go away for a couple of days, but even wen the check engine light is off the code is still there ??? I dont know, can anyone answer that for me?

 

Like I mentioned before if the sensor isn't reading correctly there may not even be a knock present but its malfunctioning and telling the ECU that there is knock. Thats could be the problem you are having with yours.

I believe someone mentioned something MAF related. I remember a friend of mines 99SE had a wiring problem at the harness of the MAF at the end were it plugs into the MAF sensor. Check that out too because he had similar symptoms.

 

I have a similar problem, my car shuts off sometimes as well but I think its because of a bad alternator even though I have the knock sensor code, mine usually shuts off a few seconds after starting

 

i had the same problem, my car would randomly shut off...i had a ks ghost code. I did a full tune-up and changed the ks. Fixed the problem completely.

 

maybe you guys can help me too, i have a 99 Max GLE, couple of months back when i took it to my mechanic he said my KS is bad, but i didn't get it replaced, but now a days i get this misfiring in the rpm, meaning in rugular nonstop driving its fine, but when ui am stopped at a red light the rpm goes from 600 to 500 and then back up. it does about 3 or 4 times. you can feel the knock when you are in the car. what can be the symptoms, i was this of PVC, b/c it wasn't replaced when i last did my tune up. Also this started after doing my tune up.

Help please..................

 

mine was doing the same thing ..i replace my ECTS ..like new

 

(runs like new)

 

Thanks, regg .... how hard is it to replace the ECTS? is there a write up of this?

 

firstly what is an ECTS??


but to update, i changed my knock sensor and the problem stopped....thank god...because shutting off that much was dangerous as hell

 

man, i had tha same problem last week, it was the day that they installed the speakers and the amp; it was running fine until i got to a stop light, and as i was about to accelerate the just completely shut off, i thought the person behind my was going to hit me fom the back, but thank god they didnt, anyway i put it in neutral and restarted it. then the next morning, the check engine light came on and on top of that my car was misfiring everytime i accelerated. so i went to autozone and it was between the KS or a bad connection somewhere, i took it to advance autoparts and it said the same, but now the engine light is off and the misfiring is gone, everthing seems fine now; but im still going to get a tune up this friday just incase.

 

I'm interested 2 kno as well...how do u go about changin the ECTS??

 

it's to the left of the intake...look in the book it will tell u ..

 

I may have a temp solution to the engine quitting while running due to bad KS.The gist of it is to do with your gas . Have you been putting 87 octane gas in to save $?Depending on the fuel quality, the anti-knock timing + crummy fuel = engine quitting. When I used the rec. 91 oct gas, the engine still behaved as a VQ with a bad knock sensor does, but it didn't quit in traffic until I started gettin' cheap with the gas.

So, pay out the a$$ with premium until you get the KS fixed, and that'll stop the engine from goin' AWOL/Hard starting . Dangerous when this engine quits, cause its so smooth it takes you a minute to realize its not runnin...........

 

trust me it's the ECTS...bet $ on it ....and it only cost $27 from advance auto
parts

 

regg is right....jus changed my ECTS and my car runs like new, can't believe the difference

 

again... what is the ECTS???

and i agree that when the car stops, it is so smooth it is hard to tell u off sometimes

 

ECTS - Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor

 

I'm glad someone posted on this matter because just about a wk ago my car started actin crazy it stalls at lights and making quick stops at I just went to get a new fuel filter from nissan but how can the ECTS cause the car to shut off? just asking ill probably buy one tommorrow how hard is it to put on?

 

I'm not sure but think the knock sensor is under the manafold, In a hard place to reach.. I read some place that you have to take the manafold off to replace it..Has anyone replaced there knock Sensor without taking off the manafold ? And if so what tool did you use ? (1996 Maxima)

 

My wife used a 12 mm socket ,and her little asian hand to remove it and replace it with a new one. I'm now working on a EGR code . So far I replaced the EGR and still have the code next is the egrc Solinod vale.

 

Same here

 

I used a 12mm 3/8dr swival socket, 18" extension, and 3/8" ratchet. A 12mm stubby wrench also works, if you have petite hands; I don't, so i used the swival socket.

 

i just got a 97 se stick n im just getting used to its clutch from driving an integra and im not sure if i stalled out but the car shut off while i was making a turn it was so smooth i didnt even notice til i tried to turn the wheel n it was tight i was just wondering do these cars stall smoothly or did it shut off randomly it had a check engine light on the other day for a knock sensor but mechanic told me to turn it off and wait to see if it comes back but even after it stalled the light stayed off did any one have this problem?

 

ok i know i know every one replaces their KS by squeazing their hands in there

ok i need to get this done sometime in the future, not yet tho. i know i can unscrew that bolt with the tools that i have but i tried fitting my hand in there and its no go. so how do u get the actual sensor out and then in with the new one ?

should i take out the intake box or anything else ?

 

A bad knock sensor, or one not sending information to the computer, can cause allot of differant problems. If you have a knock sensor code you need to get it fixed. First check your knock sensor to see if it's dead or out of spec, while you got the ohm meter on it tap it GENTLY to see if the reading changes. Sometimes they will read ok, then go dead. If the knock sensor is good you need to follow the instructions in the service manual and check the wiring to the computer.

 

After using the swivel socket to loosen the bolt i squeezed my right hand in there to take the bolt and sensor out, then put the bolt in the new sensor, installed the pigtail, and used my right hand again to start threading the bolt. It was a tight fit with my large hands, and all i could do was use my index and middle finger to turn the bolt. Others have sugested getting someone with smaller hands to help you. Once it's threaded the hard part is over.

Other then unplugging the sensor pigtail nothing else needs removed. Unless you have a california spec'd maxima, then the swirl control valve, and maybe other stuff will need to be removed.

 

I just changed mine out the car ran nice for a minute now I have a hard time starting it. Monday I am going to change out the MAF and see if that helps. For some reason when i put it in drive or reverse it really struggles right now. On idle it purrs like a kitten.

 

A faulty KS can't lead to stalling!!! But a faulty CPS can. Clear the ECU, and see if you run into any other codes.

 

But will the Camshaft Position Sensor cause the problems when the car is in reverse or drive? When in park the car runs ok with a slight miss but as soon as it gets into gear it drops bad sometimes dying out.

 

wow this is old, i actually asked my mom to help me with the KS as my hand would not fit there, not that im a giant by any means or anything

 

if the KS only job is to correct/retard the timing then there you go. No KS no correct timing. IF this is true then the KS becomes one of the most important pieces on the vehicle. Bad knock sensor won’t directly stall your car BUT Bad timing will. Probably get to the point where it won’t even start. CHANGE THE KS!