I have a '97 GXE with <40k miles on it that I bought new from the dealer. I have an on-going idle problem. On very cold days (<20 degrees typically) when the vehicle is warm (running for 20 minutes or greater) the idle drops to about 500 RPM in gear. No engine warning light is ever activated. I've had the dealer attempt to repair the problem every winter since the car was new to no avail. Last attempt (Feb of 2001) was to replace a sensor. Its cold again in the NW and of course the problem has returned. Any help or insight would be appreciated.

 

first step for an idle problem is to clean the Throttle body..


http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....light=Throttle

 

It might be b/c your TB is stuck durin such cold weather. Liek Sprite said, clean your TB. I would also check your throttle linkage and make sure the linkage doesnt have a lot of slack in it. Use some WD40 on teh hinges for the linkage.

 

checkout www.motorvate.ca for instructions on cleaning the TB

 

Did anything the dealer do ever help? Since he said it has been this way since new I dont know if the throttle body may have been the original problem. Yes it could help out now that the car is older but curious about it happening originally.

SuDZ

 

I have a 98 se auto and no matter what the temperature is outside, when put in gear it drops to 500 rpm and vibrates alot.I cleaned the tb and no difference. I thought this was normal but its starting to annoy me.

 

hmm.. check your pvc valve also look this thread over

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?threadid=87863

 

I also just changed the pcv valve

 

did you check all the other stuff too?

 

And whats all the other stuff

 

the other stuff is in that link..

 

Thanks Sprint, the only thing i didnt change is the fuel filter im going to change that now and check for the other things.

 

Now i just went to start my car and it cranked over for 5 seconds before it started. it never done this before

 

so you have a fuel dilevery problem.. sounds like a weak fuel pump.. but i would check the Fuel Filter first

 

 

Thanks for the advise. Admittedly, I am mechanically "challenged" aka illetirate. However, I will be taking your responses with me to the dealer this week to discuss in length. I will also contact Nissan Motor Corp. (again) as the vehicle is now out of warranty. I can only assume the "factory trained techs" knew what to check to resolve this issue. During my last visit they were hinting that the PVC valve may need to be replaced to the tune of several hundred dollars. Nissan Motor Corp. intervened last fall and I only hope they will help out again.

Any further advise or hints for the mechanics would be appreciated. I will post an update after my visit to the shop.

 

The dearler has been less than helpful with this issue. The have done everything from claim they cannot replicte the problem (only to be shown the problem when I return to the shop); to saying that the vechicle is within normal operating parameters (which I know, and they know, is wrong) to telling me a part was replaced when the S/O shows the part was adjusted; to modifying the S/O language to help prevent invocation of the lemon law in Washington State. (This one earned a personal visit to the dealer owner and a letter to Nissan Motor Corp.) Its very frustrating as this is the 4th Nissan vehicle I have owned and the 3rd purchased from this dealership. I did contact Nissan Motor Corp last fall and they (Nissan) paid for the last visit ($250.00). I have contacted the Nissan Dealer Rep again to inform him of the problem.

If there are any Nissan employees out there that can offer advise, please let me know. I love this car - I simply want it to perform as it should all year long.

 

There was a thread posted by Daniel B. Martin a while back on how to SET YOUR IDLE speed. It's very possible that the idle control valve needs to be set properly. There is an adjustment for the idle speed without this device hooked up. That sets the throttle body butterfly to the correct seated position. This is probably whats causing your problem. The throttle body butterfly might be closing to much and not letting enough air to pass through. The idel control valve is opening to let air in, but can't get enough to maintain 600 - 650 RPMS. Your probably not seeing any codes because it's just off a hair. The factory service manual probably is your best bet for finding the procedure for adjusting the idle settings. Nissan runs your car inside the garage and it probably idles fine for them, plus they can't pull any codes.. so basically your screwed by the idiots there. If anybody with a factory service manual can look up the procedure for setting the idle speed along with the throttle body butterfly settings, please post it!

 

I've gone thru this same stuff with the dealers on my car. Basically, it all comes down to the fact that you can set your base idle all you want, but the base idle is PROPERLY set while in park or neutral. The thing is, you can set that baby perfectly to 650 or 700 in p or n, then pop it into Drive or Reverse, and it jumps down to 500 and starts to vibrate like my car. So, it all comes down to the fact that Nissan has never stated what the idle should be within while in D or R, which is where most people experience their problems. That would mean either of two things. one is that there is something still wrong, and the idle shouldnt be that low (which i see as not possible now). The other thing this could mean is that its supposed to idle at 500 on your car, but a defect in something else is causing your vibration problems. Meaning, the motor mounts could be at fault. I had mine checked by a local repair shop, but they didnt find a problem.

Now, in my car, I put it in reverse, and hit the gas, and theres a thunking noise coming from the engine. If i hold the brake and pulse the gas, i can reproduce the thunk noise. It sounds like its cming from the rear engine mount (side closest to firewall), and when in drive, it doesnt make this noise. Oh, it also makes this noise when I shift gears while i'm sitting still (from p to r, or r to d, etc.). By the way, my TB, IACV-AAC, throttle cable, fuel filter, etc. are all cleaned/replaced and the problem is still there...it MUST be the motor mounts! hope this helped and good luck...

 

and if you dont feel like going through the trouble of getting things replaced for lots of money, try finding out how to set the TARGET idle (the idle speed which cannot go lower than a set value, which is the target idle). I had mine set at 650, so the car could not go below 650 in P or R or D, and the car was much smoother. But, recently, I reset my ECU to find some codes and the target idle setting is gone now...not sure exactly how it is set, but it has somethign to do with the ecu screw itself. anybody else know?

 

I idle at about 525 in Drive when warmed up and get vibration in the
steering wheel. It dosen't happen all the time, sometimes the idle will be 600 without vibration. I would get vibration in the steering wheel on other cars I've had so I'm not sure I can agree with your theory of the cause being a broken motor mount(s). I also get a thunking noise when going from Drive to Reverse, etc. This maybe normal because if I hold the break down and rev the engine I don't see any unusually large movement of the engine under the hood.

 

i know what thunk you're referring to when you shift gears...thats not the "thunk" i am referring to though...somethings definately loose in my car down there by the rear of the engine. all i can say is that everything I've driven, down to my xgirlfriends dodge neon, exhibits no vibes in the steering wheel (and sometimes through the seat/armrest) like my car does. that doesnt seem normal to me, esp. in a luxury car with motor mounts which are supposed to counter those vibes.

 

several hundred dollars?!?!?!

 

C....did you ever fix your idle problem? I have exactly the same problem with a '97 auto and have had it since the car was new. The replies to your post have been good guesses, but non are the source of my problem. Any luck with anything else?

 

hrmm - is the dealer fixing the problem for free??? cause like when my dad owned the max, sumthing was wrong with the starter, and then he payed to get the starter changed......but the problem still went on.....so when he took it back, they changed the alarm and the problem was fixed, but they didnt charge for it......since their work was guaranteed

 

My vehicle has always idled at 500rpm when warm. It doesn't matter what the ambient temperature is. I wouldn't want it to idle any higher than that.

 

I have the same 500rpm on my '97 GLE... at warm idle.. i don't have any problem with that.. i think depending on the model..the rpm's a a little different. my '98 GXE idles warms at 650rpm..

 

Not yet. We have had severe cold weather her inthe PNW this last week and the problem continues. I have an appointment with the other Nissan Dealer in town to get their opinion as well.

 

do you feel a vibration in the steering wheel and the seats while idling at 500 (in drive or reverse)?

 

I've never noticed a vibration. I will try to notice one next time I'm in the car.

 

I had this problem of low idle before too. @ idle in D my car idles about 650rpm. It started to drop to 500rpms and i felt vibrations liek you said. I sprayed a full can of TB cleaner into my TB and it fixed my idle. When my rpm is @ 650rpm, it does vibrate at all, smooth as can be.

The best thing is getting your idle as low as you can while keeping a smooth idle.

 

Yes and its very annoying.