I've posted a couple times about our new-to-us 97 GLE. The problems that I had were pretty simple. The car would, with no warning DIE. I mean every once in a while after pretty flawless driving, the car just dies. No warning usually, and no codes. The CEL light is good and there aren't any codes.... EVER!

I've replaced the ECT sensor, the MAF... Nothing seems to help. The other day my daughter was driving and while in a turn, the car shut off. the steering wheel locked and she hit the curb. The curb helped stop the car as the power brakes were obviously powerLESS brakes with the engine not running.

I took it to the shop and they hooked it up to there 10K Nissan computer and the car shows no codes, and the memory is clean. The don't want to start replacing things just cause, and said it would cost way more than the car was worth. The shop is an INDY with a STELLAR reputaion and all they do is NISSAN. The owner has was with NISSAN since 1974 and went out on his own in 2007. I trust him and the fact that he didn't want me to just throw money at the car... I think it speaks volumes.

The car is ULTRA clean and only has 80K on the ODO. Not a dent or scratch anywhere, Leather doesn't have a mark... a blemish... anything.

While the car would definitely bring retail money, I can't sell it and sleep at night knowing that it could get somebody killed.

I thought I would try the fuel pump first as it's relatively cheap and if that doesn't work... I don't know what to do.

Any advice?

 

Does the car start right back up after it stalls? Eliminate the alternator by diconnecting the negative batt cable and if car continue to run smoothly then your alt. Is most likely not your alternator. Don't rev the engine during the test or you run risk of messing up your electronics.

 

I had the same problem in my 96, went to turn.. still had power on the dashboard lights, but power steering went, and engine turned off as well, not very nice especially since I was turning into my school parking lot. The car also used to die out at stop lights occasionally or at a cold start. Mecahnic couldn't figure out why it was stalling (waste of 70 bux). Cleaning the Idle Air Control Valve, Throttle Body, and MAF fixed my problem, I'd start there if you haven't cleaned those.

 

Try cleaning your IACV and TB first.

 

Alt is fine and has been checked at idle and at 2500. Battery checkes out.
The stalling accurs at idle, coming down from rpm to idle, starting out from idle, and while maintaining speed.

The grounds have all been checked, the fuel filter replaced, the MAF replaced, etc. etc. All other sensors would throw a code. The Nissan computer at the shop sees nothing in history, nothing going down to as isolated as the FRAME RATE of the memory. NOTHING!

It's being dropped off at the garage that's pretty much worked on it since out of DEALER warranty - by the way, I have every service record since the car was dropped off at the dealership by the car carrier company. Every oil change, filter change, brake job, half shaft replacement etc. etc. The garage will drive it for a week, and if they cant find anything my friend is going to buy it back from me and garage it. Nice friend to be sure. He feels horrible about it, and doesn't want my daughter to be the test dummy either.

Obviously this is a common problem when you search this forum. Yet there is not one definitive answer. We love the car, but I'll take much less of a car as long as it safely performs for my daughter. Very frustrated.

 

This. You can do this yourself for a couple bucks.

 

Those are always worth cleaning anyways

 

try the things mentioned above... if sensors are being replaced and its not helping maybe its an ecu issue? in that case you could go to the junkyard and take one out (97-99 auto and or abs) and swap it out to see if it helps

 

If you've checked the grounds, I'm sure you've cleaned the battery cables too. But look inside the outer casing of the cables to make sure there's no corrosion up inside the cable.

 

All I have for you is obscure ideas.

1. Is the battery securely connected? I have had intermittent starting stalling problems in the past when there is a problem with the terminal or the connection is not tight.

2. I had a problem very similar to that in a Chevy Beretta pos that I once owned.

In that case, it turned out to be a fuel filter in the gas tank that would collapse. Based on that alone, if it was me I would try changing the fuel filter. I do not know whether dying from a lack of fuel would throw a code of any kind though.

3. Another obscure potential culprit - As I think of it, my wife had a problem with her car shutting off. I seem to recall that she had this ridiculously heavy key chain that would literally turn the key from the from the run position on certain occasions. I doubt it is that, but check the key chain and key position. Based on your description it is unlikely.