so i came out of work this morning from a long *** day . i start my 99 max up. i start it up started up fine the about a min later shuts off. started agin cranks up idles for a sec then dies . did it one more time same thing . now it will crank but wont turn over . got a jump but didnt do anything . the guy that gave me a jump said he thinks that it wasnt getting any gas to it after he tryed to pull on the throttle while i was trying to start it . any advice would be extremely helpfull as im kinda broke right now . thank you

 

Have you noticed any changes in your security light -- as in staying on?

I've seen immobilizer issues for 99 models show up like 'no fuel" issues.

Any irregularities in the fuel gauge?

 

yea actualy i noticed the security light was staying on . i wasnt sure if it had an imobilizer in it

 

1999 was the first year for the immobilizer. There is a link under the deep red text in my signature line (first post) with immobilizer info collected along the way.

Sent from my Z998 using Maxima

 

ok im gonna drive to my car and get it out of lock mode . hopefully it starts up just fine once i do that . if not ill be back on here begging for help lol

 

Good Luck. I've been there. It ain't fun. A friend accidentally immobilized her I30 with an ignition key that failed. I would try another key just in case that happened today.

Sent from my Z998 using Maxima

 

Updated above if you have mobile.

Sent from my Z998 using Maxima

 

Ok so it didn't work. My buddy took a look at it and believes my key went bad. So my plan (and let me know if it's a dumb one) Is to buy a 99 max blank key from eBay for 10 bucks. Take it to my job(the home depot) and cut and reprogram it myself so that way I don't have to pay the dealerships ridiculous price

 

I've had Ace Hardware duplicate 99 model keys on multiple occasions. It looked like the duplicator checked for a good read on the old key before writing a new one. However the car had not been immobilized so it always worked. I take it you only had one ignition key?

Sent from my Z998 using Maxima

 

Yea . I bought the car used with 160xxx miles on it. They only gave me one key. Crankshaft pulley went bad replaced that with a breaker bar and some headache now this lol pain in the ***

 

Just had locksmith place by my house that does car keys check it out he said the keys fine -_-

 

+1 on this ... As I recall two new programmed keys were like $69 or $89.

 

time for ecu swap

 

Can your locksmith reset NATS on a 99 model?

Sent from my Z998 using Maxima

 

I'm not sure if the can what is NATS

 

Nissan Anti-theft System (NATS) is described in the FSM Section EL page 295.

http://www.boredmder.com/FSMs/Nissan/Maxima/1999/EL.pdf

 

Oh ok. I'm gonna look up some locksmiths around where my car is stuck at and see if any of them can reprogram it. I asked a locksmith by my house. When I said NATS HE had no clue what I was talking about

 

so glad i dont own a 99.. lol but goodluck man, sucks but happens. time 2 do the ecu swap man.

 

Thanks Ima need it. What ecu swap do I keep reading about. From like 95?

 

Mike -

I wish I had good news. Resolving this issue may not be easy. I've been through it two times already on both of my 99 model 4th gens. A friend of mine experienced a milder form of it with her 99 I30. I did have one accidental immobilization on the 99 Maxima where I managed to escape towing the car to the dealer. The best I can do is to share my personal experience and hopefully help you avoid wasting money.

Some of our members know how I've spent money on software products to provide an alternative to a sealer service no avail. Out of all software that I have purchased, I do have software to resolve the issue on a 5th gen -- but not a 4th gen. Since the first year for NATS was with the 99 model, options for our cars are limited.

Questions:

1) When you attempted to start the car and it wouldn't start, did you leave the driver's door open? The reason for this question is to determine if immobilization occurred after another problem kept the car from starting. I'm sure you have seen how accidental immobilization can occur after 5 unsuccessful starting attempts occur with the door open. If another issue kept the car from starting and the door was left open, that could explain the solid security light.

2) Is your Maxima an automatic or 5 MT? If you decide to move to a pre-NATS ECU, I think you will have better luck finding an ECU from an automatic than a 5MT. But this depends on the area and the availability of 4th gens in salvage yards.

Here are my experiences from the easiest to the longest and most expensive.

1) Accidental Immobilization

One evening I was running a compression test with a helper who was running the starter. After compression test for cylinder #5, BINGO, the car accidentally immobilized. The security light was solid red. I was beyond TORQUED OFF because I had just paid the dealer over $200 to install a replacement ECU and to reset NATS a few weeks earlier. So I disconnected the battery and let the car sit overnight. I eventually hooked up the battery and followed the NATS immobilization reset procedures in the link. Amazingly, the car started. Frankly I was shocked that the reset procedure worked. But that was the only time it worked. That was the day I should have purchased a LOTTO ticket.

2) ECU Failure (Maxima)

One night I was driving the 99 Maxima and the check engine light came on. Then it stopped running and the security light came on. I was near my home so my sons came to the car and we pushed it home. I sent the ECU to a place in TX named Foreign ECU Repair for testing. FECUR contacted me to report a bad ECU processor was found and that they would return the ECU if I wanted. I was able to get FECUR to find a replacement ECU and warranted it for 18 months for roughly $250. Once I installed the replacement ECU, I had the car towed to the dealer and paid another $200 to get the ECU synced with NATS and the keys. I went through an expensive ordeal with the dealer at the same time but looking back the NATS issue was resolved for $450 plus a towing charge. I later incurred other dealer diagnostic charges that racked up over $700 before having the car towed to my hose where I finally found and fixed the issue.

3) ECU Failure (I30)

The previous I30 owner reported the car stopped delivering fuel. She had the car towed to Goodyear that replaced the fuel pump. Goodyear could not get the car to run so she had it towed to the dealer. The dealer quoted over $1,000 to replace the ECU. She had the car towed to her house and listed the car on Craig's list. I bought the car for roughly $250 and had it towed to my house. I replaced the ECU with one that I pulled from a wrecked 99 Maxima GLE. I had the car towed to the dealer and paid over $200 to get NATS synced. The car has been running ever since.

4) Bad Key (Friend's I30)

A friend's I30 failed to start. She didn't let me know about the problem until after it was all over. She had the car towed to her local mechanic. The mechanic didn't know what to do. So she had the car towed to the dealer for diagnostics. The dealer charged her $250 to make a new key then another $200 to reset NATS and another $100 for misc diagnostic services. She told me the ordeal cost her roughly $700 in towing charges and dealer fees for replacing a key. I suggested that she get a copy of the key made at Ace Hardware. She did. However, she had already paid over $700 to basically replace a bad key.


If you can find a pre-NATS ECU and instructions for making the pin changes that will keep the NATS issue from happening again. Our cars have an electric EGR. I think part of the pre-NATS ECU conversion will require the EGR and related emission control components to be changed. Hopefully someone who has converted a 99 model to use a pre-NATS ECU will chime in and provide guidance in this area.

 

crazy how one small ECU problem on the 99 can cause big problems..also not cheap when it happens.

 

i believe my door was closed when it happened. the very first time i started the car i believe it was already immobilized . and it only idled long enough to clear out what ever fuel was left

 

So the locksmith came today. Said the immobilizer is bad. A nd he thinks the keys bad. Wants to charge me 460 for everything- _-

 

I'm sure it is possible for the immobilizer unit to fail and I've experienced a failed ECU. It is hard to say from a distance. I always had to pay to have the car towed to the dealer when it happened to me.

I take it he is confident he can resolve the problem?

 

dont know, but 460 cause of a problem that only happens to 99's? ouch..

 

Yea man **** sucks. I'm gonna get a key made for 79 to save some cash then for the immobilizer. Well I'm screwed

 

havent had the locksmith yet to look at the car . called the dealer they quoted me 800! 0.o they are tryin to kill me lol

 

I have seen locksmiths that reset nats. I've seen a few that have a truck or van and on those vehicles it says vehicle immobilized reset. So I think your best bet is to call up some locksmiths to save money.

 

Highway robbery! While the locksmith isn't exactly cheap, it beats $800.

Sent from my Z998 using Maxima

 

i know rite . im just worried that if i have the locksmith come and do it that its not gonna work. the guy said he could replace the immobilizer but idk seems kinda sketchy . but ethier way i gotta fix it . need to sell it so i can buy somthing newer. might be moving away from maximas after this experience unfortunitly

 

Mike - Have you talked to the three dealers in Hillsborough County? I see there are three dealers as Ferman, Courtesy, and AutoNation. Surely one of the dealers will give you a break.

 

In thinking about this thread, I wonder if the locksmith it talking about the transponder key receiver when he refers to immobilizer being bad?