Ok So I am about to do a rework to the exterior, giving it a drop , fixing up the little things and as well quarter panel damage.. on pearl white... damage is not pretty especially if the paint is in really good condition and garaged its whole life.

but anyways, you know that saying where before u start worrying about cosmetic and such you should always make sure mechanical things are taken care of.

By the way, I plan to keep this car for atleast 7+ Yrs or atleast over 200k+ miles. So yes I'm spending money on it to make it look nice and put money on the side for future repairs.
maybe until 300k miles! Currently 135k.


~AirBag~
This car has been nothing but purely reliable, no troubles since 2.5 Yrs ago I owned it. the Airbag light came on 3 months after owning it cause my friend put my passenger seat all the way back and down, im sure he just disconnected the wire underneath it right? well that Airbag light is still on my dash...but this is a common issue on Nissans, I have heard even with it on in a collision, the air bags will still deploy to save your life..

Should I even Bother fixing it or just leave the light? considering the nissan dealership will charge me alot, the light on the dash makes it not so pretty..but all it matters is that the airbags will deploy even in a accident right?

~~~~~Check Engine~~ MAIN QUESTION

About around 5 months ago, I got a CEL for EGR and knock sensor, First 1.5Yrs I owned it I used 87 octane gas (ran like crap/no performance/can't rev over 2.5k, ever since I used 93 octane The car runs like it should! I'm not kidding on this one..I seriously thought It did need a tune up when I was using 87 octane.

Well Thing is my car is only at 135k miles, It runs pretty new! everytime i Step on the gas, It'll Take off and hit 6.5k+ RPM in a matter of seconds,
It has given me no problems... It runs, shifts nice, Idles good...starts right up everytime.

Only problems from the EGR are these problems I have noticed

~Sometimes Will stay at 1.5k RPM even pressing on the gas pedal for 10-15 seconds, but this isn't a big issue.
~Sometimes The Idle will drop to 400 RPM after stepping on the brakes then it'll go right back up to 700. this is every so then.
I'm guessing this has to do with the EGR being clogged and sometimes air wont pass threw it freely making the RPM Drop sometimes?


With these codes, I'm guessing my knock sensor is just fine considering I can Press on the pedal and it'll take off either when Im at a complete stop or even driving at X miles per H. but something is up with my EGR?

I got a quote from a mechanic and the job was 3hrs for knock sensor and 1hr for EGR cleaning, 80$ an hr = 360$ Total

Well If the car runs Great even with the codes Should I leave it alone? and do the job when a problem really occurs? cause lets say I do the job now, and knowing maybe the mechanic will mess something else up?

I have heard that EGR Has no harm at all to the engine/Exhaust Right?
and If my knock sensor was bad it has no harm to the engine or anything correct?


Help me decide so I don't spend unnecessary $ when its not really an issue, The $ is not an issue but I just want to save it until it is really needed.

The car runs really well, Reving it to 6.5k RPM everytime was the best feeling ever..its my first experience, and not only that.. it tells me that the Car is in really good shape. But with A CEL and airbag light on the dash, it doesn't make the dash so pretty lol.

 

It's all bad do it all trust me the knock sensor and egr make a difference in gas and performance. The rpm is effected by the knock sensor,the wot launches the car kicks into safe mode and drive slow as if the car is in first gear aka limp mode.

 

Even though I can rev to 6.5k RPM from a complete stop or even at X miles per HR.. in a matter of seconds with both codes, So your telling me if I do the job, it'll run even better than now?

and yes like I said It does hit limp mode for a little bit every so then.. but its not all the time. I wonder why is that case? I'm curious.

 

Basically these codes are telling me

"Hey come and fix me if u want to see even better performance, even though u can rev to 6.5k With these codes!"?

 

If its a ghost code knock sensor the car will run fine sometimes and sometimes not, The actual knock sensor code will trigger the ses light on and the ghost code will not,regardless of the situation the code will have to be pulled by a scanner. The problem is there and when the car detects it the car will go in a limp mode.

 

The knock sensor will NEVER trigger a CEL.


Sent from my XT1060 using Maxima

 

Where do you get this crap from. A bad knock sensor will cause the ECU to pull timing advance all the way back, it will not limit RPM, only a bad MAF will do that. I have had a bad KS and I assure you, shifting at 7,000 RPM was possible.

Stop spreading misinformation.

Sent from my XT1060 using Maxima

 

Clean or replace the EGR and the KS code might go away. $5 KS from ebay works great.

 

So Asand1, Since vqmaxman gave me false information im guessing, is it really necessary to touch my EGR and knock sensor codes, even though the car runs really well?

pretty much described all at the top..

I have a $13 knock sensor, but I dropped it accidentally a feet from the ground so i dont know if its still good now..

And for EGR, could I get parts from auto zone if i had to? does it matter if its OEM? but of course I'm going to suggest cleaning first.

 

Plugged EGR can cause running hot and cause pinging, you should clean it or fix it. Doing that may clean up the knock sensor code as well.

Check the stickies for EGR cleaning. Don't buy new yet.

Sent from my XT1060 using Maxima

 

Does a plugged EGR do any harm to the engine or anything really? from what i heard it does not..

 

EGR stands for Exhaust Gas Recirculation. I sends exhaust (in inert gas) into the combustion chamber to lower chamber temperatures. Without it you CAN get some pinging and that is not good for the engine or performance. Crappiest part is that the KS will back off timing so you'll never here the pinging, you'll just lose power.

It's up to you man, some people delete them altogether. I would just try to clean it and then go from there.

 

I don't think plugged EGR will cause it to run poorly. Stuck open EGR will cause a bunch of bad things. I had a chevy truck with stuck open EGR that wouldn't idle without my foot on the gas.
I deleted mine a couple years ago and have had no problems at all. Nissan deleted EGR from the factory on either the 00 or 01 model year. Granted they changed the ECU to run without it.

 

well the shop say it'll only take an hour to do the cleaning EGR, 80$ for the job, compared to knock sensor they do 3hr labor at 80 an hr.

considering if i only do the EGR cleaning, thats cheap.. but I'm not sure if it takes only an hr to clean it..

I just get nervous that if I tell him to do the job, he'll mess something else up? Like snap a hose or some other part? or is that illegal to do as a mechanic... is there a "rule" where if they break something that didn't exist before the job they have to fix it free of charge?

this is my first check engine light I ever had so i have no past experience of it..

 

On a 17 year old car, things get brittle and break. Not their fault IMO. Have you read the write up in the stickies? Should be easy diy.

Sent from my XT1060 using Maxima

 

i have a knock sensor code, i had one for 3-4 years b4 i replaced the original one. my gas mileage sucks right now cause i also have a clogged cat and a bad 02 which i had a warranty on so that was free. but, i had no issues running with a bad knock sensor, it retards timing and the car ran a bit nicer. bout it

 

Lol..why not pay 60 bucks for a brand new egr from your friendly nissan dealership. I average about 28 mpg. Trust me its worth changing out new egr with new knock sensor.

 

That is my concern, if anything breaks then they may charge me for it.. But if $ is not the issue for example could it still be fixed regardless?

 

Dealerships sell these stuff still? I thought they stopped making for 1-4th gens and only have stuff for 5th to 7th gens

 

You're over thinking this stuff. All your issues are easy to fix.

First, clear your codes and see if they come back. If they do, address the EGR issue first by cleaning the tube first. More work/troubleshooting may need to occur (like replacing the EGR valve) if the code still remains.

After the EGR code/issue is resolved, clear your codes and see if only the KS code returns. If it does, replace it. If it doesn't come back, you're done. The KS is often a piggyback code.

You have a 97, therefore changing the KS is a piece of cake and is a 20 minute job. Tell your mechanic he's crazy; he must be thinking of CA spec 99 Maxima.
DO IT YOURSELF. There are videos on Youtube and writeups and pictures all over the Org. Try the KS that you have, even though you dropped it. If you install it and you still have the KS code, buy a new one off of Ebay.

Regarding the airbag issue, are you saying you have side airbags in your seats? I thought that started in 98...
Any way, start by simply erasing the airbag light by this procedure.

Open the driver’s door. Note the rubber covered button located low on the B pillar, a button which is pressed by the door when the door is closed. This is the Driver’s Door Switch (DDS).

Turn the ignition from OFF to ON. Press the DDS at least 7 times within 7 seconds after turning the ignition switch ON. Turn the ignition OFF. Close the driver’s door. Start the engine.

If the airbag warning lamp is still on (or still flashing), there is a fault in the Supplemental Restraint System which must be diagnosed and/or repaired.

If this ^ doesn't work after a bunch of attempts, then simply unplug and plug in the airbag connector (with the battery disconnected for at least 10 minutes) several times to remove any film/buildup from the connector. Then try the above procedure again.

It may keep the flashing airbag light away for good, for 6 months, for 6 weeks, for 6 days..... you won't know until you try it. Of course it couldn't hurt to simply unplug and plug in the airbag connector (with the battery disconnected for at least 10 minutes) several times to remove any film/buildup from the connector.

On my 98, I have side airbags. My light comes on once or twice a year. I clear it with the procedure I mentioned above.

 

I had this happened to me when I was taking off wot open throttle launches at all times the car kicked back and so did my rpms,so what crap are you talking about and what mispread info I gave. I think apperantly you haven't done this so you can't comprehend.

 

Vq would not like to give you false info the car kicks back as when the timing is pulled back the engine slows down and so does the reving. Try from a wot launch from a stop.

 

I had the ses light on when my knock sensor went bad,basically the car ecu kicked back trigger the light. The p0325 comes on.

 

We have doch engines and the egr is important for the proper combustion for the engine to exit the exhaust from the combustion chamber, the mannifold has ports that are on top of the valves/heads that combustion flows through the ports of the mannifolds and into the egr and and through the headers and out the exhaust system and if this part is clogged the car will have a very bad mpg and the car will have a hard time keeping cool the car will run extremely hot,this will lead to having hard start ups.

 

If you had a CEL on it was for something else. It will not trigger a light on its own. I took that image right out of the FSM. I have had a bad KS with no other codes, and the cell did not come on.

Sent from my XT1060 using Maxima

 

I have had the knock sensor code trigger the light to come on and the code was able to be pulled, I had no other code there.

 

That's

 

Don't believe it, but it happend the ecu and knock sensors communicate to throw the p0325 code nissan made it happened. The code comes on when you wot it and when the car kicks into limp mode.

 

OK dude, NISSAN, I, and the rest of the world are lying.

The ecu does not suddenly pull timing when you go WOT with a bad ECU, the timing was never there to begin with. You know less about Nissan, and cars in general than you think you do. Please don't pull "Facts" out of your a$$ and share them with people, it is a disservice to everyone who comes to the ORG for help.

Sent from my XT1060 using Maxima

 

Sthp...dude you apparently Don't know anything about cars, apparently I know more than you, I am pulling nothing out of my tale. I worked on them more than you every could think of working on cars. The info you are stating is clearly wrong your giving misleading info about cars. The ecu doesn't sense the sensor knocking and kick it in limp mode. The code doesn't come on for ks and the ses light don't come on. Dude get off that shiz you on or don't post.

 

op what code do you have for egr system? i had the ergc sloenoid valve i believe it is called and it was a relaitvley cheap fix. Easy to do but is a tight fit, and cut up my hands alot. Either way i would still clean the valve. Its totally a diy job, you just have to saw off 1 bolt with a detattched saw blade and you will be able to do it in under 30 mins every time afterwards.

 

Now you're contradicting everything you previously said. How many years did you spend as a professional mechanic and as a dealer mechanic as I did? How many ASE certifications do you hold?

Sent from my XT1060 using Maxima

 

I have my ASE 4 to be exact. I am not contradicting anything you said. I know my car and I know what happened and why the light came on like I have said what I posted and low and behold the light comes on. I am not explaining if you claik you know and your a mechanic why you are arguing about something that really happened and took place. Me and lux97max were running and that light came on and yes a knock sensor code would do this. thomas v lopez

 

the knock sensor will show when you scan, but will not trigger a c/e light as it's a ghost code.

 

Wizard I have tried the Airbag quite some time ago.. probably more than a year ago, Nothing seemed to happened. but I could try again with your steps you listed.

and as far as it sounds, It does seem Like I should go ahead and do this EGR job first and see if KS goes away, if not then I may just replace the KS anyway.

 

Try the airbag light reset procedure at least 10 times before you give up. It doesn't always work on the first, second, or even third try.

 

When my egr was clogged it never through an knock sensor code, it ran like **** with bad mpg and it ate alot of gas. The was.extremely hot.

 

well Vqman, my car doesn't eat alot of gas with both codes, it runs really well as i described.

 

lets just say that even though we all drive the 3.0 in here, depending on previous owners, maintenance, and how you drive your car that we can experience a multitude of problems and there is that one off hand problem that only happens occasionally. my max at 269,000 still runs really well and gas mileage is $hit cause she's 20+ years old and stuff wears out, period. i maintain the crap out of my max and $hit keeps breaking.

 

well 269k miles is quite alot, and most owners give up on their cars when it usually hits the 200k mile mark, sometimes 100k. I only have 135k so I got plenty of time to enjoy this car and want to enjoy every moment of it.. most important thing in cars is that they take you from A To B, anything else is something to do on the side if you wish to restore to make it running like it should. and I don't know what you mean by $hit keeps breaking lol, well especially at that miles I could understand but after fixing after fixing stuff it should stop eventually.