New member here.....I'm also a member of "Nissan Forums". The more eyes that see this problem, the better my chances of figuring it out. Some members there might be members here, as well...

I've got this 95 Maxima. It's had a rough life... it's got a salvage title, got hit in the front at one time in the distant past. Previous owner says "sometimes, won't run for very long. It had a bad alternator, so at the time I figured it was just the battery dying.

It's got a new alternator. I had new struts, lower control arms and CV shafts installed recently.... rear valve cover gasket replaced to stop leaking oil. After the alternator was replaced, that ended the random dying... all was well. Had the valve cover gasket fixed and drove it quite a bit.

So.. after getting it out of the shop after the control arms and shafts were replaced, I made it about half a mile and the engine died, and wouldn't start. Thought it was out of gas... but it wasn't.

Took it back to the shop where the work was done and told them what was going on.. they kept it and checked it out.... but couldn't reproduce the problem. When I went back a few days later, the mechanic said "it started right up when I got in it...drove it for a few miles, with a chase car following... and it never batted an eye..."
I come to pick it up... and it dies backing out of the parking spot. They shrug their shoulders.. they're busy and don't have time to chase electrical gremlins.

So, now I've got it. Bought the FSM for the car and have been going through checking things.

Connected a generic scan tool to the obd2 plug ~ P0325 and P0335... knock sensor, crankshaft position sensor circuit "A" malfunction, and a couple of others. Those two are the biggies, though.

Anyhow, as of now, the engine... after being started.. will run for between a minute and a minute and a half, and then die. WIll start right back up and run for maybe 10 seconds and die again, and will not start again.

I connected a timing light to the proper wire loop up there near the oil filler cap... and while the engine is running, the light blinks consistently.... till the engine dies.

After it dies and I start it and run it again for the few seconds the second time, the light blinks...but when it's cranking following that... the timing light only flashes a few random times and then doesn't flash anymore, no matter how much you crank it.

Seems as if some circuit somewhere is not telling the ECU to send a "fire" signal to the coil packs.

I just replaced the POS crank sensor (there near the rear of the engine closest to the tranny.

I've haven't checked the crank sensor up on the front of the engine, yet. I have visually checked the cam position sensor and checked the resistance values listed in the FSM, and it checks out.

WHen it's running, the engine purrs along nicely. Idling, it carries about #35+ psi fuel pressure.

It sets there and runs like a sewing machine... for about 90 seconds, then dies like I turned the key off. Fuel pressure stays right on the mark, until a bit after the engine dies, then it drops to zero.... so maybe there's a check valve problem back in the pump.... but that doesn't seem to affect anything while the engine is doing it's limited time running.

Any suggestions? I hate just throwing parts at it in a guessing game, but I suppose a cam sensor and the other crank sensor are in order? What could that hurt, lol?
Might have to run down a spare ECM from a donor car... I know where a few are.

Well, I found this in the FSM... I know a transistor is an item that could be affected by heat (in this instance caused by current flowing through it) and could fail and cut off power from the ignition system.

Now, to find out if it's a serviceable item, or is integrated into the ECM of the car.
On edit: I think it's not an actual item on the 1995 engine control electronics... it may only apply for engines with actual mechanical distributors... but, what would explain it being shown in the manual for this year of engine/car?

I would be suspicious of the camshaft position sensor. I had the front (bank2) sensor on my 2002 start to become intermittent very much like you describe. It would completely randomly just shut off while driving. Literally as if I had turned the key off. More times than not I could restart the car while still rolling, but it eventually got worse and started throwing a code so that I knew what to replace. Has never failed once since replacing. Good luck!

I had oil in my crankshaft position sensor connector, which caused all sorts of issues. Car wouldn't start sometimes and start others, unplugged it and cleaned it out and never had the problem come back, you may want to try that, also a new sensor is not a bad idea as well.

Could a faulty ignition switch cause this issue?

Maybe also check your voltage with one of those cig lighter voltmeters to make sure you alternator is putting out the correct volts (even though you replaced it already).

Cleaning or replacing the sensor is a good idea.
Id start by cleaning it and it's contacts.

The ignition switch could also cause the problem.
They are generally the cause of starting difficulties.
ignition switches are a known problem our cars have.
It will need to be replaced eventually anyway. Tgey are not difficult to replace. Id replace it now. It might solve your problem.

Today, up to the shop I went.

Reached in, started engine, triggered timing light, light strobed, shut engine off.

Unplugged cam sensor. Held timing light triggered.... cranked engine.... no strobe nor engine start.

So, that tells me that it's not just the rear crank position sensor that sends signals to the ECM to tell it to fire the plugs, as I was led to believe.

Evidently, they're all interconnected in the mission to fire the plugs at the correct time in the compression cycle.

I have a message out to the owner of the parts car Maximas I'm keeping an eye on... see if I can get that car to salvage the ECM out of and see if that fixes my problem. I'm not about to buy one.

Not that.. the engine starts and runs for the exact same length of time each time I try it.. about a minute and a half. After that, it won't start again until it's sat awhile. Then, it will fire right back up, run the same length of time, then die. Fuel pressure steady at #37. Timing light flashes steady right up until engine cuts out and dies... right when it's dying, the tachometer fluctuates wildly and drops to zero right before it dies.

I'm not setting in the car nor touching or wiggling the keys at any time except to start it.

Please loosen the gas cap .
Then start the car. If it runs better, report back.

Well, when it dies, it's not starving for fuel... pressure is right on the money. It's not getting a spark trigger signal from the ecm.

But, it won't hurt anything to try.

ok, my assessment is incorrect.

I've seen situations in which an unvented gas tank caused stalling because the fuel pump caused a vacuum inside the tank.

I went up and tried it, anyway... nothing changed.

This time, I kept the engine revved up between 3 and 4 grand... thought I'd see if that did anything.

Well, the engine faltered a few times before it died...

As before... before it actually died, the tachometer needle would drop down to zero.. then the engine would sputter a bit.. then I'd revv it up some and it'd come back to life, needle would falter and engine would sputter just a bit.. then, the needle went to zero and the engine died after that.

Something is killing the power to the ignition.

Surely that anti-theft system doesn't do that.. it just prevents the starter from engaging, right?

Ive been trying to follow your post on this and attempt to understand what is actually happening with your car. This doesn't sound anti-theft related. If this car did suffer front end damage You need to start by checking any suspect grounds or wiring associated with the wreck. It could be an issue of a wire or connector becoming loose from engine vibration or rubbing against something metal or shorting together..If the car dies like your turning off the key not many things will do that. If you want to disarm the alarm without a remote, close all doors and unlock the TRUNK with the key, You can also remove the security fuse if you want to rule that out completely.

Do you still have battery power in the car when this happens, are lights and other gauges still functioning..?
Have you actually crawled under the car and taken a look at the front crank Sensor or connector...?
Have you checked the Maf sensor and its connector.? Hook up your scan tool, and under its live data function, what are its Values..?
What other Codes Did you Have..?

I’m thinking a good place to start … or restart … would be to provide a list parts that have been replaced as a result this issue. When those parts were replaced, who did the replacement work and the brand of the replacement part installed would all be some useful information as well.

I’ve got several things in mind, but it’s not clear what’s already been done.

Also, and although I understand one’s aversion to throwing parts at a vehicle, keep in mind that your car is 27 years old as are some, if not many, of its parts … it might be time.

I'll have to get back to you with some answers.. getting ready to head to work.

As far as "live data".. I have a very short window of opportunity to get the generic scan tool to look at that stuff.

The clock is ticking as soon as I start the engine, and the scan tool dialing in and communicating with the system takes what seems like forever. So, when it finally gets through, I've got maybe 35 or 40 seconds of actual "reading".. then, I don't know enough about this tool to actually freeze data and be able to retrieve it. I haven't got it to do that, so far.

The front end collision must have been years ago. Nothing recent.

I talked to the previous owner yesterday and told him "this thing... the engine only runs for a little bit and then dies".. .and he said "yeah, I had that trouble, too. Never could get anyone to figure out what what wrong with it, so I just parked it"... which is where I found it and bought it, lol.

It sat for years.... it had two inches of water in the floorboards from the sun roof not sealing right. Had moss growing in the carpet...

I suspected rust/corrosiion causing these problems, at first... but this thing ran like a champ when I first brought it home. THe alternator was bad, and it would only run for a while on a charge.. .then it'd need recharged.

The current problem didn't start until I had the work done that I mentioned earlier.

The code (on this generic scan tool) just mentions the Crank sensor "circuit".... and it's specific to the rear sensor, not the front mounted one... nor any other sensor.

One of these days I'll get it up on a lift so I can look underneath and see if they disturbed any wiring...

This being the case, your desire to not throw parts at the car is fully understood.

I respectfully retract my previous statement.

Wonky Battery Connections?

The positive cable clamp when tightened to the max, usually never tightens fully and you can remove it by pulling it! They sell lead sleeves to make the battery post thicker so it will clamp on tight when tightened fully.

Hey... Ya never know?

I was thinking he could be loosing power from a loose connector at the two plug connector b+ at the battery. Which powers the fuse box. They can become loose over time. Like most of us. Its bypassed. However he would loose all power in the car when this happens.

From what I can image of this story is that the car had been cured of the stalling due to a bad alt, previously...and had been running fine for sometime untill a shop replaced the LCA's and Axles..

You're both right...

But, when I first got the car from the guy, all he said was "it won't run very long for me", and after I got it home, noticed the battery was dead. But, the brake lights were stuck on, so I didn't suspect the alternator. I figured the battery was ruined, setting there for a year or 3 with the battery dead.
But, new alternator fixed all that.

Now, the two wires that connect at the positive terminal... they're on there good. I crimped copper lugs on the cables that come up to the battery, and put on the battery terminal clamps like the ones pictured below.. and attached everything on those studs.

,. The only thing I can tell that's not getting power is the ignition... immediately before the engine dies, the tachometer does a little death dance and the needle drops to zero... comes back up.. then drops and the engine dies.

I'm guessing it's been doing this for a long time, and since previous owner couldn't fix it, he just left it sit.

Where there was front end damage, the box that held all the relays right behind the drivers side headlight... that box must have been destroyed and some wire damage occurred up there. All the relays are still there, and a lot of the wires have been soldered back together and covered with shrink tubing.... but the group of 8 or so relays are laying there in a group, the wires "wire tied" together keeping them all in a big clump.

Like I said.. .this thing ran like this...

Not sure what I did to get it to run good while it did.... but I'm stubborn and would hate to junk it without a fight... I spent $150 for the car, and have spent around $1500 on parts and labor getting it to this point!

I keep an eye on facebook marketplace for Maxima's... the guy with the two parts cars here in town won't answer phone calls or texts. Driving me crazy.

I'd just as soon swap parts from car to car than buy new....

Now I'm pig piling with JvG and Zerodrag...

Something INTERMITTENT might be up with your ignition switch. Take it apart and see if a wire has stripped and shorts? Or the switch itself has gone flaky! Not like a croissant either. LOL If nothing else, you'll know for sure it's NOT.

Do you know if this ever had an aftermarket alarm system that got yanked out but the terminal junctions were left? Hot Tub water and alarm junctions rarely get along!

Just thinking out of the box cause everybody is in the box already! LOL

I’m still thinking that a list of parts and pieces that have been replaced is needed in order for any of us make any educated suggestions.

I’m still, for some reason, not clear as to whether the cam-position sensor and/or the crank-position sensors have replaced.

Also have all DTCs been addressed and resolved? If so, how?

Toss those Terminals in the Trash.. Get the old school strip and Clamp terminals. those are garbage.

What you need is a Helper there with you to turn the key, while you check things under the hood. Swap Terminals and get set up to test Voltage at the battery when this is happening. Since the issue somewhat easy to re-create, testing actually is somewhat easier. Look in the fsm, follow all grounds that may be associated or in the area of any and all recent work done to the car.

You also did not specify, does the car not crank at all when this happens..? or cranks but no start.?

One other thing that comes to mind from cars with water damage like the 3rd gen as they age the contacts that hold the fuses in the box become loose.. If you can, do a quick push in of all fuses and relays to reset the contact.

These terminals are just fine.. those little strap clamps are little on the flimsy side to me.

Here's what I meant when I said the relay box behind the driver side headlight had been destroyed and all the relays wired back in place and just held together with a wire tie..

I just come into the shop and was trying to decide what to experiment with next.

I removed the "keyless2/ Hazard" relay out of the relay box behind the passenger side headlight... then I reached in and started the motor.... it surprised me and ran for more than a minute and a half, so I thought maybe I had figured out what was wrong..

Got in the car and hooked the OBD reader up to it and was setting their scanning... after it had been running for probably three and a half 4 minutes... the engine died..,

Dejected, I thought I had found the problem,

but evidently that ain't it. The engine started the second time and ran for about 10 seconds and then died and wouldn't start again.

I've replaced the POS crankshaft position sensor because everyone was just positive that that's what the problem was..

I've removed and cleaned up and checked the resistance against the factory specs for the cam position sensor, and it checks okay.. I'm not going to bother replacing it. Because I doubt if that's the problem..

the trouble codes are the knock sensor, 0335 crankshaft position sensor circuit a and one other that I can't remember.

the engine will start and run for approximately 1 and 1/2 minutes, then the ignition quits firing ... I have had a timing light connected in the system and the engine fires just like it's supposed to for about a minute and a half then the timing light blinks erratically, the tachometer needle bounces down to zero a few times then the engine dies. It's an electronic problem somewhere.
. Fuel pressure needle remains glued to the 37 lb mark on the gauge I have in line.

after I remove the keyless 2/azzard relay today, and started the engine it's surprised me and ran for way longer than normal ... I thought maybe I had figured out the issue by removing that relay. But, it probably ran for three and a half minutes maybe four and then it died.. never done that before but it's been setting for about a week now.. most of the time it only runs for a minute and a half..

After the last episode, I sat here playing on my phone for about 30 minutes, then I jumped in it and started it.
​​​​​​. It had been running about 35-40 seconds when I thought maybe I should start a stopwatch to see how long the engine actually ran.
Well, it ran about two and a half 3 minutes before it stumbled a bit, so I blipped the gas pedal three or four times quickly to keep it from dying and got the RPM up to about 3500-4000.. it ran for a total of 5 minutes before it finally died.

It ran long enough that the engine temperature gauge needle is at the halfway mark.
Not sure what any of this is telling me, but the next time I come up and experiment I'm going to put that relay back in its socket and see if it runs just as long or if it goes back to running a minute and a half.

Since I was not expecting it to run good for so long, I didn't have the OBD scanner plugged in to mess with.. I can't get my act together because I can't count on this thing acting the same every time.

Awesome now I can see what you have going on, That Red 2 plug connector is what I want you to check. All 3 of those wires big wire included need to be on B+ directly with out all that other crap. Looking at your other photos you may have inadvertently moved a relay or connector or wiring somehow to get to this point.. simple Koeo, do the old wiggle test on the wiring and fuse box where you were and listen for anything.. Ide also un tape and take a look at that junction where the set of relays are hanging. I never said to replace anything.. I said to Test..



Check this section of the harness..

I would also, I would also take a Look at Nissan Service Bulletin NTB-98-00B..

Well, about an hour ago, I plugged in the scan tool... started the engine, with the relay still out of it's socket.

Sat in the driver seat and started the engine. Kept my foot on the gas in case it tried to die...had the stop watch going.

Well, about 10 minutes in, I took my foot off the gas.. I'd had it about 1500 rpm, which really isn't much above idle.

I got out and plugged in the relay, and nothing happened.

The engine temp would get up to <>205 and the radiator fans both kicked on!!! That occured multiple times, which is good.

I made a video of what I was seeing on the scan tool... I have included a link to the video.


While I was setting there thinking of things to check while it was running, I put a digital voltmeter on the battery.. It was a bit over 14 volts. Just right.

I wiggled various wires on the fuse/fusible link box on drivers fenderwell. Nothing happened.

I wiggled the jumble of relays behind drivers headlight... nothing happened.

Tapped on the relays on the passenger fenderwell... nothing happened.

I leaned in and tapped on fuse block at drivers left knee area.. nothing happened.

There are two relays down on drivers left kick panel, behind the ABS control module. They're exposed because I dug them out a long time ago to check them. One is the sunroof relay, and the other is the fuel pump relay... I think. Pretty sure that's right, without digging out the book,

Anyhow, I grabbed one... it was noticeably HOT!!!! Actually, they both were, but I think one more than other.

I grabbed digital voltmeter and back probed terminals 1 and 2 on both relays. One, the hotter of the two, was getting 14.4 volts. The other was at 12.4.

Not sure which one is which. I think I read in the FSM that the fuel relay could be identified by a stripe of tape around it. I thought that odd when I read it, and now that I've mentioned it, I'm sure I could never find those words again in the manual if my life depended on it, lol.

Anyhow, I am unsure why one has higher voltage than the other. I didn't want to tempt fate and remove either one while it was running, so I left them be. I have one of those temp guns I was going to aim at the relay housing and see exactly how hot it was, but the battery was dead.

I don't use the sunroof because it leaks... the drains are disconnected in the windshield pillar or something, and the water drips on the floor and not out on the ground. So, I could remove the relay or, better yet, the fuse....

Anyhow, have no idea what happened to make it run.... it never did die... I shut it off. I started it up later and drove it around a few blocks. Didn't want to get to far away and have to walk back. I didn't hotrod it and hit any bumps... again, didn't want to tempt fate.

Ii appears that your problem is temperature related.
I'm thinking that your Engine Control Temperature Sensor (ECTS ) might be defective. Either the sensor it self , or some corrosion on its connector.

you might want to look up what it's ohm readings are supposed to be at various temperatures. You Tube has videos about how to test those. Or just replace it. They don't cost much. Sometimes things fail yet not set a trouble code.

I don't know if replacing your sensor will fix your issue.
I've read of Maxima with similar issues, and how replacing the ECTS solved the problem.

What an incredibly frustrating problem... I feel your pain.

One big question stands out for me at this point.
You replaced the crankshaft position sensor. Great.
Q: Did you clear the DTC codes but then P0335 returned? If so, this would be pretty telling.

If this is the case, I would do a little more targeted investigation into the Crankshaft sensor circuit. In particular, verify the quality of the full wire harness path and its connections. This is spelled out starting on page EC-197 of the '95 service manual. Also very important to check/clean the engine ground connections as shown below (F18 and F19), since they are the sole point of ground for the Crankshaft sensor and its wire harness shield. I would also measure the resistance between the battery terminal and those engine grounds. Should not be more than a couple of tenths (0.1-0.3). If it is, then I'd really work on cleaning up all your ground connections between the battery/frame/engine, etc. Strange things can start to happen, electrically, as temperatures increase (i.e. electrical resistance increases as temperature of the metal increases). CRC Electronic Cleaner (spray can) is also a great thing to have in your toolbox when doing stuff like this. Get it at Wal-Mart, Autozone, etc.

That shielding is just what looks like loose heat shrink tubing around those wires, isn't it?

Or, is it wire with a foil shield, beneath the insulation, around the 3 wires?

I wish I had a helper with a go-pro camera that could film what this thing does when it starts to stall....

As mentioned in a comment above concerning heat... I'm supposing that they meant "something getting warm and opening up"?

I suspect that, too.. that's why I'm wanting to find those two relays... and see if they're staying closed or opening.

Until that episode yesterday, it was predictable... the engine would run like a top for 1'30" and die, like clockwork.

All I had done was remove that hazard relay, and reinstalled it after it ran a bit.

I took that relay and put 12 volts to it on my test bench... let it set for a few minutes, to give it chance to get hot and open the contacts. It never did.

The only reason I chose that relay because it has something to do with the keyless entry. I am just grasping at straws.... I thought that if it would even start and run without it.. I'd experiment and see if it had any effect. But, after all that, I'm not sure it did.

Nothing is always reproduceable doing this, lol.

+1. I just read this thread for the first time today and was just going to post this. Worth inspecting and testing. Very easy to do.

Right, the shielding should be a metal braid or foil around the pair of wires, then covered with some other non-conductive insulation. If you can gain access to the shield in that wire harness, it should OHM very near zero between the shield and the engine ground bolts (F18, F19). Otherwise, you could have a problem with that large firewall joint connector (F107).

One other thing to consider... The OBDII reader should connect with the car once the key is in the ON position, regardless of whether or not the engine is running. Things like throttle position sensor, Engine Coolant Temp (ECT), intake air temp, etc. should continue to display in real time even after the engine dies. IF you start the car and OBDII is connected during the subsequent running period, what happens after the car dies? Does the reader maintain the connection? Temperature sensor still working? If it loses the connection when the engine dies, then you have to start wondering if something isn't happening to the voltage going to the engine control computer. Would be very interesting to determine if you can successfully link the reader to the computer during one of the "down" periods when the car won't start.

The fact that you found nearly a 2V drop across the energizing coil of one of those relays (sunroof or fuel pump) is also suspicious. This "could" be pointing again to some kind of excess resistance in the wires that are used to drive the coil of that relay OR a poor ground connection.

I hate to jinx myself, but I think I may have fixed it.


Well, I did jinx myself it ain't fixed.

. Day before yesterday I found one of the two ground wires on the intake runner was loose... the bolt wasn't tight.. I had an Epiphany that that was the problem...I cleaned it off and tightened it up and put it all back together and the son of a ***** run like a charm.. I drove it for 20 minutes, going around in circles around the block just in case it did die I wouldn't have to walk so far.

Today, I backed out of the shop and got 10 ft and the engine died and it won't start.

But, on the plus side, the crankshaft position sensor error disappeared.. all that is left is the knock sensor and IACV... can't remember that for sure right now I'm so pissed off.

well, another reason to be pissed off... the crank position sensor fault came back to life..

I already have an actual FSM, if that's what your post is about.

That picture of spilled beans is annoying... it's too big and is distracting.

Anyhow, today, I went up before work.... opened the doors to the shop, jumped in and started car. Backed up about 20 foot and engine died. Wouldn't even start back up immediately like it usually does.

Went back in, sat down in chair and started playing on phone.. about 20 minutes later, I walked back out and got in and started it to drive it back in shop so I could shut the door and go to work... started right up, but I only made it about 10 foot and it died, like you shut the key off, and I had to push it in the rest of the way. Did that and shut the door and went to work.

This pm, after work, I went and got in and started it... it ran smoothly, idling, for about 3 minutes~ then died like you turned the key off.

When I thought I had it fixed, I put all the air box stuff back on, connected the loose vacuum lines/emissions lines back where they went... connected the MAF and adjacent wire connectors... took the fuel pressure gauge out of the line.. it's all back like it was originally. It seems to be worse off now than it was before....This god damn thing...

I'm beginning to think that the way it loses ignition signal to coil paks... it's got to be either the ECM or the relay or whatever provides power to it....