alui

After almost 2 months since I purchased my 2002 Maxima 6 speed, Nissan still has not fixed the problem--fuel cut/hesitation. I have taken it in 4 times, test driven another 2, talked to Nissan Consumer Affairs in Gardena, Ca, talked to the general manager at where I bought the car, and they all have one answer--the car is designed that way and it is normal. What they are saying is: contrary to what we see on TV commercial (UFO sighting, astronaut imagining driving the Maxiam while at the launch pad, cars like it: 0), billboards on the freeway, 255 horse power, etc, etc, it really is a ordinary car. You have to be careful when you accelerate, because if you do, it will give you nasty fuel cutoff, 60% of the time. If you are annoyed by it, too bad. Get used to it.

Well, I am going to fight for the principal: why should I accept this "normal feature" on the Maxima from Nissan ? I am going to take the arbitration route now. AND I NEED YOUR HELP AGAIN. If you are not happy with the fuel cutoff/hesitation, have not modified the car, and want a refund, then lets work together on this.
Please send information to: maxima_bugs@yahoo.com. Some of you have already done so, THANK YOU. I will write all of you to exchange information. I was told if all of us band together, NISSAN will listen, and we can get a refund with a good chance. We have to do this because there are not that many 6 speeds. THANK YOU

alan

soundmike

iTrader: (24)

Fuel-cut? I thought it was just hesitation due to the drive-by-wire system?

maximadave

iTrader: (10)

I thought so too

2k2kev

what information? And, I don't want a refund, I want it fixed. It doesn't happen that often in my car (nowhere near 60% of the time).

MaximaMan77

This paragraph doesn't make sense. Refund? What do you want to return your car? And 6spds. banding together. Isn't is problem in the auto to? If you want to retun your car try the lemon law. But I don't think thats what must of us want to do.
This is an ECU or TB problem with the drive by wire.What I'd like to know are any of the 350Z's having this same issue and do any of you guys know if the Altima has it?

TimW

iTrader: (6)

Nissan has won already in arbitration on this issue.. and yes, they will fly in engineers if they have to. Because it is 'normal' and 'designed' that way, it will not go in your favor.

However, they also released new ECU code for the 2k/2k1's because enough people complained. I say keep up your fight, dont give up. But dont have high expectations on this issue. the most you can hope for is a fix. it will come... eventually

SEturner

I believe the problem is a fuel cut problem, not "hesitation". I have a 2K2 SE 6spd and I have two reasons why I believe this is so:
1)The previous years model has a known and resolved fuel cut issue.
2) In my car, and perhaps if you pay close attention to yours, hesitation would seem as if though when you pressed the pedal, nothing happens temporarily. However, in my car, when I get this phenomenom, my car actually begins to accelerate and then decelerates momentarily before strongly accelerating. That is why it can be so noticable and aggravating. The main difference is the momentary DECELERATION, not hesitation. Everybody may not feel the same way, but next time it happens, think about this and compare.

JMHO,
Scott

Stang Guy

I agree with your synopsis of the problem. I would not be interested in pursuing a refund, because I like the vehicle, but would be happy with a fix for the glitch in what seems to be the ECU programming. This shouldn't fall under the Lemon law, since it doesn't involve a safety system or have potential to cause any life threatening injury.

However, a reprogrammed ECU or some such fix would be great. Let's get together and put some pressure on; we have to at least ask the question of Nissan, right?

MiniRX7

I have this problem too, and my dealers said that i am being NIT PICKY>..

ITs as though sometimes you get no power then suddenly a surge of power. I don't know why this is happening but i much like my moms 99 SE Maxima much better because its a much smoother power delivery..

ED

WILLSE

i have the same symptoms that u do!

will

TimW

iTrader: (6)

because your car is operating as designed.

As I recall from the 2k fuel cut issue, the car 'model' must be out at least one year before they remap the ECU because of emissions laws. I suspect this being the 3.5L, then its been re-certified and will have this wait again (whereas the 2k1's did not have to wait when the the 2k fix came out) After that Fed requirement runs out, I bet they'll have a new ECU code out.

KTM

same problem here, will be taking it in for the third time in a couple of weeks, then follow up with Nissan corporate (for what its worth).

soundmike

iTrader: (24)

Hmm. Ok, i'm normally very sensitive to how the car runs and honestly, except for when CVTC "engages", i just can't feel the car decelerating momentarily while accelerating.

Now if we're talking about the split-second reaction for the car to actually start moving from a stop after you press on the gas, well, that's something i definitely noticed. However, it's also something that seems to have improved a bit since i first got the car last August.

Stereodude

Is everyone complaining about the point around 4k when the secondary intake runners open, or is this something else? I can tell when that happens, but I wouldn't say the car starts to decelerate. It just pulls harder afterwards.

Stereodude

SR20DEN

iTrader: (7)

Sooner or later Nissan is going to figure out that the problem lies in the MAFS or the TPS. If any of you that are having this problem could get your dealer to replace one or both of these items you may have just solved that problem.

swallac2

No, it happens at all point in teh RPM range. Shift then place your foot back onto the pedal normally. Now step down on it a bit, the car will hesitate, shutter, pause, whatever you want to call it. It feels similar to the loss of power you experience for a brief moment when a torque converter on an auto trans unlocks.

Alui, didn't I send you my stuff a long time ago (Steve Wallace)? If it wasn't you let me know and I will try and get it to you again. I don't want a refund, I just want my nearly prefect car to be perfect!!

alembicf1x

I've driven turbos before, and basically this is what it feels like. It is more pronounced at lower RPMs, at higher RPMs you barely notice it. I'm not sure if it's gotten better in the six months I've owned the car, or if I'm just used to it. Doesn't really bother me anymore.

Basically, this drive-by-wire system does have a very slight lag in throttle response whether accelerating or decelerating. I had to re-learn how to drive a stick when I got this car, took a while before I could upshift and downshift smoothly.

Winston Smith

I just purchased my Max, 02 6speed, and it does the same thing. It takes the computer a fraction of a second to adapt to the inputs from the gas pedal and the throttle body and god knows what else and readjust the throttle and fuel injection and ignition advance.

I came over from an Audi, and all of they guys with the 2001 and 2002s are complaining of thre same stuff we are. Even my BMW does the same thing. Hopefully they will come out with a new patch for the OBDii code or whatever to smooth this out. (I think BMW has one for my X5, it really sucks in reverse, huge hesitation)

Please post more about this as it progresses as I am taking it up with my service manager when I bring the car in for service.

Peace.

MaximaMan77

We need to find out if the 350Z has the same problem.

SR20DEN

iTrader: (7)

I didn't think they were speaking of the exact same things you mentioned. But I do know how to solve the problem you speak of. My 3" PVC MAF project solved that hesitation problem completely. I noticed that the throttle response was awesome. It felt like it should have felt from the factory. But when I put the stock parts back on I immediately noticed just how sluggish the VQ35 is when blipping the throttle. Till then I had assumed that the ignition timing was turned back to far. I think the DBW device does amplify and existing design problem that wasn't noticed till now.

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....hreadid=137148

alui

The drive-by-wire has nothing to do with it. Nissan uses it as a convenient way to avoid the fuel cutoff issue. The problem is in the ECU/software.

Padsy

iTrader: (1)

SR20DEN

iTrader: (7)

I already posted answers for both issues. The comment he made was a different problem.

pvaudo

It really pi$$e$ me off to see that this problem still exists. I traded in my 2000 SE 5-speed because they couldn't fix it. Actually they 'sort of' fixed it for a while (not totally) with the ECM update from NTB-018-01, but later they updated my code again (while in of rO2 sensor) and completely f'd it up again. Many calls / visits and I couldn't get them to put the older code back in.

I think the fuel-cut problem is a combination of two things.. something mechanical and also something in the programming. My guess is that many people haven't had the mechanical issue so they never needed the update. Maybe the MAF or TPS as someone mentioned.

But for those people with the problem, software is able to mask it.. unfortunately they still haven't gotten to the root cause of this. Glad I traded up to an automatic.. though I belive autos can suffer from this problem too (just a lot less noticeable). No sign of it yet in my 2K2 with 3200 miles on it, thakfully.

To the original poster: KEEP FIGHTING IT. Nissan will eventually get it, but only after a zillion people complain about it. Don't Nissan people drive Nissan cars????

soundmike

iTrader: (24)

I guess this is why i never experienced the issue. I, too, have an automatic.