2003 SE/6speed. I have a slight hesitation/hiccup that occurs mostly in second gear and sometimes in third, if your feeding in throttle slowly it will feel like it momentarily stalls then pulls like nothing happened. I have an Ingen CAI and don’t recall if this happened before, anyone else.

 

I think this might be the lag from the ETC (electronic throttle control) that people here and at the Altimas.net site (same engine) have been complaining about. I noticed it when I test drove an 03 Altima 3.5 5spd.

 

Yep...it is that throttle by wire ****...it sucks *****

 

It's too bad that Nissan's isn't wroth a crap. There are manufacturers that actually have success with this setup (Vet comes to mind, but it still has some flaws). My Dodge Dakota's TB is drive by wire. No linkage at all. Kinda freaky, but it has almost no (if any) hesitation at any throttle position. Makes it real easy to smoke the tires

 

Yep, sound like the infamous electronic throttle hesitation issue that affects all VQ35 engines across the entire Nissan and Infiniti lines. 350Z and G35C drivers are now complaining about this. Car and Driver recently tested the new Max and complained about the throttle hesitation on the new Max...it was that noticable. Maybe Nissan will get with it and issue a TSB upgrade fix for the ECU. It is ironic that when calls Nissan consumer affairs and complains about this, they say they have never heard of the issue...But then again, they usually say this for any problem.

 

Thanks nick, I would have thought there would have been more mention and outrage concerning this. Dealer has no idea, Nissan tells me to take it to the dealer!

 

It's interesting. My 2k1 auto had this hesitation problem, but my 2k2 6 speed does not. When I was looking at cars last fall I drove several automatics that had a similar hesitation, most notably a 2k2 325I. I figured it must be something with the tranny as not one of the 6 speeds I test drove before I bought mine had it.?????

 

My 6 speed has the hesitation, but it is only noticeable occassionally. It usually happens in warm ambient conditions and even then doesn't happen all the time. Very difficult to prove to a service writer or tech (as if Nissan would do anything about it)

 

I'd say if it happens mostly in warm ambient conditions that it's more of a case of heat soak than anything.

 

I have noticed this too. I traded an 02 SpecV for the Max, and that car had no hesitation at all.

 

I didn't think Altimas had the "drive by wire" system. Only on the Max.

 

I have a 2002 , 6 speed. No hesitataion at all, 5700 miles. I raced with a friend that has 2003, 6 speed, with some of hesitation: 20-60 mph in second. We were completely even. I drove the 2003 and i feel the pull is the same in both.

 

I just bought my 03 2 days ago, I thought it must have been my imagination at first, but the more I get used to the car the more apparent the hesitaion is. Same as mentioned, mine doesnt do it all the time but it seems to be most noticeable when changing throttle position while in same gear. I mostly notice it around town in 3-4-5th when leaving in the same gear for a while. I even notice it sometimes cruising the intersate in 6th gear going from part throttle to maybe half to 2/3 throttle. Its almost like the variable resister in the throttle by wire system is not reading the pedal position right and jumps around a little. Reminds me of the static you used to hear in old home stereos when turning the volume up or down and there was corrosion in the variable resistor.

I'm going to wait until the car is broken in a little before I go to the dealer with it, maybe at the first oil change I'll start the battle.

 

I do not get this hesitation at all. Not in any conditions. I have tried to see if i could recreate it but never any presence of hesitation, nor lag.
If the dealer could figure it out (and had nice service), i could take my car to them and have them compare the ecu in mine with the ecu in someone's car that has the hesitation to see if there is anything apparent. I'm only scared that they'll screw something up. Heck, try to find one on the lot that doesn't have it and compare. I think that's what people onthe forum need to do.