Digger01

Same issue, especially when cold. I have a new MAF, so I Cleaned the TB but it stilled stalled, then I used the sea foam and it seems to have improved. Two months and it still hasnt stalled yet, though the cold weather is not so cold anymore.

paullyb

I have a 2000 maxima SE automatic. I drove my car to work yesterday and it will not start since. All the dash lights come on , but there is a clicking sound and it just wont turn over. The battery is almost new. 3mths old.

I am in Philly in case there is anyone around close by to help out.. i have also been looking for a service repair manual but cant find any i can download.

PLEASE HELP!!

qballjr13

Clicking to me means you have power but most likely that your starter is gone. Go to any parts store and you can get a Haynes Manual...it deffinitely comes in handy.

maniax

iTrader: (3)

most likely u need a new maf. happened to me

paullyb

Thats what i was thinking as well.. there definaltley is power. would anything else be the cause of this?
Also, where would u recommend that i pick up a OEM starter and some install instructions.

paullyb

the need for a new MAF would give these symptoms? there is power, but the car just will not start. You hear it clicking but, no turn of the engine.

qballjr13

I'm not sure that a MAF would totally stop your car from starting. Just based on the sounds of it I still say that your starter is gone. You can get rebuilt ones from any auto store and those stores carry repair manuals...buy one!

And HOLY THREADJACK!!!!

Jase06

I spent quite a while searching for this problem so if it's somewhere else please let me know.

I had the stalling problem so I cleaned the throttle body as recommended in this discussion which caused a CEL. After wiping the outside clean, I sprayed TB cleaner into the TB while revving it while the car was running (as indicated on the TB cleaner label). Eventually the car died and wouldn't start again.

I hooked everything back up and the car started and now idled great! But, when I gave it more than 50% throttle it feels like there's actually less power than at 50%. I unplugged the battery for over an hour to reset the CEL and ECU (I think?). Same problem - give it more than 50% throttle and it's gutless. And if I floor it in 1st it will hesitate a lot at 4K before continuing to accelerate at a pitiful pace. Idle is great though :-|

I have driven the car 30 miles or so on freeway, around town, and shut it off and drove it again about 3 times.

Please help!!

Thanks!

Jason

Max_Gator

That sounds like the MAF to me - or that air is getting into the engine past the TB.

Since you just put it back together, I would check the car to make certain that the tubing from the maf to the tb is correctly attached so that no air gets in. Do that before replacing the maf.

I had similar symptoms once when the bottom lip of the tubing between the maf and the tb wasn't connected properly - the bottom lip was kind crunched up leaving a gap. I had just cleaned the TB - IIRC - and couldn't see it when I put the tubing back on.

manatti

I am having this exact problem but this is the funniest sh/t ive read all year, hahhaa sorry

JRGray76

I tried to search for my specific problem, but couldn't find anything. So I thought I would post on this thread since it was pretty close to what I have.

The car is a 2000 SE 5 spd. with 104,000 miles.

A week ago after driving for about 20 min, when I came to a red light and depressed the clutch, the idle dropped quickly, then recovered, then fluctuated between 1500 and 2000 rpm. At this point there was no SES light. At times the idle would drop, and not recover, so the car would stall out, but could be restarted. The next day same thing, but finally the SES light came on, and I got Autozone to check it. It was the IACV. They recommended I clean the TB. After cleaning, the SES light went out and the car ran fine. I then took it through MD emissions (it was due), and it passed, so the computer had no codes. On the drive home from the emissions test, the car started doing it again, only it died every time. It just would not idle. So I dropped it off at the dealer.

Here is where it gets interesting. The dealer called me today and said that one of the electronically controlled engine mounts had shorted out, which then took out the other electronically controlled engine mount, which then fried that part of the ECU, which then fried the IACV. On the bright side, they say the harness is fine, I just have to have the ECU, IACV, and 2 motor mounts replaced.....all for about $2300 total.

Has anyone ever heard of this combination of things happening? I really don't feel like spending that on a car this old, but it seems like the problem is bigger than a dirty TB or bad MAF sensor. Can anyone think of something else it might be?

Thanks

Max_Gator

I'm pretty sure the motor mounts on the 5 spd are not electronically controlled.

Sounds like b.s. to me. Try the stuff in this thread before doing what they suggest.

JRGray76

Thanks, that's what I thought too, but I hadn't had time to check through my factory service manual. I just did and sure enough, they apply only to A/T maximas. So, doesn't this seem like a pretty blatant attempt by a dealer to rip me off? I mean, saying that this part, which isn't even on my car, caused all the problems, and then telling me I need to replace two of them? I have to call them tomorrow to let them know what work to do, if any. I'm not real sure how I'm going to approach this with the service manager.

Max_Gator

My suggestion - go in and politely talk to the service manager. Let him know that you are extremely troubled by what you have been told because it is clearly incorrect and not possible.

Tell him you need a complete re-diagnosis on them. See if you don't get a better answer.

Generally speaking, if you want to be sure a problem is solved in one shot, fix everything possibly. If you want to do it cost effectively, start with the least expensive/most likely and work up.

The motor mounts may be leaking - mine are - but that's NOT going to cause your problem. If you can't get that concession from them just leave. I wouldn't have the dealer fix those anyway.

That leaves the burnt out ecu issue - well, that's obviously b.s. I suspect they'll tell you that is still what's causing the problem.

I think I recall seeing something about the iacv causing ecu problems on these boards so you may want to search.

You may want to try my fix outlined in my first post in this thread. I did not have the iacv code, so it may be something different. But, the symptoms are exactly the same.

Don't rush into the decision to drop that much $ into your car without attempting to fix the problem with less costly solutions.

Finally, if they come back to you with a big number again - ask him to comp the diagnosis in light of what happened yesterday.

good luck.

JRGray76

That's pretty much my plan, but I don't think I will have much patience for the dealer. I think they'll have one chance to explain why they diagnosed it as they did, and then one chance to re-diagnose it and see what they come up with. If they claim they are right, and don't want to redo it at their cost. I think I'll have to call Nissan customer service, and see what they say.

I would bet that after I point out that the engine mounts aren't on my car, they will still claim the ECU is fried and the IACV. What I don't know is, does Nissan use the same harness for M/T and A/T cars, and then just not use the two connectors for the engine mounts. It that were the case, I could maybe see that they could still short out. But it still seems like quite a stretch to get from that, to and idle problem, that originally only had a code for the IACV.

Thanks for your help and thoughts on this Max Gator

PITBULL14

I have the same problem when i stop and hit the brake and turn that's when it does it the most .

PITBULL14

I Have The Same Problem

arslaan

definately 100% maf. had the exact same prob--maf replacement fixed it.

Rhegaana

Long time lurker, first time poster...
Having the exact same problems with idle dropping and the car stalling, even when the engine is warm, sometimes it hunts at idle. Just happened recently. The car is auto 2k1 with 80k miles. Definately will follow all suggestions above.
Just some questions..
The symptoms aren't consistent sometimes dropping idle, sometimes hunting, is the ecu staring to go bad?
Also what is the normal idle at stop in drive and stop in nuetral or park?
Lastly my mechanic friend suggested that if it starts doing those things again, just unplug the 2 cables that are connected to the throttle body, until I have time to bring it in, which actually works. what exactly does this do?
Ron

arslaan

ya--lemme describe the MAF problems i had when mine started to go bad. basically it was very very inconsistent. after the car was warmed up, if my car was just idling (like i was at a red light for some time or whatever), sometimes id see these random slight dips in engine speed (i think down to about 300 rpm, maybe lower). and sometimes when i pushed the clutch down and let the engine come back to idle from whatever speed (like say 2k rpm), instead of coming back to idle speed, it would go all the way to 0, and the car would turn off.

normal engine idle speed is ~750 rpm, give or take, when it is warmed up and has been idling for a while. normally, when youre coming to a complete stop from driving (like at a red light), the engine will drop to about 1k rpm and then slowly return to about 750 rpm. remember this should normally only noticably fluctuate when you give it gas, turn on/off a/c or heat, or when the radiator fans come on or turn off.

i dont know exactly how the auto would react to a bad maf, but i would think it should be pretty similar, since in an auto, when youre idling or come to a complete stop, the engine will still disengage...

Rhegaana

OK I like your answer..its the MAF. Where can I get a new one cheap and can a novice installl it himself.