I have been searching the org for hours to find out how to reset the Service Engine Light on a 2000 Max but have only found them for 4th gens and 2002+ (theowensfamily.com) (which I tried to no avail). Can someone point me in the right direction...thanks!

 

you have to have access to a OBD2 diagnostic scan tool. there is no screw on the ecu like on 4th gens. if you dont have the repair done for what the light went off for then it will just come back after the ecu cycles it back out.

 

There are two current philosophies on how to manually reset a 5th (6th) gen ECU, without an ODB2 thing-a-ma-bob.

Firstly you have the disconnect-battrery-and-leave-it-for-12-hours trick.

Then you have the disconnect-battrery-and-press-the-brake-pedal trick.

If a part is at fault (faulty O2 sensor, fuel level sender, coil...) the light will not go away since the device will continually trip the computer.

 

Disconnect the battery for one hour.....not 12 hours!!! go to auto zone and see what the fault code is first!!!

 

I know the codes and replaced the coils...so all should be fine again...just wanted to reset the light and see if I get anything more! What is the battery and brake trick???

 

Disconnect the battery and press the brake pedal to get rid of any charge in the system.

 

disconnect the Neg. bat cable for 24+ hours is what i was told.

 

i just disconnected my positive cable for one hour, and all the codes were gone, no more check engine light!

 

just make sure you know WHY you are getting a code/SES light.

 

This may sound like a dumb question: Does the powertrain warranty (not bumper to bumper) cover things that would trip the SES light? My 2K has run out of the bumper to bumper but is still in the powertrain warranty category and my SES light came on tonight. The car still runs fine and I have no idea what the problem is. Thanks.

 

I reset mine today.
I went to Autozone and they lent me their OBD II CP 9135 Diagnostic tool.
I've never done this before but it was really easy and took only 2 minutes to do.

This is the one that they lent me.


More info on the CP 9135
http://www.tradervar.com/OBD%20II%20Scanner.htm

Here are the steps
1. Shut of max
2. Plug tool into OBD port under the drivers side fuse box
(You should see the LCD light up on the tool)
3. Put the key in the ignition turn all the way without starting the car. (All lights on dash should be on)
4. Press the read button (Should display error codes at this point)
5. Write the code down
6. Press the erase button (Should turn SES light off)
7. You can also check the status to see if the light is set to be ON or OFF but it should be off at this point.

This is all I had to do but Just in case here's my Disclaimer.
DISCLAIMER: All information provided by here is to be used at your own risk. I am not responsible for any actions you take.

 

if the SES light went off because of something in the powertrain (tranny, etc, etc) then i would think so.

i believe your manual or Nissan's website defines exactly what the powertrain warranty covers.

first you've got to find out what caused your light. go to the dealership or get a scanner.

 

Chances are it's something not covered such as an O2 sensor. As others
have said, pull the code(s) to be sure, but if your car seems to be running
fine but the light came on, chances are it's the downstream O2 sensor
(the one that monitors the catalyst system). Unlike the upstream sensors,
it's not used by the ECU to help control the air/fuel ratio and doesn't really
affect drivability.

 

Thanks guys. I have an appointment for service tomorrow. Here is another dumb question: where does the code reader plug into on the Max?

 

The same Federal law which mandates that cars be OBD-II compliant also states
that the connector port must be easily accessible and below and to the left
of the steering wheel.

BTW, if you service is with the dealer be forwarned -- they'll probably charge
you at least $85 just to plug in their Consult and pull the codes. You're better
off going to Autozone and letting them pull the codes for free.

 

thwe way i reset my ecu is just disconnect the negative terminal on the battery and let it sit for a couple hours or minutes.

 

I have a OBD II CP 9135 Diagnostic tool and that resets it just fine.

 

if the code is emissions related, the cat and computer are covered for 80k miles. Just had mine reprogrammed for nada.

 

Yeah... I don't know where the "leave battery unplugged for 3 days" thing comes from. 30 minutes has worked fine for me. The only "charge" held in the system is the capacitors for the SRS system. Once they bleed down then that's all folks!

 

I went Kragen auto http://www.cskauto.com/ parts and they had a sale on the code reader ($99 after $30 rebate) and I could'nt resist. Here is the code reader but mine did'nt come with the carrying case: (I may have been jipped!)
http://www.batauto.com/articles/equu...e_reader.shtml

The code for my SES light was 'P0420: catalyst emissions efficiency below guidelines' or something like that. I would think this falls within powertrain for warranty purposes. What do you guys think?

Oh, and I screwed up and erased the code. If the SES light does'nt come on by tomorrow morning, i'll have nothing to show the Nissan technician.

 

Congrats, $99 is an excellent price. I went with a s/w code reader for the additional flexibility ($125 after shipping), but $99 for a self-contained unit is very tempting if all you want to do is get the codes and reset the light.

The good news is that there's a TSB about that problem and chances are your ECU probably just needs to be flashed with a newer version of the s/w which adjusts the tolerances. Unfortunately they'll probably do nothing since the code isn't there and even if it was, they'd probably balk at doing it for free. It's not covered by the powertrain warranty but you may be able to make a case by stating that it should be covered under the Federal emissions warranty (8/80) which does cover the ECU-- worth a shot. Call them up, tell them what code you got, and see what they say, but I bet you'll have to wait until the light comes back on (which could be a while). Good news part 2 is that it's not hurting anything and is most likely a false positive.

 

 

The book that came with the code reader had a lot of useful information. It tells you how many and what type of control systems there are, how they trigger the SES light, and how long it takes for the SES to turn off if the problem does not persist. Here's another tidbit: most cars have the plug underneath the steering, but some German cars have the plug underneath the seat, and some behind the ashtray. What will the Germans do next?

Hey RocketMax, your Max is just like mine (2K Sterling Mist SE). Mine is black leather. Yours?

 

Yup,
Black Leather, sunroof, Bose system and all options except heated seats. Oh and it's 5 speed too.
I love the color, I think my next one is going to be the 2003 Titanium Silver if I can find one. If not then Sheer Silver or Sterling Mist.

 

Wow, exactly like mine. Do you know what I had to go through to find a 5 spd with leather. But I guess I should have known Nissan made more than one like mine (LOL). I think I got the last 5spd leather in Southern California. Of course, I have gutted out the Bose in favor of a better system, and I didn't need the heated seat package anyways. I would have preferred a real silver rather than Sterling Mist (read almost champagne) but I get a lot of compliments on the Sterling Mist.

 

p0420 should be covered under emissions warranty. Just had my ECU reprogramed for the same code. Check your warranty book. The ECU and Cat are covered for 80k miles.