Cool, if this starts happening I'll know it's "normal" and not freak out TOO much. For now I have decided to let things be. My inspection is up in six months and if I still have a light then I'll let them "fix" it by replacing whatever sensors, solenoids, valves, etc... they think necessary (or I'll take it in when it stops running normally).

 

I have gotten p0011 3 times back to back to back. I have been experiencing the dumb crappy acceleration. Like someone said it feels like u are playing with the gas pedal during acceleration when in fact you are at the same location. usually feel it at 4k rpm and greater. the car in general is way slower. oil was low the first time the light came on. other 2 times oil level has been fine. car feels like absolute crap and it almost feels like its gonna die soon. I dont know where to start. It is cold outside and I dont want to check a million things and I dont want to pay a shop to do that for me either. Any ideas?

 

Move to California?? (Well, that'll fix the extremely cold weather!)

You *must* have fresh, clean oil and ensure that it's full to reduce the probability of this code. Where you live ("BURRRRRRRRRR!"), you should probably be running 5W-30 during winter and NO THICKER. (The valves are oil-actuated and there are tiny orifices/passages within the valve bodies). Frequent oil changes are A MUST (max 3,000 miles between changes till you sort this thing out). If it's not been changed in awhile, do so ASAP, then check for the codes.

If it *is* indeed a bad Intake Valve Timing (IVT) solenoid/valve (that's what the P0011 indicates a fault in), prepare for a BIG BILL, both for parts and installation (particularly the one on the firewall side is hard to access). My experience suggests this code is thrown when the valve(s) isn't/aren't "bad." (Think: like a computer bug). So I wouldn't start there, due to your price sensitivity.

An idea that MAY help you is to replace both the camshaft position sensors and the crankshaft position sensor(s). These cars/engines are NOTORIOUS for crappy sensors that often trigger similar problems. You should start w/ the cam ones, as this code relates to the valvetrain. Don't be surprised it the ECU then tells you the crank one's bad, as my card did. If that doesn't fix it, there's no waste, since it's good to get rid of the stock ones anyway. If you choose to take the code "literally" and replace the IVT, you run the risk of being "wrong" and your wallet will be lighter. You can do the sensors yourself, by the way, if you're good w/ a wrench at all (skill level= BASIC).

 

Knock on wood; I have NO transmission issues in 108k miles, so NO, slippage is not considered "normal." Yours is the first post I've seen claiming slippage.

 

Not necessarily "normal" but common. There is a TSB for it that requires a valve body replacement. Clean, proper smelling ATF but a cold weather 2-3 upshift flare that goes away once the car reaches normal operating temperature. The Transgo shift kit fixes the problem too. Mine has had soft (and occasionally) flares on the 2-3 cold upshift since I bought the car with 113,867 miles on it. Several ATF drain and fills and Lucas Transmission Fix and 79,000 miles later, the tranny actually shifts better than when I got the car. Still ease up on the gas a bit just before the first few 2-3 upshifts until the engine warms up but it has a noticeably firmer feel than when I first got the car. BTW, there are several threads here about this very issue.

Doesn't seem to be an age related issue either, I remember reading a post about someone complaining about the cold weather 2-3 flare after he installed a transmission cooler on his 18 month old, 15,000 mile 5.5 gen.

Regarding the P0011 code, do you think a reflash might help?

 

My CEL turned off on it's own a while after I got the oil changed but it has since returned. Cold slipping of the trans continues but thus far it returns to normal after about 5 minutes driving. I'm not even going to look into fixing it at this time. The transgo kit sounds interesting, but I have no desire for hard shifting or "performance" shifting since this is a family car. Maybe Vin Diesel lives his life a 1/4 mile at a time, but I live mine a baby seat and lolly-pop stuck to the back of my seat at a time.

 

Re: P0011. I have inconclusive feedback on that for you. Don't laugh, but my car's coming up on 4 MONTHS (NOT A TYPO!) in the local shop. You name it, they've done it, including MULTIPLE flashes. It's actually thrown the cam sensor codes (UGH!) sporadically while they've been troubleshooting it, though they've been switched twice! Whether P0011/P0021 vanished due to the flashes or as an outgrowth of other changes made during diagnosis, I can't say. The ECU was swapped, then the car had no power and "different" issues, so they finally swapped my original back in, and the hard-starting continues. It's a virtually insoluble problem I've got. Contacted Nissan via their website and it appears they're not "enthusiastic" about hooking me up w/ an expert of some kind to diagnose/fix it (a line mechanic will financially bleed me dry retracing all the obvious, usual steps). The two local dealers have HORRIFIC reputations, so I'm hoping they can help me somehow. My hard suspicion is that the P0011/21 codes are "junk" codes triggered by something else. Since my car threw both simultaneously and I change oil frequently, it's quite doubtful both solenoid/valve assemblies "died" together.

 

What I usually get is a P340 code for the bank 1 camshaft position sensor (which was replaced under the recall at 45k miles and then again by me at around 125k miles) and occasionally a P0011 code and every once in a great while, a P0021 code. Always a pending code on all three, never an SES light. No hard starting issues either.

Only happens if I get on the gas hard when the engine is cold (so I don't do that anymore) or if I hit the rev limiter which can happen on cold streets when I get on it at low speeds and it spins hard before it shifts into second. Every so often it will happen when the engine is warmed up but much more prevalent with a cold engine. My car will hesitate a time or two while accelerating, then go into a limp home mode. Turn off the car, erase the pending code(s), restart and everything is fine again.

Replaced the cam position sensor, cleaned the IVT solenoid grounds and had the engine flushed. Regularly check the oil so it never falls below the low oil line. No one seems to have a real clue what the problem is and since it isn't a constant problem, I live with the occasional hiccup.

 

So, if I understand correctly, you are just going to live with it and deal with it as the codes come up?

My 2002 SE w/ 48K on it has a p0011 and is due for a sticker at the end of Dec. I'm pretty good about getting the oil changed every 3K. The car isn't driven much, maybe 5K per year and doesn't seem to have performance issues.

I'm wondering if clearing the code will allow me to get a sticker or if there has to be enough "data" for the inspection computer to do it's thing.

 

Depending on where you live, clearing the code may or may not work.

If you clear the code and immediately drive to emissions, you'll fail because your car's monitors won't be set. You need to complete a drive cycle before you can try letting emissions scan your car.

I don't know where you live, or what your state's requirements are to pass, but I know in my county, we can pass emissions if we have all but one engine monitor set.

My suggestion? Buy (or borrow if you can) an orange Actron scanner, the one that can read codes AND engine monitors. Plug it into your car and clear the codes, and then watch for all (or as many as you need) of the monitors to reset. If the SES light doesnt come back on, take it to emissions.

And that's how I get through with my headers.

Back on topic:

Car finally threw a P0011 code after multiple bouts of a mystery P0300 code. I'm going to take it to Nissan today and see if they'll replace it under the TSB, or if it's already been done on my car (I'm the second owner).

I skimmed the thread, but I didn't notice if anyone has ever had any P0300 issues as a result of a bad CPS? I can see where it'd be very possible if the timing was over-advanced as a result of a failing sensor.

Oh well...I'm going to go to Nissan and see what they say. Then we'll go from there if the P0300 doesn't go away.

 

Correct. In my case, once I clear the pending codes, they don't come back until I get that hesitation on acceleration and my car goes into limp home mode, which might be anywhere from once a month to once every 90 days or so.

 

Within a short time of buying my car, I got the SES. I had the code read and found out it was the P0011, 0021 combo. The car had sat for a long time at a dealers lot, so I changed the oil and the light went away.

Unfortunately, the light came back on a short time later and on a whim I went to non-ethanol gas. Well, the light has gone away again. Are they connected? Who knows but these seem like pretty high strung engines and real picky fault computers so it may have been that simple. Fingers crossed it doesn't return. I'm done with Wawa gasoline for a while I guess.

 

I have an 02 Auto SE that I bought in 2008. I have only put synthetic oil in it since I bought it. My car never had these codes. The last few days I had my car in the garage with the front end on jack stands as I was putting in all of the ES bushings aside from completing other tasks and work. Each time I start to work on this car, I find more & more seized nuts and stripped nuts making me despise the previous owner. I did not change the oil, but when I finished with the suspension, my car would not start. I tried each of 3 set of keys once before NATS- Lock-Out Mode. When I checked the OBDII, it threw P0011, and P1612. I was expecting the P1612 but not the P0011. As of now my car is at the Stealership waiting to have my keys re-programmed for $105. In the meantime was a resolve for the P0011 code ever found?

 

Funny that you mentioned this. A couple days ago I was washing my car at one of those self car washes with those high pressure rinse guns. I left the car running and soaped it up and then sprayed it down real good. Made sure I got in the front of the radiator because there was soap running down the hood. It ws VERY VERY cold. the water inside the bay was frozen my hands were super cold even wearing gloves. Anyway when I got back in my car and started driving wasn't even a few seconds and the SES light came on. I immediately pulled over and pulled out the ODB scanner from the glove box (everyone should own one) and checked the codes. P1614, P0011, and some other camshaft advance timing crap. I did not notice any engine performance problems or anything so I reset the codes. So far the car is fine and no problems at all....we will see if the light comes back. I checked the FSM and there are 3 inputs to determine the way the IVT (Intake Valve Timing) functions; Camshaft position sensor, Vehicle speed sensor and engine coolant temperature sensor. I am no expert BUT I believe the light came on because I was spraying the raditor with that super cold water and that perhaps triggered some kind of low coolant temp and then caused IVT to act up. I don't know, but that is my conclusion. Been driving the car around for awhile now and the codes havent shown up again. I also did some research and read alot of stories about people coming from car wash getting the P0011 code. It seems my assumption could be correct. Then again Im no master mechanic.