Hey guys,

Something very strange happened to my 02 Maxima SE last night.

I was driving home last night and it was freaking cold outside, almost -8F. So anyways when all of a sudden I notice that my dashboard lights became dimmer and my tach, speedometer, gas and water temp gages all went to 0. Trip computer was blank as well. Also rear view mirror was not on, that little green light was not ON. My radio and heat and other things worked fine. Then I noticed after I pressed on the throttle, the car would not accelerate and I barely rolled to my house.

I checked the fuses and they seem fine, but I didn’t check all of them.

Do you guys have any idea what could have happened to my car?

Thanks.

 

Low battery voltage is the culprit, most likely due to the cold. If you are using an OEM nissan battery, you might want to check that its all topped up and that its in good shape.

 

Yeah I will check my battery. I will try to jump start it, and see if it holds up.
I was worrying that it was something more serious.

Thanks.

 

could be alternator voltage regulator.

 

I think you may have a bad cell in your battery. If you do not have enough voltage/amps coming from the battery, the ecu does funny things. I learned this the hard way with a 3rd gen maxima

 

Well, I never had that problem with my maxima...but I owned a 95 grand am before and I had almost every problem a car could have. When my alternator went, my dash did almost the exact same thing. The car died soon after.

 

I have a 2001 Maxima that is having the exact same problems. Have put in new battery and also new alternator but still have the problem. Taking back to dealer tomorrow but does anybody have any other ideas?

 

Hey. Sorry to steal this off topic. But getupngo. We have a big group here in louisville that gather a lot. PM for more details. We go to bowling green and e town some too. I got my maxima at a Burkesville dealership.

 

Hey guys, so I tried jump starting the car and that didn't really help. I mean I didn't really need it in the first place, the car does start by itself, but if you try to drive it will die pretty soon and then you try to start again it won't start. And then if you let it sit for a while and try to start it and it starts. Very strange.

I am not sure what is the problem really. Maybe the batter is bad, but why would it start at all?
Or alternator is bad?

I am going to have my car towed to Nissan tomorrow and see what they say.
I was trying to fix it myself so I don't have to pay Nissan for fix it. But not sure what else should I try to do. I was thinking to buy new battery, but what if it is not the problem. I doubt I will be able to return the battery.


Things that don't seem to be working on the car are:
1. dashboard(meaning all the gauges)
2. rear view mirror that used to light up with green light now doesn't light up
3. When I rev the engine it revs and then it feels like engine cuts back the revs.

Thanks for you help agian guys.

 

I was gonna joke that you're getting abducted by aliens spacecraft. What I probably could think what's wrong is a possiblity that your knock sensor went dead or your ECM is shot, especially a freaking frigid weather you have up in MA. Again, Nissan can diagnose it better with mysterious electrical problem

 

could be your alternator.

Car starts because the battery has charge, but dies after driving... Battery juice used up. Wait a while and the charge regains a bit and starts, but then dies again. Since you're getting your car towed in, have them check the alternator. They might do that anyways. And if the battery is bad too, might as well change that too. Nut since the oem battery is not maintenance free, check the fluid level, if low add distilled water only.

 

So if Battery juice is used up and alternator is bad, is that why when I rev the car while standing it revs only like half way(can't really tell because my tach gauge is out) and then cuts off. Feels like fuel cut or something like that.
Is that because not enough power in my battery?

 

hmm, that's really weird. Do you have a multimeter? Test to see how much voltage your battery is putting out. I think a good battery should be putting out 14v?

I don't know why your car cuts out half way through the rev band... could be a fuel delivery issue too... ignition. Did you end up towing the car to the dealer? Did they find out what's wrong?

 

Yeah I took my car today (towed it more actually) to the dealer.
They looked at it and said that it is ECU (engine control unit).
I am not 100% sure if that is actually the problem, because they didn't sound too sure either.

I asked them why would my car die and not start after I started and tried to drive a little. Also why does my rear mirror is not working, but map lights and radio does. Not really sure of the answers myself.
I also asked them why when I rev my car it start to rev and when it feels like fuel cuts off.
Anyways they going to look at it more tomorrow, but if ECU is the problem when it will be $500

Thanks for your help guys.

 

Best of luck!

Attaching to hear outcome.

 

Hey so you think it might be the low voltage problem with my car?
They told me yesterday that it is probably the ECU.
Could diagnostics be showing that ECU is messed if my battery is bad and alternator?
What I don't get is why would my car die after I try to drive it a bit and when I would try to start I won't be able to. But after I let it sit for a while it will start.

Car is still at the dealer now, not sure what they will do with it. I guess if they won't find anything else they will put new ECU board.

Just wondering if anybody else had ECU problems with their cars.

Thanks.

 

Ok dealer fixed my car. It was some wire harness that was damaged. They said the wire that is going to ECU, so my ECU was fine. Just the wire. Not sure how this wire got damaged.
Car drives good now though.

Thanks for your help guys.