5th Generation Maxima (2000-2003) Learn more about the 5th Generation Maxima, including the VQ30DE-K and VQ35DE engines.

BEWARE of Throttle Body Issues!!!

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 08-12-2005, 09:17 PM
  #1  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
 
Shogunsc4's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 718
BEWARE of Throttle Body Issues!!!

A Nissan tech told me that numerous of Altimas and Maximas had had throttle body issues in the past and has to be replaced. I'm not sure if this is the same issue that another org'er had in which a spring would get sucked into the engine. I'm still researching. In the past 6 months (~5000 miles) I have blown 3 MAFs ( 2 "am600" and 1 "2yoo1" ). Took the car to the stealership and after 4 hours they found out that it was a fried throttle body. Estimated cost of repair is ~$1600 (TB=$1200; MAF $400 installed). Very scary!!! 3 years of ownership = 4 MAF + throttle body + NO WARANTEE.

Symtoms: car startup very weak with low ~500rpm idle. Strugglish accelerate, at times the car will not run after startup (wouldnt even rev) but after restarting the car it MAY run but in safe mode. Blowing MAF after MAF.

Dealership claimed: Intake fried the TB from "too much air" and "bad filtration" . Asked me why I didnt use their nismo CAI 'coz its covered.

Will I purchase another Nissan in the future...lol...i guess this thread answered it.

Just beware of a potential problem.
Shogunsc4 is offline  
Old 08-12-2005, 11:08 PM
  #2  
drag racing is for wussies
iTrader: (15)
 
BlackBIRDVQ's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 6,023
Make sure to clariffy that this issue only applies to the 3.5L and 2.5L in the Altima, and 3.5L Maxima. Us 2000-2001 owners have nothing to worry bout but maybe a MAF if you still have the older design. I have 123K miles on my car and only MAFs have troubled me in the past.
BlackBIRDVQ is offline  
Old 08-13-2005, 01:19 AM
  #3  
Need A Light?
iTrader: (28)
 
steven88's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: SoCal, CA
Posts: 8,649
ouch...sorry to hear your losses....imma never touch my TB ever again...

a few months ago I remove my intake manifold to clean the TB+IM runners...sprayed the crap out of the IM full of TB cleaner....also moved the butterfly plate manually and sprayed the crap out of it too...wiped everything clean and let it dry for a few minutes...then put it back on and everything ran smoothly...next thing u know, I started reading up on IM+TBs for 5.5 gens and found out alot of people broke them...lol...i wont ever touch mine again...imma consider myself fortunate that nothing broke..
steven88 is offline  
Old 08-13-2005, 06:43 AM
  #4  
Supporting Maxima.org Member
iTrader: (1)
 
boondoxmax's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 1,415
I dont quit understand these whole TB cleaning. What does the dealer do when they clean your TB. I had mine done on my when they serviced it and i have know idea what they did to clean it but the car ran better ................
boondoxmax is offline  
Old 08-13-2005, 09:33 AM
  #5  
Supporting Maxima.org Member
 
BewstAdd1ct's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Lakeland, FL
Posts: 1,587
ive found several t/bs on car-part.com , some as low as $150.

a dealer cleaning the tb just involvs spraying a chemical on the carbon'd areas, and sometimes wiping or brushing it off. ill clean a t/b without fear of its failure.

what cleaners are you guys using?
BewstAdd1ct is offline  
Old 08-13-2005, 10:45 AM
  #6  
Custom User Title
iTrader: (12)
 
Nismo3112's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,688
Ouch.. I did my entire 3.5 swap for the price of your TB..

I try to stay away from the dealer BS as much as possible.
Nismo3112 is offline  
Old 08-13-2005, 10:48 AM
  #7  
Custom User Title
iTrader: (12)
 
Nismo3112's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,688
Originally Posted by steven88
I started reading up on IM+TBs for 5.5 gens and found out alot of people broke them...lol...i wont ever touch mine again...imma consider myself fortunate that nothing broke..
I don't understand how people are breaking their TB just by cleaning them. When I took apart a 2k2 TB, it was nothing more than a butterfly plate, motor and a few gears.
Nismo3112 is offline  
Old 08-13-2005, 10:51 AM
  #8  
Rob01ski
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Originally Posted by BewstAdd1ct
ive found several t/bs on car-part.com , some as low as $150.

a dealer cleaning the tb just involvs spraying a chemical on the carbon'd areas, and sometimes wiping or brushing it off. ill clean a t/b without fear of its failure.

what cleaners are you guys using?

YO this only aplys to 02-03 maximas that have drive by wire throttle bodys, you know the electronicly controlled ones
 
Old 08-13-2005, 11:02 AM
  #9  
VQ Wizard
iTrader: (7)
 
SR20DEN's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 6,663
Originally Posted by Shogunsc4

Dealership claimed: Intake fried the TB from "too much air" and "bad filtration" . Asked me why I didnt use their nismo CAI 'coz its covered.
Did they give you any vaseline? Any tech or service writer that has the audacity to give a stupid answer like that should be fired on the spot. It sucks that they're allowed to get away with this crap.
SR20DEN is offline  
Old 08-13-2005, 04:49 PM
  #10  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
 
Shogunsc4's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 718
Took it to the stealership and got everything fixed at a cost of $1680 (TB+MAF+labor). I didnt want to wait and risk losing my engine but I think I will call Nissan America to see if I can get something back...but I hightly doubt it.
Shogunsc4 is offline  
Old 08-13-2005, 08:42 PM
  #11  
Need A Light?
iTrader: (28)
 
steven88's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: SoCal, CA
Posts: 8,649
Originally Posted by Nismo3112
I don't understand how people are breaking their TB just by cleaning them. When I took apart a 2k2 TB, it was nothing more than a butterfly plate, motor and a few gears.
i really dont know...its electronically controlled...and they say its sensitive....o well
steven88 is offline  
Old 08-14-2005, 07:51 AM
  #12  
Supporting Maxima.org Member
 
bigEL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,307
Originally Posted by Nismo3112
I don't understand how people are breaking their TB just by cleaning them. When I took apart a 2k2 TB, it was nothing more than a butterfly plate, motor and a few gears.
Probably the same way people break their motorized CD trays or faceplates by yanking on them. Strip a gear (especially plastic ones), bend a shaft or plate, and the TB doesn't close complete or in the right position and the ECU throws a fit. If the motor was geared down, then you are applying a lot of torque to the plate even though you're just to move it a little bit. It's not something I would normally think about, but having read it, I wouldn't touch my TB.
bigEL is offline  
Old 08-14-2005, 08:54 AM
  #13  
Senior Member
iTrader: (8)
 
nismo_star's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Oakland Gardens, NY
Posts: 634
Originally Posted by Shogunsc4
A Nissan tech told me that numerous of Altimas and Maximas had had throttle body issues in the past and has to be replaced. I'm not sure if this is the same issue that another org'er had in which a spring would get sucked into the engine. I'm still researching. In the past 6 months (~5000 miles) I have blown 3 MAFs ( 2 "am600" and 1 "2yoo1" ). Took the car to the stealership and after 4 hours they found out that it was a fried throttle body. Estimated cost of repair is ~$1600 (TB=$1200; MAF $400 installed). Very scary!!! 3 years of ownership = 4 MAF + throttle body + NO WARANTEE.

Symtoms: car startup very weak with low ~500rpm idle. Strugglish accelerate, at times the car will not run after startup (wouldnt even rev) but after restarting the car it MAY run but in safe mode. Blowing MAF after MAF.

Dealership claimed: Intake fried the TB from "too much air" and "bad filtration" . Asked me why I didnt use their nismo CAI 'coz its covered.

Will I purchase another Nissan in the future...lol...i guess this thread answered it.

Just beware of a potential problem.
2002+ Altimas,Maximas,Muranos,Quests do have TB issues, which NISSAN is addressing.
The symptom described above sounds like a TB, but MAF ??? (again..?)
A TB replacement would 99% be caused my a MIL on dash, P2135(TP Sensor)

As for cleaning the TB on above mentioned cars, you can clean it out no problem, but when your idle is at 900+rpm, get friendly with a Nissan Tech with access to a Consult II.
Especially when a MIL comes on the dash and it shows P0507(ISC System)

As for being called a stealership, its people that read one thing on a forum, and ASSUME it applies to their vehicle as well.
Numerous times I've had "NISSAN" forum members "..demand, because I read it on forums.." I show them the Nissan bulletins, which shows it does not apply to their vehicles, and it turned out be the outside influences of taking his door panel apart and breaking it. I tried to help him, by ordering the part, and letting him know I will try to have NISSAN cover the part(GRT for those who work for NISSAN), but he slammed me on my CSI survey after Cam/Crank Position Sensor campaign. At that point I refused to cover it under Nissan Warranty.

Debris in a TB can cause problems, as well as air flow meters since as mentioned, drive by wire, intergrated intake air temp in MAF, and smaller tubing in the intake tract vs a 3.0 ???(yeah its true) compare a VQ35 vs VQ30 MAF.
nismo_star is offline  
Old 08-14-2005, 08:57 AM
  #14  
Senior Member
iTrader: (8)
 
nismo_star's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Oakland Gardens, NY
Posts: 634
Originally Posted by SR20DEN
Did they give you any vaseline? Any tech or service writer that has the audacity to give a stupid answer like that should be fired on the spot. It sucks that they're allowed to get away with this crap.
It sucks that some people on NISSAN forums are boneheaded at times too and should be educated on TSBs/RECALLs, the difference between them, and which apply to them.

Think of it from my angle.(Behind The Desk.)
nismo_star is offline  
Old 08-14-2005, 09:22 AM
  #15  
Donating Maxima.org Member
 
Gennady7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 701
Originally Posted by SR20DEN
Did they give you any vaseline? Any tech or service writer that has the audacity to give a stupid answer like that should be fired on the spot. It sucks that they're allowed to get away with this crap.
According to my stealership here in brooklyn, my Place Racing motor mounts made my engine too rough and it caused my throotle body to break. I went back to OEM ones and found out it was cause we attempted to clean it.
Gennady7 is offline  
Old 08-14-2005, 10:14 AM
  #16  
Supporting Maxima.org Member
 
BewstAdd1ct's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Lakeland, FL
Posts: 1,587
Originally Posted by Rob01ski
YO this only aplys to 02-03 maximas that have drive by wire throttle bodys, you know the electronicly controlled ones
YO, i know... and i said:

Originally Posted by BewstAdd1ct
ive found several t/bs on car-part.com , some as low as $150.

meaning, for the 02-03 maxima... yes, the electronically controlled ones.
BewstAdd1ct is offline  
Old 08-14-2005, 10:17 AM
  #17  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
 
Shogunsc4's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 718
hey nismo star...in your opinion do you think a call to nissan1 would help a little? Their service was good and i liked it but the BS the sevice manager gave me over the warantee is questionable. I didnt want the issue to get worse so I took it in the next day and paid for the repair. But know with a new TB, my car idles at 900 rpm with SES light on and now they say its the MAF..what do u think?
Shogunsc4 is offline  
Old 08-14-2005, 10:49 AM
  #18  
VQ Wizard
iTrader: (7)
 
SR20DEN's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 6,663
Originally Posted by nismo_star
It sucks that some people on NISSAN forums are boneheaded at times too and should be educated on TSBs/RECALLs, the difference between them, and which apply to them.

Think of it from my angle.(Behind The Desk.)

I am fully aware of your side. There are boneheads on all sides of auto repair and unfortunately they seem to get the most exposure.
SR20DEN is offline  
Old 10-14-2007, 12:51 PM
  #19  
Senior Member
 
Kryogen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,531
Expensive repair, damn
Kryogen is offline  
Old 10-14-2007, 12:52 PM
  #20  
dot dot dot ...
iTrader: (22)
 
NmexMAX's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Santa Fe, NM
Posts: 34,588
Any reason why you bumped a 2 year old thread, aside from trying to boost your post count.
NmexMAX is offline  
Old 10-14-2007, 05:46 PM
  #21  
retired moderator
iTrader: (38)
 
irish44j's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Burke, VA
Posts: 27,289
last time my MAF went bad, I told the dealer the code and they said I needed a new throttle body. Told them I'd just take a new MAF please and the guy was like "it's not going to fix anything, dude." Needless to say, a new MAF fixed the problem...

Nissan techs = morons.
irish44j is offline  
Old 10-14-2007, 07:14 PM
  #22  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
 
Shogunsc4's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 718
man....are you guys trying to remind me how I threw away $1600+ 2 years ago.....I hate nissan stealership.
Shogunsc4 is offline  
Old 10-14-2007, 07:26 PM
  #23  
Cletus
iTrader: (5)
 
SoonerFan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: OKC, OK
Posts: 23,676
Originally Posted by Shogunsc4
man....are you guys trying to remind me how I threw away $1600+ 2 years ago.....I hate nissan stealership.
a newbie bumped it to get to 15 posts

i did the same thing earlier this year (messed up throttle body)
SoonerFan is offline  
Old 11-13-2007, 04:45 PM
  #24  
...NYG...
 
antonello104's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Shambala
Posts: 38
If you slip the tec a 20 the TB can be reset. i clened mine and had the code and the high rpm they fixed with there computer after 5 tries and saved me big money... IT CAN BE FIXED CHEAP !!!!!!!!!!!!11
antonello104 is offline  
Old 11-13-2007, 05:51 PM
  #25  
Cletus
iTrader: (5)
 
SoonerFan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: OKC, OK
Posts: 23,676
Originally Posted by antonello104
If you slip the tec a 20 the TB can be reset. i clened mine and had the code and the high rpm they fixed with there computer after 5 tries and saved me big money... IT CAN BE FIXED CHEAP !!!!!!!!!!!!11
bad info...cant always just reset it

place your pic in your sig instead of the actual post
SoonerFan is offline  
Old 11-13-2007, 09:01 PM
  #26  
Senior Member
iTrader: (19)
 
AnDyMaN's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: lawrenceville, ga
Posts: 1,707
Originally Posted by soonerfan
place your pic in your sig instead of the actual post
AnDyMaN is offline  
Old 11-14-2007, 06:52 AM
  #27  
dot dot dot ...
iTrader: (22)
 
NmexMAX's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Santa Fe, NM
Posts: 34,588
There have been many ways 'out' of this 'problem'. Many different things have worked for many different members. Bottom line, don't do it unless you are willing to pay the consequences, i.e. worst case scenario.
NmexMAX is offline  
Old 11-14-2007, 07:14 AM
  #28  
Cletus
iTrader: (5)
 
SoonerFan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: OKC, OK
Posts: 23,676
Originally Posted by NmexMAX
There have been many ways 'out' of this 'problem'. Many different things have worked for many different members. Bottom line, don't do it unless you are willing to pay the consequences, i.e. worst case scenario.
IT CAN BE FIXED CHEAP !!!!!!!!!!!!




the dealership cant do it...but if you just give a random tech $20, he can miraculously do it
SoonerFan is offline  
Old 11-14-2007, 07:15 AM
  #29  
dot dot dot ...
iTrader: (22)
 
NmexMAX's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Santa Fe, NM
Posts: 34,588
Originally Posted by soonerfan
IT CAN BE FIXED CHEAP !!!!!!!!!!!!




the dealership cant do it...but if you just give a random tech $20, he can miraculously do it
How bout 10 ones wrapped in a 10.
NmexMAX is offline  
Old 11-14-2007, 07:19 AM
  #30  
Cletus
iTrader: (5)
 
SoonerFan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: OKC, OK
Posts: 23,676
Originally Posted by NmexMAX
How bout 10 ones wrapped in a 10.
if only i had know that before spending all that money on a TB and ECU


SoonerFan is offline  
Old 11-14-2007, 07:24 AM
  #31  
dot dot dot ...
iTrader: (22)
 
NmexMAX's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Santa Fe, NM
Posts: 34,588
<-------- Didn't pay a thing
NmexMAX is offline  
Old 11-14-2007, 07:26 AM
  #32  
Cletus
iTrader: (5)
 
SoonerFan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: OKC, OK
Posts: 23,676
Originally Posted by NmexMAX
blah blah blah and i have a MAF housing with more girth
SoonerFan is offline  
Old 11-16-2007, 09:28 AM
  #33  
...NYG...
 
antonello104's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Shambala
Posts: 38
Hey sooner the teck was a friend. It is a common problem that the dealership loves to ripe you off for. the TB has it,s on computer in it it just needs to be reflashed.. i also fixed my picture problem sorry about that am new..... in fact this was the problem i had that i stumbled onto the site..
antonello104 is offline  
Old 11-16-2007, 09:32 AM
  #34  
Cletus
iTrader: (5)
 
SoonerFan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: OKC, OK
Posts: 23,676
Originally Posted by antonello104
Hey sooner the teck was a friend. It is a common problem that the dealership loves to ripe you off for. the TB has it,s on computer in it it just needs to be reflashed.. i also fixed my picture problem sorry about that am new..... in fact this was the problem i had that i stumbled onto the site..
we all know about this.
in your case...they needed to do the relearn procedure. you need to realize that doesnt always work.

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=394257

Last edited by SoonerFan; 11-16-2007 at 09:43 AM.
SoonerFan is offline  
Old 11-17-2007, 07:50 PM
  #35  
...NYG...
 
antonello104's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Shambala
Posts: 38
I stand corrected but it worked for me but it did take five times for it to work. still worth a shot.
antonello104 is offline  
Old 11-17-2007, 07:52 PM
  #36  
Cletus
iTrader: (5)
 
SoonerFan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: OKC, OK
Posts: 23,676
Originally Posted by antonello104
I stand corrected but it worked for me but it did take five times for it to work. still worth a shot.
it is worth a try...but you acted like $20 to a tech would fix the problem. im just making sure people realize that isnt always the case
SoonerFan is offline  
Old 07-22-2009, 08:45 AM
  #37  
Newbie - Just Registered
 
safman16's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 15
Help with P2135

I have a 2003 Max SE with about 105K miles. I recently had the 100K service done along with a new radiator at my local mechanic (no dealership). The other day I was driving and I lost all power to the engine. The SES light came on. I went to autozone and had P2135.

I brought it back to my mechanic and he said that the entire throttle body system needs to be replaced. It's about $199 for the parts from Nissan (rebuilt) and $150 for labor.

One concern he had was that we might need to bring it back to Nissan to get the computer reprogrammed once he installs the new TSB. Has anyone heard of this? Also, could doing the 100K service have caused this?

Thanks.
safman16 is offline  
Old 07-22-2009, 10:39 AM
  #38  
Supporting Maxima.org Member
iTrader: (3)
 
LA02MAX's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Posts: 5,432
Originally Posted by safman16
I have a 2003 Max SE with about 105K miles. I recently had the 100K service done along with a new radiator at my local mechanic (no dealership). The other day I was driving and I lost all power to the engine. The SES light came on. I went to autozone and had P2135.

I brought it back to my mechanic and he said that the entire throttle body system needs to be replaced. It's about $199 for the parts from Nissan (rebuilt) and $150 for labor.

One concern he had was that we might need to bring it back to Nissan to get the computer reprogrammed once he installs the new TSB. Has anyone heard of this? Also, could doing the 100K service have caused this?

Thanks.
$150 labor to replace the TB is ridiculous. It's held on by 4 bolts and has a couple electrical connectors attached to it. It's 100% accessible, so there's no reason you can't buy a $5 ratchet set and do this yourself.

Also, when installing the TB you are going to want to do the throttle relearn procedure. Look in the stickies at the top of the page for something like "how to reset 2002-2003 ECU" and it's a bunch of pedal pressing and key turning.
LA02MAX is offline  
Old 07-22-2009, 02:07 PM
  #39  
Newbie - Just Registered
 
safman16's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 15
Thanks for the info. I'm new to this so sorry for the questions.

Is the throttle relearn procedure the same as resetting the ECU? What is the difference? I have seen the pedal pushing scenario to get the codes from the SES light. Is that what you mean by resetting the ECU?
My mechanic said that the car should adjust itself over time to the correct idle.
safman16 is offline  
Old 07-22-2009, 03:48 PM
  #40  
Senior Member
iTrader: (2)
 
SteveB123's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Ottawa Ontario
Posts: 1,023
Originally Posted by safman16
My mechanic said that the car should adjust itself over time to the correct idle.
Mine didn't....waited 6 months, battery disconnect, idle relearn a zillion times, tied forcing it lower with plug disconnect, basicly all the tricks NOPE.

One stop at the dealer, and ta-DA.
Done.
SteveB123 is offline  


Quick Reply: BEWARE of Throttle Body Issues!!!



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 02:23 AM.