PLEASE RESPOND ASAP---->5th gen maxima major malfunctioning
**(e-brake &battery light)


okay i have a 5th gen 2000 max se. I just had some major work done at this nissan dealership and i swear that my car was running better before the dealer service then after. anyway i just got new headgaskets replaced becaue there was a severe oil leak into the gasket..but idk if they repaired the leak all the way bc when i went to get into my car this morning and backed up i saw a nice puddle of oil..under where my car was parked.

so long story short i was at a local gas station fueling up and my car had been experince some squeaks/rattles and i figuered maybe this is normal and maybe the engine just needs to be worn into the gasket a bit or something...not really sure...why the noieses occured. so after getting gas i went to start and the engine just immediatly started smoking and making very abnormal noises and things i have never heard the car make...Then the car had trouble idiling and almost shut off..then it did shut off and would not start. finally i let the engine rest for a few minutes and the engine started but seems like its loosing power or its not all there. The e-brake light and power/battery light is on and will not fade away. the ses light came on for a split second and then went away.

Please can someone help me out or give me a hint to whats going on here??? I got to work early at 8am so time is of the essence..i am thinking the oil leak was not properly fixed or something just amplified the damage that was done to my car before i took it to nissan and they just made it worse. honestly i am not really sure so i would really appreciate some fellow maxi experienced advice...thanks all advice will be taken into consideration and really need it FAST. thanks agian.

 

Check your oil level first and add if required, sounds like your loosing oil and that will cause all kinds of grief if your low on oil and you push sludge up into the engine and all the sensors. ebrake & battery light sounds like a charging issue or perhaps they did not tighten the battery cables properly and your ground may be loose ... if you can move the black negative by hand then you are going to have ground and charging issues. check those items first especially your oil level as that concerns me that it may be very low.

edit: if the noise you speak of is increased engine growl or the engine tone seem to be different and louder, I say very low engine oil ... and I wouldn't suggest doing any driving get it towed or do more damage.

 

Also check belts, check your alternator belt and alternator especially.

 

this.

 

Alternator. When my battery and brake light both turned on the alternator died in less then a half an hour..

 

I agree with the electrical power lose, but it is the pool of oil under the car that I find to be the most important thing to be worried about ... then the electrical issue

 

i recently had the alternator fixed about 6-months to a yr ago so im thinking thats not it...although it could be possible its bad..but i doubt it. Honestly im thinking they probably did not tighten everything back up all the way.

 

oil levels are okay..they seem to be fine.

is there anyway to tighten things myself by hand? Im thinking something is definetly loose or there is a loose connection.

 

Hard to say if anything can be tightened with out you visually seeing where the oil came from, you stated a pool of oil in the driveway so I find it hard to believe your oil level is fine as it came from somewhere or the word pool is slightly overstated but still very concerning. I agree with the guys on the electrical issues being related to the charging system, but I wouldn't be driving the car given the oil issue and where is it coming from.

 

it only really occurs during cold tempatures..i dont think the car really leaks oil in the summer/spring time it really just doesnt like the cold.


oh and btw guys get this..today i was driving on a rd in my town thats notorious for deers and after getting 1000 dollars of work done on my car this deer ran out at my maxi. i made avasive manuvers and dodged it. Idk if i went in front of the deer or it went behind me but i was so fking lucky man it was crazy. I have mad driving skills and luckily there was no one on the oncoming traffic lane bc it was only a 1 lane rd and i swerved into oncoming traffic..but it saved the max and me lol..bc i was not wearing my seatbelt...typical **cough cough** and it couldve potentially been really bad...but luck was on my side... either that or just hella good reaction time on my part.

anyways im gonna start the maxi up tomorrow and see if the ebrake and power lights are off and just hope for the best....please if you guys have any further suggestions or comments let me know thanks guys.

 

Yup. Both those lights came on for me last year, alt died about 15 hours later (and the car rode perfectly normal right up to when it died).


In fact, OP I'll be surprised if it ISN'T the alternator, but who knows...

 

Check Tranny fluid also (is it auto or manual?)

Obviously the alternator has nothing to do with the oil leak. But an oil leak could very easily be the cause of a failed alternator or belts.
Check coolant level, and powersteering level.

Powersteering fluid could have sprayed on a hot component, you could have a PS line leak.

You could have a coolant leak.

^either one of these could cause smoke, but also a smell (burning oil/fluid) did you experience any smells?

 

i'm sorry, but i would just take it back to the dealership and make them fix it without payment due by you and not try to figure out whats wrong with it. seems like, whatever teh problem was/is, its due to something they did..especially seeing as though you generated a ginormous puddle after having the headgaskets replaced

 

Did you visually inspect the alternator....I'm just wondering if they could of fouled the shiznit out of it with oil when they were working on your car.....

 

I agree phatboislim, would have immediately made a u-turn back to nissan...
Just when you thought you took it to the pros....

 

No need for you to try and figure it out right after they serviced it. Ask them to get you a loaner car too because you need a car for work. If they don't do it, or say the cost will be on you, then take it up with the service manager.