Just wondering if anyone knows how long it takes once you clear the codes for the computer to be ready to be tested. I have a code reader and it says if it is ready or not and i have driven 35 miles and it still says no. I have heard it could be 40-50 miles but it is different on every car, does anyone know on these cars? I plugged it into another car and it says yes just to see.

2000 SE 5speed if that matters

Thanks

 

Maybe 75 miles or so?

 

Depends on how many cycles anywhere from 50-100

 

What constitutes a cycle? Is just jumping on the freeway and driving the fastest way to get the cycles cuz you're racking up the miles?

 

There's not really a "set" mileage. Your not going to tick over to 54.32747 miles and it will be ready, I would suggest daily driving it for a couple days (atleast ~70 miles) and it should be ready.

 

Unfortunately I dont have the luxury of time, I have to get emissions by the end of the week and there has to be no codes and ready to test. So i need to know for sure that it is ready so i guess i will just drive drive drive. If it comes on i gotta figure it out, reset it and drive some more. I just wanted to get an idea of what to expect and i pretty much got it, so thanks for the input.

 

the question is why did you clear the code? or why did you do a reset. If the car has issues, some of the sensors will never be ready unless everything is working properly. As for drive cycle, its needs to see a cold start to warm, some steady accels to 55 and hold for a few minutes, allow the car to coast to 20 without brakes, repeat a couple of times, etc. Full loading, and maybe even at least a half a tank of gas to get the evap system tested. You should check to see how many "not ready" you are allow for your year model car in your state to pass inspection. Different years can have different number of monitors not ready. Nissan do have a very specific drive cycle that will help you get every monitor ready real quick but depending on where you live, it might be impossible to duplicate. That is why you probably need to drive 50-100 miles normal driving. Normal meaning not just hop on the highway and do 100mph and in one hour you are done. It doesn't work like that, the computer will need to see various driving condition to perform all of its test.

 

Funny how everything you need is in the owners manual in a section no one ever looks at.............here are the steps word for word from your owners manual for a 2000 maxima: I'll give you credit if you can follow it word for word because, like I said depending on where you live, it might be impossible to do and expect everything to be ready in 20 miles and half hour of driving. That is why they usually tell you to drive it for a week or so and come back for inspection if your car is not ready.

1. Start the engine when the engine coolant temperature gauge needle points to C. Allow the engine to idle until the gauge needle points between the C and H (normal operating temperature).
2. Accelerate the vehicle to 55 MPH (88km/h), then quickly release the accelerator pedal completely and keep it released for at least 6 seconds.
3. Quickly depress the accelerator pedal for a moment, then drive the vehicle at speeds of 53 to 60MPH (86 to 96 km/h) for at least 5 minutes.
4. Stop the vehicle.
5. Accelerate the vehicle to 35MPH (55 km/h) and maintain the speed for 20 seconds.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 at least 3 times.
7. Accelerate the vehicle to 55 MPH (88km/h) and maintain the speed for at least 3 minutes.
8 Stop the vehicle (shift lever in the "p" or "n" position)
9. Rev the engine up between 2500 and 3500 rpm and hold it for 3 consecutive minutes, then release the accelerator pedal completely.
10. Wait 5 seconds at idle.
11. Rev the engine up between 2000 and 3000 rpm and maintain it for 5 consecutive minutes.
12. Turn the engine off.
13. Repeat steps 1 through 8 at least one more time.

Basically all this should cover most of your monitors....o2 heaters function, o2 function, catalysis, mis-fires, egr, etc..etc......

If step 1 through 7 is interrupted, repeat the preceding step. Any safe driving mode is acceptable between steps. Do not stop the engine until step 7 is completed.

 

ok, to the op just saw your other post and i'm guessing you just cleared the 420 codes and expect the car to be ready for inspection. My advice, is after you changed the rear o2, clear clear the code, go for a drive and don't pound on the car, some of the monitors won't trip a cel light until it sees a two trip. But if the code is pending (after the first trip but no cel light yet) it will stop the other monitors from being checked and you will have a car that will just say that it is not ready. since your code is for catalyst efficiency or something in that nature drive with a light foot for the drive cycle to keep the exhaust cleaner. o2 extenders are not wire extender. it is physically taking your rear o2 out of the exhaust stream so that it thinks that it is not seeing the crap that you converter hasn't converted yet.

 

Lots of good info, i do not have an owners manual yet tho. I know the code will come back if i just clear it but i replaced the other Bank 1 o2 sensor and it it came back so now I will replace the other one after the cat. I was just trying to figure out a way to get it to be ready sooner then later. I only have till next saturday because i bought the car out of state and i have 15 days to register it here in WA or i get nailed with fees.

One of you mentioned "safe mode", will the car go into this during the testing phase? The car runs fine and smooth but just doesnt have the power it should but it will rev all the way up to red line just doesnt put me back like my 97 SE did.

Thanks again for the info, i am fairly new to the OBD2 world, i have 2 other vehicles with it but never have had any real problems in the 6 years i have owned them and now bam i am getting educated in the last week because of the Max.

 

I think a year 2000 model are allow 2 not ready monitor
and 2001 are allow 1 not ready.

your best bet would be to have everything ready except the catalyst and one maybe one other monitor, this way you can have the car pass inspection before the car throws the catalyst code.

The only "legal" / loophole way of getting it to pass is........you have to figure out which part of the drive cycle is to test the catalyst and not perform that part of the drive cycle. This way, it will be one of the thing that shows up as not ready because car never enter that test cycle. you then go and get your inspection done with the catalyst portion not ready but everything else is showing up ready (or at maybe one more not ready, model year 2000) and you will have time after your legal inspection to fix your car.

 

What if I just let it run all its tests and the light is on. Then I replace the sensor and when it gets to that test again the light will go off right? Then I won't have to wait for all the other test again.

 

If you are trying to pass inspection, you cannot have a check engine light on. If you allow the computer to run all of its check and it trips the cel, you will fail your inspection test. Having the system saying it is not ready yet is different than having the system say you have a faulty emission part. That is the reason behind getting all of your other sensors/tests report back as ready and then go for your annual emission testing. Your state allows you to have 2 sensors report back as "not ready" for model year 2000, and still pass emission testing. If your car is saying that there is a failure you will have to fix the fault, clear the codes, redo the drive cycle and return for reinspection. The loophole to get a "legal" inspection is to have all of your other checks report back as ready and just have the catalyst portion report back as not ready and still pass inpsection. Since you mention have a code scanner, you should leave it plugged in and once the car has enough sensors showing ready, go get it inspected. If you wait for the cel to come on, you will fail inspection.

 

+1

Also, the catalyst portion test runs when you coast on the highway. If you never go on the highway or brake like maniac while exiting the ramp, you can keep that test from running.

If I recall, 2001 onwards allow only one incomplete.