Maxima Forums - Help with 01 Maxima Codes 1706 and 0171, and car won't idle

I've got a problem with my Maxima - any help would be greatly appreciated. I live in KY and was taking a trip out West a couple of week ago. The car started off fine. About the middle of Kansas the CEL came on. Everything was running fine so I just figured whenever I came across an auto parts store I'd get the code scanned - then pretty much forgot about it :o

Spent time in CO, WY, ID - car ran perfectly. About 10 days later we were coming back through MT had smelled a bit of an electrical short type of smell for an hour or two. I stopped to get gas, depressed the clutch at the end off the off ramp and the car died. Started it again and it died again - just wouldn't idle. So I started it and kept my foot on the gas to keep it running. Managed to drive it to the gas station and as soon as I pulled up to the pump and pushed the clutch it died.

Found a shop and the guy scanned it for me. It had a 0171 "System to lean bank 1", and a 1706 "P/N position switch Ckt" code. We cleared the codes and started it again - still died. Tried a few more times and kept it running with the gas some, but couldn't get a code to come back. Didn't know what the problem was so I figured I'd just keep driving. The car ran fine as long as it was moving in gear or had gas given to it. You could be driving along, push the clutch in and the rpms would go straight to zero, let the clutch back out and the rpms would go back up and keep driving. I have a shop and do mechanic work part time I'd rather do stuff myself. Halfway home the CEL came back on. Got home and scanned it - same codes.

I figured it was the idle air control valve and hoped the ECM hadn't gone too. I tried cleaning the iac first - no luck. I just replaced it today and now it will idle but "surges" and idles high. I went through the relearn and it didn't change anything.

My first question is am I correct that the 0171 is a separate issue? Or does it affect it somehow?

Secondly, what is the purpose of the P/N switch on the manual tranny? One of the preconditions for the idle relearn is that this switch be "ON". How do I tell if it is? There are no indicator lights and I can't find anything to show it on my scan tool. Is there a "default" position for the switch? If default is ON, then good, but it default is OFF, then perhaps that is why the car won't relearn?

Sorry that was a bit long-winded :) Thanks in advance for any help!