azi30tsalinas

Okay so I was test driving my car after a thermostat replacment, new radiator, and reinstalled alternator(after I got it check and passed)and car started fine with a rough idle(which it had for the last two weeks) after it warmed up. I let the car run to purge air and refill coolant then went for a drive ,for first 5 min around town at 25 average and it started running hot about 1 line above middle temp. So I did the turn heater and fan all the way up thing and it didn't cool down . So I went to store( which was up a tiny incline no more the 25 feet long and not very steep and my car engine cut out. Lights remained on radio stayed on engine cut out. So I put it in park and attempted to start car, starter was cranking but no start. Second attempt started car, it got me to a parking spot but died as I got in parking spot. Now car won't start at all as if it ran out of gas. So I listen for the pump to prime before turning key to start ,it would the first time but after a few attemps to start I couldn't hear pump turn on anymore but the gurgling from under the hood after car shuts off(what I think is part of fuel line and what I normally hear after I shut off car). But while my key is in the ignition before turning over(like to listen to radio with out turning engine on)I can hear a clicking sound coming from front of engine. As I inspect further I get under car and notice it coming from inside the tranny case. I can feel it with my hand pressed against the pan near front of car. All this with engine not running . So after I take key out of ignition gauge lights turn off but all other dash lights stay on(oil light ,o/d light, slip light, batt. light etc. Stayed on for a few seconds while my gas guage showed my 1/4 tank of gas then a noticeable click sound then it all turned off the clicking tranny and the weird lights. I have no idea what's going on I cleaned the crank sensor under the drive pulley. But no luck I don't have money to get it towed or to pay for a mechanic . I usually work on my car my self, but this has stomped me I got no idea what's going on can anone help me figure this out? I will post a video of what it's doing . Before any of these problems started I got a check engine light for p0134 o2 sensor fault. And a week or so before the no start condition my speedometer gauge would fluctuate below actual speed but peak up to the speed I was really going.

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

Taking the key out of the ignition should turn all the dash lights off. I wonder if the ignition switch (which is screwed on to the backside of the ignition key cylinder) is bad and maintaining electrical connection when it is off.

azi30tsalinas

that's a video of whats going on... sounds like Wile E. Coyote put a bomb in my tranny hahaha

Montego Murph

iTrader: (1)

Something is telling me to check your grounds. There's something funky about the way your gas gauge hops like that when the starter is chugging.

Also, just for kicks since you're sensing something from the transmission, try starting it in Neutral. Maybe the safety switch is confused.

Are there any new CEL codes? If you don't have a scanner, get one now. Our Max/I3x's are great cars, but they are highly electronic in nature and will pretty much tell you what's wrong. I have this one and it's suited me fine for nearly 10 years. For a few bucks more you can buy one at Harbor Frieght, a lot of bucks more at a local parts shop.


I'm wondering if the recent overheating pissed off your crank position sensor. Here's what I experienced when mine went out.
https://maxima.org/forums/5th-genera...t-restart.html


Anyway. Get a code reader and tell us what codes come up, and then we can all walk through this together. With any luck one of us might even be right!

azi30tsalinas

Thanks I will definetly get a scan tool, it was showing when the car died but I assumed it was p0134 code AutoZone picked up a week before that was it. Thanks everyone for the help hopefully I can fix this.

azi30tsalinas

Will a screwy neutral safety switch cause these problems. I did try to put car in neutral and start it I got a rough start but it died back out. I was cranking it before in park so I must have drained the battery before I tried in neutral. also if I shift the car in the neutral with the shift lock when car is off then put key in ignition I get the clicking sound but once I shift to other gears the clicking stops all together, but I didn't have enough juice in battery for the starter. so my guess is either the Neutral Safety Switch or the inhibitor relay are bad

Montego Murph

iTrader: (1)

OK... buy two things: a code reader, and a battery charger. Get one with multiple settings -- Trickle, standard, and start.

Put your battery on trickle charge for a few hours and give us a code reading. Then we'll look at the rest of the weirdness.

azi30tsalinas

Ok so this morning I tried starting my car in neutral. so I gave it a jump put car in neutral and.......boom car started. I let it run in neutral for a couple min while I parked the car I used to jump it with and went back and the car shut off as I walked up. so that gave me some relief to hear it running. I just bought a reader and scanned it and got back ONE code p0180 fuel temp sensor A circuit.

azi30tsalinas

Went and got a new battery and Neutral Safety Switch and tried to start the car but no start, cranking but no start up. so I tried in neutral....nothing, no start in park and no start in neutral. I figured cuz I got the start in neutral before and not in park I assumed it wasn't getting a code for some reason and decided to replace the neutral safety switch(life time replacement plus it was only 40 bucks). but it didn't fix the no start problem soooo I seen someone on here say that they could get the car started if the code reader was plugged in. so I gave It a try and put my reader in and started it right up. No check engine light and no idle problem I even took it for a drive and it drove fine. I don't know if it causes more damage driving with it plugged in so I didn't go far. parked it at home and now I'm trying to figure out whats going on. But based on what ive been reading the IACV (Idle Air Control Valve) goes bad the shorts out the ECU, and the power that turns on the code reader completes a current to the ecu and turns it on. which then allows u to turn car on. ???? why tho. shouldn't the ecu be acting crazy like not know where the Crankshaft is or air/fuel ratios or misfiring. why does it act perfectly with the code reader in it?

The Wizard

iTrader: (43)

The whole IACV goes bad and shorts the ECU only applies to Maximas that came with the 3.5 engine. Since I'm pretty sure you have the VQ30DE engine in your I30t, this doesn't apply to you.

SpeedCrazie

iTrader: (81)

I am pretty sure this issue was a 2000-2001 maxima / i30 issue

The Wizard

iTrader: (43)

Crap, do I have that bass ackwards? If so, my apologies OP.

azi30tsalinas

Yeah my symptoms are pretty much the same as past threads with a iacv shorting the ecu. But what I don't get is if the iacv was shorted wouldn't it not work or cause a rough drive, or wasteful mpg. I haven't driven it too far but around town for about 10 min at about 25 to 40 mph and no problems. Last night I plugged in the code reader and went for a drive, no problems and a plus I got 2 codes after replaceing the battery and resetting check engine light . The codes where p0134 bank 1 sensor 1 o2 sensor and p0154 another o2 sensor can't remember which one sensor 1 bank 2 I think. So can a bad Maf sensor cause a no start condition cuz I know for sure it's bad(dioed on sensor is missing) but it starts right up with the code reader plugged in, just like the iacv and ecu problem. I think I'm getting close to the problem. ....oh and nice Tech n9ne referance!

azi30tsalinas

Okay, now that I learned about the p0505 code and that its a Idle Air Control Valve malfunction......but so far I haven't got that code yet. I had the code p0180 Fuel temp sensor A. circuit. then I replaced my battery and neutral position switch since I was able to start in neutral. After putting in new NPS and battery car would no longer start in neutral. also p0180 code was erased after battery change. After reading about the IACV shorting and taking out ecu I read how you can start car with code reader plugged in? So I tried and it work so far ive driven it about 20 miles in a coarse of 3 days. the idle is a little abnormal but not stalling. I did notice a coolant smell everytime I get out of car after a drive but thought it was the old rad. cap on new rad. but today decided to inspect further. I located a leak at a small coolant hose next to idle control valve closest to front of engine. should I stop starting the car? I feel like coolant can enter the cylinders from that point ( Ive never seen the insides of a IACV before)

azi30tsalinas

Should I drive my car with the reader plugged in until I get the p0505 code for a bad IAVC. I wanted to take the ecu to get repaired but not sure if its needed since I haven't got a code just the codes for o2 sensors.

azi30tsalinas

So After doing research and not finding the symptoms I was having anywhere else I decided to bite the bullet suck up my pride and take it the Dealers for the $99.95 diagnostic and after 5 hours of watching my car wait for someone to look at it. I left to get something to eat and got a call from dealer saying they fixed the problem and car starts up without scan tool and has no codes...???? i asked what was the problem he said it was a ground issue.....the ecu grounds to the engine we loose and they cleaned and tightened the bolts and car starts up fine. That's it, you had it right. all the trouble i had for a couple loose grounds......so word to the novice like me, do your research and ask plenty of questions cuz it could be a simple fix.