Anybody have this problem before?

2001 Maxima SE, 39k miles and the service engine soon light comes on, of course, right when the car gets out of warranty. Anyways, I took it to the Nissan dealer today and they come back with all this stuff. The code that they pulled was P0420.

- Front Tube Assembly $609.38
- Front Oxygen Sensor $137.43
- Gasket Exhaust (2000 MY only) - $2.98
- Gasket Catalyst - $7.57
- Gasket Exhaust (2001 - 01 MY only) - $2.85
- Gasket Exhaust Manifold, A - $4.49

They also said that my drive belts were cracked.

I told them not to do anything and I just paid the $80 diagnostic fee and got the hell out of there. When I got in my car I noticed my Service Engine Soon light was now off.

He also gave me this paper that I guess the dealers use to diagnose the problems. All of the parts the dealer quoted me on are stated on the paper are "only needed to be replaced IF my ECM part number DOES NOT match a Current ECM P/N in Chart A (Page 5)" and they are "NOT NEEDED if my ECM P/N matches a Current ECM P/N in Chart A." I have no idea what my ECM number is and furthermore, have no idea where to find Current ECM P/N numbers. I have no idea if the dealer is ripping me off.

I told the dealer I would in fact bring my car back in the next few days to have the Oxygen sensor replaced only and to see if that kept my light from coming back on. He told me if my light did not come back on, then my car was fine.

So my question is, should I even bring my car back to the dealer to have the Oxygen sensor replaced since my light is now off? If there was an existing problem with the sensor or the Front Tube Assembly (what the hell is that) would my light come back on? I need to know if once they turn the light off, will it stay off even if a problem exists or if it will come back on if the problem still remains.

Also does anybody know what drive belts are?

I just cant see dropping close to $1000 dollars on a car that is not even 4 years old.

Anyhelp is appreciated.. Thanks.

 

Just found out how to get my ECM P/N but I guess the dealer has to hook the diagnostic computer up to the car and it comes out on a print out. I saw the paper that has the number with my invoice when I picked up my car. Unfortunately, he made me a copy of all the pages except that one. Anybody know how else I can get the ECM number.

This is the link I found.

http://www.infinitihelp.com/Ownershi.../NTB00-070.htm

 

i just went went though something similar. your problem may be (mine was)my coils were misfireing and no setting a code . when this happens raw fuel is going into your precat possible causing your o2 code. further more nissian extended the warrenty on emmisons related items [i think it might be a law I live in Mass. it might be different where you live but im pretty sure nissian did] the bad news is you have to replace all 6 ign. coils 80$ from the dealer if you know anybody at a repair shop to order the for you and give you their cost it would be 50$ also i would not go back to that dealership any teck that sees a misfire should have all over the problem also the cost for putting in the updated ecu progam is 60$ that what I paid

 

You guys are scaring the hell out of me. I just got my state inspection and a few days later my SES light came on. I have 68,000 miles and no warrantee. *****!

 

I had the same problem at 33,000 miles with my SES light in my 2k Max SE. Brought the car to the dealership and had the rear O2 sensor replaced for about under warrenty. At 55,000 miles the SES light comes on again, and i got the front O2 sensor replaced for about $240. Since then, the SES light has yet to come on again. I'm at about 70,000 miles. A friend of mine has the same exact car and his SES light has been going on and off since 25,000 miles. He has yet to get his fixed and he's at about 35,000 miles. There seems to be a problem with the O2 sensors in a lot of nissan cars. I've seen this problem a lot in maximas. I'm not for sure whats wrong with the sensors but i remember hearing someone say that it might be caused by an over sensitive sensor.

 

there is a tsb for the 3.0L 5th gens that requires an ecm reprogram and to replace the two rear O2s. i work at a nissan dealership, all i did was reprogram the ecm.......the ses light is still on but im planning on getting the o2 sims for mine because im running a y pipe on a cali spec car.

 

Damn, the lights back on! I am thinking about just getting the O2 sensor replaced and not the front tube assembly (whatever the hell that is) and seeing if that corrects the problem. I really don't want to drop 1k on a car that is only 3.5 years old.

 

So about a week ago I disconnected my battery for a few hours to see if that would reset my service engine soon light. Well it did. The light has been off for over a week now.

Does this mean that my problem doesn't exist anymore? If the problem was still there, would my light come back on? I just want to make sure that I am not doing any damage to my car by ignoring the so called "problem", if it really was a problem.

Any comments appreciated...

 

the P0420 is a ECU glitch for 2001 cali spec maximas. Changing o2's and all that other crap won't help. It requires a dealer reprogrammed software to be downloaded via a nissan consult-II into your ECU.

wrong info is spread like a disease around here.

its covered underneath federal emissions warranty 90k miles

According to TSB NTB00-070a on March 15, 2001 for "2000-2001 Maxima MIL "ON" with DTC P0420 Stored 3-Way Catalyst Function"

(All TSB's can be found here. Subscription is required to view the full adobe format)
http://www.nissan-techinfo.com/nissa...ima_A33_EC.asp

[TSB]
SERVICE INFORMATION

If an applied 2000-2001 Maxima has a MIL "ON" with DTC P0420(Three Way Catalyst Fuction) stored in the ECM, it may be the result of an internal ECM Program Misdiagnosis. The catalyst should not be replaced.[edit: it's in bold in the TSB even!] This bulletin provides updated ECM data to reprogram the vehicle's ECM to correct the condition.
[/TSB]

 

i have always been under the impression that the federal emissions warranty would cover this but covers 8yr/80k miles instead of 90k. i am pretty sure i remember seeing 80k on the epa website a while back for certain components.

 

Thanks for the replies.. I read the TSB and it looks like that TSB DOES NOT apply to my car because my ECM part number is not listed on the bulletin. (I wrote the number down from the dealer). So I guess that means that the dealer was right with all the stuff they wanted to do, but I am hesitant to get anything done since my light has stayed off since I disconnected my battery...

Will the light come back on if my problem is still there?

 

I am positive your light will come back on. Reseting the ECU obviously makes the light go away but not the problem

take it to the dealer and tell them to perform that tsb part number. I didn't even have to tell my dealer

 

The SES light will come back on again. It gonna cycle after certain about of miles driven after you reset the ECM, the ECM gonna check again then set the light off again.

 

I'm surprise to read that most of you guys had a SES light on. I have 37k miles and never had a SES light come on before since I bought it spanking brand new.

 

I never had a SES light ever for 3 years when I had a 01 auto. And thats cause I never modded it

 

GO BACK TO THE DEALER- that part is covered 8/80 and if the o2 doesnt come out of the manifold then thats covered also- the ecm reburn can also be covered to 80k- I work for a dealer- any questions PM me

 

I just had my code read P1320, the auto rep stated he felt it was OS sensor.. I felt thru these boards its the coils. I am ready to order the coils thru a rep of this site and install myself.

Do u think i can get this under warranty? do u think it could be my o2 sensor

I have to point out we have been getting 20mpg with rough idle sometime. The SES light went away.

 

don, look up the code in FAQ. 1320 is a popular error code look thru the threads, there are many posts. But just because it is an 02 dosent mean the current 02 is bad. The ECU might need to be reprogrammed.