My 2k2 has 40,000 miles on it and is completely stock.

TSB: http://maxima.theowensfamily.com/tsb/NTB02-051a.pdf

I've been reading the stickies about this and I'm still confused whether Nissan should pay to fix this or I should. Towards the end of a 2,000 mile trip and while driving around in the mountains (after a few trips to redline in 3rd gear to pass people on a 2-lane road) my CEL came on. Autozone said I had two P0138 codes.

So from the stickies it appears that my 02 sensors need to be replaced and the ECU needs to be reprogrammed. But there is a TSB for it...so what should I do exactly? Is this covered under the emissions warranty?

I'm headed out now...thanks in advance for your help! Hopefully I can get this fixed tomorrow while I'm still on vacation.

 

You will have difficulty getting this covered outside the bumper to bumper warranty.

I have seen some people say that the reprogramming part of this for sure should be covered under the 80,000 mile OBDII emissions warranty. I have also heard people say that because the programming could theoretically cause the O2 sensors to fail, it should ALL be covered under that warranty. Good luck trying to get that from Nissan. If you somehow manage, please post back and let us all know how you did it because you would be in the minority.

 

My 2k2 had 49,000 miles when my rear 02 sensors threw codes. I printed out the TSB and took it to my Nissan dealer, Autoway Nissan in Clearwater Florida. With the TSB they replaced the 02 sensors at no charge. They are very adamant about maintaning their "owner first" service status with Nissan so this may have been a factor but their service is always top notch unlike most other Nissan dealers.

good luck

 

I went through the exercise with a stealership on the same issue and ended up paying $100 to get it confirmed it is a sensor and that it is not covered under warranty. Sensors are covered for 3yrs/60,000km only, I was told (even though I flashed the TSB in front of them)... I replaced it myself and yelled at the thieves for taking my $100 just to tell me it is not covered under warranty...

Hope you are of better luck!

 

its seems the easiest way to do this is to buy OEM sensors from the dealer, install them, go in with tsb in hand and receipt asking for PSM reprogram under emissions warranty.

you cant really prove that the PCM caused a failed o2. itll never happen.

 

Well, I've had some luck with getting things like this by assuming it was going to happen and spreading that assumption around. So we'll see. And if not...oh well. It sounds like it's an easy DIY repair, aside from the ECM reprogram.

 

O2 sensors are supposed to be covered under the emissions warranty. Which depends what state your in, maybe the manufacture as well, not sure tough. Are you guys that are having problems getting the dealer to cover it, over the emissions warranty?

 

The problem with this is that in order to do the TSB, they'll want you to replace both O2 sensors even though only one of them might be throwing the code. I would almost prefer to PAY them to do the reprogram first, and then change the O2 sensor(s) afterward if it is stilling throwing codes.

 

Well in Nissan's books 3yrs/36k on oxygen sensors.
Reprogramming 8yrs/80K, overlaps bulletins that require sensor replacement.

 

Well...the CEL went out. Can this code be caused by something stupid, like a loose gas cap?

 

It will be back at some point later......they always return. Chances are it is probably just an intermittent problem right now.

 

Pardon my ignorance, but what do O2 sensors do exactly? My gas mileage doesn't seem to be affected, if anything it's a little better than it was before.

 

O2 sensors signal to the PCM wether the exhaust gas is on the rich or lean side of stoichiometry, basically a feedback signal to the PCM wether the fuel metering is correct. post cat O2 sensors monitor the catalyst efficiency and have nothing to do with feedback fuel mixture, under normal operating conditions. they use a titania, or more commonly a zirconia element which generates a voltage based on the difference of oxygen in the atmosphere, vs. oxygen int eh exhaust. O2 code will NOT be caused by a gas cap loose. and Nismo_Star is correct, O2 sensors are not covered under federal emissions warranty.


they wont perform the reprogram without replacing both O2 sensors, per the TSB. otherwise they may not get the warranty claim. besides, theyd like nothing more than to sell you o2 sensors and labor time, especially when its justified.

 

And P0138 is for the post-cat O2 sensors, correct? So even if they were malfunctioning, it wouldn't actually cause any harm, only indicating that I'm polluting more than I should be?

 

not necessarily even polluting... though it is an emissions component, and you dont have a catalyst monitor, you could be polluting more.

 

I'm sorry if this derails the thread some, but has anyone ever heard about the possibility of these codes being thrown due to using bad/non-premium gas? The reason I ask is because my car is currenly at the dealer to fix a P0139 code which is still (just barely) covered by my warrenty. I asked the service tech if this was a common issue and he said yes, usually due to using the wrong kind/bad gas. Pardon my ignorance, but is there really that little of tolerance between using 89 and 91 octane? I know premium gas is recommended, but still.... Thoughts?

 

P0139 really doesn't have much to do with Fuel Octane Levels as it's the O2 sensor mainly. Read up on it here.

 

Thank you for the quick response. That is exactly the answer I was looking for. I appreciate the help!