Car starts but dies when cold (not weather related, cold meaning parked for at least half a day) unless you give it a little gas to keep the idle up... If the car is warm (> 1 min. after starting), car stays on. In either event, the car has no trouble starting.

Starter cranks and all...

Plugs changed with OEM platinums...

Throttle plate was cleaned up...

I've read through many pages but have found nothing similiar. Any suggestions as to what else the problem could be?

Thanks.

 

Could be a clogged fuel filter, or how about clogged fuel injectors? If you've got the original fuel filter, it's about time you change it. To clean the injectors, use any of the recommended fuel additives, like Techron. Wait till you're low on gas, add a bottle, then fill the tank.

By the way, have you checked your ECU to see if any codes show up?

 

Any CEL's? Sounds like ECTS.

 

Happened to me. Changed my ECTS... fixed.

 

I have the exact same problem. I just bought a 98 Maxima in Houston (my 00 Accord went completely under water in New Orleans). I changed the plugs and the coils... also put in a K&N air filter... The car won't stay running when it's cold outside unless you keep giving it some gas for about 30 secs...

The car has 139,000 highway miles (it used to belong to a woman that did sales all over Texas).

It seems that if it were the fuel filter or injectors, then it would do it all the time, not just when it's cold....

BTW, what is an ECTS??? (sorry, I'm new to Maximas)...

 

Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor. Where can you get this? Do you have to go to the dealer? Also, about how much?

 

www.pinnaclenissan.com 27$

 

www.worldpartsexpress.com - $18.94. But I haven't ordered from them yet.

And I agree with the others - replace the ECTS.

Dave

 

I was gonna say IACV, which was my problem.
Jae

 

no CEL.

i suspect the ECTS as well after some searching. with you guys posting the ECTS as a fix as well, i hope it is just that.

i ordered one from nissan already and should have it on monday.

thanks all.

 

I changed the ECTS and it still does the same thing... What is the IACV???

 

No you don't have to go to the dealer. But it's cheap enough anyway, even at the stealership. I picked up mine a while ago for $27 at the dealer.

 

so changing the ECTS didn't fix the sarting and dying problem.

fuel filter was changed and IACV cleaned not too long ago. it happend then, too. there are no error codes. so, what else can do try?

 

I had the same problem. The culprit was a switch in the ignition that was bad. Now I'm not a mechanic but that's what my mechanic told me. The part was about $50 and it's been starting perfectly fine since. I tried everything before that: new plugs, fuel filter, even had someone tell me it's my fuel pump. Even had the starter changed.

Now my problem is the starter. Nothing happens when I turn the key, tried the old trick to see if it's the battery; turn the headlights on and turn the key, if the lights dim, it's the battery. The lights did not dim. No crank, no noise, no nothing.

 

did your car start with the bad switch at all? any idea on the name of that switch? location of it?

mine starts but it dies... the rpms go up to 1200ish, give or take, and dips down. sometimes the car doesn't die and the rpms go up and bounce until it settles at the warmup temp. mostly, it dies.

thanks.

 

I currently have this same problem. When the car is cold, it starts and sometimes dies right away. Keeping the revs up for a few seconds keeps it running... just like what everybody else described above.

Looking at the coolant temperature sensor - if this was bad, you would get a check engine light. That is not the case here. Plus, my coolant temp sensor was replaced 3.5 years ago.

Any ideas? Does anyone know what this ignition switch is, that PA SE Max is describing above?

 

having the same problem as well with my 98 with almost 90k on the clock. i will go to start the car and it will just dye out.

 

a buddy of mine told me that if the starter is beginning to die, it sometimes sticks when you first start the car. what happens when the starter sticks is that it will give an extra load killing the car when cold.

i've changed the coolant temp sensor and my car still does the same.

i haven't gotten around to swapping out the starter just yet to see if the problem goes away.

 

I've been doing some searching and reading, seems like ther eare several 4th gen's that are having this problem, me included. I am hoping it's my IACV, gonna clean it this weekend after the temps go above freezing !

 

I would recommend cleaning the throttle body out because it solved my problem of stalling during cold weather. In order for me to start it, I would have to rev it for 4-5 seconds in order for it to not stall.

If it is 50+ degrees out, the car is fine. So before even cleaning out the IACV, I would recommend doing this. Get some STP throttle body cleaner, old toothbrush, and some towels to wipe out the grime and your problem may be solved!

 

I would be inclined to believe this in my case, since I am running a rebuilt starter (this starter has been rebuilt 3 times in 2 years). However the last rebuild was only a couple of months ago and it cranks very well at this point... getting a new starter would be an expensive way of potentially NOT solving the starting problems.

maximaxgtr - I did clean my TB about 3-4 months ago ... maybe it is time again?! I hate cleaning my TB since my Cattman CAI couplings that Cattman shipped me are like 1/4" - 1/2" too small... they are a b!tch to get on and off!

 

TPS clean the connector or get a new one - i had the same problem - with surgging as well till it warmed up.

 

have you checked the knock sensor?

I had one go bad years ago and I would be in traffic at idle and the engine would cut off.

its a relatively cheap part, if i remember.

 

Cannot be the knock sensor. I replaced mine this summer with a brand new one from Nissan.

I actually tried fuel injector cleaner too on my last fill-up. I was at almost empty and I dumped a bottle of that in and filled my tank. The problem is still there ... it is a bit better but it is still there.

 

I have the same problem with my car, not completely related, but can I ask how do you guys change your ECTS? Once I unplugged it I can't unscrew it out by hand and I can't use a socket because the connector is right on top of the sensor. Can I ask what tools did you guys use, there is not much room to manuever around there.

 

id bet on iacv (intake air control valve) clean it first before buying a new one. clean your tb as well, my freind had the exact same problem, cleaned iacv, runs like new.

 

I cleaned my throttle body and IACV, and it solved my problem !

 

The simple act of spraying throttle body cleaner into my throttle body fixed this exact problem for me.

 

my turn to join the club... my car has been having all the same symptoms as described above.

i am going to change my fuel filter and clean my throttle body this week so i will post on my results when i do

 

My car has a similar problem, except that the engine dies while slowing down. I pull over crank the engine and it start like nothing happend. I can drive for a few weeks before it happens again. No CEL, except once it indicated O2 sensor that did not come back after a reset.

 

my 98 max is doin the same exact thing....those of you that got it fixed, what did u do?

 

bump 10 char

 

mine does the same, I feel like something under the hood have to switch to cold engine, then idle speed will increase to certain amount(like 1400 for cold engine instead of 700 when engine is in normal temp). i can hear something, after that idle increase and engine would not die, seems like that switch is stuck in cold temp or take some time to switch.

 

Any updates from those that said they were going to clean their TB's??

 

my car takes a while to heat up any suggestions?

 

According to the Haynes manual from what I read, a hard start when it's cold could also be the sparks. Might try that in a few days when I head down to Pep Boys..

Edit: Yup, that did the trick for me. Great start in the cold morning.

 

my uncles 98 has the same problem , when i had this exact problem( hard starting in the morning or when the car sat for over 5 or 6 hours ) in my 00maxima i changed the MAF sensor and like magic the problem went away. I guess I'll clean the iacv and the throttle body before i make my uncle spend $240 for a rebuilt MAF. If anyone has already tried swapping the MAF and it did't fix the problem please lemme know. also does anyone knows where i can get a MAF for cheaper than $240 the info would be appreciated, thanks

 

ETCS was my problem.

 

anyone know a good place to get MAF for a good price?