O.K. Here's one for everyone.
A week ago the max was running fine. Drove it home from work. The other half took it (he was going to change the oil) and called me 15 min later asking me if the car was running horrible for me. I said no and he said that it was hesitating really badly. He took it to work and put the scan tool on it. The car popped up with nine codes. Everything from KS, to MAF, to Evap sensor. The suggestion was to swap out the ecu. Great..did that car ran like a dream the whole way home and for the next 200 miles. Then the car started to hesitate and lurch(think of a newbie first learning to drive a manual). I pulled into the next gas station and let the car sit. 30 min later I started the car and drove the 200 miles back home without as much as a hickup.
The next day I drove the car 300 miles and just as I was getting to my destination the car really started to lurch but this time was also cutting power on me. Again I called the dealership and now their suggestion was to replace the air sensor. I did this and the car ran o.k. enough to make it to the dealership. I picked it up from the dealership( they have no clue what's going on). and it ran the same crappy way on the way home only now this time it now lurches and surges, cuts power, and then there are times that when you give it gas you can hear the engine reving but the car seems to stall out and not engage.

Any ideas? What in the heck do I try next. I don't believe that it is "just time for the car to die and not be able to be repaired" as the nissan dealership told me.

 

I would get your alternator tested ASAP.

 

..how many miles on the car? are there any codes currently?

 

It could be the alternator is going I had similar problems with a Saab 9000 I owned, maybe a partially clogged fuel filter or could even be a vacuum hose with a crack or a kink in it, (although highly unlikely). I would check the alternator first.

 

something that i would look into which is a quick and easy thing would be the battery grounds.

Normally when i see a ton of odd ball codes i would check the battery ground. 9 times out of 10 its not it but that 1 time will kick you in the butt.

A list of all the codes would of help, someone with the wiring knowledge might know what the common thing was. Also you never stated after the ECU replacement did you get those same 9 codes back or what.

 

you are putting HIGH grade gas in right, iv seen low grade cause soem maximas to not even start, really passes off the ECU

 

wtf.....BS.

 

Yeah it could be electrical, and speaking from experience, alternators come and go as they're dying...one week it's fine, the next week it's off and on weird, the next week it's fine again, the next week it just dies. That happened to me for about two months until I finally realized it was the alternator. Do you get a constant whining noise from the engine that goes up and down with RPMs? That would suggest strongly that it's the alternator.

 

Thanks guys. I'll grab the list of codes that it's throwing and post them up. Yes the list is mostly the same after I replaced the ecu. I'll check the alternator and the battery grounds, the fuel filter was replaced the last oil change and the injectors and all that good stuff have been gone through as well, does anybody think that it could possibly be the ecm?

 

Sounds like a similar problem to what I was having. The would buck lose power surge. I found my problem to be a short in the wiring for the maf sensor. Start your car and pop your hood and wiggle the wires around the plug for the maf sensor and see if the idle changes or the car dies. If so then you found your short. The dealer will want way to much money to fix this because they will tell you that you need a whole new wiring harness because of where the short is. I cut about 6 inches into the wiring harness and spliced some 16 gauge wire into it then soldered it to the pins on the maf sensor and siliconed it to keep moisture out. That solved all my problems with the car except the knock sensor code that I get.

 

thanks guys for all of your suggestions. I replaced the maf again and the ecm this time and the car is back to running good(well so far anyway) so I'm not sure which one was the problem but at least it's fixed.

 

(Everyone, sorry for jumping on this thread but I am a newby and I can only reply to posts, not start a new one).

Can anyone help me solve my starting problem? The engine will not crank over, but I don't think it is a battery or battery cable problem because when I turn the key, the only lights that disappear is the clock. If it was the battery ALL the lights should go out. All other warning lights stay on - which means to me it's either the starter solenoid is open or its something else in the starting system. I'll bet this one is easy for you 4th Gen owners.

thanks,
John in Virginia

 

When you say the engine isnt cranking, do you mean it isnt turning over or it isnt cranking at all?

 

When I turn the key nothing happens at all, as opposed to the starter engaging and not being able to turn a seized engine. Like I said, the battery is fine so it's something in either the security system or the starting system. My guess is bad Neutral Safety Switch, inhibitor relay, theft warning relay or ignition switch.

 

definately check your starter. If you can get your car jumped then any auto parts store will be able to test it for you. If not take it out and take it down to them to test.