2004 4cyl 5sp frontier light throttle driveability

goinkster · Feb 8th, 2006, 11:49 PM

Hello, I just bought this 04 frontier 4cyl 5sp. It has 20k miles on it. I am wondering if my truck has a problem or if it just the characteristics of the truck. It runs fine down the freeway, however at low speed 10 - 30 mph with light throttle the truck seems to jerk. If I try to hold the speed steady at say 25 mph the truck will jerk as I lightly let off the gas or lightly step on the gas. There seems to be a dead spot in the fuel delivery. It is still under warranty; however before I take it in I was wondering if anyone else might be experiencing something similar.

abmobil · Feb 8th, 2006, 11:57 PM

Cant say Ive noticed any abnormal jerking but, I know that dead spot in fuel delievery your talking about.
Its extremely annoying , but normal.
My dead spot happens under accelration somtimes depending on how ive be driving it.
Its more likely to happen if Ive ben real easy on it and then I want to stomp on it a bit or if im strting from a light it will sometimes feel like it has a dead spot.
I think its the ecu trying to squeze maximum fuel economy out of it.
sometimes its very spirited even from stops and then that dead spot comes out of no where.
It happens to mine as well as another friend that has the same truck as I.

mitchell35758 · Feb 9th, 2006, 02:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goinkster

Hello, I just bought this 04 frontier 4cyl 5sp. It has 20k miles on it. I am wondering if my truck has a problem or if it just the characteristics of the truck. It runs fine down the freeway, however at low speed 10 - 30 mph with light throttle the truck seems to jerk. If I try to hold the speed steady at say 25 mph the truck will jerk as I lightly let off the gas or lightly step on the gas. There seems to be a dead spot in the fuel delivery. It is still under warranty; however before I take it in I was wondering if anyone else might be experiencing something similar.

I have noticed it too, if it is the same as your issue. Are you talking about only in first gear? This is the only time I have the problem. When I am riding along in my apartment complex in first gear usually at about 15-20(mostly when it happens for me), if I JUST SLIGHTLY LET GO of the gas pedal and then apply pressure to maintain my 15-20mph speed, I'll start jerking back and forth looking like an idiot. I think it is just extremely sensitive and once you start jerking, your foot is moving with the rest of your body slighty coming off and then back on to the pedal. Thats what I figure is going on for me anyways. It is annoying as my other truck never did this. I like to ride slow in my apartment complex in first gear just to hear the exhaust. But most of the time, my attempts have me looking like a complete idiot...lol

Oh well, I think it is normal though

jerryp58 · Feb 9th, 2006, 06:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goinkster

Hello, I just bought this 04 frontier 4cyl 5sp. It has 20k miles on it. I am wondering if my truck has a problem or if it just the characteristics of the truck. It runs fine down the freeway, however at low speed 10 - 30 mph with light throttle the truck seems to jerk. If I try to hold the speed steady at say 25 mph the truck will jerk as I lightly let off the gas or lightly step on the gas. There seems to be a dead spot in the fuel delivery. It is still under warranty; however before I take it in I was wondering if anyone else might be experiencing something similar.

It's a 1st gear thing for me too. I guess it's too low a gear to be in for very long and not one to be cruising in -- even though traffic conditions sometimes require it. Who knows, maybe we can start a trend and every vehicle will soon be jerking forward and back in slow moving traffic and through the parking lots

mitchell35758 · Feb 9th, 2006, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerryp58

Who knows, maybe we can start a trend and every vehicle will soon be jerking forward and back in slow moving traffic and through the parking lots

lol...I think thats the last thing anyone needs, is a new trend like that.

MrFancypants · Feb 9th, 2006, 12:41 PM

What RPM is it occurring at? Have you tried it in other gears at similar RPM?

The reason I ask is that low-RPM bucking is often caused by a clogged or malfunctioning EGR system.

- Greg -

inyourface1650 · Feb 9th, 2006, 04:15 PM

Besides the dead spot...what your describing seems to be to be perfectly normal on a Manual transmission truck. The gearing is so low that you do anything with the engine, it effects the drive train IMMEDIATELY. So you just have to learn to keep your foot steady, and she'll run smooth....

My truck does it too.

jerryp58 · Feb 9th, 2006, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrFancypants

What RPM is it occurring at? Have you tried it in other gears at similar RPM?

The reason I ask is that low-RPM bucking is often caused by a clogged or malfunctioning EGR system.

- Greg -

RPMs are probably well below 2k.

I tried to get it to do it in second today by laying off the throttle until I was going really slow and touching the gas again but no bucking. It's a 1st gear only thing with mine. But, I don't notice a "dead spot" either.

NismoFrontin' · Feb 10th, 2006, 01:57 PM

Yep, does same thing with mine. When I first got the truck, it became very very annoying, but over time my foot got steadier and I don't really ever have a problem with it anymore. I kind of like the fact that it's so responsive in first gear, and makes acceleration a bit quicker. Sometimes I just romp on it and let off real quick in parking lots just to look like an idiot. It's pretty funny the stares you'll get. LOL

hans747 · Feb 17th, 2006, 11:34 AM

I'm pretty sure the jerking at low speeds is a combination of the truck's light rearend that's able to able to hop under torque and the manual transmission that doesn't allow any slack to absorb the torque. I think I've seen other light trucks engaged in the "idiot hop" before. If you do it on dirt, the the axles just starts bouncing up and down, but it's easier to drive through it.

The key to NOT hopping like an idiot is to take your foot off the gas at the very first sign of hopage. There's something about the rhythm of that hop that makes you put your foot into the accelerator at just the right/wrong moment, so just back off, let the truck settle, and just move on.

maddogskip · Feb 2nd, 2007, 12:55 PM

I have a 4cyl 97 XE and I have a dead spot too. Mine is between 33-35 hundred rpms in any gear. What is this ERG system that I can check? Does it apply to a carburated system? How would one go about cleaning it? Any resources that I can review to check this out?

Thanks...

abmobil · Feb 11th, 2007, 11:50 PM

I highly doubt it has anything to do with it being a manual or light in the rear.

Its a extremely poor program in the ecu if you ask me.

All 3 trucks ive owned have been nissans and my 04 frontier is the only one to act like this.
My 94 HB dosent do it ,and the 97 HB I had didnt do it.

Sometimes my 04 frontier feels like it has great power for what it is ,and sometimes its a complete dog.
Personallity changes often.

I still like the truck for the most part I guess.
But they need to come out with a new program or something.

himilefrontier · Feb 12th, 2007, 03:02 AM

Mine occasioanlly has the dead spot too, but only in 1st or 2nd gear.It occurs for me around 15-20 MPG under full throttle acceleration. I have learned to live with it, but am still annoyed by it as I usually have had good luck fixing minor driveability problems like this. My truck also misses at idle intermittently, does yours ahve the same issue? If so, maybe they're related.

maddogskip · Feb 12th, 2007, 11:06 AM

Ok, here is the scoop.

I bought a new ERG Valve (just in case from autozone, 89.99 b4 tax. Other places ranged up to 200 bucks (carquest is too expensive))
I had to take off the air cleaner assembly, there was another UFO filter looking thingy that hooked via Vacuum line to the EGR that had to be removed. The bracket that held the UFO Filter thingy also had to be removed so I could gain access to the tube that hooks to the exhaust manifold. That tube was a PIA to remove but some channel locks took care of that along with some lost knuckle skin.
It took me about an hour and a half to get the EGR removed for inspection.
When I took it out, the aluminum vacuum tube was still intact and needed to be removed to put into the new EGR if EGR failed vacuum test.
When I took the tube off, I noted that there was a hair sized 1/100 hole on the end that attached to the EGR and it was heavily covered with exhaust carbon. I got excited because I thought it was the main problem and that the hole should be the size of the tube. I got my wire brush out and started to clean it. I was surprised to find that there was supposed to be a small hole at the end of the tube about 1/16 of an inch.
After cleaning 1/16 is much bigger than 1/100 so my hopes perked up again.
Since I had the EGR out, I thought I might as well replace it with the new one since I don't want to do this again (scratches, knuckle busters and all).
I tested the Vacuum of the old EGR and it seems fine. I put my finger over the output hold and pushed the diaphragm closed and there was plenty of pressure. I'll try to sell it on Ebay I guess unless someone wants it for about 25 bucks plus shipping.

I put everything back together and the engine no longer has that horrible hesitation between 33-35k RPM's. I believe in the end, it was only that 1/16 hole that got plugged up with carbon.

Thanks for all of your tips.