Just bought a used 2001 Nissan Frontier with 97K miles. Everything seems fine except for these 2 problems:
1. Check engine light is ON
2. All Gauges (fuel, RPM, speedometer etc) would just shut off while driving. Eventually I would feel that the engine is loosing power as if it would just die down. It can no longer accelerate at that point. But if I just continue driving (at a very slow pace), everything would go back to normal after about 40+ miles.
My main concern is the #2 problem. Is it an electrical issue? How is connected to the engine performance?
Any help will be appreciated. Thanks
Last edited by haymaker : Feb 7th, 2007 at 03:57 PM.
Just bought a used 2001 Nissan Frontier with 97K miles. Everything seems fine except for these 2 problems:
1. Check engine light is ON
2. All Gauges (fuel, RPM, speedometer etc) would just shut off while driving. Eventually I would feel that the engine is loosing power as if it would just die down. It can no longer accelerate at that point. If I just continue driving, everything will go back to normal after about 40+ miles.
My main concern is the #2 problem. Is it an electrical issue? How is connected to the engine performance?
Any help will be appreciated. Thanks
The check engine light is indicating that the electronic control unit has detected a fault. You can have the fault code read out either by buying an OBD II scanner (about $70 to $100), taking the vehicle into a shop, or, in many cases, an auto parts store (like Autozone) will read the code for free. I would do this first.
I would also get under the dash and perform an inspection. Look for loose connectors and damaged wiring.
Some additional information may also help, e.g. auto or stick, 4 cyl. or 6 cyl.
Have you tried stopping the vehicle after the symptoms occur, shutting the engine off, and starting (the Microsoft Windows repair technique)?
The check engine light is indicating that the electronic control unit has detected a fault. You can have the fault code read out either by buying an OBD II scanner (about $70 to $100), taking the vehicle into a shop, or, in many cases, an auto parts store (like Autozone) will read the code for free. I would do this first.
I would also get under the dash and perform an inspection. Look for loose connectors and damaged wiring.
Some additional information may also help, e.g. auto or stick, 4 cyl. or 6 cyl.
Have you tried stopping the vehicle after the symptoms occur, shutting the engine off, and starting (the Microsoft Windows repair technique)?
Steve
Thanks Steve
Its a 4 cyl/2.4L/auto.
As far as the Check engine light is concerned, I had my buddy run the OBDII scanner earlier and it was detected that the Rear Cat was the culprit.
Yes I've tried that Microsoft Windows technique when the symptom occured. Have no problem starting the engine but the gauges would remain off, until a certain point, while running, when it would go back to normal. It is erratic.
As far as the Check engine light is concerned, I had my buddy run the OBDII scanner earlier and it was detected that the Rear Cat was the culprit.
Yes I've tried that Microsoft Windows technique when the symptom occured. Have no problem starting the engine but the gauges would remain off, until a certain point, while running, when it would go back to normal. It is erratic.
I think you have two separate problems that are coincidental. I agree with dvdswanson that there is probably a loose ground somewhere that is causing the dash problem. I'm wondering if something is loose in the rear cat that is restricting your exhaust flow. I'd probably replace the converter but you might try the following first: when the problem occurs whack the converter with a mallet to see if the problem goes away.
I think you have two separate problems that are coincidental. I agree with dvdswanson that there is probably a loose ground somewhere that is causing the dash problem. I'm wondering if something is loose in the rear cat that is restricting your exhaust flow. I'd probably replace the converter but you might try the following first: when the problem occurs whack the converter with a mallet to see if the problem goes away.
Steve
So its an electrical issue. But is it normal for the engine to lose power when you have this type of dash problem? How are they co-related?
On the cat, i guess am gonna have to replace it asap coz my pickup is due for Smog by Monday. I requested a quote from the dealer, and its a whopping $700+ tax..good lord! I checked the after market part and the price ranges from $100-$200. With this kind of difference, I would go with the after market. Any advice on how to remove the old and mount the new one? Is the cat mounted with nuts and bolts for easy installation or do I have to cut the cat area with a saw and weld the new one? Thanks
So its an electrical issue. But is it normal for the engine to lose power when you have this type of dash problem? How are they co-related?
On the cat, i guess am gonna have to replace it asap coz my pickup is due for Smog by Monday. I requested a quote from the dealer, and its a whopping $700+ tax..good lord! I checked the after market part and the price ranges from $100-$200. With this kind of difference, I would go with the after market. Any advice on how to remove the old and mount the new one? Is the cat mounted with nuts and bolts for easy installation or do I have to cut the cat area with a saw and weld the new one? Thanks
Just my 2 cents.
I had a '94 Toyota v6 3.0L that had the same thing happen to it with the cat getting clogged up. So the good news is that the cat is probably a bolt in job, however the best thing to do is get under the truck and just look and see if it (the cat) has bolts attaching it to the exhaust system. If it is, it will take you about 20min to unbolt the old one and put the new one in, but don't forget to get new gaskets for the muffler. Now for the bad news, after my cat got all clogged up on my truck it never ran the same. Because I let it go for a year (didn't have the money for a new cat) I was about to replace the EGR valve and other parts that have to do with the exhaust system. But I got a new 03 frontier instead. So the moral of the story is, don't let this thing go for to long.
I had a '94 Toyota v6 3.0L that had the same thing happen to it with the cat getting clogged up. So the good news is that the cat is probably a bolt in job, however the best thing to do is get under the truck and just look and see if it (the cat) has bolts attaching it to the exhaust system. If it is, it will take you about 20min to unbolt the old one and put the new one in, but don't forget to get new gaskets for the muffler. Now for the bad news, after my cat got all clogged up on my truck it never ran the same. Because I let it go for a year (didn't have the money for a new cat) I was about to replace the EGR valve and other parts that have to do with the exhaust system. But I got a new 03 frontier instead. So the moral of the story is, don't let this thing go for to long.
Now I have no idea what your dash is doing. Sorry
Thanks Hitman. boy was I so relieved to see some bolts attaching the cat to the exhaust line. It would save me a couple of hundred doe. I will do it this weekend with the help of my buddy. hope it will turn out to be as easy as it looks.
Weird it is. i observed it for a week, and I can say that the loss of power only occurs when the gauges are off.
hope some electical buffs would chime in before I bring the car to the shop this weekend.
The only culprit that comes to mind that could explain your problem is some kind of flakiness in the ignition switch and its circuitry. That is the only common link I can think of between the dash gauges and the engine power. I'll be damned if I can think of a way that the switch could fail that causes a loss of power and not turn the engine off.
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