Hey guys, my wife complained that the car was hesitating today as she was coming to a stop, and she had to keep the accelerate pressed, otherwise she felt it was going to die. I've got 60k kms (37k miles) on the car, and its an 04 auto Z.

So, i took it around the block today...and sure enough, while i was stopped, the revs dropped and it stalled. I started her back up, and she hesitated, and stalled again. Did this one more time with the accelerator lightly pressed, and no problems. The car is bone stock. I waited 10 mins, and started it, and it was fine. However, it went back to doing this just a few blocks later

After it stalls, all of the lights light up, including the check engine light (which i thought was normal when you stall a stick car).


Could it be: fuel pump, air filter, injectors, fuel lines? Or any/all...

The engine is not throwing any codes and the air filter looks brand new...
Should i proceed with resetting the ecu as ppl have done this to modified Z's?
Car idles at about 700 rpm's or so when it is running fine...

Or....should i take it to Nissan and have them look at it, i major component warranty is till 100k (kms) plus i have an extended warranty from the dealership it was purchased from...


Thanks!

 

screw the dealer, they probably won't know what to do. unless your dealer is willing to raise your idle, which works for this problem as well.


basically, you can try the following:

check air filter

clean MAF sensor using spray cleaner from autozone etc

clean throttle body using carburetor cleaner
and finally,

reset ECU by unplugging negative battery terminal overnight

If none of those work, there is an throttle idle position learning procedure that is listed on technosquare's website (you can google for it)


Also, I assume you are having trouble only when the A/C is off right? When the A/C is on you get a free idle bump ... which usually prevents stalling

 

Thanks for your help, i'll give the above a try. My wife and I can't remember if we had the A/C on during the stalls... Again, it didn't happen this morning.

I'll do the cleanings, and if they don't help, ill bump the idle.

THanks again

 

also, make sure all the clamps after the maf are in place & tight, this will allow unmetered air into the engine & cause those symptoms

 

Any MIL's?

 

Sorry, not familiar with that term? Can you please expand.

Thanks

 

Malfunction Indicator Lights. Does the Check Engine light come on? May need to check your codes.

 

poss the engine isnt getting enought fuel for some reason....dirty injectors, lines or bad pump maybe????

 

Oh, i see. the CEL light comes on after stalling, but it doesn't throw any codes, i have checked this. I guess that eliminates any bad sensors.... or i think at least.


Ill throw in a bottle of injector cleaner... also, it didn't stall yesterday, and i have yet to clean the TB

 

Hey guys, a full month without this problem, and its back!

Today, it through a CEL P0172, running too rich.

It is hesitating more now as well, and stalling more often. I have, cleaned the throttle body, and replaced the air filter. Car is bone stock. I can't get to the MAF...the torx 20 doesn't work? Could this be a bad MAF?


More help is appreciated!

Thanks in advance


i think imma have to get raped by the dealer, since im no mechanic myself...

 

I've seen this happen in my gf's maxima, and it was a bad fuel filter...

 

Ok, MAF has been cleaned (stupid piece of metal in the middle of the Torx bolt took me forever to get rid of), ECU has been reset, and the throttle relearn has been performed. Hopefully, this will be the last post here...


Thanks

 

my old toyota van used to stall at idle due to dirty fuel injectors. i fixed it after pouring a total of five cans of fuel injector cleaners in the gas tank.

 

No fuel filter on the Z, it's incorporated with the pump so I've been told...

 

Stalling at idle is either a vacuum leak or a faulty iac (idle air control) valve, imo. However, with the code for "running too rich" I would say your problem is your iac valve not opening.

 

Well....it happened again....

Time for the dealership to charge an arm and a leg....

 

i had this problem a while ago, found out carbon deposit build up around the thottle body's plate. i ended up cleaning the t-body and car came back alive.

 

I thought that this might be it as well...but its as clean as a whistle!

 

Any update yet?

 

Did you check the tube from the PCV to the plenum? If this has a vaccum leak it will cause you idle to drop below 500 rpm then back up to about 1k, when you let go of the accelerator at a stop. If the leak is bad enough, you know the story...