2011 Pathfinder rev issue

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Jrk2205
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Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2017 5:41 pm

2011 Pathfinder rev issue

Postby Jrk2205 » Wed Mar 15, 2017 5:35 pm

Well I have only had the vehicle since February 23rd...and have been able to drive it less than 24 hours since. I am going to attach links to YouTube in order to help solve the problems to my car but here is the nitty gritty.
Right after purchasing the car the check engine light came on and the car started having a loss of power. Brought it to the dealer, and they said MAF sensor. They replaced that and checked for vacuum leaks and none were found. They returned the vehicle after about a week and a half and that's when things got way worse.
After we got the car back, we decided to take it up to KFC (hey, I just got back from the field and was hungry lol). Its about 2 miles there and the same back. No check engine light was on the way there, and everything felt fine. I felt the dealer had actually fixed the issue. Then on the way back the problems started. At a stop light I gave it some gas and it revved up to 2500 then bucked around like a teenage girl learning how to drive a manual. There was no power at all! It rode like that the whole way home. It would rev but go nowhere. First video driving:

https://youtu.be/HBRnAbYfYXc

Got it home and began my diagnosis. Hence second video:

https://youtu.be/bif7xxDCE6M

That was flooring it in park.......and the check engine light came on lol. My search led me to the engine bay. As I listened while my wife would give it some gas I could hear right after the pedal was pressed a sound of air escaping from somewhere under the intake tube. Then you could see the throttle cable slowly move up and the rpms bounce at 2500. 3rd video:

https://youtu.be/dlwTLXmDGJo

I can't figure it out for the life of me and this vehicle is the only vehicle I have to haul my kids around. See my desperation here? Anywho...before I forget...VDC off and SLIP lights came on to. Don't know if that helps any. So next day my wife went to drive it to Advance auto to get the codes ran....and it stalled 30 feet into the drive. Just stalled...like a manual...dealer came and towed it back and its been with them another week and a half and they still can't figure out what's going on. I've lost all faith in them. Please help!


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smj999smj
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Postby smj999smj » Thu Mar 16, 2017 2:28 pm

The surging at 2500 RPM is ECM fail-safe mode. The ECM detects a serious engine management problem and limits the RPM to 2500, which is enough to get you to a safe location but also helps prevent potential damage to the engine. When an engine management problem is detected, the traction control system is disabled, which illuminates the VDC/Slip warning lights. Without knowing what code is currently stored, it's difficult to begin to try and figure out what your problem may be. Cam position sensor (there are two) and/or crank position sensor failure can and have caused drivability or startability issues on these engines in the past and have not allows triggered their respective trouble codes, but it's impossible to say if that is your problem. The plastic plenums are also noisy and it is hard to tell if there is a vacuum leak or not as you can always hear the air rushing through them. If a MAS code has re-triggered since the replacement, I would suspect a faulty part, loose or leaking intake duct or possibly a leaking plenum gasket.

Jrk2205
Posts: 10
Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2017 5:41 pm

Postby Jrk2205 » Thu Mar 16, 2017 3:59 pm

smj999smj wrote:The surging at 2500 RPM is ECM fail-safe mode. The ECM detects a serious engine management problem and limits the RPM to 2500, which is enough to get you to a safe location but also helps prevent potential damage to the engine. When an engine management problem is detected, the traction control system is disabled, which illuminates the VDC/Slip warning lights. Without knowing what code is currently stored, it's difficult to begin to try and figure out what your problem may be. Cam position sensor (there are two) and/or crank position sensor failure can and have caused drivability or startability issues on these engines in the past and have not allows triggered their respective trouble codes, but it's impossible to say if that is your problem. The plastic plenums are also noisy and it is hard to tell if there is a vacuum leak or not as you can always hear the air rushing through them. If a MAS code has re-triggered since the replacement, I would suspect a faulty part, loose or leaking intake duct or possibly a leaking plenum gasket.
Thank you for the reply! So essentially you think it has something to do with the Cam PS or the Crank PS? What are the chances of that actually being the problem? I'm at my wits end with the dealer and I am half tempted to pick up the car and fix it myself. Just need to know where to start looking

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smj999smj
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Postby smj999smj » Thu Mar 16, 2017 9:54 pm

All I'm saying is that we have had similar issues because of cam and crank position sensors. I would want to know what code is stored currently before I would suggest anything.

Jrk2205
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Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2017 5:41 pm

Postby Jrk2205 » Sat Mar 18, 2017 7:44 am

Success! Got the car back last night and drove it 180 miles up to PA to make sure everything was good. Everything is working flawlessly. Ended up still being the MAF sensor, because the dealership replaced it with the wrong part. The mechanic took it to a nearby nissan dealer and got the genuine part there...updated the computer...and did an idle relearn. So everything is good to go...at least for now haha. Thanks for the help smj999smj


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