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Engine Light keeps coming on.............

Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 11:52 am
by Guardian
I have a 2002 Nissan Pathfinder Chilkoot Edition. The engine light started to come on every 4000 kms (2500 mile) at which point I would add some oil. Now the engine light is coming on every 1500 km (approx 1000 miles) and I have to add more oil. Now there is no oil on my drive way. Has anyone experienced the same issue. I am being told that I need a new engine.

I am being told this is a common fault with Nissan. Any thoughts or ideas

Thanks
Andrew

Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 5:16 pm
by blink32
Just some FYI for you, if anyone is giving you the dire information of "you need to replace your engine" based on the same limited information you provided here then the source of that information should be thoroughly suspect. While I concede that an engine requiring the addition of "some oil" at given mileage intervals is not a good sign it does not immediately point to massive engine failure. Especially when you seem to indicate that in the past there were oil trails left on your driveway that would typically point to some sort of seal leak.

As far as an engine drinking oil being a common Nissan problem, more likely it is a problem with any vehicle that has not been properly maintained. You don't mention if you bought the vehicle new or used or know it's past service history. If you are adding oil ever 4000km at what point are you actually changing the oil?

Back to your problem, if I was you the first step you should be doing is get the engine scanned and find out what codes are being tripped to turn the engine light on. Then go from there with that information.

Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 7:43 am
by Guardian
The Pathfinder was purchased second hand and the service records indicated that is was serviced regularly. I change the oil every 5000km
(3100 Miles)

It currently has 125 000 Km or approximately 75 000 miles

It all started one day approximately 4000 Km after an oil change the engine service light came on and I took into the mechanic and it needed oil. Again there is very little if any oil on the driveway. The last time the servcie engine light came on it was approx 1500 km after the oil change. And it needed approximately 1/4 of a litre of oil.

The next time the service engine light comes on I will have the engine scanned and see what code comes up.

Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 9:03 am
by blink32
You should be able to have it scanned any time. Even though the light is not currently on the ECM should have stored all the codes that have been thrown. Make sure and note the codes then have the technician erase them. Then you can google those codes and find out what they mean when you get home.

From that point I would wait until the light comes back on and then re-scan the ECM and see what, if any, codes have been repeated. If you get more than one code the first time you scan the ECM it's difficult to tell how old they are. You could have gotten a code a year ago for a gas cap being loose but are just now seeing it. Scanning it a second time will help narrow down your issues.

Good luck.