# Can't erase these historic fault codes... P0603. P1217.



## fixingstill (Oct 22, 2019)

2012 Altima 2.5S from auction. It was in accident and airbag deployed and for a short period of time, engine overheated but no damage.
Car is now repaired - crash sensor, seat belts, SRS module reset, hood, fender, etc.
Car is running fine now. No check engine light or any pending codes.
But when I took it to CA smog test (after drive cycle completed), it failed. They said codes are the P0603 Internal Control Module Keep Alive Memory (KAM) error, and P1217 Powertrain Engine Over Temperature (Overheat).
These are historic fault codes according to my Torque Pro. I then tried using my Autel Maxisys Elite and Launch X431 to erase but they are not erasable.Codes just come right back.

I read if these are current / pending codes (the P0603), you can erase it. I for some reason can't. I hope I don't have a bad ECU or somehow the SRS module reset was not done correctly.

Somewhere online someone said "A History DTC will clear after forty consecutive warm-up cycles with no failures of any non-emission related diagnostic test." And the smog check guy said I need to drive 400 miles.

The car has no plate yet. DMV doesn't give plate until it passes smog. I eventually got a ONE-DAY moving permit after paying in full for an incomplete ownership transfer application. How am I going to drive 400 miles with 40 warm up cycles in one day? California DMV is crazy. I work at home and during this covid time, I barely drive 20 miles a day. Forget about doing it in one day. Say if I spend 1 month driving around purposelessly morning and evening, I might get 400 miles and 40 warm ups.God knows how many times I will get stopped by police driving 400 miles without plates.... This is crazy...

And is this REALLY true that will turn off the codes? Is there a better, easier way? Have you had such problem?


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## VStar650CL (Nov 12, 2020)

Both of those PDTC's will be erasable after a "B" driving pattern for 2 trips. Here's the "B" requirements from the manual:

DRIVING PATTERN B
Driving pattern B means a trip satisfying the following conditions.
• Engine speed reaches 400 rpm or more.
• Engine coolant temperature reaches 70°C (158°F) or more.
• Vehicle speed of 70 – 120 km/h (44 – 75 MPH) is maintained for 60 seconds or more under the control of
closed loop.
• Vehicle speed of 30 – 60 km/h (19 – 37 MPH) is maintained for 10 seconds or more under the control of
closed loop.
• Under the closed loop control condition, the following state reaches 12 seconds or more in total: Vehicle
speed of 4 km/h (2 MPH) or less with idling condition.
• The state of driving at 10 km/h (7 MPH) or more reaches 10 minutes or more in total.
• A lapse of 22 minutes or more after engine start.
NOTE:
• Drive the vehicle at a constant velocity.
• When the same malfunction is detected regardless of driving conditions, reset the counter of driving pattern
B.
• When the above conditions are satisfied without detecting the same malfunction, reset the counter of driving
pattern B.


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## fixingstill (Oct 22, 2019)

OMG! Thank you thank you thank you. I will try it today I will report back.
Curious where you get this info. Service manual? Online source?


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## VStar650CL (Nov 12, 2020)

I'm a Nissan/ASE master tech, you can't go where I went. 

You're most welcome. Btw, where it mentions "closed loop", if all the emissions gear is healthy it should go closed loop as soon as the engine hits temperature.


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## fixingstill (Oct 22, 2019)

Once again. THANK YOU.


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## fixingstill (Oct 22, 2019)

Update:
About 6 trips of 40 to 60 min driving around and the 2 codes disappeared without erasing.
And driving cycle is all completed.
I am ready for smog.

Thanks.


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## VStar650CL (Nov 12, 2020)

Yah, that's true even with many "normal" DTC's. Once the system passes enough SRT's (Self-Readiness Tests), they self-erase. Varies according to what the DTC is and which system.

Glad to hear it's all straightened out! Happy Thanksgiving!


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## fixingstill (Oct 22, 2019)

Happy Thanksgiving to you.... I have another question if you don't mind. 
Can u please take a look at:
CVT reprogramming and recalibration? 

and comment on it?


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## VStar650CL (Nov 12, 2020)

fixingstill said:


> Happy Thanksgiving to you.... I have another question if you don't mind.
> Can u please take a look at:
> CVT reprogramming and recalibration?
> 
> and comment on it?


Whew, there's a bunch of wrong stuff in there. The short story is that P17F1 and P17F0 are "judder codes" which mean the TCM has detected belt slip. The '13~'14 Altimas and '14 Rogues didn't originally have detection logic, it was added via a CVT recall. Everything '15-up has it from the factory. '71 usually isn't fatal, the belt should be inspected but if there's no evidence of metal-to-metal, then a Valve Body replacement and repro will generally suffice. '70 is the "death code", it will generally mean a chewed belt and pulleys. Rebuildable units like Altimas can get a new belt and pulley set along with a VB and repro, non-rebuildables get a reman tranny and repro. Neither of the codes are erasable and neither one will light the MIL or change the car's behavior in any way. Getting rid of them requires a special TCM repro, generally performed when the IP data is loaded. IP is the "settings" information for the VB solenoids, they tell the TCM how hard to drive each solenoid to achieve hydraulic flow X or pressure Y on the belt. On some units, that info is stored in ROM memory in the valve body and uploads automatically with minimal procedures. For others it's on a CD that comes with the new VB. For still others it has to be uploaded from the NNA database and in some cases matched to the trans housing using a QR code sticker on top of the Range Switch. The Altima is among the latter. 

Hope this helps. Anything else specific you'd like to know, fire away.


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## fixingstill (Oct 22, 2019)

Thanks for the detailed info. The valvebody was changed and the car runs fine. Only thing left is the P17F0 code. I have not scanned it for a while. It might even be gone by now.


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## VStar650CL (Nov 12, 2020)

You're most welcome! No, unfortunately the judder codes will never self-erase, and the '70 almost always indicates at least minor metal-to-metal damage to the belt and pulleys. That can really only be seen with a boroscope with the pan and VB dropped. So even with a new VB, if you plan to keep the car, I'd avoid driving it too hard and keep the fluid whistle-clean.


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## d.nicholls2112 (3 mo ago)

VStar650CL said:


> I'm a Nissan/ASE master tech, you can't go where I went.  You're most welcome. Btw, where it mentions "closed loop", if all the emissions gear is healthy it should go closed loop as soon as the engine hits temperature.


 I have a 2014 pulsar and get codes p2135 and p0223.have changed pedal and throttle body but still randomly faults outting into limp mode and my wife is scared to drive it. Am at a loss 2014 pulsar 1.8lt(Australia)


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## VStar650CL (Nov 12, 2020)

d.nicholls2112 said:


> I have a 2014 pulsar and get codes p2135 and p0223.have changed pedal and throttle body but still randomly faults outting into limp mode and my wife is scared to drive it. Am at a loss 2014 pulsar 1.8lt(Australia)


If it's the same as a USDM Sentra then you almost certainly have a wiring issue. Probably one of two things, either a partial break inside the free-hanging "loop" of wires coming out of the TB connector, or a bad pin-fit at the ECM connector. Either one will cause intermittent loss of contact. Since P0223 is a "flatline high" DTC for TPS1 and the two sensors have completely separate supplies, you'll find the problem in either the data or ground wire for TPS1, it won't be in the 5V supply wire. You can easily vindicate or inculpate the ground wire by back-pinning a jumper between the TPS1 and TPS2 grounds at the TB connector, if that eliminates the problem then you can simply make the jump permanent. If that doesn't fix it then you know the problem is someplace in the TPS1 data wire.


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