# Moody Maxima



## fdhelmin (Mar 5, 2009)

Hey guys,

A few weeks ago my 2000 maxima started "jerking" and "sputtering" at the first few stop lights after the early morning cold start, and sometimes after additional cold starts throughout the day. I would be sitting at a stop light and it'd feel like someone was reving the car so I'd gently rock back and forth.

This past week we got about 10 inches of snow and the avg temps dropped to at or below freezing in the morning. I'd crank my car to get the heat going only to have my maxima make a sputtering sound and stall while idleing. It does the same thing at the first stop sign out of my neighborhood. Once I get going that problem subsides, however, the car still jerks at the first few stop lights. This cycle was repeated everyday. It was well above freezing, today, when I cranked my car for the first time. It made the same sputtering sound (smoke from the exhaust came out in sputters as well) but didn't stall out. I kept it running idle for a good 10 minutes and every once in a while the sputtering would occur, but not stall.

Any advice would be appreciated


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## JNCoRacer (Apr 18, 2003)

Is your check engine light on?


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## fdhelmin (Mar 5, 2009)

Nope, no engine light on. Today there was frost outside, and the car stalled 3 times. Once when I turned it on, once when I came to a stop after backing out of my driveway, and once when I got to the first stop sign in my cul-de-sac. Once I reached the first stop light, I was good to go.


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## fdhelmin (Mar 5, 2009)

bumpy bump bump


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## nmlacerra (Jan 2, 2010)

*.*

I drive a 99 maxima, and mine has similar problems. Like this morning it was 0 degrees outside and sputtered when it started. I was told to get the injectors cleaned out. I am not sure if you have a carx around you but they do it for like 60 bucks. I did one of those quick fuel treatments to mine and it solved the issue for a little while.


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## nelsito65 (Jan 12, 2007)

Have you had your car scanned for any codes? This might sound obvious, but is your check engine light working? I ask because after I bought my car I found out that the bulb for the CEL had been removed, so I was not seeing the CEL on, but I had a code stored.


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## fdhelmin (Mar 5, 2009)

*UPDATE*

Took it to the Nissan dealership and they couldn't find any codes nor narrow down the problem. They "thought" it _MIGHT_ be the intake manifold something or another needs to be replaced. $1200. I'm not really sure I wanna pay that much for a _maybe_ fix.

Suggestions?


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## nelsito65 (Jan 12, 2007)

Looks like a pretty expensive guess to me, coming from a place you'd expect to know Nissans. Unless there is a possibility that they _MIGHT_ refund your money if that intake manifold or something _MIGHT_ not be the problem. Is your SES light working? (does it come on when you move the key to the "on" position, before starting the car?). How many miles on your car? Have the coil packs ever been replaced? It could be a number of things including failing coil packs, which our cars are notorious for. You might want to try a few inexpensive things first, such as seafoaming your car. Some people experience smoother running engines after doing so.


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## fdhelmin (Mar 5, 2009)

I have about 138k on it. No, I don't believe the coil packs have been replaced, then again we bought it well into its 100ks. I've had the alternator, belts, and O2 sensors replaced during our friendship. As well as a rear bumper from an accident and etc. A friend of mine suggested to replace the intake manifold gasket but I don't have the tools to lift the engine/hold it up, which I think would be necessary. No, there would be no refund. They did say they would have included my $85 diagnostic fee in the 1200 if I had gone on to get the intake manifold... Also, another guy told me to try to clean out the MAF with this spray stuff. I'm not sure if that would help either, and will not have a chance to try it til later this month (I currently only have access to a hammer, screwdriver, etc., being in college and all). Also, SES light works.


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## Outkast (Jan 29, 2006)

fdhelmin said:


> *UPDATE*
> 
> Took it to the Nissan dealership and they couldn't find any codes nor narrow down the problem. They "thought" it _MIGHT_ be the intake manifold something or another needs to be replaced. $1200. I'm not really sure I wanna pay that much for a _maybe_ fix.
> 
> Suggestions?


Get some starter fluid and spray it at the intake where the 2 halves meet while it's running. If the idle changes then the gasket is leaking, comon problem. Also there is a bullatin about the MAF but it requires replacing it.


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## Lacky73 (Feb 24, 2010)

i would suggest trying to use some injector cleaner from a auto store...or try a whole fuel system cleaner...put it right in the gas tank and it might work...except there not meant to last long so just try it to see if anything else happens...my car sputters in cold weather but never stalls. it stutters to the point where it feels like king kong is shaking the engine


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## efanatic (Feb 16, 2010)

Sounds like the maf has gone bad. Most of the time if the MAF goes bad it will not throw a code but will give you the symptoms that you are discribing. You might want to lok into that.


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## efanatic (Feb 16, 2010)

Outkast said:


> Get some starter fluid and spray it at the intake where the 2 halves meet while it's running. If the idle changes then the gasket is leaking, comon problem. Also there is a bullatin about the MAF but it requires replacing it.


I have had this happen on a few cars of mine.


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## rexracer (Mar 21, 2010)

Try cleaning the MAF, the simplest thing to do and it's free to do. Check the plugs for any fouling, replace if necessary, check vacuum lines for any cracks or obvious missing ones. It's one of three things, fuel, spark, and air. If you start from there you can solve any issue you have with stalling.


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