# '02 Altima 3.5 - 4.5k RPM No power gain



## Ixath (Dec 28, 2010)

Hello.

I have an automatic 2002 Altima 3.5. A few days ago I was driving about 70mph and my engine lost significant power, my tachometer went crazy, and it wouldn't go past 2k rpm. I took it easy getting it home and it was determined it was the mass air flow sensor. I had the MAF replaced on Sunday and took the car home. I was then able to rev past 2k.

While driving home I went to pass somebody at about 60mph. I floored it and as soon as the engine hit ~4.5 - 5k rpm, almost all power gain from the engine ceased. The needle on the tach slowly rises (50rpm a second?) and my speed does the same, gaining maybe 4 or 5 mph (60-65) over 3 or 4 seconds. At this time the engine does not shift gears even though this is about the point, before my problems started, that it used to shift.

I tested it a few more times at varying speeds. At lower speeds the needle almost always bounces and fluctuates by +/- 1k rpm once it hits ~4.5 and ...1/5 times it will do the same thing as above when I'm going faster (no power gain with rpm increase, no shifting).

If I let off the gas and then quickly back on during a period of it not shifting or when it's bouncing, it will almost always shift gears to the proper gear.

Also, when I am moving and I floor it it does not downshift as it used to for power gain. It just hits the 4.5 as stated above and I see no increase.

I did a manual read of the CEL code and am 99% sure it was a P0211. There may have been another one, but I am not sure. It was my first time reading them and I had a heck of a time counting the blinks and writing them down at the same time. Tomorrow, I'm going to call the mechanic who worked on it and hope he remembers the codes since they didn't bother to write them down in the computer. I'm also taking it to the dealer tomorrow since I hope they'll have more of an idea of what's going on.

I have also been getting significantly lower gas mileage than before. If I babied it, I could get about 27.5 MPG avg. Driving normally, I avg. 23.3 over a month or so. Currently, it's getting 15-20mpg and I haven't been driving it as hard as normal.

The mechanic said one of the other mechanics thought it could be the solenoids in the transmission going bad.

I know almost nothing about cars, so any insight would be appreciated. I don't think I can afford to keep trying different things in hopes one of them solves the issue.

Thank you very much!

edit:
Don't know if it matters, but before the MAF was replaced.. the same night it started having issues, I tried to restart it about an hour after getting home and it wouldn't turn over. I tried again the next morning and I was able to get it going when I applied some gas. It stayed running the 5 miles to the mechanic. After replacing the MAF, I haven't had any trouble starting it or with low idles.


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## Tony Two-Tone (Feb 18, 2010)

Start with the codes first and post what you find.


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## smj999smj (Jan 1, 2006)

When the Mass AIr Sensor was replaced, was the ECM part number checked to see if it needed updating? Per Nissan TSB NTB03-023 regarding 02-03 Maximas and V6 Altimas, lack of power could be caused by the MAS. If so, the MAS should be replaced and the ECM part numer retrieved and compared to the list in the TSB to see if the ECM needs to be reprogrammed. If you happen to have a manual trans, refer to Nissan TSB NTB03-022.

Something else to check would be the charging voltage while driving. I had an 02 Altima with the QR25DE engine that would idle and pass a charging system test in the shop, but start driving down the road and after a couple of miles, the car would start surging and the instrument cluster went "crazy." I road tested it with a cheap voltmeter that plugs into the cigarette lighter (you can get them from Walmart in the auto section for about $15) and found that when driving at highway speeds, the alternator would start overcharging to 18.0 volts+! Fix was a new alternator.

As far as your code, there is no P0211 DTC for your car. You can go to almost any auto parts store and they can hook up a code reader to retrieve your code(s) and most will do so for no charge.


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## WilZmo (May 11, 2011)

*Was it fixed?*

I just have the same problem that started a month ago and it still exists. Did you ever find out what the problem was? I need mines fixed right away also but I can figure out whats goin on. theres no codes stored.


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## ddodson (Feb 19, 2014)

*My MAF Journey, '02 Altima 3.5*

2002 Altima 3.5, 148,000 miles. Now on my 5th mass air flow sensor. OEM vs. aftermarket CAN make a difference, as I will get to below! Cost consideration: OEM, around $300 just for the part (outrageous). Aftermarket: around $40 on ebay. So on the surface, it's easy to make that decision, and it's an easy DIY 5 minute job right on top of the engine.
My original lasted around 80K miles. A shop replaced it with an OEM. It lasted around 30K. I figured to heck with spending that much on an OEM part, bought an aftermarket and put it in myself. That one lasted around 20K, and I replaced it again with an aftermarket.
Here's the thing: The first 3, whether OEM or aftermarket, did the exact same thing when they failed. The engine absolutely would not run, and you weren't going anywhere. The 4th sensor (again, an aftermarket) did something completely different, as I have come to find out. About a year ago, the car would occasionally lug down or die at idle, but only after being run for a while. It got bad enough that it had to be dealt with. A good local independent shop diagnosed it as a valve train timing issue. I took it to a Nissan dealer for a 2nd opinion, and they first wanted to replace the MAF sensor, of course with an OEM. Based on my previous totally different MAF failure experiences, I was doubting that as the problem, and I certainly did not want to spend $300 on the OEM part as a shot in the dark. So I picked up a used OEM MAF sensor at a salvage yard for $50. Bang!! Problem solved.
The lesson is that the aftermarket MAF sensors can indeed do strange things, other than just outright fail like the OEM's. And at least for me, the salvage yard is one way to get around the ridiculous cost of a new OEM part.


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