# Newbie with a couple questions



## jwalkerus (Dec 8, 2005)

Wow am i glad i found this website. Let me firt start of my saying Hi, my name is Jay and i own a 1993 Maxima with around 90,000 miles on her but she still runs great. Except for a few problems. I will go over them one by one and hopefully you guys can point me in the right direction. I am not totaly lost when it comes to cars but sure as hell need a map to make my way around. 

my car is automatic.

1st problem. the biggest one. When i am accelerating past 55mph on the higway the engine stumbles and shutters like it is struggling to switch to the next gear, but once i get past 55mph then its smooth sailing. it always happened around 55mph. What could be the possible culprits?

2nd problem. Sometimes when i go out to my car and start it up, it doesnt turn over right away but after a few secs when it does, it stalls and usually the little red battery light will pop on for a second. But if i start it up again after that it usualy starts right up. I would say its happens 25% of the time i start my car.

3rd and 4th problem are probably relatively simple for most of you to answer. 

Sometimes my clock does not light up when i am in my car, but after a few minutes it will light up or sometimes i will hit the minute button and the clock then lights up sometimes?

Last question is that when im driving at night with my headlights on i will switch to my highbeams and my headlights go out and my highbeams dont come on so its completely dark. No lights what so ever. Could that be that the highbeams are blown? but if they are blown why do the regular headlights go out?

Thank you guys so much in advance. As you can see i am not the smartest when it comes to cars. Any help that you guys can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again in advance. I will pop on often to read the solutions you guys give me and give you feedback with what works.

Jay


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## jwalkerus (Dec 8, 2005)

Wow am i glad i found this website. Let me firt start of my saying Hi, my name is Jay and i own a 1993 Maxima with around 90,000 miles on her but she still runs great. Except for a few problems. I will go over them one by one and hopefully you guys can point me in the right direction. I am not totaly lost when it comes to cars but sure as hell need a map to make my way around. 

my car is automatic.

1st problem. the biggest one. When i am accelerating past 55mph on the higway the engine stumbles and shutters like it is struggling to switch to the next gear, but once i get past 55mph then its smooth sailing. it always happened around 55mph. What could be the possible culprits?

2nd problem. Sometimes when i go out to my car and start it up, it doesnt turn over right away but after a few secs when it does, it stalls and usually the little red battery light will pop on for a second. But if i start it up again after that it usualy starts right up. I would say its happens 25% of the time i start my car.

3rd and 4th problem are probably relatively simple for most of you to answer. 

Sometimes my clock does not light up when i am in my car, but after a few minutes it will light up or sometimes i will hit the minute button and the clock then lights up sometimes?

Last question is that when im driving at night with my headlights on i will switch to my highbeams and my headlights go out and my highbeams dont come on so its completely dark. No lights what so ever. Could that be that the highbeams are blown? but if they are blown why do the regular headlights go out?

Thank you guys so much in advance. As you can see i am not the smartest when it comes to cars. Any help that you guys can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again in advance. I will pop on often to read the solutions you guys give me and give you feedback with what works.

Jay


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## internetautomart (Mar 8, 2004)

Do you know which motor is in your car?
the SOHC VG30E or the DOHC VE30DE 24 valve


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## jwalkerus (Dec 8, 2005)

internetautomart said:


> Do you know which motor is in your car?
> the SOHC VG30E or the DOHC VE30DE 24 valve


It is the VG30E engine. Hope that helps


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## jwalkerus (Dec 8, 2005)

The engine is the VG30E model.


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## jwalkerus (Dec 8, 2005)

the engine is actually the VG30DE SOHC V6

sorry about that last post.


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## jwalkerus (Dec 8, 2005)

35,000 members and no one can help with any of my questions? Man i thought you guys woudl rifle through these answers and we could get this stuff fixed before i have to take it to a repair shop.


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## Matt93SE (Sep 17, 2003)

Your correct engine code is VG30E if you have the SOHC engine from the GXE model.
the VG30DE was used in the 300ZX.
VE30DE is the DOHC Maxima engine used in the SE models from 92-94.


now... give people a little while to answer your questions. As much as many people may think, we don't sit here at the computer waiting for people to post just so we can answer them. 

to answer your questions..
1. could be many things. need more info. is the shudder transmission related or engine related? is the tranny trying to switch gears here or what? try turning the overdrive off and see if that changes the symptoms.

2. stalls after startup.. that's fairly normal with these cars as they get older. when you get in, turn key to "on" and let it sit for about 3-4 seconds so the fuel pump can build pressure. then when you turn it over, be ready to tap the gas a couple times to keep it running until the ECU can keep things going by itself. it's jsut getting a bit old and cranky in the mornings.

3. dim clock problem... search for answers in this forum.. very common problem and easy to fix if you know how to solder. if not, I do it for a fee. PM me if you're intersted in me doing it.

4. headlights... either your high beam fuse is blown or your headlight switch is bad. could also be bad bulbs. the bulbs have two filaments inside them- one for high and one for low beam.. the headlight switch has four separate contacts... one for high and low on each headlight. I doubt the switch has gone bad on both highbeams at once, but it's possible.
check fuses, bulbs, connectors on bulbs, and headlight switch. it'll be somewhere in one of those.


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## jwalkerus (Dec 8, 2005)

i was just joking before.

The stumbling problem is that most important one i want to take care of. I am not sure if its engine or tranny related. All i know is that when im accelerating on the highway and when the car reaches about 55mph, it sumbles and shutters like it cant switch gears for a few seconds but when the car gets past that mph it accelerates fine to as fast as i go. 

i have been told to replace the fuel filter, air filter and spark plugs. not sure what else to do. 

i am going to check the fuse for the highbeam problem.


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## alexnds (Oct 1, 2005)

*stumbling problem at 55mph*



jwalkerus said:


> i was just joking before.
> 
> The stumbling problem is that most important one i want to take care of. I am not sure if its engine or tranny related. All i know is that when im accelerating on the highway and when the car reaches about 55mph, it sumbles and shutters like it cant switch gears for a few seconds but when the car gets past that mph it accelerates fine to as fast as i go.
> 
> ...


Welcome to the site. It's nice to have some fellow 3rd Gen owners. The answer to your question is, an intelligent guess, as nobody can now the exact answer from anyone of us here. 
To me, it sounds like your need to crank it over and give it some gas in the morning and stumbling at a particular speed might be related problems. The basic thing to do is give the car a good tuneup first, including changing the PCV valve, and especially the gas filter. Something fuel pressure related is causing the stumble. I'd have the throttle body cleaned, very well. After taking off the air intake section from the airbox, it's right there. Disconnecting it and cleaning it is not too hard. It could be sensing not enough air, giving some fuel retardation or something and once the air starts flowing in better past 55mph, some more fuel is added sensing the extra air. 

Basically, if it's not tranny related, which it might be, I'd clean up all air section flow related items, and after a clean air filter and gas filter, I'd especially focus on cleaning the throttle body. Your O2 sensor might be old and cranky too. It senses the amount of Oxygen in the exhaust and helps in the air/fuel ratio decisions of the ECU. Basically, it's hard to say. Some sensor, somewhere, is causing less fuel flow, that's my theory. I'd start with a good tuneup and a cleaned throttle body and go from there.


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## alexnds (Oct 1, 2005)

jwalkerus said:


> Wow am i glad i found this website. Let me firt start of my saying Hi, my name is Jay and i own a 1993 Maxima with around 90,000 miles on her but she still runs great. Except for a few problems. I will go over them one by one and hopefully you guys can point me in the right direction. I am not totaly lost when it comes to cars but sure as hell need a map to make my way around.
> 
> my car is automatic.
> 
> ...


Welcome aboard!!
Try:
- Cleaning Throttle Body (can't hurt)
- Did they change the PCV valve? (do a good tuneup as well)
- Look at IACV (idle air control valve)
- Clean or replace your air filter.
- Check the MAF sensor
- How's the tension on the throttle cable?
- Clogged EGR valve?

All this stuff will point you in the right direction. If it's not your tranny, it something causing air/fuel ratio problem I think.


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