# 2012 Sentra Odd Electrical Issues



## mauryfrench (Dec 1, 2017)

Good day everyone, happy to join! 

My 2012 Sentra has been almost perfect since purchase 3 years ago, but showing its age at 116k miles so I will be here a lot I suspect! 

Okay. A week or so ago, the radio screen started bouncing between the day and the night screen. Radio still worked fine. This is still going on.

On Monday of this week while driving home, the VDC light was on, and the car would not go over 20 MPH or 2K RPMs without struggling. I pulled over, turned off the engine, sat for a minute, turned it back on and drove home fine. 

Last night and this morning, it drives fine unless I turn the lights on, then the engine starts to slow down and will not accelerate until I turn the lights off, and it is fine again. 

A little history; it did something similar back in April on a road trip; started decelerating on the freeway. We pulled off, got a drink and a snack, started it up again and it was fine. 

Right now I know it needs a Mass Air Flow Sensor; the light came on a couple of weeks ago. I cleaned it per recommendation at Oreillys and it was fine for a week or so, then light back on with same code. I have one ordered and will change today.

Are you mixed up yet? I am hoping the MAFS and a good battery post cleaning will help, but somehow I doubt it. Ideas?

thanks,
Maury


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## mauryfrench (Dec 1, 2017)

As a quick follow up, yes, I have ordered a scanner so I am not dependent on OReilly's, and to see if there is a code hiding behind the MAFS code. Should be here tomorrow.


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## mauryfrench (Dec 1, 2017)

I wanted to follow up on my problem. I took it to the shop, and it was the battery. Even though i tested it with a voltmeter and a cheap little tester and it had voltage, it apparently was failing under a load. Thus, it was causing all these weird problems. I sure liked the good old days when a battery either worked or it didn't, not all these in between conditions.


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## Car guy (Mar 31, 2016)

Thanks for letting folks know. Yes, batteries can show good V and not have sufficient As.


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