# my Altima sounds like a lawnmower



## johnny vodka (Mar 15, 2007)

it's a 96 automatic altima. It's got 150k+ miles on it, and I just took it to the shop to fix leaking radiator hoses and stuff losing my coolant. It was running fine after that.

Less than a few weeks later, my car now sounds like a lawnmower and has horrible acceleration and gas mileage. It takes longer than usual to accelerate up to speed after a stop sign or red light, and I have to step on the gas hard, which probably contributes to the poor gas mileage. It stalls out occasionally when I'm at stop lights, going in reverse, or moving into a parking spot.

Can anyone help by telling or suggesting what this could be? I'm an intern on a small income, but need to get this fixed because the gas mileage is so bad.


----------



## ctwaley (Feb 3, 2007)

johnny vodka said:


> it's a 96 automatic altima. It's got 150k+ miles on it, and I just took it to the shop to fix leaking radiator hoses and stuff losing my coolant. It was running fine after that.
> 
> Less than a few weeks later, my car now sounds like a lawnmower and has horrible acceleration and gas mileage. It takes longer than usual to accelerate up to speed after a stop sign or red light, and I have to step on the gas hard, which probably contributes to the poor gas mileage. It stalls out occasionally when I'm at stop lights, going in reverse, or moving into a parking spot.
> 
> Can anyone help by telling or suggesting what this could be? I'm an intern on a small income, but need to get this fixed because the gas mileage is so bad.


More than likely, you will need to replace a sensor or two...........Best thing to do is go to a Schucks or AutoZone, and have them read the codes from the computer module (ECM)....This is a free service they offer and would be cheaper than buying your own scan tool, which starts at around $70 and goes up into the hundreds of dollars.........This will help you know where to start looking.........

After copying down the codes, in the same order read from the computer if there's more than one, have them reset the computer module, then drive around for at least an hour or more (at least forty more miles), and have the codes checked again........This will confirm what the problem(s) may be.........After figuring out what the codes mean, start checking out the problems in the same order you read from the module........


----------



## johnny vodka (Mar 15, 2007)

I just went over a speed bump and sounded like I bottomed out. I parked it and it turned out that the exhaust fell down and is like 4 inches off the ground. I can see some frayed hose as well.

I'm taking it to get looked at tommorrow, but could that just be my problem once it gets fixed? I am really near the end of my patience with this car. It seems like a different problem a different week.


----------



## Asleep (Jan 19, 2003)

any smoking or any thing like that?


----------



## johnny vodka (Mar 15, 2007)

no, but I can smell exhaust in the car, especially when I sit at a red light.


----------



## ctwaley (Feb 3, 2007)

johnny vodka said:


> I just went over a speed bump and sounded like I bottomed out. I parked it and it turned out that the exhaust fell down and is like 4 inches off the ground. I can see some frayed hose as well.
> 
> I'm taking it to get looked at tommorrow, but could that just be my problem once it gets fixed? I am really near the end of my patience with this car. It seems like a different problem a different week.


Look at the codes, anyway............And if the muffler is hanging, the connection to the rear O2 sensor might be loose which can affect the fuel mixture ratio (too lean or too rich).....


----------



## johnny vodka (Mar 15, 2007)

it was the flex pipe or whatever it's called. Got it fixed, and it runs quitely now. 

thanks, I still need to do stuff to it, as the check engine light is still on, and it accelerates poorly and shifts bad. So I'll go get the codes looked at.


----------



## bvrjr (May 7, 2007)

Did you get the flex pipe repaired or replaced? How was it repaired?




johnny vodka said:


> it was the flex pipe or whatever it's called. Got it fixed, and it runs quitely now.
> 
> thanks, I still need to do stuff to it, as the check engine light is still on, and it accelerates poorly and shifts bad. So I'll go get the codes looked at.


----------

