# Need assistance...1998 Maxima problems...



## Fuzzman (Jul 18, 2005)

My wife and I just traded for a 98 Maxima. There are a few small issues about the car that I need some help with, if someone out there has the answers. First, the headlights. They are aimed WAY TOO HIGH. I checked past entries in the forums and found where there was some discussion concerning how to aim these, and I have found two adjustment screws in the back of each headlight assembly. However, my manual DOES NOT say anything about adjusting the headlights on this automobile. It does say that replacing the bulbs should not require any adjustment, but that if adjustment is required, to please see an authorized dealer. I think the car has had front-end damage from a previous accident, and this may have affected the headlight position. I have tried to use the adjustment screws on the back of the assemblies, but all they seem to do is move the lenses from left to right and vice-versa. Are there any other adjustment screws that I am overlooking? If so, where are they located? Also, my cooling fans run CONSTANTLY...I have had a mechanic hook up a computer to the car and it showed 8 different codes (the service light stays on). One of those codes is a coolant temperature circuit code. We just bought a new coolant temp. sensor, which I will replace this afternoon. It also displayed a "knock" sensor code. What is this and should it be of some major concern? Also displayed was an EVAP sensor code which said that it was a dealer specific code. I cannot find an evap. canister anywhere in the engine compartment. What could this be? Finally...this car has shut itself off TWICE after idling for just a few moments. It has never done this while driving it, but it does concern me. If the temp. sensor is bad, could the car be telling the computer that it is hot and the computer shut the car down? Is there such a safety feature on these cars that they would shut down while in park to prevent damage to the block if they get too hot? Could the temp sensor be causing a chain link reaction in my other sensors that are showing problems? Please help if you know the answers to any of these questions. Thanks in advance for any assistance. It would be greatly appreciated.


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## hyethga (Jun 13, 2005)

I had a problem with my headlights too. At first what I tried was to simply adjust them with the screws behind but then I found out that the long pole used to retract forward and back wasn't moving the headlight at all because the bar that it sat on was broken. I simply improvised and found a piece of metal and bent it a little and finally got it to work. Its nothing more than an an hour's worth of work. Taking it to a dealer and spending money on it isn't really necessary. 

The adjustment screws are located on the right back side (If you're looking at the front of the car) of the headlights.

And I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with the bulbs however if the car was involved in an accident that might have off set the headlights' positions. 

I hope this helps


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## Fuzzman (Jul 18, 2005)

*Thanks.....but*

Thanks for the info, but I have another question for you....Do the headlights on your 97 Maxima have 2 of the long screws in the back of each headlight with a plastic cover to either insert a screwdriver to turn them with or use a socket on? One of the screws is located on the upper inside corner of the housing while the other is located on the lower outside corner, both of the heads facing towards the engine compartment. That is the way mine are. The only other screw I can find that looks as if it may have any significance on adjusting my headlights is located just above a bolt in the frame that helps holds my radiator in place. This "bolt" has a nut on the back side, but looks as if it may extend through the frame into the light housing via a round, plastic shroud. It looks as if when you tighten the nut on the bolt, it may pull the bolt towards the motor, therefore pulling the headlight housing down. Are your headlights like this?


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## hyethga (Jun 13, 2005)

Yep. You need a socket wrench (or whatever it is called if I'm wrong) to get to the lights to begin shifting their positions. See when you use the wrench it propells the lights forward and backwards, thus lowering and raising the lights' position. 

If I can I'll take a snapshot of it and show it to you.


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## Fuzzman (Jul 18, 2005)

Thanks a mil. I'm headed home and breakin' out the tool box. I'll let ya know what I figure out. Again, thanks. :thumbup:


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## hyethga (Jun 13, 2005)

Fuzzman said:


> Thanks a mil. I'm headed home and breakin' out the tool box. I'll let ya know what I figure out. Again, thanks. :thumbup:


These are what you should be looking for. Its the long silver screws with the black ends. Sorry if the quality is bad, I only had my camera phone when I did this. 

Left Headlight:










Right Headlight:










Right headlight once more. This one's quality is not as good so you have to squint a little.


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## DRUNKHORSE (Mar 6, 2005)

The evap canister is located in the back driver side of the engine compartment, right under the brake booster, its black. the Knock sensor usually is bad, it means that the gasoline is firing up before it should, instead of the spark plug making it fire up, but ive heard of the knock sensor coming up along with the evap code so i think if u get the evap code fixed the knock code will go away with it, last, the car shuts off mostlikely because of the evap code, u might have a vacuum leak. i think the knock sensor code also comes along with the temp code, im not sure tho. fix whatever u can now and lets us know whats happening.

*Questions:*
what other codes is it throwing off?
what gas do u use?


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## Fuzzman (Jul 18, 2005)

DRUNKHORSE said:


> The evap canister is located in the back driver side of the engine compartment, right under the brake booster, its black. the Knock sensor usually is bad, it means that the gasoline is firing up before it should, instead of the spark plug making it fire up, but ive heard of the knock sensor coming up along with the evap code so i think if u get the evap code fixed the knock code will go away with it, last, the car shuts off mostlikely because of the evap code, u might have a vacuum leak. i think the knock sensor code also comes along with the temp code, im not sure tho. fix whatever u can now and lets us know whats happening.
> 
> *Questions:*
> what other codes is it throwing off?
> what gas do u use?


Thanks for the info from both of you. Here is what has happened since yesterday: I replaced the temp sensor and now my cooling fans are doing exactly as they should. They used to run all the time, from the moment you started the car, while you were driving it, etc. Now they come on only when the computer senses the increase in temp to cool the car down. When they DO come on, they do not stay on very long. It has made a world of difference in noise as well as the fans do not constantly roar when idling or sitting at a red light. However, my service light is still on as I reset my computer after fixing the temp sensor. Apparently there is still a problem with the evap canister and the knock sensor. What should I do next? What action should I take regarding the EVAP code? If fixing this will/may fix the knock sensor problem, then I would much rather kill two birds with one stone. How would I check for a vacuum leak? Where is the knock sensor located? I have been very pleased, so far, as to how accessible Nissan has made most of the do-it-yourself components such as the spark plugs, oil filter, etc. I hope these other items we are discussing are relatively easy to access as well.

When we hooked up the computer to the car at the shop, it threw off 8 codes, but they were multiples. In other words the temp circuit code came up two different times as well as the knock sensor code. The EVAP code came up along with the dealer-specific code which we later discovered was also an EVAP code. I think pretty much everything is centering around those three items. I DO remember the knock sensor code saying that it was one circuit, bank 1. What does that mean?

When we filled up the car on Friday, we used 87, but after reading the various postings on this forum, will upgrade on our next and subsequent pit stops. I do not know what the previous owner ran, as this may have contributed to the problem long before we bought the car. The service light was on when we drove the car at the lot. The mechanic at the shop ran the codes. They said they would reimburse us for any parts we purchased and would fix the problems. I am just trying to eliminate having to leave the car at the shop for repairs, thus leaving my wife without a car to drive. So, with your help, I am hoping that I can repair the damage and just let the dealership reimburse me for the parts. I enjoy tinkering with the car, as I learn more about what I can and cannot do on my own.

As for the headlights, from what I can tell in the pictures, our headlights are very similar. I can't tell from the photos, but do your headlights each have TWO of those long, silver screws? Mine does. However, as I mentioned, we found TWO OTHER bolts that actually extend through the frame of the vehicle into the light assemblies. These two bolts are located just above a bracket that is used to bolt the radiator housing against the frame of the car. I have found that as you tighten the nut on these bolts against the frame of the car, the bolt pulls through thus lowering the light fixture. IS this the proper way to do this, or am I missing something? I hope someone can shed some light on this. If I can, I will get some pictures of my light assemblies today and post them.

One other problem we are having is trouble starting the car. At times it will fire right up, while other times we have to prime the pedal while we are turning the starter over. It's almost as if it is choking itself down on the start. I also noticed the gas pedal sticking in the relaxed position (idling). When we put the car in gear and try to ease down on the accelerator, we have to force more pressure than normal and when the pedal eventually moves downward, the car lunges dangerously. I began tracing this problem first with the pedal itself. I greased the spring, but the problem persisted. I oiled the cable, still sticking. I used WD-40 on the exterior of the throttle assembly where the cable attaches under the hood...still sticking. FINALLY, I disconnected the air intake assembly from the linkage assembly and noticed a fair amount of carbon build-up around the flap. I took a fine, steel brush and some strong, detergent-based degreaser and eliminated much of the carbon. It seems to have helped with the sticking part AND I think it helped the car to start a little easier. Could this have been the problem in both cases? What would be good to use to clean the carbon build-up in this area? I do not want to use anything that might get into the firing system and damage it. What about CLR, Lime-A-Way or something like that? I guess the safest route would be to just use an approved linkage cleaner, right?

Again, I appreciate your input on these matters, and hopefully we will have this car ready for a Florida vacation at the end of the month. Thanks for the info. 

Fuzzman :cheers:


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## Fuzzman (Jul 18, 2005)

*OOOPS!*

Well, it doesn't look like I can post any attachments to my thread here. I could forward my pics on to a private e-mail address if someone would like to see what I am talking about in reference to my headlight problem. Click on my screen name and send a message to me if you would like to help.


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