Nissan and Datsun common faults and how to fix them
Faults that are well known on Nissan and Datsun models we hold manuals for: what the owner notices, what causes it, and the pages in our manuals that cover the repair.
- Nissan crank sensor, P0335 and P0340: stalling and hard starting (2000–2006)
- Nissan P0420: catalyst code on the Maxima, Pathfinder and Frontier
- Nissan CVT problems: whine, rattle and P0744 or P0840 codes in the Altima and Rogue (2007–2009)
Nissan crank sensor, P0335 and P0340: stalling and hard starting (2000–2006)
Symptoms
The engine stumbles, dies at idle or cuts out while driving at low speed, or is hard to start when warm but fine from cold. The Service Engine Soon light comes on with P0335 (crankshaft position sensor) or P0340 or P0345 (camshaft position sensor), and power may be reduced.
Cause
Nissan campaign 03-124 covers the 2000–2003 Sentra, 2002 Altima, 2002–2003 Maxima, 2003 Murano and 2003 350Z with the QG18DE, QR25DE and VQ35DE engines: the engine might stop if a crank or cam position sensor fails. NHTSA recall 07V527000 adds that on 2.5 engines the crank sensor can overheat and drop its signal too briefly for the engine computer to flag it. Bulletins also cover P0340 stumbling on early 2002 Altima and Sentra 2.5s, and warm hard starting on 2003–2005 Altima V6s and 2004 Maxima and Quest.
Fix
Check with a Nissan dealer whether the sensor campaign and the ECM reprogramming recall have been done. Under the Nissan crank sensor campaign the crank and cam sensors are replaced. The Nissan P0335 stalling recall reprograms the engine computer. For a Nissan P0340 code with warm hard starting, follow bulletin 04-063 for the diagnosis and repair.
Repair instructions on this site
- Nissan campaign 03-124: engine sensor replacement (350Z, 2003)
- NHTSA recall 07V527000: ECM update for stalling (Altima 2.5, 2002)
- Nissan bulletin 01-074A: dies at idle, stumbles, P0340 (Altima 2.5, 2002)
- Nissan bulletin 04-063: hard start, P0340/P0345 (Altima 3.5, 2003)
- NHTSA recall 01V357000: crankshaft position sensor defective (Sentra 1.8, 2000)
Sources: Nissan campaign 03-124; NHTSA recalls 07V527000 and 01V357000; Nissan bulletins 01-074A and 04-063.
Nissan P0420: catalyst code on the Maxima, Pathfinder and Frontier
Symptoms
The check engine light comes on with P0420 (catalyst efficiency below threshold, bank 1), sometimes with P0430 for bank 2 on V6 engines. The vehicle usually runs normally, with no misfire or driveability problem.
Cause
Nissan bulletins trace the code to different things on different models. On the 2000–2001 Maxima and the 2001 Pathfinder, the engine computer's catalyst monitor needed new software. On the 2005–2006 Frontier with the 2.5 QR25 engine, the bulletin replaces the exhaust manifold catalyst and reprograms the computer.
Fix
First check for exhaust leaks and misfires, which also set P0420. Then compare the engine computer's part number with the bulletin's chart. For the Maxima, the Nissan P0420 bulletin says to reprogram the computer and not to replace any parts. The Pathfinder P0420 bulletin is similar. For the 2005–2006 Frontier 2.5, the Frontier P0420 bulletin replaces the manifold catalyst and then reprograms the computer.
Repair instructions on this site
- Nissan bulletin 00-070B: MIL on, P0420 (Maxima 3.0, 2001)
- Nissan bulletin 02-087A: P0420/P0430 (Pathfinder 3.5, 2001)
- Nissan bulletin 10-045: P0420, manifold catalyst replacement (Frontier 2.5, 2005)
Sources: Nissan technical service bulletins 00-070B, 02-087A and 10-045.
Nissan CVT problems: whine, rattle and P0744 or P0840 codes in the Altima and Rogue (2007–2009)
Symptoms
The continuously variable transmission (CVT) whines or grinds at highway speed, rattles at low speed, or feels down on power when pulling away. The engine light may come on with P0840 or P0845 (transmission fluid pressure sensor), P0744 or P1777, sometimes with discoloured or burnt-smelling CVT fluid. It affects the four-cylinder 2007–2009 Altima and the 2008–2009 Rogue, both with the QR25DE engine.
Cause
Nissan bulletin 10-143 traces the Altima's highway whine to a mechanical noise inside the CVT. On the Rogue, Nissan ran service campaign P9249 for a low-speed transmission rattle on 2008–2010 models, which reprograms the transmission and engine computers. Bulletin 09-148A says the pressure codes on the 2007–2008 Altima, Rogue and Sentra come from the CVT control valve assembly. Nissan extended the CVT warranty on 2003–2010 models to 10 years or 120,000 miles.
Fix
Check the fluid level and condition first, and use only Nissan CVT fluid; the Nissan Rogue CVT fluid change ends by resetting the fluid deterioration date with the CONSULT tester. For P0744 Nissan or P0840 codes, the bulletin replaces the control valve and then resets the transmission computer's calibration data. Ask a Nissan dealer whether the Nissan Rogue CVT rattle campaign has been done. For the Altima's highway whine, follow the flow chart in the Altima CVT bulletin.
Repair instructions on this site
- Nissan bulletin 10-143: CVT whining or grinding at highway speeds (Altima 2.5, 2009)
- Nissan campaign P9249: ECM and TCM update for transmission rattle (Rogue 2WD, 2008)
- Nissan bulletin 09-148A: MIL on, P0840, P0845, P0744, P1777 (Rogue 2WD, 2008)
- Nissan bulletin 09-044: MIL on, P0710, P0840, P0845, fluid discoloured (Rogue 2WD, 2008)
- CVT fluid, changing (Rogue 4WD, 2009)
- All Altima manuals
Sources: Nissan technical service bulletins 10-143, 09-148A and 09-044; Nissan service campaign P9249 (bulletin 09-126B); Nissan USA warranty information — CVT limited warranty extension; Scripps "Don't Waste Your Money" — Nissan owners complain of transmission troubles.