'95 Nissan Altima Check Engine Light

shmang

Will be on if there is something wrong with your engine...

What is this topic for anyway?

markstrong

I recently purchased a 1995 Nissan Altima with 70,000 miles on it. Soon after the check engine light came on. I reset it, and about a week later it came on again. Our mechanic suggested switching to Techron gasoline and using sea foam to clean the sensor. We did that, reset the computer, and about a week later the light came on again. The mechanic replaced the sensor, but the problem has not stopped. Every time the computer is reset the light stays off for a few hundred miles and then comes back on. I have tried every brand of gasoline and have had no success. I am open to any suggestions that anyone has.

Thanks.

Mr_Shiftright

Have you had a computer scan? What do the codes say? Has a smog station checked your gas cap? Is someone doing a logical diagnostic on the car, or just guessing. This should be readily solvable.

lrs_nissan94

I have a 94 Nissan Sentra with approximately 212k miles. My check engine light is coming on and has been for about 2 months now. I took it to a Nissan Dealer to have a do a diagnostic test and they found that I need 3 gaskets replaced around my manifold. The gaskets have worn and needs to be cleaned. The Nissan Dealer will charge me $450 to replace these gaskets. I have my own personal mechanic that works on foreign cars stated he could get the gaskets for me and replace them, but he also told me as long as my temperature meter was not moving to H or that I was not loosing gas, that I was fine, there are approximately 1 billion people that ride with their check engine light on. He also mentioned that if you don't put your gas cap back on tightly that can cause your check engine light to come on to. I suggest getting you a diagnostic test at the Nissan Dealership and asking what needs done, such as parts, etc, then see if your local part store have them in stock to see if you can get someone else(personal mechanic) or yourself to replace what ever needs done. However, I haven't gotten the parts yet, I have just been ignoring the problem, but will get it fixed this weekend!

andy2470

I have a 1996 Altima with the same problem you describe. The computer has been reset and the light goes off and on every 1000 miles or so. I took it to my mechanic and had a computer diagnosis done and the code for knock sensor came up. This part is EXPENSIVE ($250). I had that replaced and the light went off for a while and then came back on again. I took it back to my mechanic again and had the car hooked up to the computer again. Not the knock sensor this time. Now it is a catalyst problem. Not to mention the fact that my distributor has just gone BAD. The Altima has a high failure rate for the distributor and it is REALLY EXPENSIVE! I will be getting rid of this car real quick and will never buy a Nissan car again.

h60

My 95 Altima also has the recurring c/e light. First code indicated O2 sensor, that was replaced and the light appeared again in about 500 miles. Codes have varied from various cylinder misfires to codes not listed in the Haynes manual. The idle has become very rough despite new distributor cap, rotor, wires, plugs. Timing is right on, vacuum is steady @19. My next step is to start checking sensors (idle speed, maf). I don't have a lot of confidence in the dealer's diagnostic equipment because (a) it's intermitent and (b) they troubleshoot by replacement and I buy the parts. The gaskets mentioned above have me wondering as there appears to be a little sputter from beneath the heat shield. Otherwise it's been a great car, I'm at 120k with no other problems.

0patience

To clear things up abpout the trouble codes.
When a trouble code is retrieved, for example on the 94 Nissan, the code 33 - Oxygen sensor, Does NOT mean the sensor has to be replaced. It means there is a problem with the the Oxygen sensor circuit. Which could be a plug in,broken wire, or a bunch of other causes.
There are flow tests to determine the cause and problem.
ANY mechanic who says to replace the sensor of the code that comes up,is guessing.

Mr_Shiftright

And a lot of them guess all the time...which is why you see so many posts on this Board about "we replaced the framis AND the quibble sensor, but after 200 miles the light came on again". Well sure, they guessed wrong or there was more than ONE problem (often happens).

sammyjen

I had the same problem with my 98 Altima and a 96 Nissan Quest minivan. A technician at an "honest"
Nissan dealership told me to shut off the engine while filling the gas tank. He said oxygen gets in the tank and the 02 sensor goes off. Also said the light will stay on for about 30 turns of the ignition. Problem has gone away on both vehicles.
Don't let them scam you with expensive bull#%@!
repairs. Try what I said.

shmang

What you said, sammyjen... Turn the ignition 30 times or what?

marcus262

I too have a 95 altima with a check engine light. If anyone out there has found a good fix on that problem let me know. Also my wife has a 97 sentra with a check engine light that comes on and off at will. Both cars have the same intermittent problem that all of you are having or have had. Any advice would be great.
Great web site!

fritz1224

That tech may be honest, but I don't think his explanation is plausible. The O2 sensor measures exhaust gases, not gasoline vapors. If the gas cap is off and the engine is running, the light will come on because the PCM detects a drop in fuel tank pressure. This would be interpreted by the PCM as a leak in that system and that is a no no. Bad for the environment, you know.
Just my uneducated opinion.
As far as the light going off after a certain number of starts, my Accord owners' manual addresses this and says if the light comes on as a result of gas cap related problem and the problem is corrected, the light will go off after a certain number of starts.

tims63

Another check engine light question/issue. I had to recently replace the battery on my 1997 Altima (battery appeared to have died). After changing the battery, my check engine light was on. I thought maybe it was triggered from the dead battery. I took it to the dealer who performed a diagnostic to find the problem ($55 to find the problem). Dealer said I need a new distributor-- $625. Anyone hear of these distributors going bad? As noted, this is a '97 with about 62,000 miles.

0patience

sammyjen,

The light will stay on as long as there is a problem, if the problem self corrects, the light will go out with in 10 restarts. As fritx said though, the reason the light comes on with the engine running while fueling is because the sensor for the fuel tank. Actually it will say something like this - EVAP Emission System -Small Leak

fritz1224,

I agree with the fuel tank deal. You are right on the money.

tims63,

Although I have never seen that new a vehicle have a problem with a distributer, there could be a module problem. Find out how they determined that the distributor was the problem and let us know. Can you see what trouble codes they came up with?

Also,check this page and it should enable you to retrieve the trouble codes yourself and gives you definitions of the codes. I realize that the system is OBD2, but some Nissans have the capability of giving you the basic trouble codes. But come back and let us know what the trouble codes were.