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Nissan Quest Engine Problems

24

Comments

  • mikek847mikek847 Member Posts: 12
    What do you mean when you say eye and coil do not work? If this means optical sensor and coil connection, what are symptoms of these? This would help to diagnose to the pin point, I think. Let us know. Thanks.
  • denhamdenham Member Posts: 76
    Gets warm or hot you get a knock or miss and little or know pulling power.
    The bearing in the distributor goes bad with age and the coil pickup sensor does not get a good signal. Check E Bay and you can get a new distributor complete for less! Get back with me.
  • efitzgeraldefitzgerald Member Posts: 62
    I agree 100% with Denham. I spent thousands from inept technicians trying to solve this problem... knock sensor codes and o2 codes are symptoms only. If your older Villager/Quest is running rough when warm/hot dont waste your money like I did....get a replacement distributor
  • cchalversoncchalverson Member Posts: 17
    I can only find one pre cat HO2 sensor located in the exhaust right after the point where the V6 exhaust pipes come together. A new Bosch OE HO2S didn't clear the CEL so I erased it with the scan tool and it nearly immediately came back on with a P0135 code. Had my mechanic check the wiring this week when he replaced the motor mounts and he said wiring checked out OK, it must be a bad Bosch HO2S. The auto parts place exchanged the Bosch HO2S with another new one and after installation I'm still getting the same CEL code.
  • hunter38hunter38 Member Posts: 7
  • petakapetaka Member Posts: 12
    Similar to my problem and nobody answered. Looks like I am up the creek.
    His problem was acceleration going up and down, my van produces a jolt every few seconds while stopped.
    At least now I know it's not a distributor, which I was planning to change. I guess I'll just wait till the computer gives me a code. :cry:
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I've been following this thread but I don't have any ideas either.

    You could try the Got a Quick, Technical Question? discussion or Edmunds Answers. Answers gets a different crowd than the forums.

    Please report back here if you learn anything.

    Steve, visiting host
  • petakapetaka Member Posts: 12
    Well, I just got back from the street. It has been raining all day and somehow the problem has worsen. This time it felt like it was misfiring at every stop light. Accelerate and the problem disappears.
    When I got home I popped the hood and listened to the engine. It makes a ticking sound every time it shakes. Just like the sound it makes after been turned off.
    We are suppose to have a better day tomorrow, so I'll keep searching and hoping for a miracle.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    No check engine light?

    You could swing by an auto parts store and see if any codes are being thrown.
  • petakapetaka Member Posts: 12
    No check engine light, I keep praying for one.
  • hunter38hunter38 Member Posts: 7
    this seems to be a problem for this particular year...I have 160K on my 2000 and up until now have had no unfixable problems. here is what i have done to unsucessfully fix this problem:
    spark plug wires
    spark plugs
    O2 sensor upstream--OBDII was coding this one
    Air intake sensor OBDII was coding this one also
    Fuel filter
    Checked all vacuum hoses

    I think that my problem may be distributor related since timing jumps all over the place with i put a light on even at when it is idleing smoothly HOWEVER i read in another thread that a quest owner simply tightened the ground wire on the PCM and problem gone. Another mentions the camshaft position sensor located in the distributor, but if you have replace the distributor, what are the chances of them both being bad?
    here are some codes i have been getting
    P0130 Closed Loop, Bank 1 Or Front O2S, Bank 1
    P1148 Closed Loop, Bank 1
    P0301 Cylinder 1 Misfire

    I have replaced the knock sensor on this car (10 hour job) and noticed that some of my "O" rings for my injectors were worn out and need replacing. I am not sure but i believe that this would also cause rough idle if air were leaking in however it would be rough idle all the time. Check the bolts for tightness on the plenium (upper intake mainfold), although this would cause car to idle rough all the time. The fact that it runs rough when warm (on my car) and not cold leads me to believe that it is still a timing or PCM issue. I really wish i could solve this one as my registration is coming due and i cannot pass with check engine light on!

    One last note: my car does miss after heavy acceleration when gas pedel is released. Again HAS TO BE TIMING! Anytime the car is changing RPMs the distributor tells spark plugs when to fire based on position of crankshaft, correct?
  • hunter38hunter38 Member Posts: 7
    Check connections on all your spark plugs and distributor cap. remove and reseat them, clicking could be arcing at loose connection. do it with car off so you dont get shocked.

    how many miles on car and have you had timing belt changed? if you threw some teeth on timing belt ticking could be valves not opening and closing correctly.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    A few of the early last generation Quests had a rough idle due to a dirty IAC valve off the intake manifold. Cleaning was the fix. Someone had a bad idle air control solenoid. Seems less likely than an injector problem though (but I'm really shooting in the dark here).

    I wonder if it's at all related to the throttle plate? I clean that on mine every ~30,000 miles or so, but only when it makes my '99 hesitate pulling away from stop signs.
  • petakapetaka Member Posts: 12
    I had my 105k miles service done at the end of 2005: replaced spark plugs, timing belt and whatever the dealership said I needed.
    Last summer I had an injector replaced and my mechanic also replaced spark plugs and fuel filter. When my injector went bad the van performed badly at all times.
    My idling problems started very lightly last December and have increased ever since.
    I clean the throttle plate regularly - whenever it sticks.
    The van seems to be possessed only when idling. Step on the gas and the darn thing flies. :confuse:
    Is the idle air control solenoid what keeps ticking once you shut off the engine?
    Thanks.
  • hunter38hunter38 Member Posts: 7
    ok well that rules out all the suggestions i had...hmm. I did pull off my distributor cap and clean the cam postition sensor and have yet to run into the problem again. I also havent kicked out any codes yet either, but may have not gone all the way through the drive cycle. I am still waiting to see if it happens again. the exhaust smells "cleaner" (no heavy gas smell) which is good. I still have to put the timing light back on again to check to see if it is jumping all over still. I will be working on this over the next couple of weeks so i will let you know if i get some revelation for this mystery problem.
  • mieze245mieze245 Member Posts: 1
    have you resolved this yet? I am having the same issues on my 96 quest.
  • hunter38hunter38 Member Posts: 7
    stumbled across in my reading another potential cause of the problem. The throttle position sensor that is sticking or acting up will cause the problems that we are encountering. Essentially if the sensor is not working correctly the engine computer does not know where the throttle position is and is continually trying to adjust causing a rough idle and finally a stall. This, i believe, also causes my problem of timing marks jumping all over the place since the computer is also trying to adjust timing based on an unknown throttle position. Problem should disappear during acceleration since sensor is no longer in play since it mainly adjusts air flow during idle. hopefully this is the solution. good luck!!
  • hunter38hunter38 Member Posts: 7
    thanks steve for setting me in the right direction on this one!
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Nice intuitive leap you made from a throttle body plate to the TPS. :)

    Keep us posted on how it works out!

    Steve, visiting host
  • msixkillermsixkiller Member Posts: 1
    We had the exact same problem...very frustrating as where we are there are not "mechanics" that have the right equipment to work on Nissan's. But after 4 mechanic shops, 3 tows and all the things above replaced..finally we replaced the distributor and it is running fine. My question is the mechanic that fixed our van said that in two warehouses they had over 2000 of this particular distributor part for this particular van. He suggested keeping your receipt, there is probably a recall on the way...just a heads up.

    Good luck, other than this problem..I love my Quest.

    Michelle :)
  • hunter38hunter38 Member Posts: 7
    finally got mine done....it was throttle postion sensor and mass air flow sensor in combination. i had just replace the MAF sensor last year and it was still under warrenty. saved me $160 bucks. took it in to have AC looked at (i live in vegas) and found out that it will cost me $1700. ouch. first real money i have put in the car in 9 years since purchasing. cant complain too much i guess. couple of other parts plus labor adds up pretty quick.
  • terrya88terrya88 Member Posts: 2
    Just fixed this on sister-in-laws Quest. Distributor was so hot it was hard to hold onto. Got it out and it would hardly spin was so gone. Replace and runs perfect. Thanks for the info.
  • petakapetaka Member Posts: 12
    I've cleaned EGR valve, IAC valve, throttle chamber, MAF sensor, checked and cleaned distributor, checked voltages on throttle position sensor.
    All those things have checked o.k. but the gremlin is still there. I am close to just giving up and let this van run its course.
    Still no ECM warning light.
  • deedee777deedee777 Member Posts: 1
    wow mine just broke a month ago in my 94 quest, have 134,000 miles on it, the engine had not had much pick up for about 6 months, then I was driving and the check engine light and brake light came on, turns out it had broke... they say it would cost more to have it fixed then its worth, and I have no money to sink into it. just got new tires, raditator, tires... you know the story... wow.... maybe we need to contact NISSAN.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    That's a bummer. This Broken Crankshaft link may be of interest (look under SubTopics)..
  • petakapetaka Member Posts: 12
    Thanks to the Villager & Quest FAQ site (Google). Under subtopics look for "Low speed miss". Several people posted the same exact problem but somebody nailed it and posted the solution.
    All I had to do was replace the ignition wires and problem solved. I had checked the resistance on each of those wires and they checked ok and looked fine to the naked eye, but somehow when they got hot it seems to be a different story. The van has been for service several times but I don't think anybody knows the intervals for changing the wires.
    I'll be back from time to time and sooner if there are any changes.
  • jmikelljmikell Member Posts: 4
    My 2000 Quest runs very rough. The cat convert was glowing I had it replaced. Then I got a code for knock senson I replaced that. Now the van runs like crap and then shuts down after it warms up. I am getting tired of throwing money at the car. I read where someone replaced the distributor. I am presently trying to locate a ignition module seprate from distributor. Is such a thing possible? Or do I need to to just purchase the whole distibutor complete.
  • rockmobilerockmobile Member Posts: 115
    I've read somewhere that a knock sensor code was a signal for a lot of other things and not exactly the sensor itself.
    Before you sink any more money into it make sure you are replacing what is really malfunctioning because things will add up.
    You could check the distributor to see if the bearings are gone but I think that replacing only the ignition module is a little bit more complicated.
  • denhamdenham Member Posts: 76
    Note: The distributor ignition module is good if the engine runs, the distributor bearing
    gets dry of lubricant with age and miles and builds up heat and you get a knock code
    most often after the engine get warm or hot. Read the posts for the last few years
    and then replace the distributor and save money.
  • mpuraimpurai Member Posts: 9
    Hello Guys, My 99 quest seems to need a new distributor every year and I had this vehicle since new. Now has 72, 000 original miles mostly highway on flat roads. I have changed 3 distributors within the last three years and now it seems it's the same problem.I always use Sunoco 93 gas. Note that just before this happens everytime, I will get a code 325: Knock Sensor. According to the repair manual and diagnostic readouts, knock sensors on these vans do not cause a code read out and the cause would relate to something else. In other words, a knock sensor problem will not trigger a code but indicates that the sensor is malfunctioning due to other problems. Now can anyone tell me why this vehicle seems to go through so many distributors? Note that everytime it's the Camshaft Position Sensor within the distributor that is gone. Currently the two terminals on the camshaft position sensor in the Dist. reads a resistance of 32.47 omhs which does not seem to be good. I conducted all the test and the dist is working as it should but does not send secondary power to the fuel pump. Same problem all the time. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks.
  • efitzgeraldefitzgerald Member Posts: 62
    If you wanna waste thousands like me, go ahead. Those are just the same symptoms i had...."Spent thousands" just get a used or new distributor or get a new vehicle, mine was 10 years old (320K) finally had enuf.
  • efitzgeraldefitzgerald Member Posts: 62
    Unless your service manual requests that you use 93 octane i wouldnt suggest using it. Your van may not need it and its wastefull (dollar wise) . are you buying new distributors? or from the wreckers? if their used, then your probably buying old ditribs with the same problem. hope this helps.
  • mpuraimpurai Member Posts: 9
    I've always bought new dist and I still seem to have the same problem. Looks like it is the piece of crap van that I have keep sucking money all the time. I thought that I was buying a Nissan and not a Ford.
  • mpuraimpurai Member Posts: 9
    I'll probably go with Auto Zone - the price is 300.00 for a Cardone Rebuilt with lifetime warranty. Of course I can pick a brand new one for 350.00 with just one year warranty....as noted, it will go again in one year.
  • jmikelljmikell Member Posts: 4
    If there is a OReillys Auto parts near by use them. I bought a new Distributor for under $300.
  • jmikelljmikell Member Posts: 4
    Thanks for all the help you folks have given me.The van starts fine and runs smoothly. Now it has taken to overheating and the cel is on for air mixture . Any sugestion would be aprieciated.
  • mpuraimpurai Member Posts: 9
    Hey fitzgerald', thanks for all the help; also to others who share their problems and answers which helps greatly for everyone. By the way, this vehicle seems to run very bad with the 89 or 87 octane. I sometimes use it when I'm low on cash. I read somewhere, sometime ago that you get more mileage with using the higher octane of 93 - this is 100 % true, for I've monitored this analogy hundred of times with different vehicles and for sure the other lower octanes burns very fast resulting in less mileage and power; contrary to what I would believe that the higher end gas would burn faster. But it seems that it takes more fuel of 87 and 89 to get the comparative mileage from the same measured gallons of the 93. So, in the end, it really costs more to use the less expensive gas with lower octane - calculated by mileage, quantity and costs. Now I'm wondering if using 93 would have caused damages so I ended up replacing the third distributor within the last four years.
  • mpuraimpurai Member Posts: 9
    By the way guys, after taking apart the distributor and thoroughly checking the components, I found that the resistor is the culprit. Coil, wires, bearings, (shaft not poling) and harnesses all checked out perfect. Anyway, I bought a Cardone Rebuilt from Auto Zone for $300.00 (w/core return) and lifetime warranty. Installed the distributor, just to find now that the fuel pump is not working. Fuel pump was the first checks I did, dropped the tank, uninstalled the pump, tested for power and pressure and turns out good. Also checked the primary and secondary power - primary good, but no secondary feed to the pump. Now with the new dist. in, there is secondary voltage to the pump but pump will not work anymore. Will update later. Thanks again guys.
  • snorkelbobbysnorkelbobby Member Posts: 19
    The crank shaft snout is a weak design. If you change the a/c belt and overtighten the tensioner, you will put excessive side load on the crank and the snout will break. Nissan changed the desig in mid 95 to a 32 mm snout.
    You can buy an engine on ebay for about $350. They even had a new short block for sale in Texas. Did you change the belt recently?

    Go here for expert help on Villager and Quest.

    http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/villagerquest/
  • mpuraimpurai Member Posts: 9
    Hey guys, I'm confused here. 99 Quest ignition timing 15 degrees tdc (as per repair manual - disconnect tps harness) and set timing. All sites and manuals shows only one tps sensor harness but in fact there are two harnesses to the tps, one (brown)above the other (Black). Now am I supposed to take off both of them or only the one on top?? Well I did it both ways to see if it causes any difference in the resulted timing after the harness is reconnected and found that it didn't really matter - but I would just like to know what's the correct way of doing it. Thanks All.
  • jaeqstjaeqst Member Posts: 1
    My 94' Quest dies when I put it into a gear (R or D...). I just replaced the fuel pump so I have eliminated this as a possible problem, any ideas? Thanks in advance for your help. Jaye :confuse:
  • roger40roger40 Member Posts: 1
    I had the same exact problem, for six months. My son put a new dist . in today,my van runs like new. I bought it on e-bay for $ 148.00, and free shipping, got it in 4 days. Dont fool around with used.
  • cchalversoncchalverson Member Posts: 17
    97 Quest with 142,000+ miles and rough idle. Just replaced the distributor with a remanufactured unit for $105 on eBay; so far so good. Great forum advice!
  • jquest97jquest97 Member Posts: 1
    have a 97 nissan quest with a 3.0L motor...I have a random cylinder misfire that occurs when cruising at around 45mph at 1500rpm's.. and at wide open throttle the motor looses all power and acts like it hits a rev limiter at 4500rpm's while under load, I have replaced all 6 injectors, cap, rotor, plugs, wires, knock sensor, fuel pump, timing belt,fuel filter, air filter, mass airflow sensor, distributor, ignition coil and the pcv valve with no improvement... I took it to a local Nissan dealer and they said that it is leaning out and when they adjusted the air/fuel ratio (with some computer) it ran great but they don't know what is causing this..the only code that is on the computer is a multiple cylinder misfire.

    The Van has 111,500 miles on it and has been well maintained. any help would be very appreciated, this van has turned into a money pit!
  • mpuraimpurai Member Posts: 9
    Most likely you'll need to check the catalytic converter. Seems like it's partially blocked and restricts the smooth flow at heavy rpms.
  • mikek847mikek847 Member Posts: 12
    I have 97 Quest and have about 190K miles on it. I am sorry to hear that you are still having problems after replacing literally ALL POSSIBLE VILLENS. I have a same problem and living with it. The minivan is still in very good shape with only one flaw that is the random cylinder misfire code. Although the engine is running rough when engine is warm, the CEL light is not on all the time. As a result, I can get the emission test passed with out much problem but this engine running rough and random cylinder misfire has been bugging me for a long time because the problem started at about 140K miles. I do not have any suggestion for you but would like to find out what may be the solution if you find out a solution. One difference between your problem and mine is that my CEL light does not come on or looses power at 45 MPH. It comes on at ideal. :confuse:
  • haughhaugh Member Posts: 12
    1999 Mercury Villager: approx 150,000 miles

    Had a rough engine idle at stop lights. :( Occasionally the knock sensor would be tripped and sometimes another code. Checked vacuum hoses, catalytic converter, had all the belts replaced including timing and water pump, a few other things and eventually replaced the distributor yesterday. Engine appears to run smoothly now at stops. No more rough idle. :D
  • mikek847mikek847 Member Posts: 12
    I've been folloing this thered for some time now. I've seen posts about this problem and it seems that owners have replaced many parts but still having problem. Yes, there is a chance that the posters with a problem resolved stop posting. I've seen from injectors to blocked air flow. I've seen problem with ECM power connection at the ECM unit. I've seen distributor assembly too. Some people said after the distributor assembly has been replaced, the problem came back. Distributor assembly is pretty expensive to replace.

    Although the symtoms you have described is very much like mine, it seems that your engine is different than mine. Mine has 3.0 liter engine. I have been living with it for last 4~5 years. Please keep me posted if the problem is gone for good. Also if you could e-mail me with the price and the source where you have purchased the distributor assembly, that would be appreciated too. mikek847@yahoo.com. Thanks in advance.
  • honeahonea Member Posts: 1
    Hi
    I have a 99 Villager with a 3.3 V6. I just put a different motor in it. Since I put the motor in I had rough idle and a hissing noise. I replace the Plenum Intake gaskets all the vacuum hoses. New Plug and wires. I had to use the fuel rail, wiring, and the distributor from the old motor. I have reset the time 3 or 4 times now. The check engine light came on and I checked the codes and it gave me 0135 O2 sensor. I replaced that and I still have the problem. Can anyone help me out to get the hissing noise and the rough idle problem fixed.
    Thank You
  • mits1mits1 Member Posts: 6
    04' nissan quest that will not rev if in drive it will not rev above 2250-2500 rpm. if accelerator is held it runs ok until this rpm and then starts to die out even stall sometimes if throttle held open??? symptoms sound familiar to anyone. almost like it is starving of fuel.
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