Car stopped on highway

ANSWER : Hi there. What you are describing is common with a CVT malfunction. This unique to Nissan transmission has experienced some hit and miss issues as you’ve described and can cause the type of warning lights and symptoms you’ve described. However, it is also possible that the CVT recall problem is not the root source of the other error lights. Specifically, the TPMS and ABS warning lights could be caused by an actual sensor failure; which may have triggered the CVT problem in the first place. As difficult as it is to wait without knowing facts, the best advice we can offer is to wait for the dealership to contact you about their diagnosis. Hopefully the factory recall is the source of your other issues and the repairs will resolve this problem.

ANSWER : It sounds like you may have a dirty or failing idle air control valve. The idle air control valve monitors the air intake as it is mixed with fuel prior to being injected into the engine at low speeds and at idle. This valve is controlled by the vehicle’s computer and will adjust idle speed based upon other measurements such as engine temperature, intake air temperature and electrical system load or voltage. This is also an important function when starting the motor as it allows the motor to run and idle on it’s own once the motor fires. When you accelerate, the engine RPM increases, and as you let off the gas, the RPM slowly returns to the normal idling speed with the help of the idle air control valve making the transition from a higher RPM back down to idle speed while adjusting the air/fuel ratio constantly to allow this to happen smoothly. When the engine RPM drops below the normal range of about ~800 RPM, this often times will cause the engine to stall indicating a dirty or faulty idle air control valve. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your vehicle.

ANSWER : Hi, thanks for writing in. I’d be happy to try to help. It is hard to definitively diagnose what the issue is. At first it seems like a transmission issue. Automatic transmissions are rather complicated and can do strange things when they malfunction. If not an issue with the transmission, you could also have a clutch issue. Always start by checking the simple components first. Check your transmission fluid level. Make sure your transmission filter is clean and debris free. When you have the transmission pan off, you can look and see if there are any metal shavings at the bottom. There is often a small magnet at the bottom of the pan designed to gather any metal shavings for a quick diagnosis. This is a sign of more serious transmission problems. Unless you have experience with automatic transmissions, it is not recommended that major repairs be done at home. I suggest taking your car to a transmission specialist for help.

ANSWER : Hi there. What had happened is the wrong key set the security to the vehicle. This is to prevent the vehicle from starting with the wrong keys. Try removing the battery cables (+) and (-) for 13 minutes. During that time, put the original key in the ignition and turn it on. Activate everything in the car even though there is no power. Then remove the key and hook up the battery cables. The computer should have reset and reset the security. If the security is still being tripped, then I recommend seeking out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you

ANSWER : Hi there – you may have 2 related events here, a coolant leak, and a problem with the heater system. The current issue may be air inside the cooling system, which can cause overheating, and a lack of heater function. The lack of heater function could have 5 causes: the engine is not getting up to correct temperature (center of the gauge) due to a malfunctioning thermostat, the heater control valve is not letting hot coolant into the heater core, there is a restriction in the heater system that is preventing adequate hot coolant flow through the heater core, the heater fan is not working to transfer heat from the heater core to warm air for the passenger compartment, or the air blend doors inside the heater are not working properly to route warm air to the desired vents. I would recommend a heater system inspection](https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/heater-is-not-working-inspection) by a mobile, professional mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, who will come to your location, diagnose this problem, give you an accurate assessment of damage and cost estimate for repairs.

ANSWER : As you may know, your car’s AC system when working properly puts an extra load on the engine at all times when it is running. When this happens, your car’s computer makes adjustments to compensate for this extra load on the engine. There is a component in your engine’s intake system called an idle air control valve that helps to control air intake as it is mixed with fuel during idle or low speeds. When this is dirty or not working properly (especially under load from additional power required for the AC), tis may cause incorrect adjustments to be made to the fuel mixture causing the hesitation you describe. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your home to take a look at your car to properly diagnose and repair your idle air control valve.

ANSWER : Hello, from what you’ve described it sounds like you are having several different issues. The starter should have nothing to do with it stalling, but it will have something to do with the car restarting if it doesn’t turn the engine well. The stalling can be from the distributor or possibly a computer sensor.

The scenario where you hit a car from behind may be from another problem, alongside with the idling of the engine. Without knowing the model and engine size of your car I can only say so much. I would suggest having a mechanic do a thorough check of the entire car to check the engine, brakes, and computer systems to see if the problems can be identified and repaired, or at the very least quoted.

ANSWER : Hi – first thing to check is for proper transmission fluid level. If fluid level is correct, this may be a transmission failure (forward clutches). I would recommend a transmission inspection by a mobile, professional mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, who will come to your location, diagnose this problem, give you an accurate assessment of damage and cost estimate for repairs.