help??
I bought this car from a personal owner, she told me that it had minor issues with the front motor mount being replaced and the cam shaft sensor the day I drove it the engine shut off in the middle of the road ,I had to switch gears to get it back running so I had asked and she said it had something to do with the problems I stated ,but today when I tried to start the car up ,It tried to crank but it wasn't successful and it said that the battery had died and "check the engine soon" light was on and of course that could mean a lot but if someone could please give me some answers
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hi there. Check the computer of the car for any codes that could be stored or pending. This will give you a logical area to oversee what needs repaired. If the camshaft position sensor message is appearing, then the camshaft position sensor could be damaged, the wiring to the sensor could be damaged, or the reluctor ring on the camshaft could be damaged and missing teeth causing the sensor to not register properly. If the camshaft position sensor is not able to register properly, then the computer may think that the engine is misfiring and running on the wrong stroke and shut off the ignition and fuel system. If you need further assistance with your engine not starting, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :
The most common reasons a Nissan Maxima won`t start are a dead battery, an alternator problem, or failed starter.
If the check engine light in your Nissan Maxima starts flashing, that means that the problem needs sudden attention and your Nissan should be transported in promptly. This blinking light usually indicates a severe engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system.
If the check engine light or service engine soon light is flashing, it could indicate a critical issue. The problem may be an engine misfire that could damage the catalytic converters. In the case of a blinking check engine light, it is strongly recommended that you have your vehicle serviced immediately.
When your engine cranks but won`t start or run, it could mean your engine is having trouble producing a spark, getting fuel, or creating compression. The most common causes are problems in the ignition (for example, a bad ignition coil) or fuel system (for example, a clogged fuel filter).
If your vehicle won`t start, it`s usually caused by a dying or dead battery, loose or corroded connection cables, a bad alternator or an issue with the starter. It can be hard to determine if you`re dealing with a battery or an alternator problem.
While the check engine light can definitely be indicative of serious problems, the most common cause of the flashing is usually an engine misfire. There are many reasons why an engine misfire might be occurring. To run smoothly, an engine must be receiving the correct amount of power from the cylinders in your vehicle.
The simplest way to describe the difference is that the Service Engine light informs us of upcoming expected maintenance. On the other hand, the Check Engine light informs you of an unexpected problem occurring in your engine or exhaust system.
Meaning of the Service Engine Soon Light
The check engine light is a light to warn you to a possible issue with your exhaust system or emissions system. The service engine soon light can come on for minor issues like a loose gas cap, or for more major problems such as possible engine failure.
The purpose of the service engine soon light is to alert drivers that the car`s sensors have detected some sort of malfunction. These sensors are often triggered by issues with the emission control system of the vehicle, but there can be a variety of different causes.
One common culprit for this problem is the crankshaft position sensor, which measures the position and speed of the crankshaft. The computer uses the information from this sensor to know when to fire the spark plugs. If the sensor isn`t working, the spark plugs won`t fire, keeping the engine from starting.
Hard start symptoms and starter failure may NOT be caused by the starter, but could actually be caused by the crankshaft position sensor. If your vehicle is experiencing one or more of these symptoms, the crankshaft sensor may be at fault.
The easiest way to perform an ECU reset is by removing the fuse from the fuse box. It is a very simple process, and all you have to do is pull out the car key, remove the fuse from the fuse box, and then put it back after about 15 to 20 seconds. Doing this clears any long-term memory stored in the car`s ECU.
A failed O2 sensor is the most common cause of a flashing check engine light. The O2 sensor is a critical part of the exhaust system, monitoring how much unburned oxygen is exiting the engine in the exhaust. The sensor sends messages back to the engine to adjust the mix of oxygen and fuel being used.
Check your gas cap first. Many vehicles have a loose gas cap indicator that will be triggered before your check engine light comes on. If your gas cap is loose or the seal is not tight, the vapor leakage can cause your fuel system to trigger the check engine light.
A check-engine light will shut itself off if the condition that caused it is remedied. So, if your converter is marginal, and you did a lot of stop-and-go driving, which creates high demand for the converter, that might have turned on the check-engine light.
Disconnecting your battery and draining the power to cause an ECU reset is one of the most common fixes for a check engine light that won`t go away on its own. Doing so is equivalent to a hard reboot on a desktop computer, which is a standard way to eliminate many common problems.
The main symptoms of a faulty ECU
Well-known examples are: engine failure light (MIL light) that lights up on the instrument cluster, car that goes into emergency mode, the car shakes or when the engine no longer runs on all cylinders. It can all indicate a malfunction of the engine control unit.
The engine control module does what its name suggests: It controls the engine. If the ECM has died completely, you won`t be able to start your car. Your engine could cut while you`re driving, as well, if the ECU malfunctions. Once you`ve coasted to a stop, you won`t be able to get your automobile started again.
or Service Engine Soon Light (SES) This is an orange or yellow light in the dash area that is the on board computers way of talking to you, the driver and the technician. Dash lights mimic traffic lights in color.
The first thing you can try, to turn off the car, then restart the engine. The second step is to disconnect your battery, wait for a few minutes then reconnect the battery. Another option is to continue to drive your car, and hope the light will reset itself.
Once you see the check engine light, it is safe to drive with the light on for 50 to 100 miles. This is because if the issue is with the sensors, then this will buy some time for it to reset, turning the check engine light off. However, scan the computer for the appropriate error codes if the light remains.
As mentioned, a flashing check engine light signals an emergency and requires an immediate repair. The longer you drive a vehicle with a flashing CEL, the more damage you may do. If a misfire causes the flashing light, you can do severe damage to your vehicle`s catalytic converters.
Regular Engine Maintenance
Spark Plug Replacement. Spark Plug Wire Inspection. A Thorough Inspection of All Engine Components. Air and Fuel Filter Replacement Where Necessary.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
hey good day. im joey from the philippines. can you help me out. i would really an opinion about the problem in my car. my honda c
ANSWER : Hi Joey. Unfortunately, it’s hard for us to provide you the correct diagnosis of your issue for two reasons. First, we don’t offer services or repairs in your country, so it’s impossible for one of us to come to your location and inspect your car. Second, without knowing maintenance details, it’s hard to tell you what might be causing the noise. In some cases, it can be due to loose cylinder head hardware; so it may be that the mechanic is correct. I wish we could help more, but that’s really all the advice we can offer. Good luck to you.
Read Full Q/A … : help??
hi i really need help with my axle cv join keep breaking
ANSWER : If the suspension has been altered and lowered, then you may be putting the drive axle in a bind. If the axle is put out of alignment and you make turns that put a bind in another direction it takes a toll on the axle joint which can only take so much. The right axle goes bad first since this is the drive axle that gets the most torque from the transmission. I would suggest the same as the dealer and put the suspension back to normal height and replace any worn components like the wheel bearing or axle. I’d suggest you get the car looked at by a certified technician who can inspect your suspension system. They can perform the necessary checks to assess the condition of your suspension and make any repairs or adjustments that are necessary.
Read Full Q/A … : help??
Hi Peter. Can you help me please. I have a 2002 Jeep liberty sport. I have owned this wonderful little truck for 10 yrs with littl
ANSWER : If you don’t periodically remove the spark plugs from the cylinder head (100,000 miles is typical), the plugs can essentially weld themselves to the aluminum head of the engine and then when you do belatedly service them, upon removal the spark plugs threads in the head will be damaged. So, there are actually a number of reasons why replacement of spark plugs is not optional. At 100,000 plus miles there is probably additional required maintenance, or at minimum inspections, that should be performed, too, in order for you to obtain the maximum useful service life from the vehicle. If you desire spark plug replacement, please use YourMechanic’s service page for spark plug replacement and the responding certified mechanic will get this taken care of for you and advise you as to other maintenance required on the vehicle. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.
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i need your help my wolkswagen 2005 doesnt want to lock 2 doors… i’m not sure if it’s a fuse problem.. when i press the lock but
ANSWER : Hi there:
If the driver side doors are the only ones that unlock when you press the power lock button, then it’s more than likely that you have a damaged main power lock control module or electrical relay to the passenger side doors that’s causing this issue. However, to be certain that you get the right repairs completed on your Volkswagen, you might want to have a professional mechanic complete a power door locks are not working inspection first.
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Suddenly a whole lots of problems have occurred!!! Help!
ANSWER : My first thought is you have moisture inside your distributor cap. This is a very common issue with older vehicles. I suspect all these issues are caused by a single issue. Since it is overheating, I would certainly be checking your cooling system. I wouldn’t expect it to blow a head gasket, but your symptoms definitely fit. It could also be clogged carburetor jets.
With an overheating car, I would begin by determining which cylinder are misfiring. If cylinders are misfiring on only one head, I would suspect you have a head gasket failure. Whatever is overheating needs to be addressed. It is very difficult to diagnose a car when it is overheating.
Another possibility is the roll pin holding the gear on the distributor has sheared. This can cause overheating and all of your symptoms. I think I would begin by checking your timing. If it is way off, I would suspect this. While your there, inspect the distributor cap for moisture.
To summarize:
Check timing
Check for moisture
Check distributor gear
Check for head gasket failure
Clean carburetor jets
If none of this applies, diagnose your overheating issue.
If you should need further assistance, have a certified technician, like one from YourMechanic, diagnose your misfire firsthand for an accurate repair.
Good luck!
Read Full Q/A … : help??
My car turns on then shakes then it won’t turn on can you please help me out.
ANSWER : The good news is your problem is not "intermittent". That is, the problem will be readily apparent once the mechanic checks for fuel and spark. Problems that "come and go" are the ones that you don’t want to have. As far as the cause, it could be as simple as the coolant temperature sensor not reporting the "cold" status of the engine to the PCM (engine computer) and thus not enough fuel is being supplied to the fuel injectors (on first start) or you could have a bad fuel pump. There are also cam and crankshaft sensors that sometimes stop working. Inasmuch as there are so many other possibilities, your best bet by far is to simply request a no start diagnostic and the certified Mechanic will come out, probably check the fuel pump initially at key on, and then if the problem is not found there, just simply go through the diagnostic "decision tree" until the fault is found. If any diagnostic trouble codes have set, obviously that will shorten the diagnostic and so the Mechanic will see if your check engine light is on or if codes are stored in the engine computer.
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Please help me figure out where my PCV valve and PCV Hose is!!!
ANSWER : Hi there. The PCV valve is located on bank 1; the valve cover closest to the cabin. It is usually found under the intake plenum towards the passenger side of the vehicle. The hose will be attached; or loose. Please understand that a code retrieval and an internet search is not a proper diagnosis as there are several other possibilities that can cause the code to set. Some of the possible causes could be spark plugs, ignition coils, intake manifold leaks, intake plenum leaks, vacuum hose leaks, failing airflow meter, failing O2 sensors, exhaust manifold leaks, low fuel pressure, failing ECU, faulty wiring harness, failing injectors, etc… As you can see, the list of possibilities runs on and on. This is where the expertise and experience of a qualified technician with the proper diagnostic tools and procedures becomes invaluable. I strongly suggest having a qualified technician perform an inspection to avoid replacing unnecessary parts and determine the exact cause of the code. Your Mechanic has several available technicians that can assist you with a check engine light inspection.
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I’m chasing compression and trying to eliminate ticking. Can you help me adjust my valves? EFI SBF roller block
ANSWER : Hello. I would need to know more about the engine like what types of parts are being used. It simply sounds like the lifters were not bled off prior to setting the lash. If this was not done then that needs to be done prior to doing anything else. If it has been done then you may have some faulty lifters.
Read Full Q/A … : help??
