Nissan Sentra intermittent problem

Our daughter who lives in another state just called with a car problem. Her

2002 Nissan Sentra SE-R quit just as she pulled into her apartment complex. She said the Service Engine Soon light came on (first time she has ever seen it lit) and then the car would not respond to the gas pedal; it just idled but would not accelerate. She sat there for a minute and tried again. It started and ran fine and she got to her apartment. The Service Engine Soon light went out. The car has plenty of gas.

She waited a while, then tried to start it again. It started and ran fine.

It sounds to me like a fuel or air problem -- maybe an intermittent problem with the fuel pump? Any ideas?

Thanks, Craig

Reply to
Williams
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Could be a fuel or air problem. Or an intermittent exhaust blockage. Or an ignition problem. Without pulling the codes, you don't know anything about what happened at all.

The codes will tell you.

--scott

Reply to
Scott Dorsey

"Williams" wrote in news:iQXeo.94237$f snipped-for-privacy@newsfe17.iad:

Tell her to *read* the car manual and take it in for service instead of ignoring warning lights.

Reply to
chuckcar

Anybody else have any *good* ideas?

Chuckcar, the OP stated that the light went out. She did NOT ignore it. She took it to an Advance Auto store and asked if they could read the codes. They did not (or would not). It is my understanding that some codes stay set and others clear when tht light goes out, but I not not know for sure. Any help here?

BTW, Chuckcar, I have never read a car manual that had any useful information for troubleshooting.

She is not in a position to pay a shop to "easter egg" a problem.

Thanks, Craig

Reply to
Williams

You will need a real diagnostic station, not the crappy code-reader they have at Advance Auto, if you want to look at the logs.

--scott

Reply to
Scott Dorsey

"Williams" wrote in news:ajfho.38131$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe24.iad:

Lovely. A top poster to boot.

No you certainly did not. Below I repeat exactly what you wrote copied verbatim from your original post:

=================

Our daughter who lives in another state just called with a car problem. Her 2002 Nissan Sentra SE-R quit just as she pulled into her apartment complex. She said the Service Engine Soon light came on (first time she has ever seen it lit) and then the car would not respond to the gas pedal; it just idled but would not accelerate. She sat there for a minute and tried again. It started and ran fine and she got to her apartment. The Service Engine Soon light went out. The car has plenty of gas.

She waited a while, then tried to start it again. It started and ran fine.

=================

So she drove the car at least two further times *after* the light went on. Precisely in keeping with what I replied with. She completely ignored the warning light entirely, apparently assuming the problem would fix itself. This is basic bottom level user car maintenance more important than even oil changes. Either send her a copy of the manual if she doesn't have one or tell her to *read* it. Something she obviously hasn't done. And don't try to tell me the manual makes absolutely no mention of the check engine light or what to do when it comes on.

Reply to
chuckcar

Is that meant to be a compliment?

I see. She should have let her car sit in the uphill entry road to her apartment while she read the owner's manual. Under the circumstances, I think she did the right thing in starting the car and driving it out of the way, especially considering that the CEL did not re-light when the car started.

Yes, we read the owner's manual. Surprise! It says to take the car to a dealer to have the problem diagnosed. Amazingly, I guessed beforehand that is what it would say. Also, it says not to drive the car if the CEL is blinking, which it was not doing.

And BTW, since the CEL only lit up for an instant before the car died, and did not re-light when she started the car, it may be that the dealer's $84.50 diagnosis fee will not show anything. Her appointment is 9/17/10 -- the earliest they could schedule her given her work hours.

I started this thread by asking a real question. If the answer to the question is just RTM (read the manual), why does rec.autos.tech even exist? Or is chuckcar one of those burrs in the saddle that most groups have?

Reply to
Williams

instead of trying to justify retardation, why don't you answer /this/ real question - since you own an obdII vehicle, why the hell don't you own a code reader? ebay, less than $45. it should live in the glove box.

bottom line, if you don't want to own a code reader, you have no interest [or business] in trying to fix it yourself or wasting people's time with what boils down to psychic hotline bullshit..

Reply to
jim beam

Williams wrote in news:RJVho.50304$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe09.iad:

Sigh. I *thought* you might try to pull that. There is *no* way that that was the first time that light went on Otherwise there'd be no point in *having* a check engine light if the car failed to work the first time it went on.

No, you appear to be. Take the thing in and get the codes *properly* read as you've been told about a week ago.

Reply to
chuckcar

I would take the car to the dealer, no need to have your daughter left stranded.

Reply to
Airport Shuttle

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