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car shakes when stopped

i have a 95 maxima. it hadn't been driven in about 4 months (i was gone) and in the last month i've put maybe 800-1000 miles on it? when i first got back, the car would shake when i was stopped in traffic (especially on bridges). it stopped doing that, but when I drove today it started shaking when i was stopped at traffic lights/stop signs and even when i was going slowly (backing out of a parking space).

i feel the shaking in the steering wheel and in my seat, and it looks like the front of the car is shaking as well. when i go into neutral, the car didn't shake nearly as much (Even with my foot on the brake)

my dad (who was a mechanic for a while, but is unable to physically inspect it for a few reasons) thinks that it might be water in my gas and says that i should get dry gas when I fill up (i'm at about a quarter of a tank right now, was going to get gas today or tomorrow - only have plans to drive locally right now).

any ideas other than the dry gas? the cars taking me on a road trip next week, so i want to do all possible troubleshoots before i go. theres almost 70k on the car.

thanks

Reply to
kookysocklover
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It could be a host of things... what is the maintenance history of the vehicle..

I don't think it's a gas issue...

Nirav

Reply to
njmodi

most likely needs a tune up, but my dad the ex mechanic doesn't want me taking it anywhere until we see what the dry gas does... ran a diagnostics test with a car computer (i don't overly know what it's called) and nothing really came up...

njmodi wrote:

Reply to
kookysocklover

We actually got a misfiring cylinder error, but it was a generic machine so it didn't give any further details, sounds a lot like this one:

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Reply to
kookysocklover

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Misfire could be a bad injector, bad coil or bad plug... (most likely reasons, at least).

A tune-up is probably not a bad idea, i.e. new plugs (they should have been done at 60k).. use NGK platinums as replacements... perhaps new air filter, fuel filter, tranny drain/fill, radiator flush, check the brakes etc...

Good luck. Nirav

Reply to
njmodi

...plus+ makedo harness 'tuneup': gnd and all wiring connectors cleaned greased against oxidation see how

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Possible water will come out when adding alcohol into tank.

The idle stuttering problem is also consistent with sooty IACV, location differs but looks like this:

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Reply to
Wiikinki

Very good chance this is an injector, watch for a rough acceleration around 2 grand, if it's the injector it'll be hard to hold a steady idle around there and you'll shake at the lights in gear.

Wiik> ...plus+ makedo harness 'tuneup': gnd and all wiring connectors cleaned

greased against oxidation

differs but looks like this:

Reply to
nozama

My 99 Maxima has a same problem. Mine is almost 90k miles. It shakes everytime I stop, especially when a/c is running. The bad about this was that it does not display in the Check Engine Light, therefore we cannot decode what has caused the engine shaking and low RPM. So, if your Maxima's Check Engine Light is on, there is a website out there that has the instruction of how to read the trouble codes manually. Since my Maxima's Check Engine has yet light up. I rule out the ignition coil and mass air flow (MAF) problems as I had these two problems in the past.

I've just changed new spark plugs. My next step will be a new fuel filter. If the problem still exists, I will take my car to dealer for fuel injectors clean.

Reply to
Dao

I can't believe that you people are willing to own a 25k car, but not willing to spend the 100 bucks to have the problem diagnosed correctly. I can tell you this much, replacing the fuel filter is going to do absolutely nothing to fix your shake at idle problem, so save yourself that time and money.

Nirav

Reply to
njmodi

Forgot to ask in my earlier post:

What brand/type of plugs did you use for the replacement? Were all 6 coils replaced (when you had a previous issue with the car)?

Reply to
njmodi

...replacing the fuel filter is going to do absolutely nothing to fix your shake at idle problem, so save yourself that time and money. Nirav ...yes, cheap solutions to wrong problem seldom save:)

Reply to
Wiikinki

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