Engine Check Light - Any Advice

nismoracer · Post by **nismoracer** » Tue Oct 08, 2013 8:02 am

so on my way to work this morning & the engine check light comes on, the TCS OFF & SLIP all light up….get to work turn her off….delay in getting her to turn over again but she does start buit not as smooth as it should…any advice

ZILVER · Post by **ZILVER** » Tue Oct 08, 2013 10:05 am

Run ECU check codes first. Otherwise its all just a guessing game.

All I can recall/find from the 350Z manual:
If a malfunction occurs in the traction control
system, the SLIP and TCS indicator lights
come on in the meter panel.As long as these indicator lights are on, the
traction control function (except the ABS) is
canceled. The vehicle will behaves like a
model without the traction control system.

But to play the guessing game I believe these lights may come on for other reasons aside from TCS faults...(Particularly due to the difficulty in starting.)
If the engine is suddenly not smooth or there is notable loss of power then I'd aim my suspicions either at the Crankshaft position sensor or MAF.
Curious do you have an oiled type Pod filter? if so the MAF sensor may be contaminated and would result in such an issue.

nismoracer · Post by **nismoracer** » Tue Oct 08, 2013 10:33 am

Hi Zilver, thanks for the reply
I rang Nissan Takapuna & spoke to one of the guys that does Diagnosis, his first suggestion was to change the battery & see what happens…if the lights stay on i will have to go & see what the car throws up as a code…and yes I do have a oiled type pod filter…I just had the car serviced & they cleaned up the ‘soot’ around the sensor, but will have a look tonight & make sure all is as it should be

ZILVER · Post by **ZILVER** » Tue Oct 08, 2013 11:14 am

Change the Battery?!?
I think he means disconnect the battery discharge the circuits (either wait 15mins or put foot on brake pedal until brake lights shut off)
this will reset the ECU. Once the battery is reconnected the ECU resets/clears. Your problem may or may not be recognized by the ECU and hopefully resets things back to normal.

The MAF sensor is incredibly sensitive. I often hear of oil type pod filters wrecking havoc on Z32 and Z33 MAF sensors (A dry type/maintenance free pod is a better alternative). The sensor if cleaned without care can easily become damaged. The electrical connections to this sensor could also be loose and cause the issue (or if contacts are corroded / not clean). Did they apply new oil to the pod?
Hopefully its a simple fix/loose connection...

BRONZEE · Post by **BRONZEE** » Tue Oct 08, 2013 11:39 am

Morning, I spotted your email this morning, sorry, just didn't have time to respond. First point of action, do the "pedal dance" as Zilver has suggested and see if that brings up any fault codes, especially if you've just had the MAF cleaned.

It could be one of a few things, so better to get the fault code first then can work from there.

nismoracer · Post by **nismoracer** » Tue Oct 08, 2013 11:41 am

He did say change the battery…but it is at least three years old (as long as I have owned the car) so will change & reset the ECU & see what happens….i oiled the filter, and left it to dry…plus that was three months ago – would it take this long for the problem to arise?

bugjuice · Post by **bugjuice** » Thu Oct 10, 2013 2:19 pm

ah... a recent area of expertise for me...

Getting the code out isn't too hard, goes something like this;

Timing is extremely critical, helps to have something to put the numbers down on too. If it is NOT DONE within the specify time, the ECU will not reset and the Check Engine Light (CEL) will continue to remain ON.

A stop watch or an analog clock with a seconds needle will be useful.

Operational Procedure

1. Confirm that accelerator pedal is fully released, turn ignition switch ON and wait 3 seconds.

2. Repeat the following steps (2a and 2b) procedures quickly five times within 5 seconds.
2a. Fully depress the accelerator pedal (HARD).
2b. Fully release the accelerator pedal.

3. Wait 7 seconds**, fully depress the accelerator pedal and keep it for approx. 10 seconds until the CEL starts blinking.*
*at this point you need to count the CEL light flashes, think it starts by flashes 10 times slowly to indicate it is beginning then faster for the code. For example if it flashes 10 times slowly, 3 times fast, 2 times fast, 5 times fast 10 times slow then the code would be 325, then just match to the code list.
**The 7 seconds starts from the end of the 5 seconds period above it does NOT start from the 5th release of the accelerator pedal.

4. Fully release the accelerator pedal (while the CEL is still blinking)

---- To reset the light ------>

5. Wait about 10 second.

6. Fully depress the accelerator pedal and keep it for more than 10 seconds.

7. Fully release the accelerator pedal (The CEL light will continue to blink but at a a faster rate).

8. Turn ignition switch to OFF position and now you can start the car. The CEL light should be gone.

If the CEL light continues to remain ON, repeat the above steps. Timing is EXTREMELY critical to resetting the ECU.

If you get stuck, I'm happy to meet up and help you out (PM me). I've had to do this a few times over the past month!! Only that little light will tell you truly what's wrong. My battery went completely not long after I had it, never kept charge. Never threw a CEL light tho...

BRONZEE · Post by **BRONZEE** » Thu Oct 10, 2013 6:52 pm

If the battery is getting old, in 350's it can produce a number of unusual from normal behaviours, all of which are common if that makes sense. A new battery solves it usually.

nismoracer · Post by **nismoracer** » Fri Oct 11, 2013 7:29 am

all fixed - was the crank sensor which has now been replaced

BRONZEE · Post by **BRONZEE** » Fri Oct 11, 2013 7:56 am

nismoracer wrote:all fixed - was the crank sensor which has now been replaced

That's a fairly common problem. Fingers crossed it's all good now.

bugjuice · Post by **bugjuice** » Fri Oct 11, 2013 11:38 am

good to know!
Was the car running any different when the sensor went? I found it's a common one too

nismoracer · Post by **nismoracer** » Fri Oct 11, 2013 12:58 pm

yeah i hope its all good now...yes the car took a while beofre it would tunrver & it stalled a couple of times and just wasnt feeling right

BRONZEE · Post by **BRONZEE** » Fri Oct 11, 2013 6:16 pm

Lol, you'll have to give us all symptoms in the future, that's extremely a-typical of the crank position sensor.