NHTSA Complaint #10112152 — 2001 NISSAN MAXIMA

I EXPERIENCED TROUBLE STARTING THE CAR FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT ALSO DURING THIS TIME THE CAR WAS "HESITATING" AT VARIOUS TIMES BOTH ON ACCELERATION AND CRUISING. ON FEB 3, 2005, AFTER RETURNING TO THE VEHICLE AFTER A QUICK STOP AT THE STORE, THE ENGINE WOULD TURN OVER BUT NOT "CATCH" AND START. AFTER TRYING TO START IT AT LEAST 6 TO 8 TIMES, THE ENGINE STARTED BUT THE CEL, SLP AND TC ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS WENT ON AND STAYED ON. THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO THE NISSAN DEALER AND ACCORDING TO THE INVOICE: "SCANNED OBD2 SYSTEM FOR DTC TROUBLE CODES: HAS CODE P0430. FURTHER DIAGNOSIS DETERMINED THAT CAM SENSOR IS BAD. REPLACED CAM SENSOR, CLEARED CODES AND RECHECKED." MY QUESTION WHICH WAS NOT FULLY ANSWERED BY THE NISSAN DEALER IS WHAT PROMPTED THE MECHANIC TO DO FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS AFTER RECEIVING THE P0430 WHICH ACCORDING THE INFORMATION I'VE BEEN ABLE TO GATHER IS NOT RELATED TO A PROBLEM CAUSED BY THE CAM SENSOR. I WAS ADVISED THAT THE NISSAN MECHANIC HAD A "DECISION TREE" TO FOLLOW WHEN DIAGNOSING. IN MAY AND JUNE OF 2004 THE CEL LIGHT CAME ON I HAD MY LOCAL MECHANIC LOOK AT THE CAR AND HE DETERMINED EACH TIME THAT AN OXYGEN SENSOR WAS BAD REPLACED THEM. I WILL PROVIDE A COPY OF THE BILL(S) RELATED TO ALL REPAIRS IF REQUESTED. I HAVE 2 QUESTIONS OF NISSAN, WERE THE ERROR CODES DISPLAYED IN MAY AND JUNE OF 2004 IN FACT GENERATED IN ERROR? WHAT INTERNAL INFORMATION DID THE NISSAN DEALER HAVE THAT PROMPTED HIM TO DO FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS TO COME UP WITH A CAM SENSOR FAILURE? *NM