NHTSA Complaint #10185642 — 2001 NISSAN MAXIMA

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH AND DECELERATING THE CAR BEGAN TO SLIGHTLY BUCK WHEN THE TRANSMISSION TRIED TO DOWN SHIFT. AFTER APPROXIMATELY ONE TO TWO MINUTES I SMELLED AN ELECTRICAL BURN. WHEN I CAME TO A STOP AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK THE ENGINE RACED TO APPROXIMATELY 1600 TO 1900 RPMS AT IDLE. THE OBD-II INDICATED CODES OF P0505: IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE AND P0420: THREE WAY CATALYST FUNCTION. MY LOCAL MECHANIC INSPECTED THE CAR AND REPLACED THE FAULTY IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE. HE CONTACTED THE LOCAL NISSAN SERVICE SHOP, AND THEY INFORMED HIM THAT IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE FAILED AND SHORTED THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE, ECM. THIS SEEMED TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM THE DEALER NOTED, AND CURRENTLY HAD ANOTHER 2001 MAXIMA IN THE SHOP THAT WAS EXHIBITING THE SAME FAILURES. THE DEALER INSPECTED MY CAR AND REPORTED THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE FAILED AND SHORTED THE ECM. THE FAILURE OF THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE SHOULD NOT SHORT THE ECM. THIS IS A DESIGN FAILURE AND SHOULD NOT BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CAR OWNER. THE ECM IS A $915 PART PLUS LABOR. THE ECM WAS REPLACED. THIS IS SIMILAR TO ODI ID NUMBERS: 10179328 AND 10179390. *AK