D40 Hesitation and "limp" mode

[shaunus88]

Hey guys, been scouring the forums for a few days trying to work this one out but to no real avail. Lots of people have experienced similar symptoms but nothing 100% like mine.

Basically last week, went to overtake a caravan and punched the accelerator pedal and it just felt like someone turned the car off. Had no power, barely enough to avoid being run into the back off. Car cruised at roughly 1500rpm and wouldn't budge over 50kmh without a massive straight stretch of road.

Eventually, it became safe to pull over. I turned off the car and then back on. It worked ok. However, the same problem occurred last night. Repeated previous steps and once again it was ok.

Since this has started I have also noticed the car when increasing revs hits a massive flat spot somewhere between 2500rpm and 3000rpm. Having owned numerous turbocharged cars previously to this one I am relatively fimiliar with how they work and should respond.

This has me stumped! It's like someone is holding the car back and wont let it boost or rev freely between those rpm's! I have a boost gauge fitted and it seems it is now spiking to a few PSI higher than usual.

From take off up until 2500rpm it seems perfectly normal, once it hits 2500rpm up until 3000rpm it feels like something is grabbing my car and choking it!!! Excuse the explanation but it has me stumped! Once 3000rpm is reached it takes off again!

I have owned the truck for 1 1/2 years and it never had this sort of response or trouble in the past.

Some key points that may be applicable:

I went to America for 2 months and against better judgement lent my Navara to my sister while I was away. A buddy phoned me twice informing me that my sister had run it empty!!!! How/why I do not know! Have a fuel card in the car so fuel would have cost her nothing anyway to fill up!

Regardless it was still run empty twice. Could built up sediment have blocked the fuel filter?

Any help guys would be greatly appreciated!

The truck is a 2008 Navara Outlaw Special Edition - 5spd auto turbo diesel.

I will be checking over the car this afternoon. Things like cleaning MAF, checking all electrical connections etc.

Have also noticed the earth clamp on the battery has been getting caked with acid build up? Could this in some strange way be affecting my truck? It's only really started since this problem occurred?

HELP!!!!

 

[shaunus88]

Just did an ECU reset etc.

Error code of - P1272.

Also while I was at it reset the drivers window as the auto-up wasn't working! Love this forum!

 

[JustPez]

Not sure what error codes mine threw up back in the day but I had in go into limp mode a few times particularly if I was a bit heavy on the accelerator while it was still cold. First problem turned out to be fuel filter which once replaced fixed my power issues, I had something that sounds similar to your 2.5-3k power loss however from memory I think mine continued past 3k. Basically wasn't getting enough fuel and it would kind of jerk? wrong term but it felt like the power was coming in and out, resulted in high fuel pressure readings.

After that was fixed a few months later it was stalling constantly and this was narrowed down to the Suction Control Valve i think it was called? Common part to break apparently not sure if it would effect your car at high revs though.

I'd check simple things first, someone with more knowledge however might know exactly what your error code is.

 

[scottndian]

are your brake lights on when it happens.?

 

[Black_Outlaw]

Subscribed.. Having the exact same year and Model car and living in the same state, and experiencing a "similar" glitch I'd be interested to see where this goes

 

[Old.Tony]

Sounds like what was happening in Beergutz's car - we took it out on the Charlestown by-pass and he hammered it from 80km/h. Car immediately dropped into 'limp' mode.

If he gently accelerated he had no problems.

Oddly enough, we loosened his fuel cap and the car seemed to start behaving itself. If memory serves though, the problem came back and was identified as the Suction Control Valve on the fuel pump.

 

[shaunus88]

Ok had a thorough look over it this arvo. Cleaned MAF as it was filthy, checked many terminals, cleaned build up off negative battery terminal. Reset ecu. Drives nicer but am yet to get it to go into limp mode. Tried to get it into diag mode, no problems there and was not showing any codes this time. Will keep everyone posted, somehow I don't see this being a proper fix

 

[chappie]

Ok had a thorough look over it this arvo. Cleaned MAF as it was filthy, checked many terminals, cleaned build up off negative battery terminal. Reset ecu. Drives nicer but am yet to get it to go into limp mode. Tried to get it into diag mode, no problems there and was not showing any codes this time. Will keep everyone posted, somehow I don't see this being a proper fix

My mate had a very similar problem the other week, it would go fine and on slight inclines it would loose power and then come right again.
Took it into local dealer and checked it out on the computer while driving it and it ended up with a fuel problem. Changed fuel filter and all okay. Bad lot of diesel somewhere he puts it down too.

 

[oscillo]

issue sounds like what I am currently getting in my d22. found this on the forum.

p1272
fuel rail pressure sensor
in a nut shell you were giveing it some and the fuel pressure spiked in the rail above the safe zone so the computer said open the flood gates and get the fuel out (at the back of the rail is the presure release valve) and at the same time the computer said lets go to safe mode to save any further damage
give the earth beside the ecu a clean it is the main earth for all the fuel stuff when you clean it spread the little legs and check its not starting to rot out behind the solider were you cant see it
and carry out a fuel relearn
and your problems should go away unless you have a more sinister problem

most definitely sounds like my problem and I also had P1272 show up. will be putting it on a truck to Nissan and getting it sorted.

 

[Pete22]

That sort of thing has happened to me once (ie hesitation and then limp mode). I pulled over, turned off the ignition and restarted. I had full power back but the DPF light was on. Got the speed back up to 80+ and after about 10 minutes the DPF light extinguished and all good.

 

[micklitted]

I had a similar issue, took it to a diesel mech and they told me it was injectors. Nissan replaced all 4 injectors for me and no issue ever since.

 

[shaunus88]

GREAT NEWS!

Finally got around to doing something about my Nav after having a freakishly scary over taking experience a few weeks ago.

Will start from the beginning of my solution:

Bloke down the road who is an app. mechanic had his housemate stop over and say hello while we were servicing my D40. Turns out he use to work for a Nissan dealership. His instructions were do NOT take the car to any Nissan dealership as you'll be chasing your tail the whole time as Nissan will NOT take responsibility or admit there is even a problem with the SCV (suction control valve)... He knows there is...

Instead he instructed me to take my ute into a diesel fuel injection shop that service and repair heavy duty diesel engines/equipment. Rang the shop, immediately the guy over the phone said it's one of three things. Injectors or fuel pump being WCS or something simple like the SCV being stuck shut/open cant remember exactly how he described it but said its probably not enough fuel pressure or too much (too much in my case).

Dropped it in and two hours later the problem was rectified.... He checked the fuel pressure... was reading 196bar instead of 184bar that they should be running. He serviced the valve and it is now running like a dream.... Warmed it up and planted the foot and NO MORE limp mode! Runs sooo much better!!!

Can't believe I drove it around like that for so long before finally doing something about it! Well worth the $236 to fix. He said usually they don't even need replacing just a general clean up and they go back to working 100%.

So if you experience limp mode under heavy acceleration ie. over taking....Go get the SCV either replaced or serviced. Loosening off the fuel cap DOES NOT work and is by no means a solution.

On another note.... Before taking it to this particular shop I phoned another in town who turbo charged my Dad's old 100 series....He was quoting me 3k+ for new fuel pump/labour etc. When I dropped my D40 off to the shop that fixed the SCV for me he said worst case scenario...New fuel pump. Will be about $900 fitted and supplied. Said it's a simple job to do if it came to that.

Support the smaller shops as they usually do right by you! In my case they did!!!

 

[Jardsoooo]

Well to be fair, to my dealer at least - they listened to my description of the symptoms ( once it was really playing up ), had a look at the rail pressure even before driving it and immediately ordered the new SCV.

I asked the mechanic how they managed to diagnose it so quickly and he basically said that it is not an uncommon fault and given the symptoms was the first thing they looked for.

 

[Beergutz]

I lost count how many dangerous situations I was placed in as a result of this issue. nissan know all too well about it. I believe there should be some type of recall for models affected.

Thankfully now I have the new V6 and it blows the old model out of the water.

 

[shaunus88]

Dangerous situation is an understatement haha. Over tool the truck then managed to safely pull over. He would have been confused for sure!

 

[howie_hunt]

This thread is awesome, I had the exact same hesitation/ no power between 2.5 and 3 thousand revs when I put my foot down but I could ease my way up on the throttle without much problem. So I read the replys changed my suction control valve and a new fuel filter and I'm back to 100%.

Thanks heaps