2001 Nissan Maxima Check Engine Light Comes On and Off

Reader Question Good afternoon Austin, my name is Sol, and I have a Nissan Maximan 2001, in fairly good condition, the maintainance always have been done on schedule… We have been having troubles with the check engine soon ligth in my car since last year, (is an orange ligth).

The first time this happened was the air flow meter(7/7/05), after replace it it was good till this year when the problem started again, first time in March, the code indicated the O2 sensor, it was replaced and the ligth went off, then April, the code was for the neutral position switch, again replaced it, the ligth went off, now the code read the catalist converter, in this oportunity they reset the computer and the ligth was off for 15 days till today, when it turned on again…

The car have been performing fairly good, I dont feel any difference in the drive. My questions are: Do you think migth be a part in the system that is the true origin of all this troubles??? What should be done now? Is it possible for a part to malfunction and then after the reset of the computer, function properly at least for 15 days???

I hope you can guide me with this, thanks in advance for the help you can give me

Kind regards

Sol

Sol,

Have you read my article on check engine lights?

Why does my check engine light come on?

It is very possible to have a problem somewhere like the converter, and the light not come on for a few days. The light is set when the computer performs its tests and concludes that there is a problem that is consistent and that should be brought to your attention. When you turn the engine off, the light basically resets itself until the problem is detected again…then the light comes back on.

Yes, a problem with the converters can cause a check engine light to come on, and not show any other symptoms in running condition, but I would get a second opinion like from a muffler shop to make sure the converters are the culprit before I spent the money to replace them.

Blessings,

Austin C. Davis