[Murano_driver]

Hey Mo people,

I had a real bad things happened to my MO couple hours ago while driving to work. I’m working in Manhattan and most of you know those crazy cub drivers. Well, I was in the traffic driving not more than 1-10-15 MPH. At some point I have a window, so I accelerate and the taxi cab just cut in the front of me. I HIT the brakes and I mean it. I hit hard, all way down and very very fast. I heard nasty “knock” from the engine compartment. After I release the brakes and I try to accelerate I had NO throttle. Mo stays running and no warning lights on the dash board. I push the pedal to the floor, by the tach jut stay below 1000 RPMs, like I was just idling. I am not talking about the partial loss of power, what the other people experience I am talking about of COMPLETE power loss, ZERO. Thanks to nissanmurano.org I remember that somebody suggest “reboot” the car (damn computers). I shut it down than restarted and everything seems back to normal. This whole situation did scare the $h&t out of me. I just picture it if something like this happened on 80 MPH. It might be some nasty accident. Now, all you CVTs and Mo’s guru what the hex happened???? Do I need to complain to my dealer and make them check Mo?? Unfortunately, I doubt it I could simulate this situation again, but most important that I really do not want to. Thanks!

 

[zebelkhan]

That is strange. Maybe there is a safety built to keep the engine from reving in case of an accident? But that does not explaine the noise you heard. Find an empty parking lot and see if you can re-create the problem...

 

[Murano_driver]

That is strange. Maybe there is a safety built to keep the engine from reving in case of an accident? But that does not explaine the noise you heard. Find an empty parking lot and see if you can re-create the problem...

Well, even if I will be able to re-create the problem, what it’s going to give me? My personal feeling was like I suddenly lost my CVT somewhere behind. I do not want to put the CVT thru the stress test. I still have the warranty, but I do not what to have one replaced. Is it any sensors which might cause that?

 

[hfelknor]

Well, I guess you can take it to the dealer and explain it.
But don't be too surprised if the Dealer says he could not reproduce the problem.

There is no reason for the car to lose complete power, no matter how hard you hit the brakes.

Z was just suggesting that you see if you could recreate the problem, because if you could, this would be something to tell the dealer.

Homer

 

[dklanecky1]

Z was just suggesting that you see if you could recreate the problem, because if you could, this would be something to tell the dealer.

Homer

Homer is on the right track. If you can re-create the situation in a parking lot, then you get the service manager in the Mo with you and do it for him!

As far as stressing the CVT, I don't think this episode would be considered stress. It's normal driving behaviour, IMO.

Matter of fact, I'm going to try replicating this afternoon and see what happens.

 

[Tyler_Canada]

Are you sure the knocking wasn't the ABS? I had to hit the brakes hard enough to engage the ABS on dry pavement once. I had no loss of power afterwards though.

 

[Murano_driver]

Are you sure the knocking wasn't the ABS? I had to hit the brakes hard enough to engage the ABS on dry pavement once. I had no loss of power afterwards though.

Unfortunately, it was not ABC. I know how it works on dry pavement, but the sound I have was more like broken metal or may be the belt. First thing I thought at this moment was “bye, bye transition”. May be because I was accelerating at this time and than I press the brakes within .001 seconds it does not have enough time to disengage???

 

[zebelkhan]

ABS does have the tendency to shake the car and make a lot of noise that resembles hard knock. I know it scared the pants off of me when it engaged once on my Toyota 4-Runner but that still does not explain loss of power. Unless, engine vacume loss (brake booster is vacume operated) due to hard braking caused the engine to stall momentarily, which in turn caused the computer to trip and shutdown power. Remember that the gas pedal is operated by wire. All the computer has to do is open a switch and make the gas pedal inoperative, and we know how fast these computers are these days....

 

[Murano_driver]

ABS does have the tendency to shake the car and make a lot of noise that resembles hard knock. I know it scared the pants off of me when it engaged once on my Toyota 4-Runner but that still does not explain loss of power. Unless, engine vacume loss (brake booster is vacume operated) due to hard braking caused the engine to stall momentarily, which in turn caused the computer to trip and shutdown power. Remember that the gas pedal is operated by wire. All the computer has to do is open a switch and make the gas pedal inoperative, and we know how fast these computers are these days....

Hmm…I still do not see the reason why computer completely disable the vehicle, even after the hard brake. Is possible that CVT did not disengage properly, let say it stays “on gear” (like pressing the brakes and the accelerator in the same time), so computer disable accelerator to prevent further damage? :8:

 

[zebelkhan]

Possible...

 

[Gonzo]

I would think it was the ABS you heard. I don't know why you are worried about damaging the CVT... you accelerated, foot off hit the brakes hard.... nothing out of the envelope there.

However I can't explain the lack of response afterwards.

 

[Tyler_Canada]

Unfortunately, it was not ABC. I know how it works on dry pavement, but the sound I have was more like broken metal or may be the belt. First thing I thought at this moment was “bye, bye transition”. May be because I was accelerating at this time and than I press the brakes within .001 seconds it does not have enough time to disengage???

My situation was the same, and vehicles should handle that a couple of times at least. Note I said should.

 

[jaak]

Hmm…I still do not see the reason why computer completely disable the vehicle, even after the hard brake. Is possible that CVT did not disengage properly, let say it stays “on gear” (like pressing the brakes and the accelerator in the same time), so computer disable accelerator to prevent further damage? :8:

It's not the same transmission of course, but just so you do know what's possible...

I was in my 1.5 year old 2000 Maxima GLE. Light turns green, I gas it across the intersection and as I'm accelerating, some bozo pulls out in front of me from a parking lot. I slam on the brakes so I don't hit him. Same situation as Murano_driver

After that, I had reverse and second. That was it. Drove it directly to the dealer. They tried resetting it, then changed the valve body, then they told me Nissan wanted the transmission as they couldn't find the fault and put in a new one. (I asked them to do an oil change as well, so I paid for that...)

No metal in the pan. No clue as to what was wrong. Strangest thing!

Could be the same programmer!

 

[Murano_driver]

Could be the same programmer!

It’s got to be the same guy who was in the team developing Windows. You have a problem, you have to reboot. Now, I just need to figure out how to do back up or re-install it.

 

[zebelkhan]

Or the engineer who got the torque setting of the power steering rack mixed up with that of the oil filter....:3:

 

[Tyler_Canada]

Something I read about G35's, which probably applies to all Nissan's with the VQ35DE engine, is that if you have your foot on the gas, and you hit the brakes at the same time, engine power is cut to something like 1/3 of nominal. This power cut happens about the same time the brakes lights come on, before any real braking occurs.

 

[Eric L.]

The sound heard when slamming on the brakes was likely the brake assist building up the pressure to the brakes (possibly by using the ABS motors).

As for no power after a sudden stop, thats hard to pin down except for any codes that might have popped up afterwards. I once attended a Car and Driver event where the Lincoln LS V8 I drove stalled during hard braking. Terrifying moment, knowing I had a car behind me barreling through the course at full speed and I had to quickly restart and get moving before I got hit from behind!