[RenaRF]

Hi everyone. I'd like to see if anyone else is having this problem.

I have 52,000 miles on the Murano and have owned it for about three years. I have had normal maintenance, etc.

About three weeks ago, on a HOT day, I was driving my Murano to my office. I had been noticing a weirdish problem. Let me explain.

First, the car does not really function as expected when the emergency brake is on. In other words, in park, with the brake engaged, it will still roll or rock forward a few inchest before settling and it makes a creaky noise. Further, when the car is in reverse and I take my foot off the brake, the car will roll forward until I hit the gas. Weird.

At any rate, I was backing out in the front of my house and there was just the slightest "softness" to the car when in reverse. I had to hit the gas more than usual to get it to engage. I pulled out and continued to my office. 20 miles later, I'm stopped at a traffic light. I hit the gas when the light goes green and I can feel the car not engaging in drive. I have to really gun it and it runs as though it's in first but without as much power. 100 yards later, the car dies - won't start again (will turn over) etc. I call AAA and they tow me to the dealdership.

They replace the alternator (under recall) and tell me that an air flow hose was disconnected. They reconnect it. I get the car back.

But it has NOT been running as I would expect it. It's still "soft" in reverse, and when moving from reverse to drive, I get hesitation. Moreover, I can feel the lack of performance when I hit the gas as compared to before the alternator was replaced. It's just not running right. I took it to the dealership this morning and they ran all the diagnostics and can't find anything.

Is anyone else having similar issues?

Oh - and my gas mileage is WAY below spec.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[GripperDon]

ANyone mention a Throttle Body Problem?

 

[RenaRF]

GipperDon

There was some mention of the TP Sensor. All the disgnostics, however, have failed to note a problem.

I was over at http://www.nissanmurano.org and noted a generalized CVT issue. I did a little more research on CVT generally and see that there are two kinds - the steel belt kind and the chain kind. The Murano apparently has a steel belt kind and this causes problems generally across manufacturers who use the equipment.

The problem definitely feels transmission-related to me. What would the TP cause?

 

[Eric L.]

Re: GipperDon

There was some mention of the TP Sensor. All the disgnostics, however, have failed to note a problem.

I was over at http://www.nissanmurano.org and noted a generalized CVT issue. I did a little more research on CVT generally and see that there are two kinds - the steel belt kind and the chain kind. The Murano apparently has a steel belt kind and this causes problems generally across manufacturers who use the equipment.

The problem definitely feels transmission-related to me. What would the TP cause?

The TPS or a bad electronic throttle body would cause the symptoms you describe, especially the lack of power.

It also sounds like you need the parking brake cable adjusted (tightened) so it puts more pressure on the hub brake.

The CVT in the Murano is a very sophisticated unit and performs self checks on a regular basis. If you have a chain issue, it will almost certainly detect slippage or a ratio error and turn on your CVT light. At any point did the "Service Engine Soon" light come on (esp when you stalled out) - if so, the computer stores a code which tells the dealer precisely which part is causing (or affected by) the issue.

 

[Enforcer]

What?! What myth have we started now? :toothless

Ok first, this is www.nissanmurano.org and there is actually a third type of CVT called the torroidal.

Keep in mind car forums attract people with problems and questions so don't take that as evidence of a generalized failure. I am not aware of any real data just speculation. But we do know that Nissan is putting the CVT into the Maxima. I doubt seriously Nissan would do that if it has been a failure within the limits of the standard Nissan drivetrain or extended Nissan warranties.

The Van Dorne push belt CVT is no better or worse than any other. It has been used extensively in Europe for years even by US car manufacturers. The key is how they are designed, built and applied and of course our reluctance to embrace something new especially since the first few introduced here were really poor ones, the latest example I believe being from Saturn. But that is not the case for the CVT in the MO.

Everything ever made has an inherent reliability. That is to say nothing is perfect and nothing lasts forever. There is always a certain percentage of failures throughout its life and eventualy everything breaks. It just sucks when you are one of those early percentages . But there are lots of transmissions on the market that appear to me to be less reliable than the Murano Van Doorne Push Belt CVT judging by personal experiences, like when I told a friend of mine that this being the third time, was the last time I was going to help him replace the transmission in his ford aerostar. However, I have never seen any official data posted anywhere comparing reliability of CVTs to themselves or other transmissions. If anyone finds that info please post up the links.

I also do not believe the MO CVT is actually more expensive than other dealer only repair/replacement transmissions. But they are costly as presently the dealer can only repair a couple of items in the CVT but mostly they just get replaced. And this will no doubt affect customers decisions when that warranty expires as well it should with any car with any type of transmission or other major part. What will drive the prices down is when or if the CVT can be repaired at lower levels than present by the dealer or third parties.

Your particular problem could be caused by many things. There simply is not enough diagnostic information in your post to tell for sure. It could be as simple as relearning the ECU or a throttle position sensor or an Air Flow Sensor or the Throttle Body itself as Don suggested. Or it could be as major as a CVT as you think. I think I remember one other person having a CVT problem after the alternator failed but not sure. It is always possible a bad alternator could take out the TCM. And before the alternator recall we have seen defective Transmission Control Modules (TCM). The electronic brain that controls the CVT. As you had an alternator failure something electrical might be amiss. We have seen A/C connectors being left unplugged after an alternator failure so it is also possible there is a connector or ground loose somewhere. It also possible the disconnected airflow hose has caused one of many failures including the TB...depending on which hose they are referring to. However, if the Check Engine Soon (CES) a.k.a. Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) is not lit its going to be tough for anyone to diagnose. Still, the ECU stores the fault codes it just doesn't enable the CES/MIL until the 2nd trip see this thread: http://www.nissanmurano.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7170

As far as relearning the Idle Air Flow see this thread: http://www.nissanmurano.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6969 Yes the IAVL can cause part of what you are describing but not all. It may be that an IAVL and a parking brake inspection might fix it right up.

But just too tough to tell. At this point, I suggest going back to the dealer, explain about the parking brake and forward reverse anomaly and ask to test drive a new Murano off their lot to see if it does the same thing or something different. Once you prove it is behaving differently I would ask them if they could connect their Consult-II to the ECU and download the stored codes perform the IAVL and inspect the parking brake and go from there.

I'd be real interested in knowing what specific air hose was disconnected.

 

[RenaRF]

Re: Re: GipperDon

The TPS or a bad electronic throttle body would cause the symptoms you describe, especially the lack of power.

It also sounds like you need the parking brake cable adjusted (tightened) so it puts more pressure on the hub brake.

The CVT in the Murano is a very sophisticated unit and performs self checks on a regular basis. If you have a chain issue, it will almost certainly detect slippage or a ratio error and turn on your CVT light. At any point did the "Service Engine Soon" light come on (esp when you stalled out) - if so, the computer stores a code which tells the dealer precisely which part is causing (or affected by) the issue.

Eric,

Thanks for posting. Oddly, when it stranded me on the side of the road, not a single light was one before or came on during (shrug). When I took it to the dealership the first thing they asked me was if my check engine light had been on - apparently this was common with the pre-recall alternators - yet I had had no problems.

My inclination is to think that there is a systemic problem with the car that they are missing in and around a bunch of other stuff they did. The problem is now, of course, they don't have any diagnostic error messages they can check. I really don't want to have to drive it until it strands me again... Moreover, the CVT is covered under my powertrain warranty, which will expire in another 7,500 miles.

Any clue what the TP would be considered??

 

[Enforcer]

The Throttle Position Sensor, the Throttle Body and the Air Flow Sensor are engine/engine control parts to my knowledge.

 

[RenaRF]

Hm.

The Throttle Position Sensor, the Throttle Body and the Air Flow Sensor are engine/engine control parts to my knowledge.

Regarding your question about the disconnected hose - they said it was the air control flow hose and that, essentially, with it disconnected, unregulated air was feeding through the engine.

I can change my own oil and filter, gap and change a spark plug, and change a tire... but CVTs and TPs and IAVLs are WAY beyond me.

You also mentioned in your earlier post that they should do the diagnostics - I believe they did that today searching for error codes (other than the ones they logged three week prior when the engine died) and found none.

((sigh))

 

[Enforcer]

Ok well do go test drive one and see. I still recommend the IAVL and emergency brake inspection. Let me look that up in the SM.

 

[Enforcer]

It's either the one pointed to in this picture or the one to the left of it. Since they say it was letting in unregulated air that means to me after the MAF. BTW, that also means after the air filter. So they found that when they replaced the alternator or after?

 

[RenaRF]

It's either the one pointed to in this picture or the one to the left of it. Since they say it was letting in unregulated air that means to me after the MAF. BTW, that also means after the air filter. So they found that when they replaced the alternator or after?

They found it when they replaced the alternator.

That was what was weird. The alternator had to be replaced because it was under recall. Yet the symptoms that caused the car to stop running weren't totally consistent with the alternator. So as they were in there replacing it, they found the disconnected air flow hose.

These guys weren't trying to snow me - and none of their explanations fully addressed the breakdown of the car. I'm not looking for trouble at all - I actually got all upset thinking about having to buy another car that is NOT the Murano... but I really don't want to be stranded again. I hope they can fix it without me having to be towed.

Thanks so much for the diagram - makes a bit more sense now.

 

[Enforcer]

Any car can leave you stranded, the MO is no more prone to that than any other. Be careful of jumping from the frying pan into the fire. Switch to a different one cause you like it better, not for a worry about the MO. I had an 03 and ordered an 06 and I never worry about MO stranding me.

Personally, I'd be more worried about the disconnected hose actually. The other they can fix if you point out to them on a new one that it acts differently. I'd still try the IAVL and emergency brake inspection. Just record the TSB number for the IAVL and tell them about it.

 

[RenaRF]

Any car can leave you stranded, the MO is no more prone to that than any other. Be careful of jumping from the frying pan into the fire. Switch to a different one cause you like it better, not for a worry about the MO. I had an 03 and ordered an 06 and I never worry about MO stranding me.

Personally, I'd be more worried about the disconnected hose actually. The other they can fix if you point out to them on a new one that it acts differently. I'd still try the IAVL and emergency brake inspection. Just record the TSB number for the IAVL and tell them about it.

Frankly, I want the Infiniti FX35. THAT is what I want. I have to get over this bump with the Murano, though - it's my first Nissan and having had Toyotas in the past, I'm seriously spoiled as to reliability. Any "major" work prior to 75k with normal maintenance, to me, is a real discouragement. :-( I just want to be able to drive it without worrying and until they find whatever is caused it to do what it's doing it, I'll worry.

 

[Enforcer]

Understand, they can fix it once you show them. Good luck on the FX, it's another great vehicle.

 

[sharpe1]

Same problems

Hey everyone... I have been experiencing same problems on my 03 MO. It has 78500 miles on it. I took it in to dealer last week for same hessitation in trans. I thought it needed a trans flush. they came back and said it didn't need it due to synthetic fluids should still be ok. They ran a diagnostic on trans and came back with old error code. They reprogrammed the computer that controls trans...so far no problems....
I am going back to have throttlebody replaced. When I start it sometimes it would just die....I would have to restart it over again. When they had it last week they noticed this and suggested I get it replaced as it would progress..I thankfully had bought extended warranty so all it will cost is $50.

 

[RenaRF]

Re: Same problems

Hey everyone... I have been experiencing same problems on my 03 MO. It has 78500 miles on it. I took it in to dealer last week for same hessitation in trans. I thought it needed a trans flush. they came back and said it didn't need it due to synthetic fluids should still be ok. They ran a diagnostic on trans and came back with old error code. They reprogrammed the computer that controls trans...so far no problems....
I am going back to have throttlebody replaced. When I start it sometimes it would just die....I would have to restart it over again. When they had it last week they noticed this and suggested I get it replaced as it would progress..I thankfully had bought extended warranty so all it will cost is $50.

I can't say I'm glad that someone elsei is having similar problems, but at least I'm reassured that I'm not losing my mind.

Unfortunately, I don't have the extended warranty. I'll trip over 53,000 miles sometime this week, so I'll have about 7,000 miles to decide (before the powertrain warranty expires). It's still not running correctly and I've noticed something else that's somewhat odd - during the heat of the day the shifting in the transmission is really not smooth. I can feel it hitch when I go from a coast and the trans downshifts... It's also slower during the heat of the day off of a dead stop, etc. It's better at night when things are cooler but it's still not functioning correctly.

:-( Perhaps this is my signal to go get a Hybrid at any rate. My gas is running me $300 a month (at least).

 

[sharpe1]

Same issues

I was having similar issues that I thought were heat related...maybe they were but since the reprogram I havent noticed it. If they just reprogram it it shouldn't cost too much....

 

[RenaRF]

Re: Same issues

I was having similar issues that I thought were heat related...maybe they were but since the reprogram I havent noticed it. If they just reprogram it it shouldn't cost too much....

Ok. Pardon my ignorance (everyone on the board seems very knowledgeable) - but what does it mean for them to "reprogram"?

 

[mary900]

I have a 2003 Murano - 95,000 miles.

This problem started happening to me this week. I thought it was heat related.

I am in stop/go traffic, I press on the accelerator, nothing happens - then suddenly, once engine reaches 2500 pgm, it engages and jumps forward.

I took it to the dealer and they were clueless. If I read your solution right, you had the trans portion of the CVT re-program and you're also have the throttle body replaced ??

 

[sharpe1]

Thats correct...They just replace throttlebody last week...although I think it is unrelated to trans problem. I had them look at trans about three weeks ago now. Ever since they reprogrammed the computer that controls trans I have had no problems. I am not sure what exactly they do but it has seemed to help.