Nissan Almera Engine Malfunction Warning Light

Duffler

Hi Guys getting an engine malfunction warning light on an 2001 Aissan Almera. First time ive got this...what can it typically relate to?Check all oil,coolant,steering fluid the works..all in order and there arent any unusual sounds coming from the engine??

Would i risk a 160 mile journey home this w'end or should i get it checked out before journey??

On a separate note..can anyone suggest a reliable mechanic/garage in the south side area?

Thanks for any advice in advance!
Cheers
J.

ZV Yoda

I have a 00 Almera... EM light can be anything really... have you noticed any symptoms while driving the car?... I noticed I was loosing power on acceleration... after a few weeks, the EM light came on. Turns out I needed a new timing chain.

Seth Brundle

To be honest, I would suggest getting the car checked by a competent mechanic who can diagnose the reason for the fault. It might be anything from a crappy spark plug to the engine about to go kaput!
Get it checked asap!

colm_mcm

I'm guessing the cam chain has streched or the camshaft position sensor is faulty.

(going on nearly every Almera I've sold!)

ZV Yoda

Hi Colm,

Your comments have me worried... I've had both the sensor fail & the timing chain stretch on my Almera. The sensor was done free & the chain cost me €700 2 years ago (both done by Nissan main dealers). Now I'm seeing the same symptoms again (i.e. stretching chain - car is loosing power on acceleration). The engine mgt light hasn't come on again, but it took a while to come on the first time round anyway.

Is this a recurring probelm even after the chain has already been replaced?

Also, would anybody know if I have any recourse with Nissan on this - paying €700 the first time was painful enough, but having to pay it a second time just p*sses me off!

ZV Yoda

Posting to new thread

kpbryww

Hi,

I had a same problem with the timing belt after sensor was replaced. From what I can figure out Nissan should replace the timing belt if you had sensor and timing belt problem at the time. The sensor is the cause of the timing belt problem and should be covered under manufacturer warranty (5 years)

I wrote to Nissan as my garage told me I should and Nissan gave me a small refund towards the repair.

Anybody else out there have timing belt replaced after Nissan sensor recall?

Flyer1

Bring it in to someone with a Diagnostics machine and the appropriate software for your car, I know that the first of the N16 almera's, that warning light often popped up when the lambda probe was in trouble. Just get it checked on a diagnostics. Personally i'd risk the journey, the timing chains stretch over time, and later in life may give the odd rattle but nothing to worry about.

JHMEG

colm_mcm wrote: »

I'm guessing the cam chain has streched or the camshaft position sensor is faulty.

(going on nearly every Almera I've sold!)

There was a major recall about this.

Crankshaft Position Sensor is probably faulty as it's covered in oil that shouldn't be there due to leaking oil seals.

Phone a Nissan garage and ask them was your's one of the affected ones, and was the work done.

oh well , okay

Had this last year with the wifes 2000 almera - as has been stated the timing chain and cam/crank sensors had to be done at a cost of nearly €700 . Car had low miles ( 50k ) and full service history but dealer wouldn't offer any help as car was out of warranty and 1 of the previous services was not by a main dealer .

I got talking to the head mechanic and he reckoned it was a very common problem and would have cost us a lot more on labour a year or two earlier but they'd gotten quicker at doing it with all the practise .

It was a year ago now but I remember googling the problem and being astonished at how widespread it was . Fairly sure there was no recall but think some dealers did offer small refunds . Think Nissan came under a bit of pressure in England to announce a recall but refused to .

I asked the main dealer how long the new chain was guaranteed for and was told 12 months as long as it was only serviced at a main dealer - I then asked were the chain/sensors replaced like for like and was told yes same parts as before ie not uprated so just as likely to fail after another 50k . He claimed if Nissan approved oil was used during servicing the problem wouldn't recur but I'd be taking that with a fair pinch of salt to be honest .

PsychoSue

Hay guys I have a 01 Almera and the engine management light has been coming on since the day after i bought it a yr and a hlf ago!!!! I got 3 months warranty with it so i went straight back and he said it was because there was an induction kit and exhaust system that were not factory fitted. I asked a friend to have a look over the car and he told me to ask about the timing chain as the car was also cutting out if i was coming to a stop... The guy sent it off to the mechanic and he said the reason for the management light was the ecu not recognising the exhaust and displaying a fault when there was nothing wrong i cant remember what was up with it cutting out but it was sorted.... Im just home from holidays and the car is a disaster it will not move , its VERY slow to take off n when im moving at any time it loses power, the revs seem to be bouncing instead of sitting regardless of if im driving or sitting idle....!!! Ive been told i need a new timing chain so ive bought 1 from a car parts dealer i know for 140 now im being told it'll be 500 to fit and could take up to 8 hrs.??????????? I only said before i went on hols i was selling the damn thing and now this grrrrr its friggin typical.... Does anyone know of anywhere reliable that could fit the chain for a decent price...?? Going to google all the nissan garages now for prices...!! Oh and whats this about sensor recalls???? my car is a 01 how do i find out if my car was recalled and if it has been checked over!!!!

Seth Brundle

PsychoSue wrote: »

Hay guys I have a 01 Almera and the engine management light has been coming on since the day after i bought it a yr and a hlf ago!!!! I got 3 months warranty with it so i went straight back and he said it was because there was an induction kit and exhaust system that were not factory fitted. I asked a friend to have a look over the car and he told me to ask about the timing chain as the car was also cutting out if i was coming to a stop... The guy sent it off to the mechanic and he said the reason for the management light was the ecu not recognising the exhaust and displaying a fault when there was nothing wrong i cant remember what was up with it cutting out but it was sorted.... Im just home from holidays and the car is a disaster it will not move , its VERY slow to take off n when im moving at any time it loses power, the revs seem to be bouncing instead of sitting regardless of if im driving or sitting idle....!!! Ive been told i need a new timing chain so ive bought 1 from a car parts dealer i know for 140 now im being told it'll be 500 to fit and could take up to 8 hrs.??????????? I only said before i went on hols i was selling the damn thing and now this grrrrr its friggin typical.... Does anyone know of anywhere reliable that could fit the chain for a decent price...?? Going to google all the nissan garages now for prices...!! Oh and whats this about sensor recalls???? my car is a 01 how do i find out if my car was recalled and if it has been checked over!!!!

1. please bear in mind that if you want someone to read your post, then please use a basic level of grammar and punctuation!
2. You say that the car will not move but then you say that its very slow to move off - does it move or not? If the timing chain is gone then don't drive it.
3. Who said it needed a new timing chain?
4. As for mechanics who can do the job, do you not trust your mechanic? Timing chains do take a long time to replace!
5. Regarding the recalls, call Nissan Ireland and ask hem about recalls to your car.

Ledger

having the same prob with my own 2003 almera mechanic still hasnt given any kind of quote is this going to be a major job or would it be worth asking a main dealer about the recall??

Ledger

Hevsyuk

I collected my 2001 Nissan Almera on Saturday morning - within an hour of driving it around the malfunction light has come on, the rev counter is bouncing around and the car judders slightly on acceleration in lower gears. Otherwise its running fine, no weird noises, no issues with anything else. It has 60,000 miles on the clock and a full service history being an ex mobility car

Taking it back tonight after work but I get the feeling Im going to get the run around from Evans Halshaw who I bought it from - I have a one month warranty on the car though so how likely is it to be the timing chain?

JimmyCrackCorn

kbannon wrote: »

To be honest, I would suggest getting the car checked by a competent mechanic who can diagnose the reason for the fault. It might be anything from a crappy spark plug to the engine about to go kaput!
Get it checked asap!

What he says. Could be anything.

D1976

Does anyone know how to tune in the radio on a 2001 Nissan Almera? had to get a new battery recently and lost all the preset channels.

Thanks

colm_mcm

seek the frequency you want by using the <seek> button then hold the desired number down for 3 seconds, this stores the frequency on that number.

There is also an autostore function, can't remember how that works though. there may be an AS button.

D1976

Thanks very much for that

tornsabul

hi
my almera had the engine management light on and in low gears the accelaration after gear changes seemed to 'judder'.
i have had this checked out and it came up that the crank sensor was faulty.so i agreed to have this replaced,which solved the problem,but 5 mins after driving away the engine management light came back on!i took it straight back to have it re-checked and they reset the codes but agian the light came on.they said they would order another sensor to eliminate that it wasnt the sensor even though they swapped the crank and cam sensors to see if another fault code came up.
yet again this did not solve the problem.after reading these forums i suggested to the garage about the tensioner and timing chain,but he said its the cam sensor that affects the timing chain and that it didnt sound like the timing chain as when you rev up it sounds normal.he also said the tensioner cannot be reached as its in an arkward place.
he suggested that it maybe faulty wires/electrics and suggested a decent electrics garage as he says he can only repair what fault the computer reads?so having paid for the fault reader £30 and crank sensor £130 i am still no further forward although the engine is better!!!!this suggests to me that these fault code readers do not ideally diagnose the exact fault but only suggest what it could be!!
now ive read some forums and get the idea that it could be the battery needs changing or spark plugs???or i should just put up with the light???but what if another fault occurs.....please help!!

AzureAuto

Surely the problem is not the crankshaft sensor itself, but the fact that when the timing chain stretches on these engines, the crankshaft sensor and camsaft sensor become out of sync with each other. This effectively causes the inlet/exhaust gears to jump teeth, causing the por running, which varies in severity. An engine management light will usually illuminate and a fault code something like "crankshaft sensor/signal out of phase" appears. Both crank and cam sensors come into contact with engine oil, but providing its been changed regularly and isn't too sludged up-this shouldnt interfere with the reuctor pickup signals.
Please correct me if im wrong...

ianobrien

This reminds me of a story a friend told me last weekend. He's a mechanic, and was told by the boss to change the timing chain in an Almera. It was diagnosed by another mechanic and it was the classic Almera timing chain crank sensor / Engine warning light. The crank & cam sensor had been changed and the fault was still present

He changed the timing chain, cleared the fault codes and after a few miles, the engine light came back on. Back in the garage, the code reader was saying crank sensor again.

After some careful work on the diagnostic machine, he discovered the problem. Coil #2 was starting to break down at 4000rpm. Changed the faulty coil, and problem solved. (The timing chain wasn't stretched when he measured the old against the new one)

Muckie

Was reading up in Car Mechanics magazine,last months
that a chap who had an Almera couldn't afford to replace the
timing chain, but decided that if he cut
and off set in the crank position sensor(plastic part with the screw that holds it). Now with the sensor moved to allow for the stretched timing chain he's car running fine now, it hasn't solved the timing problem
but its an idea.

tornsabul

cheers for the help people...much appreciated.the coil and/or repositioning of the sensor may seem the cheapest option.will get it checked out.
was going to goto a local nissan dealer just to question them about this on my day off.
also may contact nissan themselves as it seems this fault has been around with those in the know for quite sometime,so why are garages with diagnostic machines not aware of this?it seems i could have had payed for both crank and cam sensors,timing chain,electrics checked out,new battery,spark plugs repointed etc etc and still no joy on solving the problem!

caprilicious

tornsabul - did you have any joy getting your Almera sorted?
I'm gutted, bought one last week and I'm having the same problem.
The guy I bought it from told me when I bought it he'd changed the cam & crank shaft sensors, so eliminating them as the fault I'm guessing it could be the timing chain.
Did you end up changing the chain or did you try the coil to see if that sorted it?

Nissan doctor

There is nothing worse then dealers still ripping people off.

The chains do give trouble and if you get a fault with cam or crank angle sensor its is 99% or the time going to be the chain.

The parts cost less then €200(chain, crank and cam angle sensor) and fitting takes no longer and is no more difficult then a timing belt so don't buy into this mindset that some garages give of a chain being so difficult!

No more then €400 in total.

caprilicious

Thanks for advice Nissan Doctor, a few years ago I had a Landrover Freelander, the headgasket went as was common on them (I seem to be a magnet for problem cars!).
Local main dealer quoted me €800+ for parts + labour as I was told it was a 'labour intensive job'.

Thankfully my hubby was able to replace it himself, head gasket kit was approx. €120 & he had it fit in 2 hours.
Not bad considering he was working on it out in the open (in the back garden) and it started bucketing rain half way through.
How a garage with all the proper equipment set up to do the job much quicker could tell me it'd take them twice as long to do the job I do not know!

barts263

i'm having the same problem with my 02 almera. was told it is a lambda sensor.

anyone knows the price of a 'lambda sensor'?

metalgear2k2

Nissan doctor wrote: »

There is nothing worse then dealers still ripping people off.

The chains do give trouble and if you get a fault with cam or crank angle sensor its is 99% or the time going to be the chain.

The parts cost less then €200(chain, crank and cam angle sensor) and fitting takes no longer and is no more difficult then a timing belt so don't buy into this mindset that some garages give of a chain being so difficult!

No more then €400 in total.

Hi Nissan Doc,

would that be parts from a dealer or motor factors? Seems like I have the same problem in a 01 1.5 petrol almera. Have to get the error read but I have a feeling thats the problem.

Nissan doctor

metalgear2k2 wrote: »

Hi Nissan Doc,

would that be parts from a dealer or motor factors? Seems like I have the same problem in a 01 1.5 petrol almera. Have to get the error read but I have a feeling thats the problem.

Year and a half old thread:P

You can now get a complete timing chain kit aftermarket for under €200. Its got chain, tensioner, guides, pulleys etc.

Nissan recommend changing the cam and crank sensors at the same time but usually they are fine, the fault just appeared because the chain was causing them to read incorrectly.

metalgear2k2

Ya, didnt think it deserved a new one!

Where do you get the kit?

Thanks for the info.

Nissan doctor

metalgear2k2 wrote: »

Ya, didnt think it deserved a new one!

Where do you get the kit?

Thanks for the info.

Any motorfactors that supplies Blueprint parts. Kit number is ADN17315.

rothai

I have an 01 almera and about 2 years ago engine management light came on. I got up one morning and car wouldn't start. Had call out on my insurance so got the lad out, he said yeah I know exactly what it is, it's the chain. So he checks and yeah it is. Great I say can you fix it? He says it'll cost about 600quid. I tell him the cars not worth it! So he heads off. I get a ten spanner,wiggle the sensor, get in and starts first turn. Light went out. Comes back on every now and again. But I just keep a 10 spanner in the car just incase...but feck getting the chain replaced!

Nissan doctor

rothai wrote: »

I have an 01 almera and about 2 years ago engine management light came on. I got up one morning and car wouldn't start. Had call out on my insurance so got the lad out, he said yeah I know exactly what it is, it's the chain. So he checks and yeah it is. Great I say can you fix it? He says it'll cost about 600quid. I tell him the cars not worth it! So he heads off. I get a ten spanner,wiggle the sensor, get in and starts first turn. Light went out. Comes back on every now and again. But I just keep a 10 spanner in the car just incase...but feck getting the chain replaced!

If you don't recon the car is worth it, fair enough, but bare in mind that the timing being slightly off means that your spark plugs will be fouling more and need replacing more often, you will also be causing damage to the cat and lambda sensors.

metalgear2k2

Thanks for all the info Nissian Doc, I'm actually selling the Almera, just want to get it sorted for sale.

My uncle is a mechanic so if I get the parts he might help/put them in for me!

metalgear2k2

Turns out it was the lambda sensors that need to be replaced. 1st it read that lambda sensor 1 needed to be repalced (the one with the blue plug) and after a few days the rear one is now reading that it needs replacing.

Just wanted to ask, could someone tell me where the rear one is? I want to see it before I order one online.

I think its this one:



http://www.ebay.ie/itm/120786959811?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Nissan doctor

Nissan doctor wrote: »

If you don't recon the car is worth it, fair enough, but bare in mind that the timing being slightly off means that your spark plugs will be fouling more and need replacing more often, you will also be causing damage to the cat and lambda sensors.

metalgear2k2 wrote: »

Turns out it was the lambda sensors that need to be replaced. 1st it read that lambda sensor 1 needed to be repalced (the one with the blue plug) and after a few days the rear one is now reading that it needs replacing.

Just wanted to ask, could someone tell me where the rear one is? I want to see it before I order one online.

I think its this one:

Lambda sensors failing are usually a symptom of another fault....

What readings/faults are you getting? The fault code will tell you in what way the lambda is faulty or whats wrong with its reading. You would also need to look at the live data of the lambda's operating to see if they are reading incorrectly because they are faulty or because the fuel mix is off or the cat is malfunctioning.

metalgear2k2

Thanks Nissan Doc, I have now sold the car, on the basis that I replaced the lambda sensor, that's all I want to do, I'm not paying for anymore work to be carried out.

So, if you could tell me where the sensor is I'd be very grateful, just want to make sure I get the right one.

Once you get under the car its post the cat, is it obvious?

Just to let you know, I dont know what the errors are, just going on what I'm told by the mechanic.

Nissan doctor

metalgear2k2 wrote: »

Thanks Nissan Doc, I have now sold the car, on the basis that I replaced the lambda sensor, that's all I want to do, I'm not paying for anymore work to be carried out.

So, if you could tell me where the sensor is I'd be very grateful, just want to make sure I get the right one.

Once you get under the car its post the cat, is it obvious?

Just to let you know, I dont know what the errors are, just going on what I'm told by the mechanic.

The post cat sensor will be easy to spot from under the car, its just along the exhaust.

ZOLTAN28

My malfunction light is on at the moment - 02 Almera - I already know that the battery charge is low and needs replacing - cod this be the cause of the malfunction light? Would that normally be indicated by the battery light which has not come on?

gilly08

Hi I just bought a Nissan almera 04 last week and It has been causing me problems ever since the malfunction light came on and there is no power in it at all we have changed 2 coils as they were faulty and it has improved a bit but still very dead and there is a loud noise coming from de exhaust...please can any one help me...