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Nissan Quest/Mercury Villager Starting & Stalling Problems

511 messages,  Last post on Jan 08, 2012 at 8:34 PM

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Messages Page 38 of 51

#371 of 511 2006 Quest 3.5 SE - Battery/Electrical Problems by frankarthur

Mar 30, 2011 (7:22 am)

I have a 2006 Nissan Quest 3.5 SE that was purchased new in Jan. of 06. The original Nissan battery gave out this month (March 2011) and I purchased a new 800cc battery (Exide brand) from Strauss Auto here in New York City. The battery was installed, but the indicator light was still coming on, so the mechanics tested the electrical system and found I needed a new alternator. So that was installed along with the new battery. This was last week.
 
Even with the new battery and alternator though, the battery indicator light was still coming on (and the brake light too). This would happen after starting the van up in the morning. About 20 to 30 minutes later those lights would go out. I figured maybe something was going on with the indicators being off. Then last Friday (3/23) about 30 minutes into driving in the morning, I had lost acceleration. The battery and brake indicators were still on, but the engine was still running – I just had no acceleration.
 
After pulling over (using the van’s inertia) I let the engine stay on. After about 15 minutes the battery and brake lights went off and I had acceleration again. I went to a nearby garage where they tested the NEW battery, and they said it was a weak charge – basically saying this supposedly “new” battery was bad.
 
After putting in their own battery, the charge was stronger. I took the Strauss battery back to the store where they tested it (out of the vehicle) and claimed it was a good battery. I put the Strauss/Exide battery back in and again; this time no battery or brake light comes on.
 
Only after sitting for a few hours or overnight do those lights come on again. I then took it to another Strauss store – this one with a garage (the first Strauss store had none) – where they tested the battery and claimed it was good. So now I’m wondering what’s going on? Is it the battery or something else?
 
Fast forward to today where on my way home, the van stalls again; engine still running, but no acceleration. I keep the engine on. I call my insurance for roadside assistance. While waiting I try to accelerate – the engine would rev-up, but no acceleration. When the tow truck arrived, the mechanic had me put it in reverse. THEN it decides to accelerate. The difference is though that the “Service Engine Soon” light now comes on. The mechanic told me that it’s either the battery, or there could be an electrical short somewhere that’s draining the battery while everything is supposedly “off” (I do make sure everything is indeed off – lights, heat, radio – EVERYTHING)
 
I’m going to take the vehicle to the Nissan dealership and have them look at it (at more expense because the dealership in Manhattan is VERY expensive for service), but I want to get to the bottom of this. In the meantime, if anyone here has any idea as to what’s going on with my van, let me know. Is it the battery that’s defective, or is there a power short somewhere in the electrical system? Or is it something else?

#372 of 511 Re: idling Villager [adambrunetx2e] by nissanquest94

May 17, 2011 (5:03 am)

Replying to: adambrunetx2e (Nov 05, 2003 9:07 am)
The problem seemed to be the dirty throttle body, especially the edge of throttle plate. (see this http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/idleproblems.html#toolow ).
 
The solution is just simply clean it, just a few easy steps. (see this http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.ee93b52/1443#MSG1443 )
 
The root cause seemed to be "overfill the engine oil" and cold time oil gets thicker, harder to startup, and when you see "blue smoke" that means oil leak to and burn by engine.
 
A simple solution is change oil (as suggested) and add Engine Restorer or the like to thin up the engine, and because my Nissan Quest 94 leak out oil as well and I just simply add a can of Engine Restorer without changing the dirty oil (I did not change oil and filter since 2008, 3 years! well, I did not change because engine oil leak out, every 3 to 6 months I add a quart of 5w30 when LOW OIL light on), the problem relief after first drive and gone after second drive, and magically, the bad smell of engine gone, and engine became quiet, and engine oil gets CLEANER!)

#373 of 511 Re: 2006 Quest 3.5 SE - Battery/Electrical Problems [frankarthur] by nissanquest94

May 17, 2011 (5:51 am)

Replying to: frankarthur (Mar 30, 2011 7:22 am)
When you have the problem: the engine would rev-up, but no acceleration. It often tells your transmission may have problem. That's why the towing guy tried to shift to reverse to see if it work. Nonetheless, it may work sometime and not working sometimes depends on if transmission gear up, and that all needs "strong electricity". When your battery not supplying enough electricity, any good car may start behaves odd.
 
Therefore, always keep in mind that "electricity" is often the root cause of problems came from "no problem car", and it seems you problem all came from a "dead battery".
 
The "dead battery" not necessarily a dead one, it often because the charging system not charge enough or died, i.e. the alternator. In any case, you can check yourself very easily, saving all the trips.
 
You get a voltmeter at auto parts store, very cheap, and do the following simple measurement.
 
1. just measure the battery voltage to see if it is 12.66 at cold.
1a. measure the battery, put one plug on "connection to red pole" and another on battery black pole. (if red connect bad, you see it is not 12.66)
1b. do the same thing but on black pole connection.
1c. if you see your voltmeter do not have steady reading, that means your connection is not fully connected or corroded, need to clean. If you only got about 50% connected that will give you non deterministic result, sometimes car work, sometimes not, also your charging system (alternator) may not be able to charge 100% back to your battery, soon or later, your battery will die, but it may take a long time. (it will make you feel somewhere "leaking electricity", but is NOT).
 
2. turn on the engine and do the measure again to see if your alternator is charging your battery. If it does, the reading should be something like 14+ depending on temperature and state of your battery.
2a. b. again measure the way stated above to see how stable your charging system charges your battery, or at all. The alternator is NOT that easy to die (e.g. my Nissan Quest 94 still has original alternator; I bought it new and 17 years passed!), but is expensive to replace, so many inexperienced or dishonest auto services love to direct you to change your alternator at your panic.
 
3. You may often find your alternator is good and battery is bad because your "connection" is corroded and not 100% conduct the electric current either from your battery to dozens places in your car that need it, or not allow alternator 100% charging your battery, eventually run low the battery. Even worse, that creates non deterministic behavior of your car. e.g. when battery low, you may see your dashboard half lighting, half ok, and/or your left turn signal light not flashing ...etc. Keep in mind, nothing wrong with your car, just not enough electric current.
3a. get an electric charger from auto parts store, very cheap, and charge your battery for 15 minutes or so, it is back to normal but run low. Better charge overnight and it became a good one again. If you let your car charges your battery back full, it may take over 2 hours of highway run in day time, without letting headlight on.
 
p.s. I went to UC Berkeley both under and graduate major in electrical engineering and computer science. I got top score at Circuit Theory there.

#374 of 511 1995 Villager GS - Stall - Please Help.Thank you. by sam1995

May 31, 2011 (11:38 pm)

My 1995 Villager GS just around 125,000k runs good during winter or cold weather ,but in summer if i turn my A/C for few times(20 minutes every hour) or/and drive around busy traffic Van will stall with out any shake or reason !!! Van never over heat , have full battery power, coolants,enough gas . it will start again but die in few seconds with symptoms of spitting,chocking . if engine start to runs again but won't move as i shift to drive or reverse and seems like not getting enough gas or power to move. Then wait 15-20 minutes without trying to start any more then Van runs fine again. Did Changed spark plugs and wires,distributor cap,new fuel filter,air filter but it still happen every time if use A/C in hot days. Some day its runs fine but its not all the time.I really have no luck to figure out and when ever i take it to mechanic its runs fine ! Family with kids its really scare me all the time when i drive . Please help me out if you know what i am trying to explain about my Van and the symptoms. Thank you all for your time,help and advice.

#375 of 511 Re: 1995 Villager GS - Stall - Please Help.Thank you. [sam1995] by nissanquest94

Jun 01, 2011 (5:59 am)

Replying to: sam1995 (May 31, 2011 11:38 pm)
It seemed to me your van is good, except your battery is NOT fully charged. During winter time when day time is much shorter and people drive to work or back from home need to turn on headlights that did not allow more charge to battery, so when spring comes, especially after a few winters, battery may be low, and when summer comes and a/c turned on, may cars may have battery died, use up the last bid of saving of electricity.
 
Now, coming to the van, when my Nissan Quest 94 battery with low reserve, it often can still crank, but it will kind of prioritize which part to use the electricity and which part to wait like PSE&G in NJ to maintain electricity use. For example, the turn lights may blink very fast and normal when sufficient electricity, but when lower, it may blink slower, and when even lower electricity, it will just blink a few times and at the very lowest electricity, it just light up once and no blink.
 
It may sounds non deterministic or fell like lighting system problem, but it is not, it is all because low electricity in the battery. So, to cure it, I just get an electric charger to charge the battery for a few hours, the battery gradually coming back normal, and all other problem all gone. If you charged a barely die battery to a full normal, it may take 4 or 5 overnight charge.
 
Now, coming back to your description. In winter time, you did not need to turn on a/c which drain lots of electricity from your battery which may need to charge. In summer, not only you start using a/c, the busy traffic also cause lots of electricity on "brakes", when you hit break, say, at traffic light, you use lots of electricity, e.g. your 3 break lights all ON, and continually ON as long as your break not release, say, at red light, and, you may not realize that your "alternator" is not generate back electricity as low RPM at idle.
 
When you say you have "full battery power", I believe you only got enough to crank your engine, just like a bank account has only $100 all the time, it is sufficient to do simple shopping, but when you need to do big ones like a/c, you are not enough, you may charge it up to $10,000, as when it is new. Battery really need maintenance to charge back every year before winter and after winter to keep it up like cell phone battery that you never want to run at just one bar, but regularly charge up to full or 4 bars.
 
When you say your engine spitting and chocking, it is because your battery low and current not flow stably. Keep in mind, it take 3 things to run your engine, "fuel", "air" and "electricity". We run a free AAA function in our town to save every car stall on roadside free, and, once in a while, car died because run out of fuel, but most are due to lack of electricity, i.e. battery die or just connection no good, about 75%, and your battery sounds about to that stage.
 
Many cars like Nissan Quest has feature to not letting engine move if it detects the battery current is not stable or insufficient. As said, the spart plugs need to fire to burn gas vapor mix of gas and air, and if your electricity is not strong enough, it may spitting or chocking and eventually died, and when it die on the road may or may not start again, so the computer just simply do not let yougo, stay where you are, more safe.
 
You did good on tuning (i.e. change new spark plugs, wires, and distributor cap) which often make but that would not help much if your battery is weak, if any. Air filter change is often good to give you some more miles and fuel filter to make your fuel flow better, but these two things are like oil filter change, not a dominant factor, only let A become A+ or, in your case, D to become D+.
 
My solution is simply get an electric charger of, say, $29, do not need fancy one, and do overnight charge every weekend and any weekend you have time for 4 or 5 times, you will see the major difference. I was kind of curious of what the micro change of battery and impact to the whole van, so I just charge 2 hours each morning before I realize my 3 year old battery losing power, and every day it behave better and better. And I realized lots of other facts.
 
For example, if I only drive the van during day time, because I have extra 2 hour charge, it gets stronger, but if one night I drove a lot, i.e. turning on headlights and a/c, and possibly local, crowd and hit lots of brakes, it became weaker the next day, so after a week or two, I only charge 2 hours in the morning I drove previous nights. When my battery have sufficient electricity, just use volt meter to measure to see if 12.66V before start up engine, I feel everything is normal and great. If you see 12.50V or even lower, you can still crank up engine, but you know not sufficient electricity. Just charge a few hours more.
 
One other thing about the van is that many family use it a lot in summer time when travel, but winter time often seldom use or just drive locally and due to day light shorter, that implies less charge back battery. And, it is particularly harmful if van not driving for a week or two or longer, even park nicely in garage, and that harmful, one came from electricity not charged back, and many overload circuity in van drain little by little even not turned on. You did not say in your question, but I can guess as it is very normal to many van owners.
 
You can replace a new battery, but there is no need to, as I have charged my battery from DIE to now alive and strong again. My van had all your symptom and eventually it went even odder. e.g. while driving at night, stop at red lights, the dash board may have half light and half dark, when start again on green, it may not move as it should, did kind of delay move ... Well, now, after weeks of experiments, I know that all because battery low.
 
When battery low it is hard to tell because when you measure it may be 12.30V vs to normal 12.66V, but that .36V is NOT little lower, if you look at the curve, it is about 90% lower, it can crank and once start, your van use up most new electricity generated from your alternator, but little or none charged back. Imagine charge 2 hours with electric charger while van part in driveway is like charging 2 hours in driving WITHOUT turn on anything to consume electricity at the same time.

#376 of 511 Re: 1995 Villager GS - Stall - Please Help.Thank you. [sam1995] by vangonebad

Jun 01, 2011 (6:29 am)

Replying to: sam1995 (May 31, 2011 11:38 pm)
Just a FYI: My 1999 Villager with the same miles had the same major problems that your describing- I don't know about the winter part because we never made it that far!! After months of checking everything, and changing, replacing and cleaning everything.....it still didn't work. FINALLY, a Nissan dealer said it was the distributor.....a common problem, he said, with this particular van. It has ran wonderful every since I had that simple part replaced. Just a thought....just in case everything else fails. Good Luck!

#377 of 511 Re: 1995 Villager GS - Stall - Please Help.Thank you. [nissanquest94] by sam1995

Jun 04, 2011 (11:36 pm)

Replying to: nissanquest94 (Jun 01, 2011 5:59 am)
Thank you very very much for your time and very helpful details advice. I really appreciate the time you took for me to answer step by step .its nice to have a good and well informed person like you to help us all. I will sure give a try about battery maintenance and charging steps. It was hot close to 95 degree Temp today and i had to turn the A/C ,cus couldn't bear anymore .well 12pm to 3pm Van was running fine with on and off using A/C but around 3:30pm Van stalled. I just waited around 10 minutes then turn the key on ,van ran good for next 10 more minutes without A/C on then stalled.Then i wait 20 more minutes ,no more A/C on and Van ran fine till i back home 7pm. I use this van for local delivery which means i drive 20 to 40 mins then 5-10 break(parked) then again for 7-8 hours everyday.
I seen another post /advice about my Van to change distributor ! I sure will try to look at battery maintenance 1st to avoid $200 for new or rebuild distributor.
Well thank you again for all your help and i do really appreciate your time and advices.Wish you all the best.

#378 of 511 Re: 1995 Villager GS - Stall - Please Help.Thank you. [vangonebad] by sam1995

Jun 04, 2011 (11:52 pm)

Replying to: vangonebad (Jun 01, 2011 6:29 am)
1st of all i really appreciate your time and advice and thank you very much .I just read the post form a nice person who step by step explain lots of things about the problem.I will give a try to follow his battery maintenance methods hope it will solve my problems. i faced same situation this hot after noon ,Van stalled then wait 20 mins then it ran fine with out using A/C any more.
Yes i would like to change the distributor as you mention you had same problem but it cost over $200 which is kind of out of my reach now but if i have to then i might do it in future . Wish i knew how much you paid for the distributor and the place or site you bought it from. Its 95 degree almost everyday here in summer , i am just praying the Van will not stall when kid and family in the van. Just one thing hard to figure out , why the Van start back after stall but won't move a single inch and stall again till wait 10-20 minutes?
Well thank you again and all the good people here who you all helping us with your time and advices. I really do appreciate every one's kindness and help.Wish you all the best.

#379 of 511 Re: 1995 Villager GS - Stall - Please Help.Thank you. [sam1995] by nissanquest94

Jun 05, 2011 (8:54 pm)

Replying to: sam1995 (Jun 04, 2011 11:52 pm)
Well, when your battery is very low, you may be able to start, and as soon as it starts, the charging system, i.e. the alternator, is charging back your battery.
 
However, if your battery is very very low, and if you tried to move at the moment, you may not have sufficient electricity for your engine, so it stall again. It happened to my Nissan Quest 94 early this year, and I realized the battery did not have sufficient electricity, so I start "charging back" over night with "electric charger".
 
In hot temperature with a/c on and driving at traffic, many cars may stall. e.g. Kia Sedona 2002 has this well know problem, and the original alternator may die due to "overheat". If you look at "alternator", it has a circuit board to regulate the current from ac to dc, and any chip, including computer chip, has operating temperature range, when exceed that, it won't work.
 
And, keep in mind, while your a/c giving you cold air inside the van, it generate much more heat under your hood, and if it is hot temperature like 95, you know under you hood is extremely hot that impact the efficiency of your battery and your alternator at the same time.
 
So, Kia Sedona 2002 Van has a trick that deal gave to prevent the van died at the situation "driving slowly at traffic while turned on a/c and temperature is extremely hot". It can be used at Nissan Quest van as well. When you are at that situation, turned off a/c and open windows.
 
On the other hand, if your battery is well charged over night, even at that situation when your alternator may not be functioning as you wish, your a/c still very cold and slow traffic is not a big deal.
 
If you ever wonder why service vehicle NEVER shut off engine while waiting, it is because even if they are delivery and stopping, while engine running, the alternator is charging back the battery. This extra electricity charging back to battery is a big help to people doing delivery often driving in traffic and may be hot days and need to turn on a/c.
 
Some people have no patient to charge their battery, so they just replace a new one every 3 to 5 years. Another extreme, I know a guy just bought a brand new BMW, and he charge his battery every night. When battery is always in the state to be full, it is less likely to be corroded and last for longer.

#380 of 511 Re: 1995 Villager GS - Stall - Please Help.Thank you. [sam1995] by tony2005

Jun 14, 2011 (7:27 pm)

Replying to: sam1995 (Jun 04, 2011 11:52 pm)
1) Just change the rotor (which is about $12). The rotor is inside the distributor. To access, remove two screws on distributor cap, then remove distributor cap. You will see the rotor sitting on top. Then remove one screw at the side of the rotor. If rotor screw is at in "bad" position and you can't get screwdriver in, put distributor cap back on (without screwing back the distributor cap), then crank engine for 0.5 second. This should turn rotor 180 degrees for easier access to the rotor screw. Remove cap, remove rotor screw, remove rotor. Reinstall new rotor.
 
2) Or if you can't get a new rotor, just spray the top of the rotor with WD40, scrape metal top with fingernail, wipe clean and reinstall distributor cap. The old rotor of mine was very oxidized.
 
I installed a new rotor for my 99 Villager today and it purrs like a kitten now.

Messages Page 38 of 51

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