Automobile / Nissan / Altima

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Question: 1998 Nissan Altima  mileage: 146,000.  I have a 1998 Altima with electronic seat belts. I was rear ended hard enough to release my air bag.  I got everything fixed except my electronic seat belts. I tried the rear button for them and also tried manually cranking them but they still are not working. Is their a special fuse or circuit breaker for them?

Answer:  The dealer will have to reset the computer that controls the seatbelts.

Question:  1999 Nissan Altima  mileage: 135,500.  My fans never work; only when the a/c is on do they turn on and off like they’re supposed to.  What could that be?

Answer:  There is a temperature sensor that signals the fans to come on when the cooling system gets warm.  Your sensor may be faulty or disconnected.

Question:  2002 Nissan Altima  mileage: 92,000.  Our Altima has 92,000 miles on it.  How can you tell when or if it needs new struts?  Are they on the front and back?  Do both sets need to be replaced?  What type of damage could result if not taken care of?  Thanks!   Looking forward to your response.  Is it worth putting money into a car that has 92,000 miles?

Answer:  Two tests are used for checking out struts.  The first one is to visually inspect for oil leaks and the second one is to check the amount of bounce to the car when going through a dip in the road.   They are in the front and rear and should be replaced in pairs.  No damage should result if not taken care of.  You will have poor handling though.

Question:  1998 Nissan Altima  mileage: 120,800.  This car spent 8 hours under water.  I’ve stripped it down, disassembled, cleaned, everything top to bottom.  It runs great.  Problem is with taillights, rear side marker, tail license, and interior background lighting are inoperable.  Rear stoplights, turn, backup, front side marker and clearance lights work fine.  Fuse box was pulled apart and cleaned twice, all electrical connectors I could find were cleaned as well, all relays replaced, all fuses good.  Combination switch was cleaned and checked per Haynes manual.  Haynes manual page 12-30 shows a connection at J/C-5 that might be my problem, but I’m not sure where to locate J/C-5.  I’ve replaced instrument cluster, main switches, and most every brain box, including numerous small boxes under dash.  Willing to do more to get this light situation under control.  THANKS.

Answer:  A light control module is located in the trunk that controls the rear lights.  It may have been damaged.

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Answer:    Here are some things to have checked:  1. Check to see if the timing belt/chain has failed, 2. Check for ignition spark at spark plugs, 3. Check for fuel pressure, 4. Scan P.C.M. (computer) for fault or error codes.  The information should pinpoint the malfunctioning components.

Addendum: Bob and Ken, Thank You very much for your advice, a friend and I checked the components you suggested only to find out it was a broken seal in the distributor that was causing oil to leak into the distributor and smother the spark it needed.  It was really odd that this happened I've never heard of this before.   So, we fixed it by removing the distributor, cleaning it out thoroughly, and replacing the leaky seal.  Hope that you can add this experience to your reference section of your very helpful website.  Again, I thank you very much for your time and consideration, much ALOHA from HAWAII.  Thank You " MAHALO" (means thank you), Keoki the happy car owner...........................Thank you so much for your reply.....it is right in line with others we have talked with. Many thanks again!

Question:  1998 Nissan Altima  mileage: 129,000.  The battery and brake lights both come on when the engine goes above 2500 rpm (even while just sitting).  Battery, alternator, brakes and fluid levels are good.

Answer: Check alternator output and also check for a bad diode in the alternator.

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Question:  99 Nissan Altima  mileage: 90,000.  Just want to know how to do an oil change.  I want to try it myself.

Answer:    Remove the drain plug from the oil pan and drain the oil into a suitable container.  Replace the drain plug and refill with new oil.

Question:  1998 Nissan Altima  mileage: 139,000.  When I begin to accelerate from a stopped position, a low roar/vibration occurs (from the engine).  Once moving and at around 10 mph the roar stops and does not occur at any other time.  This just started recently.  Any idea what might cause this?  Thanks.

Answer:     We think that the timing belt tensioner may be failing making the belt too loose.  Also, check the water pump bearing.

Question:  1998 Nissan Altima  mileage: 120,000.  Is there very much difficulty in replacing a outside [remote] rear view mirror?

Answer:   Not much.  Remove door panel to access mirror mounting bolts and wiring.

Question:  1998 Nissan Altima  mileage: 135,999. Car emits "rotten-egg" smell from exhaust. Is it the CAT or the oxygen sensor?

Answer: The "rotten-egg" smell is caused indirectly by the catalytic converter. The main cause is a rich mixture condition from the engine. Check the catalytic converter to make sure it is not "plugged" or restricted. Your car is equipped with a computer controlled engine management system. You can scan your computer for fault or error codes with a hand held scanner for less than $70. The information will pinpoint the mal functioning components.

Question:  1999 Nissan Altima   Do you know where the horn assembly is located?

Answer: Yes, behind the bumper or grill.

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