Car stalls while driving, Idle is smooth?

Tiny
MAROZ
  • MEMBER
  • 2011 NISSAN VERSA
  • 1.8L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 33,000 MILES
I’m having same problem after replacing fuel pump (I did not replace the gasket under new fuel pump). Car stalls while driving. Idle is smooth. Car starts up ( even when in motion, only one time after refueling the car took like 4 times to start and stall. That was before pump replacement) looks like it stalls when I let off gas pedal. No check engine light. I got the car at the auction so idk the history but looks like someone was trying to work on it before ( ground wires are clean. Looks like after market pump). Car is 4 speed automatic.
Sunday, June 16th, 2024 AT 5:42 AM

31 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 52,298 POSTS
I have seen the crankshaft angle sensor start to go out and cause this issue, this will not create a check engine light as well, so it fits. but you should run the codes anyway to see if any codes are pending.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/checking-a-service-engine-soon-or-check-engine-light-on-or-flashing

This guide may help as well, and I have included the location of the crankshaft sensor, so you know which sensor to check out.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/engine-stalls

The crankshaft sensor is on the right side of the engine block towards the rear down low. Check out the images (below). Please upload pictures or videos in your response to any problems so we can see what to help you with.
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Sunday, June 16th, 2024 AT 12:51 PM
Tiny
MAROZ
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  • 22 POSTS
Thank you for your help. I just replaced bad and crankshaft sensor. Still the same problem. Anything else I can change or check? Thank you
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Friday, June 21st, 2024 AT 4:26 AM
Tiny
KEN L
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Have you run the codes to see if any are stored? I have seen the ignition relay or PCM start to overheat and go out which can cause the engine to stall without setting a code. Here are the locations so you can swap them out to see if that fixes the problem. Check out the images (below). Please let us know what happens.
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Sunday, June 23rd, 2024 AT 10:34 AM
Tiny
MAROZ
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  • 22 POSTS
No codes. I just replaced throttle body and that didn’t fix it. My wiring fuse box is different than the one you sent me.
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Sunday, June 23rd, 2024 AT 6:08 PM
Tiny
KEN L
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Yes, that is different, is this a euro car? Also, I see a bunch of cut wires?
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Monday, June 24th, 2024 AT 10:15 AM
Tiny
MAROZ
  • MEMBER
  • 22 POSTS
I got the wiring box from junkyard. Mine is the same as the one in the picture. The versa is plain. Nothing special. Nothing is power, only mirrors.
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Monday, June 24th, 2024 AT 11:53 AM
Tiny
MAROZ
  • MEMBER
  • 22 POSTS
The car stalls because the fuel pump stops working. (I just put a new fuel pump in it. Made no difference). I can’t start the car till I hear the pump kick in. Is there a relay that I can replace? Or do you know what else I can replace? Tia
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Monday, June 24th, 2024 AT 11:59 AM
Tiny
MAROZ
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  • 22 POSTS
Should the fuel pump run nonstop? Should the fuel pump prime the system every time I turn the key on?
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Tuesday, June 25th, 2024 AT 5:20 AM
Tiny
KEN L
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The fuel pump will not run non stop if the engine is not running. It will prime the system each time the engine is cranked over. Is that what is happening?
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Tuesday, June 25th, 2024 AT 11:20 AM
Tiny
MAROZ
  • MEMBER
  • 22 POSTS
I do not know what happened this morning. I was going to work and then the car stalled again about 1/2 mile from my house. I made it back home somehow, but I think the fuel pump is not working. I can’t hear it when I turn the key on, but it has 12.3 v on one side of the plug, and I think 5v on the other side of the black wire. Whenever I plug it back to the pump it started priming. I checked the plug before. It looks good (no corrosion or any visible damage). I have to look at it tomorrow (if I can). Is there way to check the wires? I have a multimeter. Tia
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Tuesday, June 25th, 2024 AT 2:32 PM
Tiny
MAROZ
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  • 22 POSTS
I got home after work and car started right up. I let it warm up for like 3 minutes and drove it for about 2 miles without problems.
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Tuesday, June 25th, 2024 AT 7:18 PM
Tiny
MAROZ
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  • 22 POSTS
Well. I start the car this morning ( I can hear the pump to prime the system). I came back in 3 minutes and car is dead. Turned key off. Turned key on and no priming. The car started but stoll in like 20 seconds. Is it possible that the new pump is bad? I have like 500 miles on the new pump (still had stalling issues after I replaced it). What else can I do? What else to check?Tia
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Wednesday, June 26th, 2024 AT 4:24 AM
Tiny
KEN L
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You could have a bad fuel pump but I have seen the IPDM go out in these cars which housing the non serviceable fuel pump relay. Here is how to change it out which would fix the problem. You can use a test light at the fuel pump feed wire (green) to confirm no power when you don't hear the fuel pump running.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-use-a-test-light-circuit-tester

Check out the images (below). Let us know what you find.
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Wednesday, June 26th, 2024 AT 10:20 AM
Tiny
MAROZ
  • MEMBER
  • 22 POSTS
I just checked the green wire and I have power(13.55) only when the engine is running. Whenever the key is turned to on without the engine running then there’s no power. Is that normal?
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Wednesday, June 26th, 2024 AT 8:06 PM
Tiny
MAROZ
  • MEMBER
  • 22 POSTS
This morning, I hooked up the tester to green wire and it ran for like 5 minutes with around 13.5v After the engine warmed up the power go to 0. I started the car again and the power goes back to 13.5v but after 5 seconds it goes to 0 (then the fuel stops and then the engine stalls). It used to be that I can drive it for 20 miles and then it shuts off and I can start it again and drive it. Looks like something is warmed up and fails. What else can I check or change? Tia
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Thursday, June 27th, 2024 AT 5:11 AM
Tiny
KEN L
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It sounds like the IPDM is going out, you might be able to get a code for it if you do a CAN scan, please watch this video to see how:

https://youtu.be/InIlnsjOVFA?si=wyNwD-Mme8W-4vV3

Please go over this guide and get back to us.

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Thursday, June 27th, 2024 AT 10:09 AM
Tiny
MAROZ
  • MEMBER
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I just replaced ipdm with used one. No change. Car runs for few minutes and stalls. The power to the pump randomly stops. I have tester on the (green wire) pump and it’s 13.5v then it just drops to 0. I also have tester on the ipdm fuse and power is 14.4 v. Sometimes I can feel the relay klick when I hold the ipdm. The over on fuse never drops. The power on the pump does. Can the ecm/pcm be bad? Does it need to be reprogrammed? Tia
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Friday, June 28th, 2024 AT 5:06 AM
Tiny
KEN L
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It could be but can I ask if you ran the CAN scan? It could be the ignition switch, or PCM. You can send the PCM for testing and they will go over it for you. It is difficult to test the PCM yourself if there are no codes. When you replaced the IPDM it came with different relays correct? Here are the engine and PCM wiring diagrams so you can see how the system works.

This guide will help you test the connections:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-wiring

Check out the images (below). Please let us know what happens.
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Friday, June 28th, 2024 AT 10:11 AM
Tiny
MAROZ
  • MEMBER
  • 22 POSTS
Seems like there’s something telling the computer to turn off the power to the fuel pump. I was able to drive it the whole day and now it won’t run more than 3 minutes in the driveway. Sometimes 1 minute, sometimes 2. I don’t think there is broken wire. I may be wrong but if there is broken wires then there won’t be any power at all going to the pump. Is it possible that the computer is going out or needs to be reprogrammed? Tia
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Friday, June 28th, 2024 AT 5:20 PM
Tiny
KEN L
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Yep, that is a possibility, you can remove the unit and send it in for testing. Please search google or ebay for a company that can do the work for you.
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Sunday, June 30th, 2024 AT 10:23 AM

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