Questions and Answers

Nissan Pathfinder Dies On The Road Q. Hello, I have a 1996 Nissan Pathfinder SE V-6, manual transmission, with a 104,000 miles. It has ABS brakes a dealer installed security system, cruise control, air conditioning and Rack and pinion steering I think. My problem is the engine light keeps coming on. I took it to a Nissan specialist and he told me no problems and reset the computer and off goes the engine light.

Two days later the light comes back on. Now before the engine light came I drove somewhere on a warm day. Then when I got back in the SUV it would not start for about five minutes. However, all the lights and radio came on. Then a week later I am driving around a corner and the engine shuts off. I had to restart it. Now today the same thing happens I pull up to work and have to restart the car and it would't start for another 30 minutes. What's going on?

Thanks,
Shannon

A. A very common problem with this vehicle is the Crank Angle Sensors (CAS) going bad. When they get hot, they crap out. Then when they cool off, they will start working again.

If this is, indeed, the case, it is turning the Check Engine Light on and storing a code. The scan tool your technician is using may not be compatible with your Nissan so I would suggest you take it to a Nissan Dealer to get it scanned. Here is how to pull the codes yourself. A bad CAS will give you a DTC 0802 or 0905.