Service engine soon light

[marine65]

2006 Sentra 175K miles
This light has been coming on and off for several months.
The car has run just fine until recently.
Heading to work last week the light was off and there was a momentary shudder at 60 MPH and the light stayed off.
Coming home from work the same thing happened and the light came on.
Yesterday it stalled twice while coming to a stop. It started back up both times.
Its going to the repair shop tomorrow.
Any thoughts?

 

[copcarguy]

Buy an inexpensive scanner (you can find them on sale for less than $40, and about $15 on eBay) and get the code yourself. That way you don't have to run around for months with your CEL on.

Or head to Autozone or Advance Auto and they'll tell you for free.

Also if you don't fix it yourself, at least you'll be an informed educated customer at the repair shop and can walk in knowing what's wrong with your vehicle.

 

[Chris142]

My 1st guesss is a coil going bad. But we wont know till you tell us the code.

 

[ejes]

Could be so many things; really hard to narrow it down, which is the entire reason for the light and codes. Your car has been trying to tell you something for several months.

Could be something as simple as a vacuum line leak or something as complex as an electronic part. My cheap code reader has paid for itself many, many times over. Like the previous poster said, they are worth having, if for nothing else, to know what the repair shop should be fixing and how much is should be costing you for the repair.

 

[marine65]

I stopped at an auto parts store and they said they can not get codes for a service engine soon light only a check engine light.

 

[ejes]

Originally Posted By: marine65
I stopped at an auto parts store and they said they can not get codes for a service engine soon light only a check engine light.


I don't believe them to be correct. The SES light is a MIL light on that car if this is correct. It should store codes. Check these pages here. 2006 Sentra

2-8
2-10
2-12
2-13

I know that car had issues with water getting into the O2 sensor connectors due to poor location in the design. If you can find the sensor(s) and unplug the connectors and check for water, that MIGHT be it from what you describe, but that's a real shot in the dark. O2 sensor location

 

[doitmyself]

Does this technique work with the 2006?: http://www.nissanclub.com/forums/f-q-200...soon-light.html

 

[Thax]

Based on what you have described I would suspect an intermittently failing crankshaft sensor.

 

[Warstud]

Originally Posted By: marine65
Its going to the repair shop tomorrow.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: marine65
I stopped at an auto parts store and they said they can not get codes for a service engine soon light only a check engine light.


They are the same light; different nomenclature.

 

[marine65]

Originally Posted By: Thax
Based on what you have described I would suspect an intermittently failing crankshaft sensor.


We have a winner.
That is what the repair shop said.
$102 + $95 diagnostic fee.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: marine65
We have a winner.
That is what the repair shop said.
$102 + $95 diagnostic fee.


$102 for the crankshaft position sensor I'm assuming. RockAuto has a genuine Hitachi for $43.79

 

[copcarguy]

This is a great example that if you had your own code reader it would've saved you time and money.

You would've known months ago your car was telling you this part was failing, and then you could have walked in the shop saying "replace the crankshaft sensor please" and saved the $95 he charged you to plug his scanner in.

Or, googled how to change this part yourself, determine if it's within your capabilities (or if you even feel like doing the repair on your own), then get the part at rockauto for $43.79 and save even more money PLUS get the great irreplaceable feeling that you get when you troubleshoot and fix your car yourself.

I'm glad you got your problem solved, intermittent CEL's are very annoying.

 

[marine65]

So the crankshaft sensor was just the start.
Front brakes
rear brakes
thermostat
total $678 LOL
I don't work on cars unless its a real easy job, spark plugs, oil change etc.
I bought this car at 97K miles and it now has 174K miles on it and these are the first repairs done.
And the brakes are normal maintenance.
I probably let it go a little too long.

 

[SatinSilver]

So it runs pretty good now after the repair? Seems like you're still well ahead of the game with this car.

 

[marine65]

Originally Posted By: SatinSilver
So it runs pretty good now after the repair? Seems like you're still well ahead of the game with this car.


the car runs strong.
everything still works including the A/C.It rattles a bit on rough roads but at 174K miles its allowed to rattle a bit.
Its paid for.
My wife's 2010 Elantra has just $600 left to pay off. 74K miles on this car. 7K miles a year. Should last awhile.
I'm hoping to go awhile before I have to get another car and make payments.