Check Engine Light

There are numerous things that can cause a misfire, see related questions below.

An engine with DCI has Direct Common-rail Injection. It evolved from both the Direct Injection systems many cars have today and the Common Rail system designed in the 60's with the first working and mounted system made in Japan by Denso and installed on the Hino heavy duty truck.

Direct Injection systems delivery pressurized fuel directly into combustion chambers allowing for more effective and effient ignition and allowing the auto industry to begin using turbo chargers on higher compression engines such as the turboed Cobalt SS from 09 that has 9.2:1 compression and, with the installtion of stage 1, can push around 15-20 lbs of boost, something we could only wish for in the 80's and 90's.

The DI systems feed the pressurized fuel through a single line to the injectors that feed directly into the chambers as opposed to dumping the fuel into the ports in the intake manifold and letting the air flow carry it through the final twists of turns to reach the head's ports then to finally arrive in the appropriate chamber.

DCI takes this one step further. Rather than sending pressurized fuel down the fuel constantly, DCI sends the fule to the Common-rail where it is pressurized to the appropriate amount. From there an array of sensors work with the CPU to map just how much of the highly pressurized fuel needs to go into which chamber at what point in time to get the maximum amount of ignition and power out of the fuel/air mix. Once it's time, the computer directs the appropriate injector to open and squirt what is essentially atomized fuel into the chamber where it almost immediately closes off and ignites to end that cylinders power stroke and move to the next.

With DI and DCI systems, we now get far more efficient combustion which translates into less vapor escaping with the exhaust as well as maximized power potential from seemingly 'flawless' ignitions. We are also capable of increasing the compression ratio of engines; which also increases efficiency and effectiveness of fuel consumption, ignition and power generation all of which, again, innately reduces emmissions since the more efficient the ignition and the more complete the burn, the more inert emissions there are and the less active emissions which are the emissions we want to tro to reduce.

I'll be honest with you, I had to do a little searching to find out what exactly DCI is. There were lots of mentions of Diesel xxx xxx and the like. However, these all were talking about the Common Rail system that has been used since the 90's. DCI, however, is not a fuel specific system, it is valid for use with both diesel and gasoline/petrol.

Hope this helps.

the check engine light comes on for many reason or many parts usally emmision related.

The check engine light (service engine soon) comes on and stays on when a problem is detected by the self diagnosis system of your vehicle. Generally, the problem is in the emissions or something that is affecting the effectiveness of the emissions, but other causes can trigger the light to come on, too. To determine the cause, the vehicle will need to be taken to a parts store or a shop that has an OBD2 scanner, or for 1995 and earlier models, an OBD1 scanner, While a scanner will not give you the magic answer, it will give you a code that narrows down the problem area.

If the secondary air injection failure code comes up you shold propably check the air pump fuse. I think it is call the air pump. The fuse is rather big. Sometimes water gets into the air pump and causes it to trip out. the fuse is loacated on the front pasengerside close to the bumper. Some people say that you will know that the fuse is out on the air pump because the hood light goes out. That's not really true in all cases.

It means your traction control is turned off. Should be a button for it on the side of your shifter.

The proper way is with a scan tool after repairing the cause of the code that turned the light on. A batterydisconnect may also clear it.

A blinking amber light on a VingCard lock typically indicates that the lock is in a low battery state or that there is a communication issue between the lock and the card. It may also signal that the card is not recognized or has expired. To resolve the issue, it's advisable to replace the battery or ensure that the access card is valid and properly functioning.

Trouble code P0463 means:Fuel level sensor circuit high input

Trouble code P0573 means: Brake Switch No. 1 Stuck High/Off Should have no effect on the alternator.

Click the link for info on PO410 Secondary Air Injection System Malfunction

The knock sensor is in the engine V under the intake manifolds and coolant crossover pipe. As it requires considerable disassembly and an expensive new gasket set to reach it, I suggest you make very sure there is something wrong with it first. You will have to remove the upper and lower intake manifolds and coolant crossover pipe assembly to reach it. Just because you are receiving a trouble code for it does not mean there is anything wrong with it. This sensor shares a circuit with other components that often will set a "ghost" trouble code.

The local network of wiring, sensors, controllers, chips and other various bits of silicon in the Altima is apparently vastly complicated, so I won't bore you (or me) by addressing it in detail here. However, one thing I found interesting is that the MIL shines only under two conditions:

1) If the ECM detects what Nissan considers a "serious" fault (such as a misfire), the MIL illuminates immediately and the ECM stores a trouble code.

2) If, however, the ECM senses a less serious problem, such as a vacuum leak, the MIL does not illuminate immediately. Instead, the ECM stores an identifying trouble code and waits to see if the same fault arises during the next trip cycle, which roughly corresponds to the next time you hop in the car and drive it around after turning it off. If the ECM senses the same fault, it trips the MIL light and you get to wade into the ECM or make the always-entertaining trip to your local dealer.

Your dealer uses a scan tool called a Consult to interface with the ECM directly. However, shadetree mechanics can manually pull the trouble code(s) from the ECM and, if desired, clear the code from memory, thus putting out the Check Engine Light, which incidentally shines like the fires of Hades at night against the dimmed gauge cluster.

To check the fault code yourself from the comfort of your own garage, put the ECM in "Diagnostic Test Mode II" by doing the following:

1) Sit your butt in the driver's seat.

2) Turn the ignition key to the ON position and wait three seconds. (Do not start the car.)

3) Fully depress and release the accelerator pedal five times in less than five seconds. (If you've got bad ankles, give up now and drive the car to the dealer.)

4) Wait exactly seven seconds. Fully depress the accelerator pedal and hold it down for about ten seconds until the MIL light begins flashing.

5) Release the accelerator pedal and start counting flashes to obtain the four-digit trouble code. Long flashes (0.6 seconds) indicate the first digit of the code; count the blinks one through nine and write down the first digit. (Ten blinks indicates a zero.) The next three digits follow in turn in the same fashion except with faster blinks (0.3 second) and a 1.0-second pause between digits.

The ECM code repeats intself until you turn the ignition key to the OFF position, at which point the ECM resets itself to standard get-in-and-drive-the-car mode. You can look up the trouble codes in the ESM/FSM; there's a bunch of them. In the ESM, refer to page EC-639. Additionally, if you get four blinks of ten (0000), the ECM is indicating no malfunction.

You can clear the code (and the annoying MIL) by holding down the accelerator pedal for more than 10 seconds while in Diagnostic Test Mode II. When you release the pedal, the ECM erases the trouble code(s).

In my case, my trouble code was 0442 - "Evaporative System Small Leak" - discussed on page EC-973. This could indicate anything from a poorly sealed gas gap to a leak in the evaporative recovery system underneath the car. I checked everything I could and decided to clear the code, thinking that maybe a slightly loose gas cap might've been the culprit. It apparently was, as the MIL hasn't shined since.

This is exactly the kind of problem that I hate -- hate -- having dealer monkeys diagnose, as it takes hours and hours for them to dirty up the inside of my car, change all my radio presets, go through my trunk and glovebox and grease up the doorhandles and hood before they wander over and say, "Well, it's fine now." Noooo thank you.

One other interesting bit (well, I thought it was mildly entertaining at least) I ran across while poring through the OBD section was that the ECM often changes engine behavior when it senses a fault. We've all seen the posts from folks whose engines wouldn't rev past 2400 rpm, for example, and seen them report the bad news their dealers had provided: The MAF gave up the ghost.

Well, that may well be the case, but the fact that the engine wouldn't rev past 2400 rpm is not because the MAF died. It's instead because the ECM sensed a two-trip MAF failure, illuminating the MIL and storing an MAF trouble code. When this fault is detected, the ECM limits engine rpm to 2400 as a "limp home" or self-preservation tool. This is all well and good, but it doesn't necessarily mean the MAF is dead; it simply means that the ECM thinks the MAF is bad. Bringing the car home, yanking the trouble code and clearing it will restore full engine operation until the ECM senses MAF failure again twice. And as anyone who works with computers or other electronic gadges knows, the more complicated the machine the more prone it often is to freak out occasionally with neither rhyme nor reason. Clearing out the code once before taking the car to the dealer and having him take the ECM's word as God's own before presenting you with an $800 bill for a new MAF in this case may well protect your checkbook and your sanity. www.nissanforums.com

Trouble code P0740 means:Torque converter clutch circuit malfunction

Undoubtally you do not have an owners manual. I would think it would mean (Check Engine) That means you have a problem.

Sometimes simply disconnecting the battery will clear codes, or after cycling through the start mode so many times will do it .You can also plug an O.B.D. unit into your E.M.C. as a code reader and clear codes.

Pull the fuse for the ecm.

Gasoline engine - spark is cut off when ignition is turned off

Diesel engine- fuel is cut off when engine is shut down

An orange (actually "amber") warning light appears on vehicles near which drivers should be cautious but which aren't police or fire vehicles. Examples include road work vehicles, tow trucks, and trucks carrying unusual loads like a house.

Bad spark plug, plug wire or both. Also burnt valve, blown head gasket, or severely worn rings. A defective intake manifold gasket is another possibility.

No, man cannot make a rainbow. He may imitate nature by using light and water to initiate the process that does create a rainbow, but only nature can create a rainbow.

P0071=Ambient Air Temperature Sensor Range/Performance.

There is a temp sensor in the fresh air intake that monitors the ambient air temp coming into the engine. Check to see if it is disconnected.

On this van, the ambient temperature sensor is located in front of the bottom of the ac condenser.

Trouble code P0654 indicates a problem with the "Sensor Reference Voltage A." To fix this issue, first, check the vehicle's wiring and connectors for any damage or corrosion that could affect the voltage supply. Next, test the reference voltage using a multimeter to ensure proper voltage levels are being delivered. If the wiring and voltage are fine, the issue may lie in a faulty sensor or the Engine Control Module (ECM), which may need further diagnosis or replacement.

The check engine light (service engine soon) comes on and stays on when a problem is detected by the self diagnosis system of your vehicle. Generally, the problem is in the emissions or something that is affecting the effectiveness of the emissions, but other causes can trigger the light to come on, too. To determine the cause, the vehicle will need to be taken to a parts store or a shop that has an OBD2 scanner, or for 1995 and earlier models, an OBD1 scanner, While a scanner will not give you the magic answer, it will give you a code that narrows down the problem area.

Yes, it may cause a miss that will trigger the check engine light.