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2013 Nissan Altima 2.5 S stalls when put in gear

3035 Views 18 Replies 5 Participants Last post by  aacuriel34
Hello,

I have a 2013 Nissan Altima 2.5 S when I put in drive or reverse the engine stalls/dies. I put it park, start the engine and it starts. It does not stalls on neutral as well. This never happen and it start when I took it in a longer drive. The back story of this is I went to L.A. from S.F. and it drove fine for about 380 miles. I don't know if this the cause when I was going down a long hill and I let it roll down the hill with putting stepping on the break or putting gas. It was revving a little high. I didn't think much of it. When I stopped for gas I noticed when I was slowing down to about 5mph it sort of jerk. I turn off the engine, gas up, turn the engine and when I put in drive it stalled. I was able to go back home by stepping the gas right away it drive for another 300 miles. Does anyone had this issue and what I can do to fix?

Thanks
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Hello,

I have a 2013 Nissan Altima 2.5 S when I put in drive or reverse the engine stalls/dies. I put it park, start the engine and it starts. It does not stalls on neutral as well. This never happen and it start when I took it in a longer drive. The back story of this is I went to L.A. from S.F. and it drove fine for about 380 miles. I don't know if this the cause when I was going down a long hill and I let it roll down the hill with putting stepping on the break or putting gas. It was revving a little high. I didn't think much of it. When I stopped for gas I noticed when I was slowing down to about 5mph it sort of jerk. I turn off the engine, gas up, turn the engine and when I put in drive it stalled. I was able to go back home by stepping the gas right away it drive for another 300 miles. Does anyone had this issue and what I can do to fix?

Thanks
Wow.. there could be a lot of issues but I would look for simple stuff first.
1. air filter: check to make sure it's has been replaced and cleaned.
2. MAF sensor: make sure that your sensor to air intake in plugged in tightly
3. Plugs: Last tune up?
4. ignition coils: pushed in all the way?
5. air intake hose: check for air leak

Most likely since this happened while driving, it's probably the clogged air filter or faulty MAF sensor. good luck
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Wow.. there could be a lot of issues but I would look for simple stuff first.
1. air filter: check to make sure it's has been replaced and cleaned.
2. MAF sensor: make sure that your sensor to air intake in plugged in tightly
3. Plugs: Last tune up?
4. ignition coils: pushed in all the way?
5. air intake hose: check for air leak

Most likely since this happened while driving, it's probably the clogged air filter or faulty MAF sensor. good luck
if all those check out okay, look for fuel filter clog or bad fuel pump. Of course these will cost you a lot more money to repair but most of these can be done at home. I hope you're handy...
I turn off the engine, gas up, turn the engine and when I put in drive it stalled. I was able to go back home by stepping the gas right away it drive for another 300 miles. Does anyone had this issue and what I can do to fix?
Is it slow to accelerate for the first few feet even after you get it moving? If so, the Torque Converter may be locked up. The TC Solenoid is a "dead man switch" on Altie CVT's and the TCM has no good way to diagnose a mechanical failure in either the solenoid or the TC Clutch, so stalling in-gear with no codes can be the result.
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Wow.. there could be a lot of issues but I would look for simple stuff first.
1. air filter: check to make sure it's has been replaced and cleaned.
2. MAF sensor: make sure that your sensor to air intake in plugged in tightly
3. Plugs: Last tune up?
4. ignition coils: pushed in all the way?
5. air intake hose: check for air leak

Most likely since this happened while driving, it's probably the clogged air filter or faulty MAF sensor. good luck
Thank you for the reply.
1. I have not check the filter.
2. I did clean MAF sensor but still the same issue. I am ordering the parts.
3. No tune up on the plugs that I know when I got it. I bought it use around 5 years ago.
4. Not sure but I will check.
Is it slow to accelerate for the first few feet even after you get it moving? If so, the Torque Converter may be locked up. The TC Solenoid is a "dead man switch" on Altie CVT's and the TCM has no good way to diagnose a mechanical failure in either the solenoid or the TC Clutch, so stalling in-gear with no codes can be the result.
wow.. this is something new.. I never knew that torque converter could do this... I thought you'd be in a limp mode if the torque converter locks up as with many cars... Thank you for the info. Will keep that in mind if it happens to me. Would the car be able to go in Park gear if the converter is locked?
Is it slow to accelerate for the first few feet even after you get it moving? If so, the Torque Converter may be locked up. The TC Solenoid is a "dead man switch" on Altie CVT's and the TCM has no good way to diagnose a mechanical failure in either the solenoid or the TC Clutch, so stalling in-gear with no codes can be the result.
Not really. Yesterday morning when I tried it again it was driving fine for about 5 mins moving back and fort on a parking lot then it stalls. I hope it's not the TC solenoid because it could be costly. I read some forums and they say it could be TC solenoid. Thank you for responding.
5 years old so you may want to check the fuel filter and the fuel pump. Does it rev over 4-5k rpm in park? Second question, what made you clean the MAF? usually these don't have to be cleaned if the filters were replaced frequently... how did you clean it? don't tell me WD40 or q-tip...
5 years old so you may want to check the fuel filter and the fuel pump. Does it rev over 4-5k rpm in park? Second question, what made you clean the MAF? usually these don't have to be cleaned if the filters were replaced frequently... how did you clean it? don't tell me WD40 or q-tip...
No it does not rev over 4-5k in park. It idles around 1-1.5k. One of my friend recommended to replace or clean it. I was trying to see if that improves some how. I am not really a mechanic but I can some of the basic stuff and Google search. I cleaned it with a MAF CRC cleaner and let it air dry for 30 mins. No WD40 or Q-Tip.
No it does not rev over 4-5k in park. It idles around 1-1.5k. One of my friend recommended to replace or clean it. I was trying to see if that improves some how. I am not really a mechanic but I can some of the basic stuff and Google search. I cleaned it with a MAF CRC cleaner and let it air dry for 30 mins. No WD40 or Q-Tip.
sorry... I meant can it rev 4-5k in park just to see if the fuel pump was working okay. I'm not a mechanic. I mess with cars and found ruling things out is the game. rule out simple stuff and leave the complicated stuff for the mechanics. 80 to 90 percent of the times, it's the simple stuff (lack of maintenance) that causes failure. I would do a tune up. new air filter, new fuel filter, new plugs and see if the problem still lives. Don't mess with MAF since they usually don't go bad. MAF controls the air intake. check engine light would come on but car would not die. limp mode or loss of power is what you usually get with bad MAF sensor and no ignition sometimes. Take the car to autozone and ask them to read the error codes for you. If no error codes, then Vstar is probably right.
read more into this and I learned more about these CVT transmission. nice compact design but also a quick fix. a quick fix of replacement of transmission valve body. remove the trans pan and replace the unit. These transmission valve bodies are sold on ebay for about $200. I think it's a DIY. drain trans fluid, loosen and remove transmission pan then remove parameter bolts and replace the valve body. it looks straight forward?
Yes, on a '13-up Altima the "IP Characteristics" are stored in the QR code sticker on top of the Range Switch and don't change when you just swap the VB and nothing else, only if you change the TCM or the whole tranny. Technically you're supposed to reprogram the TCM because that's the only way to eliminate "hidden" codes like P17F0, but if you don't care about that then the VB is plug-and-play.
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Update:

I took it a shop and they can't replicate the problem but a code showed up and its P17F1 code. They said the TCM is going bad and it needs to be replace. They are quoting me $2k for parts, labor and reprograming. They said that if that goes bad you still need to replace the whole transmission and quoted me $7k. That's a lot of money and that's about the same value of my car. At this point will cut my lost and trade it in. Thank you for all your responses!
I took it a shop and they can't replicate the problem but a code showed up and its P17F1 code. They said the TCM is going bad and it needs to be replace. They are quoting me $2k for parts, labor and reprograming.
P17F1 is not a bad TCM. It's usually a bad Valve Body, but sometimes just means the fluid is shot. If they told you the TCM was faulty, then you need to find a much better shop.
P17F1 is not a bad TCM. It's usually a bad Valve Body, but sometimes just means the fluid is shot. If they told you the TCM was faulty, then you need to find a much better shop.
I appreciate the info. I might have to explore that option.
Update:

I took it a shop and they can't replicate the problem but a code showed up and its P17F1 code. They said the TCM is going bad and it needs to be replace. They are quoting me $2k for parts, labor and reprograming. They said that if that goes bad you still need to replace the whole transmission and quoted me $7k. That's a lot of money and that's about the same value of my car. At this point will cut my lost and trade it in. Thank you for all your responses!
When was the last time you replaced the CVT fluid? The CVT fluid should always be replaced every 30,000 mi. When the fluid stays in too long, the chemical properties of the fluid get compromised and it can no longer provide that cushion that's so needed between the steel belt and the cones. If you've never had the fluid replaced, that could be why you're having the problem and getting the P17f1 code. Replace the CVT fluid ASAP and see if that fixes the problem.
Thank You for the response @rogoman . I wanted to trade it in but the New/Used market are terrible and over price. I found a shop near my area that specialize transmission and they said there is nothing wrong with my transmission which is a big relief. They did not even charge with with diagnostic. The shop believe it could be my MAF sensor. Now I have no code for MAF and I cleaned before. So I decided to replace it anyway and so far it's been running good (crossing fingers). I don't feel the car stalling or RPM going below 600. Hopefully that was the issue.
I am planning to replace the transmission fluid but the shop said my fluid is good. I do believe him but knowing Nissan terrible CVT transmission I will replace it. I am planning to replace the spark plugs a well since I been driving this car for more that 30k miles. If the transmission was bad the shop would only charge me $4500 for everything parts and labor. Way cheaper that the other shop that I went.
Hopefully this would help someone in the forum.
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I found a shop near my area that specialize transmission and they said there is nothing wrong with my transmission which is a big relief. They did not even charge with with diagnostic.
P17F1 means the TCM detected belt slippage, period, full stop. So the new shop telling you nothing is wrong is just as misinformed as the shop that told you the TCM is bad. Change the fluid pronto, or I assure you that tranny will come to a bad end. It might anyway, but at least fresh fluid will give it a fighting chance.
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Thank You for the response @rogoman . I wanted to trade it in but the New/Used market are terrible and over price. I found a shop near my area that specialize transmission and they said there is nothing wrong with my transmission which is a big relief. They did not even charge with with diagnostic. The shop believe it could be my MAF sensor. Now I have no code for MAF and I cleaned before. So I decided to replace it anyway and so far it's been running good (crossing fingers). I don't feel the car stalling or RPM going below 600. Hopefully that was the issue. I am planning to replace the transmission fluid but the shop said my fluid is good. I do believe him but knowing Nissan terrible CVT transmission I will replace it. I am planning to replace the spark plugs a well since I been driving this car for more that 30k miles. If the transmission was bad the shop would only charge me $4500 for everything parts and labor. Way cheaper that the other shop that I went. Hopefully this would help someone in the forum.
Having same issue on Altima 2014. Were you able to fix the problem?
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