Likely diagnosis for Sons Nissan Sentra?

[Darrell KSR]

Son was driving on Interstate tonight headed home from Nashville when the car suddenly lost all power. He would press on the accelerator and it would not accelerate. He coasted to the side of the road and turned the engine off, and called a tow truck.

Upon arriving at the mechanics, we popped the hood, but there were no flags saying what the problem was. There was a strong burning smell. In addition, he had the hazard lights on and it made a clicking noise for about 5 minutes after he turned it off before it finally went off.

The car is a 2007 Nissan Sentra 5 speed manual transmission with 70000 miles on it. About a year ago he had a new clutch put in. Any clues on what the mechanic is going to tell me next week?

[Catfan73]

http://forums.nicoclub.com/engine-quit-with-electrical-burning-smell-t599391.html

[Darrell KSR]

Interesting read, and it sure sounds like it fits.

[dan_bgblue]

Good find Catfan73. If I were in this situation, I would follow that path to begin with for sure

[Catfan73]

I would have thought fuel pump except for the burning smell. It sounds like Nissan has had some problems with this.

[Darrell KSR]

Brief talk with mechanic today. Says it is clutch related. Not sure exactly what but will know more tomorrow.

[MickintheHam]

It may need a new clutch after 9 years, but have a tough time believing it is related to the problem described. Sounds like a safe repair he can make to ultimately get your bill to $900. Thatand a new valve should help him reach his target.

[Darrell KSR]

You mean...a 2nd new clutch after 9 years.

Dave Rainoldi put it in, in Homewood. He has an excellent reputation, but I just got off the phone with him, and was very unhappy that a 2nd clutch would be required. The OEM one he put in a year ago lasted 13,000 miles.

I don't get it. I drove manual transmissions cars growing up, and did everything wrong you could think of, and those things just didn't go out. Had a Nissan Sentra, in fact, and pulled U-haul trailers with that thing from New Orleans down to Miami and back; to Montgomery, to Birmingham, and a move across town from Montclair Road up and down 280 down to Shelby County. Did everything you could do wrong to it; and never went out.

Now on the 3rd clutch in 70,000 miles?

[MickintheHam]

Nissan is not what it used to be. I drove Datsun and Nissan products for years. FIL was a dealer, one of the first two or three and a Top 20 Dealer in USA. Transmissions, clutches, electronics are poor quality. They have been failing for the last 20 years. Was tempted to buy a 6 speed Maxima about 8 years ago. Had to take a cold shower and walk around the block a few times before the urge went away. They are great performance cars until something goes wrong. You cannot reliably fix them.

Your problems with the clutch mimics the problems I had with a Maxima transmission. Dealer put two in. I then took it to World T on Valley. Great Service. Life of the car Warranty. After the third one in 75,000 miles went out the Transmission shop owner researched the problems. Didn't like what he learned. He went to his buddy at Darrell Waltrip Honda and got me a deal on a 2 yr old Honda Accord V6 for $13,500. Drove it for 14 years and have been driving Hondas and Subarus ever since.

[KentuckyWildcat]

Not super impressed with my wife's 2013 Sentra. I guess it is mine now since we upgraded her.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

[badrose]

I've had several Nissans over the years, some of them well over 100,000 miles and never had a lick of trouble.

[KentuckyWildcat]

I've had several Nissans over the years, some of them well over 100,000 miles and never had a lick of trouble.

Wife's first Sentra was solid. She was hard on it, but the car seemed to do okay. Her dad's older Altima has been a beast. Just not sure this new one is built as well.

[KeithKSR]

You mean...a 2nd new clutch after 9 years.

Dave Rainoldi put it in, in Homewood. He has an excellent reputation, but I just got off the phone with him, and was very unhappy that a 2nd clutch would be required. The OEM one he put in a year ago lasted 13,000 miles.

I don't get it. I drove manual transmissions cars growing up, and did everything wrong you could think of, and those things just didn't go out. Had a Nissan Sentra, in fact, and pulled U-haul trailers with that thing from New Orleans down to Miami and back; to Montgomery, to Birmingham, and a move across town from Montclair Road up and down 280 down to Shelby County. Did everything you could do wrong to it; and never went out.

Now on the 3rd clutch in 70,000 miles?

Could the burning smell be from the clutch? A smoked clutch can emit an odd burnt smell.

[Darrell KSR]

Probably right, Keith.

I've gone over some things with my son, and about the only thing we've identified is that he routinely parks the car with it in gear and the parking brake on. I don't think that alone should be enough to wear out a clutch in 13,000 miles, but we're at our wits end with it now, so we're trying anything. The mechanic offered to have him "test drive" the car with him in it so he could watch him, and he's anxious to take him up on the offer. Maybe he is doing something wrong. We're very disappointed, though.

[CitizenBBN]

Probably right, Keith.

I've gone over some things with my son, and about the only thing we've identified is that he routinely parks the car with it in gear and the parking brake on. I don't think that alone should be enough to wear out a clutch in 13,000 miles, but we're at our wits end with it now, so we're trying anything. The mechanic offered to have him "test drive" the car with him in it so he could watch him, and he's anxious to take him up on the offer. Maybe he is doing something wrong. We're very disappointed, though.

Unless he's popping the clutch in a drag race every weekend I doubt driving habits would do it.

[Catfan73]

I would be interested in hearing the mechanic's opinion on how the clutch made it lose power and how you can keep it from happening again.

[KeithKSR]

I would be interested in hearing the mechanic's opinion on how the clutch made it lose power and how you can keep it from happening again.

A slipping clutch would do that.

[KeithKSR]

Probably right, Keith.

I've gone over some things with my son, and about the only thing we've identified is that he routinely parks the car with it in gear and the parking brake on. I don't think that alone should be enough to wear out a clutch in 13,000 miles, but we're at our wits end with it now, so we're trying anything. The mechanic offered to have him "test drive" the car with him in it so he could watch him, and he's anxious to take him up on the offer. Maybe he is doing something wrong. We're very disappointed, though.

The clutch itself may have a manufacturer's warranty. It may have been defective.

[MickintheHam]

Unless he's popping the clutch in a drag race every weekend I doubt driving habits would do it.

no, my son was doing that all the time. My experience is you blow the engine before the clutch goes. The upside was he was on a first name basis with many of Lexington-Fayette County's finest.

[dan_bgblue]

Unless he's popping the clutch in a drag race every weekend I doubt driving habits would do it.

Actually slipping the clutch on take off, or riding the clutch while driving will wear it out much sooner. Popping the clutch at high engine rpms will not wear the clutch plate out. It will shatter the clutch plate before it ever has a chance to wear out.

[Catfan73]

Darrell, ask your son if when he lost power if his rpm's were revving. I was reading your original post like the engine shut down on him.

[Darrell KSR]

Just no acceleration. Depress accelerator, car wouldn't accelerate. This is while driving 70-75 mph.

[KeithKSR]

Just no acceleration. Depress accelerator, car wouldn't accelerate. This is while driving 70-75 mph.

Sounds like a sudden failure.

[Darrell KSR]

$1200 later out of my son's pocket, just the clutch. Parts $400, labor $770 + tax. Ouch.

[KeithKSR]

$1200 later out of my son's pocket, just the clutch. Parts $400, labor $770 + tax. Ouch.

I hope he got the parts at a place with a good warranty. Stopped at O'Reilly's for brake pads this week. They have a lifetime warranty, all I need to do is take them back and they look up the pads by my phone number. The brake rotor I bought came with a three-year warranty.