Low fuel - limp mode

[Downsized]

I have a 2010 ST 2.5 auto.

Yesterday it went into what I think was limp mode, no MIL indication on the dash.No codes were stored by the vehicle when I put the diagnostics tester on it.

It wouldnt change into top gears.

It was very low on fuel, I put 73l into it filling right to the top of the filler.So there should have been around 10l in the tank still.

When I filled it and drove off everything was back to normal.

Is there something in the D40s that causes this?
Has anybody else had this happen?

 

[KraftyPg]

I haven't got a Mother In Law detector on my Nav but I wouldn't mind one.

Which diagnostic tester were you using, some of the aftermarket ones don;t read all the codes and don't read ones that happened previously according to something I was reading a few months back on a US site. (but that was a US site)

I've had mine down below 5 litres and it was ok, although it staggered going around corners when the fuel leaned to one side of the tank more than the other but it never went into anything close to limp mode.

Did it last long between when you first noticed it and refilling?

 

[Downsized]

MIL = Malfunction Indicator Light

Tester is a Bosch with Niss-scan software, most cars can be tested with it as they are OBD 1 or OBD 2 compliant (OBD = On Board Diagnostics)

Enough of the TLA's (Three Letter Acronyms)

 

[Old.Tony]

I'm going to take a stab that it's your turbocharger's actuator. Once you shut the car down and start it again, the problem disappears for a little while - nobody is sure what causes it. It might pay to take a look at the actuator next time it happens.

Actually, it would pay to go out and have a look now, so you know what the thing is supposed to do! There's a small arm inside the middle of the vacuum-operated actuator and this should move up and down over a range of 3-5mm even while idling. Watch yours, and get someone to slowly rev the engine up to about 2500-3000 rpm while you keep your eyes peeled to it so you can see what it does.

Then when it goes limp, you can take another look and report this to Nissan who ought to then replace the item. It's a known problem.

My biggest fill (to first click on the bowser) was 77.07L and she didn't miss a beat.

 

[Downsized]

Thanks Old Tony, that sounds like it may be the problem.
I'll have a look tommorrow.

 

[GazSTX]

My 2007 STX has suffered the limp mode syndrome a number of times. A couples times at the most inopportune moments like over taking a b double and having to spear off to the opposite side of the road.

One of the problems we have found is they can't handle contaminated fuel. (Water) The common rail was changed at 155,000K as were the injectors. We later found water in the filter a third actually. The tank was then removed and drained revealing more water. So don't fill up if there is a tanker dumping diesel.

I then fitted a water separator, ute has now done 243,000K and has been good.

 

[Old.Tony]

With your 2007 I'd never suspect the actuator first, but in the 2010 ST models, they were a known problem.

I'm thinking I might want a water separator myself one day, to avoid the problem. Been doing a bit of travelling and so far so good - but there's nothing like tempting fate. You've convinced me - I'll add a water separator to my list of future mods.