Nissan engine light on

myrns, Sep 2, 12:10pm
Wanting to have a look at a 2000 Nissan Avenir today. looks very tidy and a good price (may get cheaper) but the engine light stays on and cars hesitates when accelerating. I thought it could be something like airflow meter? The car is due for a WOF next month, would the engine light on be a fail? Any other ideas to what the problem might be? TIA
poppy62, Sep 2, 12:43pm
probably need a diagnostic check to find aht the fault code (s) relate to. As you say it could well be a Airflow meter problem, it;s probably gunked up. I would also suggest a coil (pack) issue or even a dead isprk plug/ cable
bigfatmat1, Sep 2, 1:13pm
or it could be because the timing chain is stretched. or its never had a oil change in its life now the vvt is all full of crap.
andy61, Sep 2, 1:19pm
My guess is stretched timing chain too,very common on the Nissans of the era, new sensors wont fix it. Air flow meters were common too, but more likely timing chain.
myrns, Sep 2, 2:03pm
Listing #1753178312
thejazzpianoma, Sep 2, 2:07pm
You definitely want to get it scanned and assessed by someone who knows what they are doing. The fact that they haven't disclosed what fault codes it has, has me worried.

Also, be aware that model can be surprisingly thirsty and look very carefully underneath for rust.

It could be a great cheap runabout for someone suitably savvy, but if you are not good with automotive diagnostics and repair then I would say avoid. A sharp eye can get you a pretty decent (and newer) wagon for that money.
kazbanz, Sep 2, 2:23pm
The engine check light being on is not a WOF fail. But if the car is running badly enough and therefore smoking badly enough they MIGHT shove a sniffer up the exhaust. I would suggest making any deal subject to a scan.
best case scenario it needs an air flow meter. Worse case stretched cam chain so bot crank/cam angle sensors are also kaput.
franc123, Sep 2, 4:25pm
I don't know how an asking price can reflect the presence of a fault when the fault hasn't been confirmed. It's not particularly cheap for what it is anyway and it is in the danger zone for chain replacement. Ask to view the receipt from the garage for the DTC check with the codes listed on it and post the results here (if this can't be provided then assume what vague information that has been listed in the ad is BS).
joanie04, Sep 2, 5:07pm
I had a 1999 Avenir Manual that the engine check light came on on a longish trip. But didn't come on again until the next longish trip. The ex was driving it at the time and didn't tell me until 10 days later. He forgot and red was danger not amber according to his reckoning. Sent it in to find out what was wrong but the codes had dropped out of the system. So next longish trip it came on again. Straight in to have the codes read. After three lots of testing it came back as a stretched timing chain. I saw the old one and it was definitely stretched. The other thing I noticed when cruising along at around 95-100km the rev counter would flick randomly. It was quite noticeable.
myrns, Sep 2, 6:43pm
thanks for that what was the cost of new timing chain replacement?
myrns, Sep 2, 6:49pm
I know I should just probably walk away but I have been looking for an Avenir for sometime all the lower k ones seem to be in the north island and the 2litre ones have a CVT transmission. I had a earlier model years a ago and loved it. was a great car.
joanie04, Oct 8, 1:43pm
It was a few years ago and I have since sold the car with the paper work. If I dig deep enough I can find it. I know it was over $1000.00.

Still have a copy of the invoice. $1855.50 this included replacing the timing chain, guides, tensioner and seals. This was also five years ago with the Nissan workshop. A friend in the trade was quoted more than that about the same time for a similar job. No issues after that until a suspected head gasket blow just over three years later. Sold as is wear is and got myself a Wingroad.