2004 Frontier dies after 15 seconds

[dan7305]

I'm trying to help my dad get a sled working proper, I'm stumped.

Its an 04 frontier with the 800 4-stroke, fuel injected.

The key is off, and everything is off.

Turn the key to on, nothing turns on, at all, the headlight stays off, and the fuel pump stays off.

When you turn the key to start, the fuel pump kicks on, and the starter engages, the motor starts easily, and idles great.

After about 15-20 seconds, everything shuts off, motor, headlight, all of it.

If you bump the starter, the fuel pump pressurizes, and the headlight turns on. fuel pump will shut off after pressurized, like normal, but after 15-20 seconds, the headlight shuts off again.

Should everything turn on when the key is turned to the on position? And any ideas why it won't stay running?

Thanks, Dan

 

[dan7305]

Is it normal operation for one of these sleds with electric start to not have the headlight or anything on when the key is turned to on?

 

[SnowRider1]

I don't know about your particular model, but my wife's 07 700 with electric start does not get headlights with the key. Most of our snowmobiles do not have electric start, so headlight power comes from the stator, which only produces output with a running engine. This is on a IQ Raw chassis machine. No idea why it quits running. Does it start right back up after it dies?

 

[LCCRUISER]

The procedure I was told is turn key on, wait a few seconds, turn to start. The fuel pump kicks on when the key is turned on and runs up to pressure. There's some clicking that also comes from the area of the ECU. The lights come on once it starts. The lights will remain on for a few seconds after the machine is turned off with the key, kind of like most newer cars and trucks.

Unfortunately, I also have the identical quitting problem with my '05 Frontier Touring with just over 300 miles. It dies after 15 seconds whether idling or riding. I can restart it immediately after stall with the key, even before I coast to a stop. The ECU is not throwing any codes. The CEL doesn't illuminate at any time. It should come on when the key is turned on just like in a car. The only indicator light that seems to work is the oil light, that will come on when the key is turned on and goes off once started until it stalls.

However, I am able to make the sled run continually by putting a 30 amp fuse in the ACS Bypass plug. Normally this is done to read the codes from the ECU and will cause the CEL light to blink the codes. (The procedure is done with the key off and is explained on page 5 in chapter 4 of the service manual.) With the bypass fuse in place, the machine starts normally and runs continuously until I hit the kill switch or turn the key off.

I don't know if running it this way with the fuse in place is is good or bad for the engine. I do know that the thumb and hand warmer circuits don't work with that fuse in there and that it must be removed to prevent the battery from being drawn down because some of the circuits stay live when the fuse is in place. The machine seems to run fine this way without hesitation or surging, but the idle hunts from 1000-2000 rpm.

LC

 

[dan7305]

Dad and I gave up and told his friend to take it to the dealership, which he did. Once we hear back what they find, I will be sure to let you know, LC. It sounds like yours has the exact same issue, so whatever fix they give, should fix yours.

 

[LCCRUISER]

FANTASTIC!!!!!

 

[LCCRUISER]

Dad and I gave up and told his friend to take it to the dealership, which he did. Once we hear back what they find, I will be sure to let you know, LC. It sounds like yours has the exact same issue, so whatever fix they give, should fix yours.

Any more info available?

Update. I ran the sled for 30 miles today, 2up with the Missus. Again, it would only run continually with the fuse in place.

We had gone about 20 miles without any trouble and then tried a new trail. The snow here in NH is marginal at best and this trail was a very tight one way that ATV's had been on. Consequently, there was a very high center in the trail and deep ruts leaving the skis in the air. We rolled on our side twice and once long enough that I turned off the key. (That trail was a real workout for this senior - but we were both laughing too hard to worry about it.) Once the sled was righted, the engine wouldn't restart. I pulled the fuse, waited a bit and reinserted it. The sled started right back up.

The really odd thing is that suddenly all the warning lights work when the ignition is turned on and the motor isn't running. That includes temp, oil and check engine. Previously, only the oil lamp would light. I pulled the fuse hoping a miracle would happen, it still died after about 20 seconds.

Farther down this one way trail we were greeted by someone who had headed that way before us who turned around and came back. They said the trail was impassable due to open water ahead. As I was turning around, the temp light came on. We had been running a mile or so at very slow speeds and lots of uphill sections with little snow running up into the exchangers. .

I waited about 10 minutes with the hood up as it was hot under there as well as along the edges of the foot board where the heat exchanger tubing runs. It ran fine once I restarted and the temp light went out in about 100 feet while back tracking at a bit more speed and more downhill.

This thing is quirky, but it is still consistently not running for more than 20 seconds with that fuse in the code plug.

Any more input from other members?

 

[dan7305]

SOLVED!

So, the dealer determined it was the voltage regulator, and that solved the issue, he then let it idle and popped apart the coolant tank, and sold the sled.


To the best of my knowledge, if you are having this issue, give the voltage regulator a shot.

 

[kble]

SOLVED!

So, the dealer determined it was the voltage regulator, and that solved the issue, he then let it idle and popped apart the coolant tank, and sold the sled.


To the best of my knowledge, if you are having this issue, give the voltage regulator a shot.

Reviving an old thread for reference if someone needed it. I replaced the regulator in my 04 frontier aswell, and it also popped the coolant reservoir! I put a new in and see no issues for now. We will have to see if there are further issues come Nov. or Dec.

Sent from my SM-G950W using Tapatalk

 

[whoisthatguy]

Reviving an old thread for reference if someone needed it. I replaced the regulator in my 04 frontier aswell, and it also popped the coolant reservoir! I put a new in and see no issues for now. We will have to see if there are further issues come Nov. or Dec.

Sent from my SM-G950W using Tapatalk

What do you mean by "popped the coolant reservoir"?

 

[Brettny]

I had a similar issue. The sled would shut off after a few seconds but re start just fine. I also had no tachometer and the heated grips didnt work. I had alreaty replaced my voltage regulator so didnt think it was that.

It turns out the fusible link was bad. I had suspected this for a different no spark issue so changed them out for ATO fuses. This made finding the issue easy.

PS this sled also ran fine with the 30a jumper in place but still had no heated grips.