Let there be light!

Maintenance/Repairs
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1

To all who tried to help me with the car issues thank you! I replaced the gas cap for 12 dollars and the check engine light went out. Who knew the gas cap should be replaced every 6-8 years! Not me.

Still trying to sell the car. the driver side head light turns on and while driving, it sometimes turns off! Why oh why? Got stopped by a police officer for having the light off, turned the switch on and off a few times and it came back on… Short of replacing the entire unit, anyone have an idea as to why this is happening. I’ve been told it isn’t a matter of getting a new light bulb.

2

It is probably the connector or wiring. How old is your Maxima, and how many miles on it? You could unplug the bulb and inspect the connector for corrosion. Also check the wires at the connector to make sure they are well connected. If there is corrosion on the contacts, try cleaning them with sand paper or steel wool, then plug the light back in, reassemble the headlight and drive on. See if the situation improves. If it is loose wiring, you need to solder the wires back onto the connector.

3

Sounds like you have a failing HID headlight bulb, the operation of the light becomes intermittent. When the bulb reaches the end of it’s life you may notice a stronger than normal purple hue when you first switch on the lights.

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4

Me either. I’ve replaced mine twice in 30 years: the first time because I abandoned it at a gas station when I was traveling, the second time after someone tried to siphon gas - I replaced it with a locking cap. Every 2 years the emissions test includes a gas-cap test, which mine have always passed. You can borrow a gas-cap tester from an auto-parts store for free.

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5

Me either…I’ve never had to replace a gas cap in any of my vehicles, and mine get tested every year as part of my emissions testing

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6

OP shouldn’t be surprised if the light comes back on after awhile. Oftentimes the “check gas cap” check engine code really means “your evap purge valve is bad, but I wasn’t programmed to be smart enough to tell the difference.”

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