Jerky Acceleration Under Load?! 27,000 Miles?! Fuel Starvation?

[qellman32]

Example of the problem:


My 4-month old New Z at 18,750 miles has a weird jerking issue sometimes at high acceleration. This is the 2nd time this has happened. The first time it happened, I thought it was fuel starvation because I was at the top of the red marker on the gas meter. This time it was at half tank of Premium fuel from Sam's Club and at Normal temperatures in "Standard" mode, Traction Control 'on'. Transmission was in normal 'D' not 'M'. It did it (I think) after shifting into 3rd gear. A few minutes later, I tried manually shifting through the gears to get higher RPM's, but the problem did not show itself.

I'll try to catch it again. Because this happens not often at all, if I take it to the Service Dept, they won't do anything. If you have had this problem, please let me know. A discussion about this would be a great help.

Please disregard my nervous laughter in the video... lol.

 

[rocksandblues]

You would have to run a log recording fuel pressure etc. Those can be frustrating with dealer because they never repeat when you need them to.

Any traction lights blinking on dash while it happens? otherwise looks like fuel issue. Try a different gas station and 93 maybe??

 

[Brock]

I can’t believe you have 18K miles on it! If you keep this up, it will be warn out in 2 years lol. On a more serious note! I hope you can get this resolved soon! Good luck!

 

[Donalex]

From similar incidents on other cars, I'm guessing a tranny software issue.

Depending on your throttle input and, if you retarded your throttle near or at the point of a gear change, the tranny may have been deciding whether or not to change gears.

 

[qellman32]

From similar incidents on other cars, I'm guessing a tranny software issue.

Depending on your throttle input and, if you retarded your throttle near or at the point of a gear change, the tranny may have been deciding whether or not to change gears.

I've dealt with that before with my previous '16 Jeep Cherokee. Lifting around the time it wanted to shift made it freak out and shift hard. I thought about this on the Z, but as shown in the video, the jerkiness happened at almost full throttle.

This is further supported when I was... driving spiritedly... behind a rather excellent sounding Audi SUV, lol. At 109 MPH (), the power cut out in the same way as the video, 2 quick succession pulses.

I think the first thing I'm going to do is change my Air Filters. The stock ones I have are kinda full looking (and should be at almost 19,000 miles). They would have been changed earlier, but I'm only now seeing replacements from Nissan and aftermarket ones on Z1 and Oreilly's. Don't tell anyone, but Oreilly's has the aFe Filters for $134.99 when everywhere else has them for $154.99, Shhhhh.

 

[qellman32]

Finally got my air filters changed. We'll see if this fixes this issue. Gotta do some high RPM pulls and Michigan U slides lol.

Will report!

 

[Mr&Mrs]

Following

 

[takemorepills]

I've had something very similar happen in my Q60 a few times.
If I run the battery down, it can do the same thing.

When I leave work, I get right into congested stop and go traffic, and listening to my stereo at higher volumes (I have an amp that is rated at 1000w RMS) while creeping in traffic just drains the voltage. The first time it happened to me I thought my car was broken. But, it was the TCU getting confused and making a crappy shift while probably calling for a torque reduction from the ECU (many newer vehicles reduce power at the exact moment of the shift to improve shift quality and transmission life).

It was literally just like your video, and feels just as bad as it sounds. And easy to replicate in my case.

Just a guess, you just started the Z and got underway right away..... could have been a temporary low voltage condition causing the ECU/TCU to make a bad decision.

 

[qellman32]

I've had something very similar happen in my Q60 a few times.
If I run the battery down, it can do the same thing.

When I leave work, I get right into congested stop and go traffic, and listening to my stereo at higher volumes (I have an amp that is rated at 1000w RMS) while creeping in traffic just drains the voltage. The first time it happened to me I thought my car was broken. But, it was the TCU getting confused and making a crappy shift while probably calling for a torque reduction from the ECU (many newer vehicles reduce power at the exact moment of the shift to improve shift quality and transmission life).

It was literally just like your video, and feels just as bad as it sounds. And easy to replicate in my case.

Just a guess, you just started the Z and got underway right away..... could have been a temporary low voltage condition causing the ECU/TCU to make a bad decision.

Actually I had been driving it all day up to that point. I was DoorDashing and driving kind of rapidly (as usual). Only when I did a full throttle acceleration that it did this behavior.

I have noticed that it does this at or just before an upshift... I'll have to pay closer attention.

 

[qellman32]

So, I still have this issue even after changing the air filters. It seems to do it less but it's still present. I was going to clean the Mass Air Flow Sensors to see if that would make a difference. I just have to find the alcohol spray bottles. If I take it to the dealership, they're not going to be able to replicate it. Just like they couldn't get my door panel to vibrate with bass, ugh.

I'll keep an eye on it. I can't figure out how to log with my OBD II adapter. Is there a software (hopefully free, but I'm open) that works for this?

 

[qellman32]

A better video of what's happening with the Z. I don't know what's going on with it. And the dealership is too much of a baby to drive it like a sports car and replicate the problem. Even after I said they could go hard on it. SMH.

 

[SavedByFaith_]

I'm absolutely no expert
But could it be fuel starvation?

I've heard of this issue on the previous Z
And recall hearing it in a review video or two (I think savagegeese for the Nismo)

Seeing your fuel was low too, just a thought.

 

[MCN1SMO]

I'm absolutely no expert
But could it be fuel starvation?

I've heard of this issue on the previous Z
And recall hearing it in a review video or two (I think savagegeese for the Nismo)

Seeing your fuel was low too, just a thought.

thats what im thinking too as that video doesnt look transmission related. especially since the fuel is very low in the gauge

I would try to keep the tank at about half or more and see if this does away

 

[qellman32]

I'd heard and thought that too, but it will do that at least at 1/2 tank (which is where I know I've seen it do it). I've even though it could be an exhaust header/manifold leak because sometimes I will smell exhaust after it does that. But I don't know if those problems could have symptoms like that. Hmm, I gotta figure out how to log the car computer.

 

[MCN1SMO]

I'd heard and thought that too, but it will do that at least at 1/2 tank (which is where I know I've seen it do it). I've even though it could be an exhaust header/manifold leak because sometimes I will smell exhaust after it does that. But I don't know if those problems could have symptoms like that. Hmm, I gotta figure out how to log the car computer.

have you ever had it happen at 3/4 or full tank?


when you say smell exhaust ... are you smelling fuel? could it be a misfire and its dumping the non combusted fuel? only bring that up because the wifes 2022 pathfinder had a misfire when I was driving it and it shook a little and smelled like gas for a bit. however the check engine light flashed when it happened unlike your situation.

are you using 93 octane?