P1140, cam position sensor code

[Carlsbad]

My 2003 QX4 SES light came on. My OBDii reader is MIA, most likely loaned to someone. I can't remember who. So I had them read it at pepboys. They said it was against state law to reset it without "fixing" anything....not a big deal.

I googled it and found lots of advice including "don't try this yourself, you could cause severe engine damage" and some real horror stories like a dealer charging someone $350 to change the sensor.

Looks like there is lots of confusion about left and right. One poor guy changed the sensor for $75, the valve for $150 still didn't fix the problem. Then he figured out he was working on the wrong side. It seems the OBDii codes assume you're the mechanic looking at the car from on front so the Left side is the passenger side. One nissan mechanic seems to have gotten confused and posted the opposite all over the internet which is confusing a lot of people. Don't bet $1Million on my definition of left and right but I'm pretty sure I've got it correct.

So I went out to the garage and in 30 minutes, removed both of them, cleaned them, and swapped them. I will borrow a reader and expect the problem to move to the other side giving me the P1145 code. Assuming that works, I'll order the sensor and install it myself when it arrives.

Just thought I'd post this summary to clarify some of the posts I've seen on various forums--especially the left and right.

--Jerry

[Towncivilian]

Bank 1 is the side with cylinder 1, in other words passenger side for our VQ35DE. I don't recall which code is which bank, but the FSM will tell you.

I had P1140 & P1145 and replaced both sensors with Standard Motor Products parts ordered from Amazon and the codes have not come back for a few years now.

[Carlsbad]

Town,
That is consistent with what I figured out. Bank one is called left is the passenger side and gives code P1140. I plan to use generic parts myself. thanks, Jerry

[Carlsbad]

Oops. A little miscommunication. Turns out to be P1130, swirl communication control valve. Swapping the cam sensors did nothing (as you would expect) and I'm glad I didn't buy the new ones until I got my code reader back. Here is the thread. p1130-swirl-control-valve-solenoid-valve-t578113.html