Nissan Pathfinder (2009 year). Manual - part 252

EC-30

< FUNCTION DIAGNOSIS >

[VQ40DE]

ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM

BBIA0578E

2009 Pathfinder

ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM

EC-31

< FUNCTION DIAGNOSIS >

[VQ40DE]

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

A

EC

N

P

O

1.

EVAP canister purge volume control 
solenoid valve (view with engine 
cover removed)

2.

EVAP service port 

3.

Oil filler cap

4.

Fuel filler pipe (top of frame view)

5.

EVAP control system pressure sen-
sor

6.

EVAP canister vent control valve

7.

EVAP canister

8.

Drain filter

9.

Power steering pressure sensor

10. Throttle valve (view with intake air 

duct removed)

11.

Electric throttle control actuator

12. Intake manifold collector

13. Intake valve timing control solenoid 

valve (bank 1) 

14. Intake valve timing control solenoid 

valve (bank 2) (view with engine cov-
er and intake air duct removed)

15. Cooling fan motor harness connec-

tor (view with battery removed)

16. Fuel pump, fuel level sensor unit and 

fuel filter

17. Fuel pressure regulator

: Front

AWBIA0135ZZ

2009 Pathfinder

EC-32

< FUNCTION DIAGNOSIS >

[VQ40DE]

ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM

PBIB2530E

2009 Pathfinder

ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM

EC-33

< FUNCTION DIAGNOSIS >

[VQ40DE]

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

A

EC

N

P

O

BBIA0577E

2009 Pathfinder

EC-34

< FUNCTION DIAGNOSIS >

[VQ40DE]

ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM

PBIB2646E

2009 Pathfinder

ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM

EC-35

< FUNCTION DIAGNOSIS >

[VQ40DE]

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

A

EC

N

P

O

BBIA0581E

2009 Pathfinder

EC-36

< FUNCTION DIAGNOSIS >

[VQ40DE]

MULTIPORT FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

MULTIPORT FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

System Description

INFOID:0000000004297244

INPUT/OUTPUT SIGNAL CHART

*1: This sensor is not used to control the engine system under normal conditions.

*2: This signal is sent to the ECM via the CAN communication line.

*3: ECM determines the start signal status by the signals of engine speed and battery voltage.

SYSTEM DESCRIPTION

The amount of fuel injected from the fuel injector is determined by the ECM. The ECM controls the length of
time the valve remains open (injection pulse duration). The amount of fuel injected is a program value in the
ECM memory. The program value is preset by engine operating conditions. These conditions are determined
by input signals (for engine speed and intake air) from both the crankshaft position sensor and the mass air
flow sensor.

VARIOUS FUEL INJECTION INCREASE/DECREASE COMPENSATION

In addition, the amount of fuel injected is compensated to improve engine performance under various operat-
ing conditions as listed below.

<Fuel increase>

• During warm-up
• When starting the engine
• During acceleration
• Hot-engine operation
• When selector lever is changed from N to D
• High-load, high-speed operation

<Fuel decrease>

• During deceleration
• During high engine speed operation

Sensor

Input Signal to ECM

ECM function

Actuator

Crankshaft position sensor (POS)

Engine speed*

3

Piston position

Fuel injection 
& mixture ratio 
control

Fuel injector

Camshaft position sensor (PHASE)

Mass air flow sensor

Amount of intake air

Engine coolant temperature sensor

Engine coolant temperature

Air fuel ratio (A/F) sensor 1

Density of oxygen in exhaust gas

Throttle position sensor

Throttle position

Accelerator pedal position sensor

Accelerator pedal position

Park/neutral position (PNP) switch

Gear position

Knock sensor

Engine knocking condition

Battery

Battery voltage*

3

Power steering pressure sensor

Power steering operation

Heated oxygen sensor 2*

1

Density of oxygen in exhaust gas

Air conditioner switch

Air conditioner operation*

2

Wheel sensor

Vehicle speed*

2

2009 Pathfinder

MULTIPORT FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

EC-37

< FUNCTION DIAGNOSIS >

[VQ40DE]

C

D

E

F

G

H

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J

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A

EC

N

P

O

MIXTURE RATIO FEEDBACK CONTROL (CLOSED LOOP CONTROL)

The mixture ratio feedback system provides the best air-fuel mixture ratio for driveability and emission control.
The three way catalyst (manifold) can better reduce CO, HC and NOx emissions. This system uses air fuel
ratio (A/F) sensor 1 in the exhaust manifold to monitor whether the engine operation is rich or lean. The ECM
adjusts the injection pulse width according to the sensor voltage signal. For more information about air fuel
ratio (A/F) sensor 1, refer to 

EC-144

. This maintains the mixture ratio within the range of stoichiometric (ideal

air-fuel mixture).
This stage is referred to as the closed loop control condition.
Heated oxygen sensor 2 is located downstream of the three way catalyst (manifold). Even if the switching
characteristics of air fuel ratio (A/F) sensor 1 shift, the air-fuel ratio is controlled to stoichiometric by the signal
from heated oxygen sensor 2.

Open Loop Control

The open loop system condition refers to when the ECM detects any of the following conditions. Feedback
control stops in order to maintain stabilized fuel combustion.
• Deceleration and acceleration
• High-load, high-speed operation
• Malfunction of air fuel ratio (A/F) sensor 1 or its circuit
• Insufficient activation of air fuel ratio (A/F) sensor 1 at low engine coolant temperature
• High engine coolant temperature
• During warm-up
• After shifting from N to D
• When starting the engine

MIXTURE RATIO SELF-LEARNING CONTROL

The mixture ratio feedback control system monitors the mixture ratio signal transmitted from air fuel ratio (A/F)
sensor 1. This feedback signal is then sent to the ECM. The ECM controls the basic mixture ratio as close to
the theoretical mixture ratio as possible. However, the basic mixture ratio is not necessarily controlled as orig-
inally designed. Both manufacturing differences (i.e., mass air flow sensor hot wire) and characteristic
changes during operation (i.e., fuel injector clogging) directly affect mixture ratio.
Accordingly, the difference between the basic and theoretical mixture ratios is monitored in this system. This is
then computed in terms of “injection pulse duration” to automatically compensate for the difference between
the two ratios.
“Fuel trim” refers to the feedback compensation value compared against the basic injection duration. Fuel trim
includes short-term fuel trim and long-term fuel trim.
“Short-term fuel trim” is the short-term fuel compensation used to maintain the mixture ratio at its theoretical
value. The signal from air fuel ratio (A/F) sensor 1 indicates whether the mixture ratio is RICH or LEAN com-
pared to the theoretical value. The signal then triggers a reduction in fuel volume if the mixture ratio is rich, and
an increase in fuel volume if it is lean.
“Long-term fuel trim” is overall fuel compensation carried out overtime to compensate for continual deviation of
the short-term fuel trim from the central value. Continual deviation will occur due to individual engine differ-
ences, wear over time and changes in the usage environment.

PBIB3020E

2009 Pathfinder