Nissan Repair: service engine soon light?, nissan maxima, abnormal signal

Question
1999 nissan maxima service engine soon light came on 182;000 miles. Car runs fine;what does the light mean to service on the engine? Never seen the light before. Thanks for your help. Jerry

Answer
Hi Jerry -

The car's computer has turned on that light because one of the many sensors in the engine has an abnormal signal. Normally this is a minor fix, however it should be checked.

A device called an OBD can download the trouble code and then the diagnosis can start from there.

I think Autozone does this service for free.

If you get me the code, I can tell you what the problem is. There are hundreds of possible codes, and they all start with P----.

Hope this helps -
LMK
aloha
calvin