So today I’ll talk about a Nissan with the P 1273 code, what it is and how you go about fixing it. And so what is a Nissan P 1273 code was an air fuel ratio sensor. One bank one lean shift monitoring. And what does this mean? Well, there’s sensors and they’re located on exhaust and they do two things.
1- The first thing they do is they monitor how much oxygen was burnt off during combustion. And then the onboard computer uses this information to adjust the air fuel ratio mixture that goes into the cylinders.
2- And then the second thing they do is they also have heater elements built in and this does a few things.It helps it go on what’s called a closed loop quicker.They also monitor the catalytic converter and one of these sensors,mainly the bank one sensor,one is reporting back to the onboard computer that too much air is going into the engine and not enough gas.
And so it’s gonna have to be troubleshooting alive.And so a Nissan P 1273 code can be problematic sometimes since it can be caused by so many different things.
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Causes of the P1273 Code in Nissan Vehicles
- Faulty Air-Fuel Ratio Sensor: The sensor itself may be damaged or not work properly, leading to incorrect readings.
- Wiring Issues: Poor connections, open or short circuits in the A/F sensor wiring also cause the code.
- Vacuum Leaks: Leaks in the intake system can disrupt the air-fuel mixture, causing a lean condition.
- Fuel Delivery Problems: Issues such as a clogged or bad fuel filter or a weak fuel pump can lower fuel pressure and delivery.
- Exhaust Leaks: Exhaust leaks close to the oxygen sensor can cause inaccurate readings, resulting in improper adjustments by the ECU.
- Damaged Fuel Injectors: Faulty or bad fuel injectors may affect the fuel supply to the engine. This can cause the engine to misfire and trigger a flashing check engine light.
Diagnosing the P1273 Code

Oxygen Sensor
I’m gonna go over how you could go about troubleshooting this and narrow down what the problem is.And so the first thing to do is to go locate this bank one sensor,one oxygen sensor on your particular Nissan. Since there can be some differences,it’s really gonna vary.It’s always a good idea to get a diagram where all the sensors are located.
It just makes it easier.For example,here’s a 2011 Nissan frontier and the bank one sensor wanted to be right here and this sensor it might be good,but it can’t be a good idea to go test it just to rule it out as a possible cause.And there’s some different ways you go about testing these,I made some videos on how you go about testing these oxygen sensor.I’ll put a link down below if you need to check that out.The first thing to do is test that bank one sensor,one oxygen sensor and be sure that it is good.Another thing that can cause this problem,there’s an exhaust leak because if there’s an exhaust leak,too much air is going into the exhaust and it could throw these sensors off.
So be sure there’s no exhaust leaks going on,be sure to check the gaskets and things like this because if there’s an exhaust leak,you can throw off these sensors.

Mass Air Flow Sensor
The next thing to go and check is gonna be the mass airflow sensor and this will be located up around the air intakesomewhere and this basically detects all the air that goes into the engine.
Usually,if there’s a problem with the mass airflow sensor,then you’re gonna get another code like a P 102 or something like that.So if you are getting other codes,be sure,pay attention to that.There’s some different ways you go about testing the map sensor.you can see some videos on youtube. But the next thing to go and check is gonna be the mass airflow sensor thing that could cause this code is gonna be a fuel delivery issue.

Fuel Filter and Fuel Pump
If something’s going on and the fuel pressure is too low, it might not be pushing enough fuel up to the engine. And so that can cause this code and this will be things like the fuel pump or a clogged up fuel filter or something along those lines. If you do happen to have an in line fuel filter like this, then it’s a good idea to go and swap that out since that’s part of regular maintenance. Anyways, sometimes there won’t be an in line fuel filter.
Sometimes it’ll be located inside of the fuel pump. But if you do have one and it can be a good idea to swap out a quick way that you can rule out whether or not it’s a fuel delivery problem is to do a fuel pressure test. Basically, you hook up a fuel pressure gauge to the fuel rail on top of the engine and you check to see what your engine, fuel pressure is rated for. And if you check it and it’s running below that, then you know, the engine’s not getting the right fuel pressure and then, you know, there’s an issue going on somewhere there, which again would be something like the fuel pump or fuel filter, the fuel pressure regulator or something going on there. Next thing to check for a fuel delivery issue.

Vacuum Air Leak
Another thing that can cause this problem is that there’s a vacuum leak going on somewhere. Basically,one of these hoses going into the engine is just leaking,it’s loose or it’s cracked or something like that and it’s causing a leak.
There’s some different methods you go about trying to find a vacuum leak.Some mechanics will carry around like a spray,they’ll start the engine and then they’ll spray wherever they think the leaks at and if the engine idle changes,
then they’ll know they found the leak. Another method is a smoke machine method where you smoke into the intake and wherever the smoke comes out,then that’s where the leak’s at.
You can also just go around all the hoses going in and check to see if there’s any leaks or anything like that.Going on.
But the next thing to go and check for is to see if there’s a vacuum leak that’s causing the issue.

Fuel Injector Bad or Clogged
If you go through and you check all those things and you just can’t solve this problem, then it is possible that there’s a bad fuel injector that’s causing the issue. And if one of these injectors becomes clogged up or it’s not spraying right, then it can cause not enough fuel to get it to the cylinders.There’s some different ways you go about trying to check for a bad injector.
You can’t pull the spark plugs out and check to see and check them for discoloration and things like that. You can match them up to like charts and things like this to see if it’s running rich or how the cylinder is working.
There’s some different methods on how you go about testing the injectors. But the next thing to go and check for would be for a bad ejector. And so that’s basically it. I just want to give an overview of how you go about fixing a Nissan with a P 1273 code.
Tools Required for Nissan P1273 Code Repair
OBD-II Scanner or Code Reader: To read and clear the error codes. click here.
Basic Hand Tools: Such as wrenches and sockets for removing and installing parts.
Multimeter: For testing electrical components and sensors buy from here.
Fuel Pressure Gauge: To check the fuel pressure buy from here.
MAF Sensor Cleaner: To clean the Mass Air Flow sensor.
How Much Does It Cost to Fix the P1273 Code?
The cost to fix the P1273 code can depending on the specific problem. If you need to replace the air-fuel ratio sensor, you might be looking at an expense between $200 and $400. However, if the issue lies with vacuum leaks or fuel system problems, the cost can different.
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