2013 Nissan Ak13 Dashboard Lights Off and Jerking on Acceleration

You’ve got no dash lights at all and a jerk on initial acceleration at low speed. My working hypothesis is an electrical power or ground issue causing the dash to be dead and the engine control module (ECM) to misfire or jerk due to lack of proper sensor input or power. The #2 cause would be a faulty throttle position sensor or crankshaft position sensor causing poor acceleration jerk but usually you’d see a CEL or dash lights.

Most likely culprits

• Battery or battery cable/connection issue: No dash lights usually means no power or bad ground; this can cause engine jerk due to ECM not getting stable voltage.
• Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) failure or wiring issue: TPS failure can cause jerking on acceleration start; no dash lights is less common but possible if ECM is affected.
• Crankshaft Position Sensor (CKP) failure: CKP sensor faults cause hesitation and jerking; usually triggers CEL but no dash lights could mean power issue.

How to narrow it down

1. Check battery voltage and connections: Use a multimeter to verify battery voltage (should be ~12.6V at rest) and inspect battery terminals for corrosion or looseness. If voltage is low or connections bad, fix this first.
2. Turn ignition to ON and observe dash: If no dash lights come on, suspect electrical power or ground issue. If dash lights come on but no CEL, move on.
3. Scan the vehicle with an OBD2 scanner: Look for stored or pending codes, especially related to TPS or CKP sensors. No codes may indicate power or communication issue.
4. Check throttle position sensor voltage with a multimeter or scan tool: At idle and during pedal movement, TPS voltage should smoothly increase from ~0.5V to ~4.5V. Erratic or no change indicates TPS or wiring fault.
5. Check crankshaft position sensor signal with a scan tool or oscilloscope: Look for stable RPM signal. If missing or erratic, CKP sensor or wiring is suspect.

Possible parts (if needed)

• Battery cables or terminals (if corroded or loose)
• Throttle Position Sensor (TPS)
• Crankshaft Position Sensor (CKP)

A few questions

• When you turn the key to ON (before cranking), do any dash lights come on at all?
• Does the engine crank normally and start easily or is it slow to crank/start?
• Has the battery or electrical system been tested recently or replaced?