So why did my '85 maxima SW decide not to start the other day but 3 hours later it leapt back into life? i drove home 11 miles from work and all was fine. took the dog for a walk and then tried to start the car. could hear the fuel pump but it just would not start. i messed with the distributer cap, HT leads, fuel filter and checked the injector lines but all looked OK. My co-worker has a mid eighties Sentra that did the same thing the other day. he carries a spare distributor cap with him now. is this my problem?

 

Was the car driven before you tried to start it? If so, your starter may be going bad. Also, are you sure the gear selector was in park. My car has a bad shifter bushing and sometimes the car won't stay exactly in park, in which case I have to shift it into neutral to get the car to start up.

-C-

 

YES IT WAS DRIVEN BEFORE AND NO I DON'T THINK IT WAS THE STARTER - SEEMED TO BE TURNING OVER REALLY WELL. I WILL TRY THE GEAR SHIFTER TRICK NEXT TIME IT HAPPENS. THANKS!

 

Under the front right seat is the ECU. Get the error code.

 

do i have to remove the passenger seat to read the codes?

 

most likely thats what I did its not hard there are four or five bolts to unscrew and thats it disconnect the electric seat Adjuster and take the cover off the ecu unscrew the ecu from the floor and turn to the side with the lights. turn the dial clockwise until it stops once your there the lights will blink once for mode 1 then twice for mode 2 then 3 times for mode 3 then four for mode 4 then five times for mode 5. The mode you want to pick is Mode 3 or 4. To pick mode 3 wait till the lights blink 3 times for mode 3 then turn the dial counter clockwise until it stops. And it works the same way with the other modes if you want the others But anyway, once in mode 3 the lights will flash a code or codes for you red light first then green light second. Find the code in the book and theres your problem.

 

Have you changed the fuel filter?