Car won't start (Clicking!!)
 

Ok so I got my girlfriend a 3rd gen max tonight but now the thing won't start. There's no power at all when I try to start it on its own but when I hook it up to my car with jumpers I get all the lights on in the dash and the headlights will turn on but when I go to start the car, all it does is make a clicking sound. I'm guessing its the battery but I don't want to go out and buy a battery and then find out its the starter or alternator.

What do you guys think it is?

Thanks!

Pull the starter,have a local autozone or other parts store test it.

I would first physically change the battery with a known good one from the car you used to jump the Max with - if it then still refuses to turn over, then starter removal should b the next step as Greeny said there

to me it does sound like a battery.
check the terminals make sure they arent loose.
also check the terminals on the starter solenoid for good connection, as well as the ground terminal on the block.
a bad connection on the battery (loose negative) caused this for me...:(

thanks guys... where's the starter located in the 3rd gen?

oh and the positive connector was loose but I tightened it after I parked my car and the car was just dead, no power. I'm guessing it is the battery then but why the clicking when I connected my car to it?

As mentioned prior,you might want to swap a known good battery into the car before going any further.

think i'll give that a shot tomorrow when i get home from work.... thanks guys

also make sure that the problem isn't the NSS. i had to call my bro for a jump a month after i bought the car, only to have the thing start right up when he got there and said "show me what it's doing".

NSS?? :)

Neutral Safety Switch

Also, make sure the connections at the battery are clean. As in, no corrosion of any kind. Have seen many a batteries replaced because of this.

where's the NSS and how do I know if it's causing the problem? Is this the switch to take it out of park if the key isn't in the ignition? This is an auto by the way.

Thanks again guys! I'm heading off to bed but will check back in the morn.

Yeah gonna do the swap when I get home from work today and hopefully that does the trick.... Thanks guys and I'll keep ya posted

another option is to undo the battery cables from the battery and hook the jumper cables up to them directly without the battery. if it cranks then the battery is shot, otherwise I'd check the starter.
BTW cheap jumper cables are worth their weight in sh!t when it drops to 0 outside.

^^ hmmm good idea man. Yeah I think my jumper cables are pretty sh*tty cause my gf's mom gave me them in some car breakdown package. It was around 35-40 last night and I think it's around 45 right now so maybe they're ok.

that sounds plenty warm to me. we're at 9*f right now. http://www.redhotsweeps.com/forum/im...ilies/cold.gif

LOL TRUE INDEED. I found that out the hard way to.

oh wow I thought you were referencing temps in celcius.... anyways, i tried hooking the jumpers up to just the cables removed fromt he batter and still got the clicking sound and no start. Once I take the cables off, the car has NO power at all. Can't even get the key out.

Should I still try to swap the batteries or is more than likely something else? What should be my next step?

Thanks guys.

Swap the battery as suggested before with one thats RATED/POWERFUL enough to start the car.

The fact that your battery cannot even power your accesssories indicates it's "completely dead"

I'm gonna swap it with my battery ('99) but why wouldn't it have started when I hooked it up to just the cables separated from the battery like someone suggested above. I'm just hoping its not a starter problem. Where is the starter located by the way so I can try tapping it to see if that might help.

Thanks!

What Engine? VE or VG? Auto or Manual? You can pretty much find it by looking...... Starters are kind of distinctive...

it's a 92 auto but not sure on the engine.... it doesn't have the black middle piece on the trunk so I'm guessing its a GXE from what I remember about 3rd gen's.

what color are the gauges. thats the usually the most obvious difference.
btw
vg has distributor.

they aren't white so I guess it's a GXE which means its a vg right?

does it have color matched mirrors, crome trim, or even what does your speedo go up to????? If mirrors are color matched it a GXE correct me if I am wrong.

it's a gxe.... i'm done work in a little so I'm gonna go try to clean the terminals and if that doesn't work, swap the battery with mine. The cars parked illegally cause when I got it towed it was dead and there was no parking anywhere so I had to push it onto the curb. That's why I want to get this thing started and moved into a spot. It doesn't even have tags yet! And I still need to fix the brake master cylinder so it will stop! yikes

Folks,he bought tigga the don's car..It's a 92 gxe auto..

http://forums.maxima.org/showpost.ph...2&postcount=17


The starter is located on the front of the transmission bell housing,right in front of the cooling fans(kinda toward the bottom of the rad fans)

thanks guys and yeah I bought Mike's car last night for my girlfriend.

I just brought the battery to Pep Boys to test it and it was at 200 amps and it charged and tested good all the way to 500 amps. Bought a terminal cleaner as well, cleaned the terminals, put them on, and it started right up. Sounded a little hesitant though when it was on and kinda sounds like a belt is loose (maybe the alternator?). Well next, I'm gonna try to get the alternator off (is there a right up on how to remove this and where its located?) and get that tested next. Anyone in the Philly area wanna come by and help?? :)

Take a look around your engine bay dude,,all the item locations you are inquiring about are all in plain site if you actually look under the hood..:)

+1. The alternator is in plain sight below the A/C compressor. You shouldn't really need a write up, it has bolts you can visibly see holding it on, and a wiring harness, unbolt the bolts, and disconnect the wiring harness ;)

It would be nice if I actually knew what an alternator or a starter looked liked? I'm mechanically inclined I just don't know where to start

http://images.google.com/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi


type in "alternator"..Then type in.."starter"

But seriously dude....

google search...

starter
http://images.google.com/images?svnu...=Search+Images

alternator
http://images.google.com/images?svnu...=Search+Images


edit: hah, Wayne beat me to it...

thanks guys... i think i was just being lazy :) So the alternator is just held on with some nuts and bolts? Is there anything I have to disconnect? Is it easy to get to and get off?

-Alex

The same thing happened to my 3rd gen. But the alternator was not charging the battery so when it shut off it did the same clicking at time to start and wouldn't turn over. I would have alternator checked as well to make sure it is charging the battery.

^^^ that's what i'm gonna do next. Take it off and bring it to pep boys to get tested.

Thanks guys!

By the way, anyone in the philly area know how to change a brake master cylinder? And how do I know if I have ABS?

-Alex

VE alternator:
http://images.wrenchead.com/smartpag.../14476_CMB.jpg
VE A/T starter:
http://images.wrenchead.com/smartpag.../17167_CMB.jpg

next question..

look at the passenger front corner of the engine bay, if you see a spider of metal lines you have ABS

take a look at this sticky..:)

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=296859

y'know a haynes or chiltons is only like $30 or so, and are filled with photos.
worthwhile investment to add to the info available here:D
but, yeah, im lazy too, and would prefer to find the info online...