Tried to perform a search for this problem (several times) but got a message that I was not authorized to perform a search - no tellin what I'm doing wrong. Soooo, here is the problem/question.

96 Infinity I30t 114,000k (also posted this in the infinity section) purchased a few weeks ago. Today it would not start. Turned the key, nothing, no noise etc. (but dashboard lites did come on). I sat there a minute or two and tried several more times..nothing. I then turned the headlights on and off and she started right up. Then drove home turned it off and attempted to start again...nothing. Turned the headlights on again and she started right up again. Tried a couple more times and sometimes it will start normally.

Is the starter bad? If yes, why would the car start after turning the headlights on/off?
Could the battery be bad? If yes wouldn't you get the clicking noise when attempting to start?

Any and all help would be appreciated!

Bill

 

They turned off searching for all non-paying members until the server can handle the load.

Clicking when trying to start is often a bad battery. Since your car starts without problem when the lights are on, I'd think the battery is good. Also, the starter motor itself is surely good (since it is either lifeless, or works perfectly).

It sounds like you have some very peculiar electrical problem. Peculiar to me anyway - good chance somebody else here knows the answer, but it's probably a fairly easy fix (once you figure out the problem, that is).

 

Thanks! I hope you are right about the "fairly easy fix part" and "a good chance of someone identifying the problem"! For the record, there is no clicking, no noise what so ever, when it does not start. Prior to yesterday, I did notice that sometimes it would start by turning the key normally but other times it was necessary to apply a bit farther than normal before it would start.

Bill

 

You found the starter kill... Now whenever someone tries to steal your car they dont know how to turn it on

 

HA...yep I could actually live with this assuming I could always count on the headlight switch doing the trick. However, sumthin tells me that won't always work.

Bill