My car just won't turn on
 

I have a 96 with 154,000 miles on it and when I go to turn it on, nothing happens, to state it bluntly. I put the key in the ignition and turn it once.. the radio comes on like it should, turn it a second time and the fan comes on along with all the lights just like they should, turn it a third time.. to turn it on.. and nothing happens, no noise from the engine at all. So of course I thought my battery died, so I turn on my headlights and they weren't dim, beeped the horn and it sounded like it always has. I jumped it and it still didn't turn on. The battery is pretty old, however if it did die why would everything else still turn on? My grandpa (whose house it died in) tried and checked everything he could think of and couldn't figure it out. I don't think it's the starter because the engine makes no attempt at turning on, no grinding or anything. Could it be the alternator (which is original) or the soleniod? It does need a new fuel pump, which I have a date next week to get it fixed, could that have anything to do with it? I checked the fuses and none of them looked bad.. but then again I didn't check them well. The last time it turned on.. it didn't sound out of the ordinary and there was only a matter of about ten minutes between me turning it off and coming back out to turn it on again. I don't see how something could have stopped working in that amount of time. I hope I didn't leave any important information out.. if I did, I'll be checking this post off and on tonight. Just to state it again, absolutely no engine noise has come from the car when the key is turned all the way to start the motor. Just the fan makes a noise, like it always does, when the key is turned to the second position. I would just like to have an idea of what it could be. Thanks to all for the information in advance!

starter relay??????

Have you checked the way the cables are connected to the battery terminals? Perhaps some cleaning is in order. Barring that perhaps its a problem with your ignition switch, starter solenoid or starter.

My grandpa did check those and he's going to clean them while I'm at work.. but he said they don't look very dirty.. but of course I'm willing to try anything that easy. As for the ignition switch.. would that feel any different than any other time when turning it on? It still does feel the same when the key is turned all the way. What exactly does the starter solenoid do? I think i read on here that they are troublesome on maximas this age?

tap on the solenoid. this happened to me a while ago. its time for u to get a new starter.

Thanks.. the starter is semi-new but I do know that they can go bad in a matter of seconds. Where is the solenoid located?

if you have an alarm check your anti-theft fuse. not sure if theres a cutoff within that somewhere, but mine wouldnt start after i removed it. dont you just love locking keys in your car? sad thing is the old coat hanger slim jim still works :/

I was thinking that same thing at one point and I will check that tomorrow. It does almost feel like something like that. Thanks.

The starter solenoid is right adjacent to the starter.

Thanks.. I'll add that to the list of things to try tomorrow!

Ignition switch. Many people tend to overlook this part.

Same thing happened to me. and sometimes it would start after ten minutes of trying. Heat seems to make it worse. I took it to the shop and they finally messed with the Alarm to fix it. Now the engine start very roughly. But its starting to act up again. I had it fixed about a year ago.

i know exactly what's wrong with you car.
 

i know exactly what wrong with your car. "The shift gear" push the shif gear in towards the dashboard like your putting it on park and try to start the car. it should work. it got me the first time my maxi didn't start. holla!

I agree with this. Happened to me a couple of times.

any luck yet?

It sucks that people need help with something, then they don't let us know whether it worked or not. Maybe this thread can help someone in the future.

Sorry about getting back to this so late, I had a HUGE project for college to get done and besides getting on here to check this thread quickly, I haven't been able to post anything. Thanks to the two guys who suggested the shift lever trick. That happened to me once in parking lot and for some reason I tried that, and it worked.. only this time it didnt. What it turned out to be was the starter got jammed. I was able to have a mechanic come out to my grandpas house and take a look at it, and when he put a screw driver down to it to jump it (I think that's what he called it) worked and, of course, moved it. So I went to turn the car on and it started. He told me that if the starter ever gets stuck in that same postion.. it will do the same thing.. so I told him to just put a new starter and solenoid in it. He charged me $262.. is that reasonable? He did make a house call so I wouldn't have to pay a towing fee. Anyway, Thanks too all for your info.. I knew I would get some good advice on here! I will be writing a new post about my fuel pump so check it out if you want! I'll be able to keep it more up-to-date than this one!

For someone to put it in for you along with the part, $262 is reasonable. You could have done it yourself for about $100 less though.

This happend to me before. I replaced my starter about a month ago, and it did the same thing the other day. I couldn't start it, so finally just tapped on the starter with a screwdriver and it started.

Can they go bad that quick?!?!

Had a similar problem once...

I had corrosion in that red connector on the battery...some contact cleaner fixed it right up. Not the battery post connection, but there is another connector on it with two wires....one of them goes to the ignition circuit, the other to the accessories.

I guess thats a decent price if he had to drive far.