Lately, my car has been taking a lot of cranks to get going and tonight it won't start at all.

I turn the key and nothing happens. The headlights work fine along with all the other electronics. The only thing that happens is when I turn the key to the START position, my clock dims.

Oh, the alternator was replaced when I bought the car in March of this year.

Any ideas guys?

 

Starter is dead. Give it a whack and try to start the car again.

 

Oooo, whack. I'm going downstairs now...where my hammer....


EDIT: Too dark to see the starter.

 

NO NO NO NO NO....its your ignition switch. they tend to show age when its gets warm out. please dont replace the starter or anything else. spend $25 at nissan or about $30 at a local auto parts store tomrrow, take 5 min to remove the plastic around your steering column, two screws, and a plug...and your car will start every single time

-matt

 

I like that^^ guy's answer more . I'll head over to an auto parts place in the morning...gonna have to drive the van.

 

either that or a bad starter ground i had the same problem in my old car...

 

yea, well definetly check all your grounds and make sure they are clean.

If there is no noise coming from the starter area, or battary area, then this problem was getting worse and worse, I would bet its the Ignition Switch

Some reading for ya
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=422645

-matt

 

If he gets the click when trying to start, then its the starter. If he does not get the click, then its the ignition switch.

 

Update: Installed a new ignition switch, no start. Gave up and had it towed, 375 dollars later, it's the starter. Poo.

 

Aha.. I've been vindicated.

Glad you are back on the road.. now if you had listened to begin with, you could have picked up a Nissan starter for 180-200 bucks and dropped it in yourself.