I know there are probably many threads like these, but i'm up at college and the campus closes on thursday and my car will not start! The electric is fine because the motor turns, it just seems taht there is no spark or something. Can someone explain to me what the coil packs or whatever they are do, and if i may need to change them. (Could they be a reason the car doesn't start?)

Please help I need to use this car to get home! Thanks!

 

Someone pleaaaaaaaaaase help me.

 

Check the fuel pump fuse...

Since it's cranking and not firing, its either an air (unlikely), fuel or spark issue. If the fuel pump fuse checks out ok, then you have a spark issue.

Pull the codes from the CEL and see if anything is returned..

You might have a faulty crankshaft position sensor (POS or REF sensor) or a bad camshaft position sensor. If any of the 3 are faulty, timing will be off and your car will not start.

 

There is a 7.5a fuse that is the start sig and that will cause the same problem. Right above the 15a fuel pump fuse

 

zander, you are a genius..... bought my maxima used and soon realized that it was becoming harder to start when cold... checked everything...... learned how to get it started by cranking several times,(hard on the starter), but once started it was fine.... read your post, checked fuse,(it was missing), replaced... and here i am to praise the 'mighty zander'.... no joke, check this fuse first..... wonder how many hundreds of dollars have been needlessly spent for a simple fuse????

 

Holy let's bring a 3 year old thread back to life Friday!!

 

I have the same issue...it cranks, I smell the gas so i know the fuel pump and fuses are ok. Now, i once had no spark to the coils. I fixed a motor ground and seemed a bit better, but always had a hard time starting it. Now it won't start at all. I'm stumped. How can I check the cam shaft sensor or the crank position sensor? Would these sensors cause a no spark issue?

 

Yes. From the Haynes manual:
Crankshaft pos. sensor: 470-570 ohms at 68 degrees. Check for ground on the black wire of the connector.
Check for batt. voltage on the red wire, with ignition on. 5 volts on the white wire.
Then it says remove the sensor, reconnect it and backprobe the white wire. Touch the tip of the sensor with a metal object and quickly remove it. Should read 5 volts when touched, settle back to 0,

Cam sensor (this went out on mine) 1440 to 1760 at 68, if Hitachi:2090 to 2550 if Mitsu. Replace if out of range (check wiring of course)

 

Check the wires to the crankshaft position sensor.
It's somewhat underneath the engine near the transmission bell housing.
The wires get brittle and break. When they get wet it shorts out.
If the either wire breaks it won't send a signal and the car won't start.
This is a very common problem. It happened on mine.