Ok so on Friday I went to my buddy’s place, drove there no problems at all. We go to leave to hit a club….car doesn’t start at all. I also notice that my steering wheel is not locked. I try starting it from neutral…nothing. When I turn the key to start nothing happens, I don’t even here a click by my starter. The starter is about 6 months old. Battery is fine, as everything turns on no problem (radio, lights, wiper) I did notice that every time I turn the key to get a start I hear a buzzing/humming sound coming from somewhere under the center console…possibly under the ashtray area…relay maybe? Sensor? Regardless the steering wheel does not lock. My car can be in park, with the key out and I am able to move my steering wheel fully. I was finally able to move my car to my house, by grabbing a wire and shorting my starter, and once it started spinning I got my buddy to turn the key to see if I could trick it, and I did. Once I got back to my house, I turned the car off, and right away I could not start it again. Next day I tried to trick again, and now I can’t even jump the starter?

Engine codes I get right now are knock sensor and rear O2 sensor; they came up about 2 weeks ago.

My car is a 1998 Maxima SE fully loaded, automatic.

Is my car done???? I’m getting tired of these electrical problems, but I love this car had it since 2001

 

Im having the same exact problems and about 10 days ago have the same exact codes.

 

You may have tripped the alarm (theft inhibitor). There are tricks that others have tried, and I had an issue with this once too. I unplugged the battery overnight, prayed, then (with the doors locked) used the key to unlock the car from the passenger side. A friend of mine (with and Infiniti) told me to try that, and it worked (maybe it was the prayer, though). The codes would not prohibit the car from starting.

 

Sounds like a bad ignition switch.

 

Ignition switch.

 

could be this thing

 

ehat is that in the picture? How much does an ignition switch usually run? I will first try the disconnect the battery trick. Do you hook the battery back up prior to unlocking the door?

Last year my alarm module/box shortened out and cause the harness under my steering wheel to melt. And my car would do nothing when i turned the key, not even power anything up. I found that a wire had detached, i soldered it back on and that resolved that issue. But my alarm is fried, so I currently don't have th alarm active. But I think it's just the auto starter part that is disconnected.

What about that buzzing sound i hear when i try to start the car each time? It comes from somewhere between the shifter and the ashtray somewhere underneath the console.

 

That is a picture of an ignition switch. It'll run you about $30.

 

perfect...weekend project it is then