DR-Max

iTrader: (3)

Ok sometimes the engine won't turn over when I turn the ignition key and all I get is a click or a faint whirr sound. Well lately it has been happening frequently. Today, I picked up some lunch at Subways and my car wouldn't start after being parked for 10 min. I had to hold the key on the START position until the car decided to turn over.

What do you all think this is...starter?

G4nismo

iTrader: (9)

sounds like alternator.

you shouldn't hear the car tryin to turn over if it was the starter

DR-Max

iTrader: (3)

If I remember correctly, don't some indicator on the instrument cluster come on when the alternator is going bad?

I'm going to Autozone later on to have them check my alternator.

DR-Max

iTrader: (3)

Ok...

When I was leaving work this evening, my car started right up like there's nothing wrong with it. I didn't get a chance to stop by Autozone to get the alternator checked. It has been sporadic like this for almost a year now, only it used to occur once or maybe 2x a month. Now it happens once or twice a week.

Maxima_Joe

iTrader: (384)

ignition switch if the car cranks over fine when it does crank

Bservice

Replace the starter. Same thing happened to me. My first starter went out, and when I got the replacement it started doing this.

Id say 80% of the time the car started, but that other 20% the started just whirled like the gear wasnt getting kicked out into the fly wheel. I took it into the place I bought it, and refunded. At firest it only happened maybe once a month, then it started happening about twice a week. Sometimes it would happen about 4 times in a row.

They also bench tested in front of me a couple time and showed me it worked, but I refused and wanted a new starter. Its been about 6 months or so and I havn't seen the problem come back. Good luck

DR-Max

iTrader: (3)

Thanks for the suggestion guys. One thing I failed to mention is that I have a 5-speed. When this starting problem does occur, I let off the clutch pedal and step into it again and voila........the car starts! The only time that this didn't work was today during lunch, that has never happened to me before.

In addition, I have stalled out my engine a couple of times due to certain reasons which are my fault. When I try to start up the car, all I hear is a series of fast clicks and all indicators on the dash flash at the same rate and duration of when the engine is trying to crank back to life. I then put the key in the off position, let off the clutch pedal, wait a few seconds, push the clutch in and turn the key to start and the engine comes back to life. I don't stall the engine all the time but this starting issue does come back when I try to start the engine after a stall-out. This particular issue has been present for a few years now. I'm not sure what to check or where to start to check.

VIP Maxima

nothin showed up on my cluster when the alternator went bad. my money is on the starter

DR-Max

iTrader: (3)

What I was talking about is the usual indicator lights that light up when you turn the ignition key to on. Then as you start the engine, the indicator lights would flash or dim as the engine cranks up and then once the engine is running, they go out and the only thing that stays on is the seat belt light if the seat belt is not engaged and the e-brake light.

VIP Maxima

my cluster appeared normal when my alternator gave out

Apparition

iTrader: (5)

tell me about it, it just started whining like I was S/C'ed and smoke started rolling out from my grill when I'd stop. My friend nicknamed it "The Dragon."

Just tell me yours was covered under the recall as was mine.

VIP Maxima

yup, thats exactly what happend but mine wasnt covered !!!

S/C sound FTW !

risingmist

iTrader: (5)

i had the s/c sound also, but i regreased the starter and it worked like new.
try re-greasing it.


my starter just went bad, but because i think i ran it too long when my crank positioning sensor went dead.

86maxima96

iTrader: (10)

re-greasing is often just a temporary fix. it will buy you some time, but plan to buy a starter down the road. not that i wouldn't advise re-greasing, but just understand that it won't make it quite like new.

Apparition

iTrader: (5)

lmao, damn.. yeah that whining roar brought a smile to my face for about 3 days before I had it replaced alright, alright im off topic!

DR-Max

iTrader: (3)

I had that same noise when the bearings from the old ac compressor was going out. However, it got louder and annoying after a while so I by-passed the ac compressor.

Apparition

iTrader: (5)

yeha I remember you saying something about that back when I posted in regard to my alternator.

colinnwn

I'll be more specific, it's probably the starter brushes. If you are feeling really ambitious, you could rebuild the starter yourself pretty cheap. Not that I've done it, but I know others who have.

iqmaxima

its the starter, had the same problem be sure u buy Denzo

edwardh1

starter at dealer 306 - 60 core deposit plus labor = $400.