So, as the title would suggest, my car wont start. Well it does sometimes...


I've been in the process of slowly fixing problems here and there even though they are few and far between and usually nothing major. I was planning on trading my car in sometime in the coming weeks, then this...

Yesterday when I was going to leave work I jumped in my car and it wouldn't start. Hmm... I just replaced the battery a few weeks ago, that wasn't the problem..all the electrical components,lights etc come on just fine with the key in the ON position. When I crank to START I hear a click noise and thats it.

At first I thought it might be an electrical connection to the starter, I checked out the lines and everything looked good, checked the fuses and those were fine. So after about 20 minutes of fiddling around I gave up and left my car at work for the night.

This morning I came in and the first thing I did was try to start the car. It kicked right over no problem. I left it running for a few minutes and moved it back into my parking spot, and turned it off. I then tried to turn it back on and again just clicking noises.

It was suggested to me that since my 99 has a chip in the key it may not be registering properly and there for the ignition switch isn't completing the circuit allowing the car to start. So I did what anyone might do and went and jiggled the key around in the ignition turning it off and on. After about 2 minutes of this I stopped and then forcefully pushed the key into the ignition and turned it and the car started up. I was able to repeat this 5 times in a row, but only when I slam the key in, if I put it in like normally it does nothing.

Fast forward 5 hours (now) I was headed out to lunch. Jumped in my car and did my force/turn method and nothing happened just a click now. I tried it again several times and nothing!

Is my ignition switch toast or what?

 

Two things here, no crank & no start. They are different.

Check the connections on the battery. They must be very clean & tight. The intermittent condition could be the key switch, very common on Nissans. Jiggling & slamming the key usually determines this.

As for issues with the 99 immobilizer, that only keeps the car from STARTING. It will continue to crank over with the starter as long as your battery holds out. The engine will not run though.

 

the jiggling and slamming key thing is def. ignition switch. PM me I'll send you picts of how to fix this. its $26 part from nissan and about 10-15 minutes.

as for the clicking/not starting, we'll need more information, BUT there is a ton of threads on every and any starting problem you can think of in these cars, so search first.

 

Well its not the battery terminals, they are clean and tight. So key switch it must be. Do i need to replace the entire ignition switch for this? Its not a continuous click noise , when I turn the key to start it clicks once and its likely just the crap turning inside the ignition.

 

No, just the electrical portion screwed to the back of the key switch. Very simple and common repair.

 

Went to the nissan dealership and got the part, and installed it. Didn't fix the problem though.

Popped the key and turned it and get a little click noise from under the hood like its trying to do something, but its only one click no continuous like its trying to kick over.

I guess it could be the started. I'd been getting that weird high pitch "vreeeww" noise from the starter motor for awhile, but from what I read it was just grease.

Any other thoughts?

Im not sweating like a pig thanks to it being 105 degrees outside at the moment!

 

Update!

Starter is the source of the problem. I talked to a mechanic and he told me to have someone hold the key in the start/crank position and then hit starter with a wrench and it should start up.

So, I did this and it started up the second I hit the damn thing. So at least I know now what the cause is, and its a resonably easy/cheap fix!

thanks for the help guys.