My 1999 Maxima has been causing some issues with starting lately. For the past year or so, every now and then turning the key would not do anything, there were only two faint clicks while turning the key through the last position. Usually, continued attempts would start the car within a few tries. Lately, this problem has become more persistant, stranding me for hours at times.

I went in and replaced the battery, cleaned all connections to the starter, checked the starter, and then everything worked great for a day.

The next day the car started making these sounds: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqW-P...ature=youtu.be These are two separate sounds, the first sound happens pretty often and comes from under my dash, to the left of the steering wheel. The second sound was happening when I turned the key and I think it might be the starter making contact with the flywheel (or trying to anyway.)

Any ideas as to what to look into next would be very appreciated!

 

That video is so weird. I'm taking a shot in the dark because the starter is a weird design. It is a gear reduction starter, using what is called a planetary gearset. What happens is that the lube in the gears dries out, the gears bind and the starter can't spin as fast. I'm thinking this may be your problem and why the starter sounds so weird.

 

Were you cranking while recording? That's one of the weird startups I have seen.

 

I cranked it twice during the video, around :02-:04 and :05-:07 when it finally started.

 

Do u get that scrapeing sound at times like i do, almost sounds like turning the key while the car is already running.

 

That starter is shot.
That buzz is very strange, might be a relay chattering??
Take the panel under the steering wheel off and see what's making that buzz.