I had gotten one new off the web, no core, in the summer when the original 14 y.o. starter went. Yesterday, it's behaving the same. Twist the key, the clock and radio dim, no crank.

Do you fellas think the "new" starter is defective, it has a lifetime warranty? Or could it be something else? A buddy said his buddy had a bad motor mount on a different car, and it wrecked multiple starters. But I would think that would be a situation where it would still crank. I think the solenoid is fried, but haven't tested anything yet.

It was a nice 100% reliable run, about 14 years!

p.s. all fuses and fusible links are good

 

Based on what is stated, starter is not OEM. Although some have had success with other brand starters I have found from my personal experience anew having other starters fail on me to go with Nissan starter.

Have you tried to crank with someone giving tap to starter housing? Or if you have a spare one laying around drop it in. Can always pull starter out and run to autozone to be tested as well.

Try those and let us know results.

 

http://forums.maxima.org/4th-generat...h-starter.html

http://www.ebay.com/itm/00-01-NISSAN...da82af&vxp=mtr

 

Could be ignition switch, clutch inhibit switch, P/N safety switch, one of two or three relays, solenoid, starter motor, or battery cables.
Trouble shoot before buying another starter.
http://forums.maxima.org/4th-generat...-stickies.html

 

The first time this happened (twist key and nothing), replaced the starter and that was it, once and for all....it's really behaving the same way...

I guess with the lifetime warranty I can always pull it out and check it...I thought I was good for years, turned out to be months. Need to get the car home first, will let you fellas know....

 

Or the original starter was fine and you didn't really fix anything a couple months ago.
When mine goes out I'm gonna take it to a local rebuilder or get the parts and rebuild myself. Seems too many people have issues with after market.

 

I'm going to try the ignition switch first--would not have thought of that one, will keep you fellas posted. I agree, it's not just aftermarket, but parts in general....the quality is not up to snuff. I redid my brakes with OEM Nissan rotors made in USA, and they were junk compared to what came with the car, which I used for 10 years. The OEM replacements rusted within months, whereas the originals had no rust, period...who knows what quality starter I got "new" for $112......

 

Just do some testing before you buy parts. I dont know about you, but I cant afford to replace good parts.

 

did you check to make sure your flywheel was in good condition when you replaced your starter the first time?

 

No, but that wouldn't cause nothing to happen when the key is turned except the clock and radio dimming with a clicking sound behind the dash...or do you mean a bad flywheel burned out the starter motor? The new starter seemed flawless until this happened. It's too bad I don't have another working one, it probably would be the quickest way to see what's up....

While waiting for the flatbed, I happened to notice the negative battery cable is completely covered in oil (valve cover gaskets are leaking)....looks like we've got some troubleshooting ahead. That was the first time in 14 yrs. that the Maxima was on a tow truck. It's 3 mos. shy of 15 yrs.!

Since it's outside and we're getting snow tomorrow, doubt I'll get very far this weekend....

 

Check your left rear tire pressure too! ::rolls eyes:: Really people?!

Read what asand1 wrote along with his link. There is good info in there. Ignore all the n00bs and posers trying to guess what your problem is. Listen to the people with experience and trying to help you FIND the issue.

In the future, be careful about assuming something is 'fixed' or 'broke' simply because a certain condition does or does not exist. (Like thinking the starter is bad simply because the car started when the new one was put in.) I had a guy think his starter was bad when it was really his battery. Took 10 minutes of TSing on the side of the road to find the real issue. Another individual thought his primary fusible link had blown because he lost 'all power' as he put it. His negative battery terminal was not loose however, cleaning the post, connector, and primary body ground(s) was all the car needed.

Bottom line, with older cars you need to look a lot farther into your variables (not that I think doing otherwise is ever a good idea). Auto mechanics are trained to the least common denominator / most profitable fix, not the most effective means - do not replicate their methods.

Please reply if you need any assistance or path forward rather than spending more money.

 

Tap on the end cap of the starter a few times and see if that frees it up. If it does, then you need a new starter.

I recently replaced a starter I bought a little over a year ago. Apparently our starters used planetary gear reduction, and over time the lube dries out and the gears start binding. Some aftermarket starters last longer than others. The one I bought at Napa did not.

 

my starter did the same thing before it finially crapped out on me, turn the key and get nothing, sumtimes i had to hit it with the hammer , but it got weaker and weaker until it gave out, i had my battery and alternator tested just to b sure and to rule them. out, luckily i had an extra starter with me.

 

Yep that's what I did. Tapping on the starter only worked for about a week before it permanently locked up. I replaced it with a lifetime warranty starter from O'Reilly's. I also have their lifetime alternator, too. The one I had replaced 14 months ago (with a 12 month warranty) went out on me. Sucks I had to spend the money replacing that damn thing again.

 

Ignore the above 3 posts if you wish to TS your problem... Read my response and the subsequent posts I referred you to.

 

Why should he ignore tapping on the starter to see if that gets it working again? If it doesn't work, then he should move on to diagnosing what else it could be, as mentioned earlier.

 

Someone please link a youtube clip of the 'go to your home ball' Happy Gilmore scene; pretty pl0x.

Just a taparoo? Perhaps because it proves next to nothing? Great if you are on the 'side of the road' with no tools and need to get home.

Secondly because there are people here trying to help this guy and you are confusing the issue not helping/clarifying.

Sent from my Android phone.

 

I'm not confusing anybody. This is a proven method for testing a locked up starter ever since electric starters were invented. If he taps on the starter and it starts working again, then the starter is bad. I don't see how that isn't helping and is seems clear enough to me in my explanation.

If the starter tap doesn't work, then as I have already said, test other things that have been mentioned.

It's common knowledge that our starters use gear reduction and that is the main problem with our starter failures. Thread searching will pull that up time and time again.

Anyways, i'm done with this thread and said all that i'm going to say. I'm sure the OP will figure out his situation with the information that has been given to him.

 

This is a good diagnostic test, and will indicate brush or solenoid issues, however I don't think it would have much affect on the planetary gears. After the hammer test you should also test the small lead at the solenoid for 12 Volts with a test light.

 

@T_Behr904 It was nothing personal. Since diagnosing the solenoid had already been discussed, I saw it as a confusion to have him 'do this thing' or another. I read your post more as a obligatory encouragement than constructive help.

Where that was my personal interpretation, your assumption that you were not confusing anyone is a universal negative... I digress. I stand on my original statement, "this proves next to nothing". Smack the thing all you want, but simply because that gets the starter to turn over does not necessitate one specific outcome/conclusion. Where I would have disagreed with myself a few years ago, I now feel differently - I have seen some weird things. When you introduce numerous years, people's shoddy fixes, laziness, and misinterpretation, you can get some more than unexpected results.

The OP has already been chasing this issue. A systematic approach would be best in resolving the issue IMO. A bunch of people giving personal experience to someone who is not well versed in TSing is just encouraging him to follow the wrong path, hence my comment.

 

Looks like the starter is bad....I decided to swap the wiper and anti theft relays like in one of the youtubes that someone posted, since I don't have the ignition switch yet, and you know how it goes, I went on a magical journey of taking everything out of the way and removing the starter.

I could see that the negative wire from the solenoid to the starter itself was burnt. Seems like most of the work is done, or at least more than 1/2, I just need to get a new starter under the lifetime warranty, and put everything back together. Once I got the starter out, the negative wire just disintegrated. What horrible quality, it lasted about 2 1/2 mos.