Car won't start - Ignition Switch issue?
 

So I decided to go fill up the car for the week (it's my DD) and soon as I tried to start after I filled her up, it wouldn't crank. It's not a dead battery or faulty starter issue because it seems like power isn't even getting to the starter when I turn the key to the "start" position.

Here's the vid:



Can anyone verify if this looks like the ignition switch is gone? Car has 362K miles.

Thanks.

I'm gonna give this a try tomorrow morning:

Swapped out the ignition switch and starter, not the problem.

There is something going on in between both. Is there another solenoid somewhere that could be failing?

The first video you posted is private. Is ther a way it can be seen so maybe we can listen to it/ watch RPMs etc?
Side note:I really admire high mileage 4th gens

Thanks for letting me know about the vid. It should be public now.

There's actually nothing to listen to because the car isn't even turning over the starter. I printed out a few pages of the fuse block and details of how the starting system is all connected. I'll have to try to deal with it during the week but definitely looking for some other thoughts on this.

Out of all the years of driving this car, this is the first time it's left me stuck. Good thing I was a few miles from home.

Another vid:

So it seems that if I turn the switch slowly as I usually do, the car doesn't start like it should. If I turn the key quickly with some force, starts more times than not. As you will see, the car didn't start 1 time during the times I turned the key quickly.



i forgot to mention that the starter I replaced had exposed wiring for some reason so it's a good thing I did replace it. I don't know if it was shorting out something in the system though.

Sounds like you have the slop problem. See my posts 13 and 18 here: http://forums.maxima.org/4th-generat...ml#post7075437

Have you checked the fuse? I had the same issue and it turned out to be a blown ignition switch fuse.

It doesn't seem that way because I got a new switch from autozone and plugged it in, turned it in and got the same result. Just a click and no juice to the starter solenoid. I do admit, when I turn the key fast with force behind it, the car will start. Pretty damn weird.

I saw pmohr's comment and that would lead me to look at these things aside of the Ign switch and starter since those have been replaced:

clintb3astwood, I'm at work now but where would I find this fuse, inside or under the hood? Also, did the car start as you see in my vid. I kinda felt like it was a relay going bad somewhere.

Thanks for the reply guys and keep them coming. I really need to get this figured out so I don't end up stuck somewhere far from home. I've been driving the car back and forth to work (30 miles each way) so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for now.

u checked inhibitor relay?

I cant see the video..at work now and its blocked


Use the FSM to identify starting circuit.

The relay can be found in the relay box between the battery and radiator fans. jump the relay, if the car starts then the relay is fawked

Also, try jumping the starter:

Turn the key to the ON postions so all sensors are engergized. Take a piece of wire and touch the positive battery terminal to the starter (where the power wire is connected to it). Car should start.

This will tell u if the starter is fawked or not.

Here is the obvious: dont forget to check battery terminals.

a new switch wont necessarily fix the slop problem. first one i got didn't.

The starter solenoid wire has a gray jack on it. If you disconnect it and apply 12 volts to it (it is a male spade terminal) the starter should turn over, if it doesn't it is probably the starter. But the ignition relay, clutch interlock relay or inhibitor relay are the only parts other than wires that is between that and the ignition switch.

Thanks for the replies guys. I've cleared the starter and ign switch as the problem areas.

I'm leaning towards the relays. I've done the starter jump with the screw driver and it does spin the motor but doesn't engage to the flywheel. If I start it with the key, it does what it's designed to do.

This makes no sense. The starter gear is mechanically thrust into the flywheel gear by the solenoid. Nissan does not use a Bendix inertia type gear. What points are you jumping?

In the photo below, the cable from the battery is connected to Test Point C. The connection to the motor itself is Test Point B and Test Point A is the starter solenoid.

http://forums.maxima.org/picture.php...ictureid=34694

When you turn the key, power is routed to Test Point A. If you want to crank the engine, you jumper Test Points A and C. You must be jumpering Test Points B and C to get the starter motor to spin without cranking the engine.

But to get power to the starter solenoid, the power comes from the ignition switch, goes through the inhibitor relay to get to the solenoid Test Point A. There is also another relay involved, the theft warning relay. This relay can keep the inhibitor relay from working.

Also in the equation is a switch that will also keep the inhibitor relay from working. If you have a manual trans, it is the clutch interlock switch on the clutch pedal. If you have an auto trans, it is the inhibitor switch on the shift lever.

Over all, I think you need to shim the ignition switch.

But to clear up a point - when you turn the key and the engine cranks, does the engine start?

This whole issue made no sense to me when I was toubleshooting it on Sunday. So that answers your question there. I found that when people stated to try jumping the starter, it didn't work. I'm not concerned about that part at all because the starter and the ign switch are good.

I see nothing.

As I said before, shimming the ignition switch is not the issue. I tried a new switch and had the same issue. Again, the starter and the ign switch are ruled out at this point.

Are my vids not showing up? The links to the vids I supplied shows exactly what's going on.

I must have deleted the photo when I edited some typos. Sorry. Edited the post again and put photo link in.

Videos work fine. I had my speakers on mute.

What you want to do is connect a volt meter or test light to the solenoid trigger wire (Test Point A) and see if you have voltage there when you turn the key. If not, go to pin 6 on the inhibitor relay if auto trans or pin 3 if manual trans and repeat test. It is much easier to pull the relay out for this.

If you have voltage, then your ignition switch is good and you either have a relay problem or a wiring problem. Check the wire from the relay to the starter solenoid by either doing a continuity check between pin 7 of the relay if auto trans or pin 5 if manual trans and the starter solenoid trigger connection (Test Point A) or jumper 12 volts to pin 7 or pin 5 of the relay and see if the starter works.

If the wire is OK, then either the inhibitor relay or the theft warning relay is bad.

Thanks for all of the ideas. I'll test soon as I get a warm day and time this weekend.

You're missing the point. When I had the same problem I put it in new ignition switch too, and it didn't help. The problem is not that the ignition switch is bad, it's that the piece in the lock cylinder isn't turning the switch far enough. That's what the shim is designed to fix.

I will try it but you initially didn't mention you had the same issue. It seems like it may work by how far I need to turn the key in order to get everything to click over.

UPDATE:

The issue has been fixed. I shimmed the ign switch with electrical tape and now it starts every time with little force as it should.

Thanks again folks.

It's good to hear that you got the problem fixed. Be advised that the problem will return because the electrical tape is soft and will deteriorate. Some people have used a piece of metal but I don't know how they got it to stay in place.

We'll see. I folded a pretty thick piece given the size of the hole on the switch itself. It should hold for a pretty good while.

I super glued it in place. So far it's been fine, although I recently had to replace my lock cylinder, so that probably fixed the problem at the source...