for the past 2 weeks every time i start my car i get this weird sound that comes from the engine bay. kinda sounds like a grinding sound. the car is still a baby, only has a few hundred miles on it (2k3). any clue as to what it could be?

 

if it only lasts for a few seconds its probably the timming chain. Most vq's will do it when they are very cold or cold and sit for a few days. Not a big deal and i surely would not let the dealer inside the engine if you dont have to. Mine does it almost every day when the temp is below 25 degrees f

 

could be your starter.... mine does that everyday.. and two weeks after I had the starter replaced... it starts again... so....

 

If it's the starter then it's probably the grease inside. If your max was on the lot a while and did not get used then the grease can firm up and not work as well. It happened to me and I regreased the inside of the starter. I posted a "How-to" on it as well.

 

I am more apt to think it is what hotrod37 said. I have 25k on my 02 and that happens every morning when it is fridged outside. It even happened last winter when I had 12K on it.

 

cant be the cold.....i live in s. cali, summer all around. and if it was the cold it would have been doing it a lot earlier than now. but i guess that is always a possibility.

 

I have a 2k3se and I have the same problem when it is cold. It makes a grinding noise like if you didn't have enough oil or something pumping into the engine. Scares me. Its kinda worse if you start the car and put it into drive right away, it sounds like your car is going to stall but it doesn't.

 

stop juessing and start reading http://maxima.theowensfamily.com/tsb/NTB03-060.pdf (sm)

 

Thanks dude