I have a 2002 Maxima SE with 65,000 miles on it. For the last week or so I have had intermittent problems starting it up. The best way I can describe it is that it sounds like it would if the engine were flooded. It cranks....but just cranks and cranks and won't actually start....so I wait a minute and try it agin.....usually after trying and waiting and trying and waiting it'll start up fine and runs fine once it's going....today at lunch it wouldn't start at all, no matter how long I waited....just kept cranking but never starting. Ended up leaving it alone during my lunch hour and when I tried it again it started right up. Anyone have any ideas as to what might be causing this?? Like I said, it's intermittent, and once it does start it runs like it always has, but it's taking longer and longer to get it started when I'm having the problem. Thanks!!

One thing I will add....I never had the 60,000 mile service done.....so not sure if maybe it's a computer problem that would have been caught during that service or not.

 

1. Fuel pump
2. Cam/crank sensors, especially if yours haven't been recalled yet
3. Security key system

Check there first, especially check the fuel pump operation -- have a tech hook a pressure gauge up and let the car sit for a few hours to see if pressure is bleeding down.

 

I'm with #2 on the above list. It was a recall issue and Nissan should be able to do it for free if that's your problem.

I had a similar problem in my old Honda CRX. Turned out to be the main relay, though. The relay wasn't allowing power to go to the fuel pump (and so no gas to the injectors and so no start / no run) and I had to resolder the connections. It was a 30 minute fix, total. If you can't find anything else wrong with your car, start searching for problems with the fuel pump (as in #1 from above).

Hope that helps and good luck!

 

Paralyse.....you might have fixed my problem. The other day the car wouldn't start again.....and I decided to try one of my spare keys that have never been used as long as I've had the car. Tried the old key first, car wouldn't start. Then inserted one of my spares and the car started right up! I've started the car maybe 5-6 times since then (always using the new key) and the problem seems to be corrected....so far anyway. My question is this....is it possible for the security "chip" or whatever it is inside the key to actually go bad? The only reason I ask is that I've never heard of that happening before. Thanks for your help! Hopefully that was all it was!

 

This winter, there have been 2 occasions where, when the engine was cold, my 2002 Max (with 50000+ miles) wouldn't start. It just cranks and cranks like you described. The solution, I found, was to start the car with my foot pressed all the way down on the accelerator (this was suggested in the owners' manual as a remedy to some starting issues).

There have also been a couple of other occasions where I thought the car just barely started on a cold start. This never has happened on a warm start, and most cold starts, even on really cold days (below 0 degrees F), are flawless.

The fuel pump pressure idea sounds like a good one - I'll have to check into that.

I don't have another key to test out the security key hypothesis, as it was mysteriously lost.

 

try the fuel pressure regulator - mine would give me a hard time starting and then like on the 3rd/4th turn it would turnover - ran fine after it was started - ended up being the fuel pressure regulator- easy fix for about $100 at my cousins auto shop> good luck

 

yeah I've had the fuel pressure regulator go bad on previous cars. If it's your FPR, then after it starts, usually it will rev higher than normal for a few seconds. My grand am had this problem and was nearly a 300 dollar job