Wednesday I took my Maxima and an aftermarket clutch kit to a local mechanic to have it installed. Thursday morning after picking it up, the car would not start. After about 5 attempts, I successfully jump started it. That afternoon, leaving work, it would not start at all. It cranked, but would not turn over. Jump starting and push starting were unsuccessful.

So I had it towed to my dealership. They found that the starter was not getting good ground, meaning low, irregular voltage. The cause? The mechanic did not tighten the transmission to engine mounting screws.

Dealerships might rape you, but in my experience they have always done the work properly.

 

i defenatly agree, going to have to change my clutch soon and i know the dealer will hit me for about 800-1000. my freinds say just go to someonw that does cluthes, but im skeptical, even tho 600 is a lot better than 1000.

 

600 is a bit much, Maxima clutches aren't even dual disc, anyhow you can get an exedy or daikan clutch with a heavier pressure plate and new throwout bearing for like 400 dollars...I refer some of my friends for clutchwork to my mechanic who has yet to fail any of them. basic honda/nissans (civic,240sx,4cyl accord) he charges 250

 

The mechanic did not tighten the transmission to engine mounting screws.
..........and u think that can happen at the dealer....think again?

 

In cases like this, it's a good idea to pick and choose who touches your car. They're mechanics out there that performs sheity work, as well as dealerships out there that do the same. It's harder to bad mouth a group, then it would be an individual because there are no two mechanics that operate the same way, regardless of if they worked out of a dealership or at their own shop. Thoroughness is definately the key.

In your situation, you just went to someone that was careless or should I say not patient enough to make sure everything was in order. The same could have happened at any dealership. Pro choice is up to you to decide who is better than the other. Therefore, the title of this thread is highly opinionated. Good luck on you quest in finding someone who will do the job right for you everytime. Or should I say, Congratulations.

 

Dealers don't always do work properly. They have morons working there.

 

How can it crank without turning over?

 

It wouldn't turn over cause the starter mounts to the tranny, and since the tranny was loose then the starter drive wouldn't engage the flywheel starter ring gear. I kinda find this hard to belive that someone would leave the WHOLE tranny loose like that- the clutch wouldn't engage properly ! I think what happened was the starter wasn't secured good enough to the tranny and it was basically not catching the flywheel. I used to do Nissan clutches for 250-350 bux- depending on what car. My new job don't allow me to bring cars from outside other than my own. I used to do 300, 350Z clutches, few Maximas from the .org etc on saturdays. I did 3 clutches one sat. Maxima clutch takes bout a hour to do. I am getting a lil pissed bout the whole NO SIDE WORK thing at my work, and I might be looking at a new job soon.

 

In the words of Rocky.....Absolutely!!!!!!!!

 

I hope you present the dealerships's invoice to the character who installed your clutch.
You shouldn't have to be out of pocket because of his incompetence!

 

i mean 600 for clutch and install.

 

I plan on talking to him, and telling him I want a credit for the amount the dealer charged. He charged me $420 for labor. The dealer charged $203 to fit it.

And the reason it cranked without starting, is like I said, low voltage. Enough to turn the starter, not enough for it to start the engine. The same exact thing happened to me a year ago. Only then it was corrosion between the engine and trans that was inhibiting the voltage.

 

I wouldn't trust any of the incompetent mechanics at my local Nissan dealership from even changing my wiper blades.

 

Unless it happened like BlackBIRDVQ stated, the starter will not turn without the engine spinning over also unless you have a damaged starter drive or flywheel. Otherwise you would here clicking when you turn the key to the start position. Cranking is known as the starter motor turning the engine over before it begins to run (start). I have people coming to our shop all of the time saying that my vehicle won't crank. I ask them what happens when they turn the key to the start positon. They normally say the engine spins over. I kindly tell them that is cranking but not starting. In fact it just happened yesterday at work.

 

big jobs like that ..anything that has to do with the engine and thats under the hood.. except fluid changes .. dealer is the best place to take...
200 bucks more is worth my sanity..

 

ok, I guess I need to clarify, when I say the starter is just cranking, I mean the starter is cranking the engine, but the engine wont light. I just assumed everyone knew what I meant. It is extremly rare for only the starter to turn. And I know, it is just a whirring sound. Happened on my 79 Olds.

As far as not trusting the dealer, I hear you. But at Liberty Nissan, there is a mechanic named Art who lives and breathes Nissan. This guy is for real, not a gasbag. He has gone on diagnosis ride-a-longs with me, and he knows what he is talking about, and doesnt give you any lines. Even if the service managers do...
For all three repairs I had done, Art was the one who did them.

 

I'ma be most likely working at Nissan once again in the near future, I will tell ya guys the name, I live n breathe Nissan Performance for years. Just so happens I work at Acura. Also VQ starters are know to go bad quite alot when they get over 4 years old and have some miles on them, I know cause mine has been acting up quite alot. I swapped in a Optima battery and its a rare case that the starter will not wanna crank but clicks only.

 

I wouldn't trust my car with any dealership. Ford replaced a motor on my old car. Two months later when I had my mechanic check it, he found an electrolysis problem with the lack of engine grounding. Eventually, 2 sensors later and my car started to run warmer than usual, I sold it.

For nissan, it may be a good idea to go to nissan's website and found the dealers which have the outstanding service rating.

 

Mine is a little fidgety. I had it unnecessarily replaced back when I had the corrosion problem between the engine and trans. I had a mechanic shop replace it (he said it was the bendix spring failing). The car started fine for a couple months. Then I had the same problem. That was when I took it to Nissan and they found the corrosion.

The starter he put in was Nissan oem, I saw the box. Ever since, the car always starts fine (except for my little incident last week) But sometimes it cranks for a few seconds before starting.

My mom has a 2001 Maxima auto. Hers starts instantaneously every time, except when bitterly cold. You barely hear any cranking at all before the engine fires.

 

uh..no. he's going to tell you that you should have called him and not the dealer. if you buy a crappy computer at best buy, do you take it to compusa to get it fixed?

 

You have a point there.

 

I dunno, I trust my independent mechanic more than the dealer: Mike Galati.
www.championracing.net

 

That's why credit card companies allow you to contest charges, and that is why I pay for everything by credit card. Buyer protection.

Besides he couldnt have gotten the car started anyway, they had to reprogram my key. They did last time too (when I had the corrosion problem)

And as far as your analogy, I didnt buy the car from the mechanic. He screwed it up, so I took it back to where I bought it. And I guarantee you, I am done with mechanics. Everytime I go somewhere other than the dealer, I get screwed. Cheaper, as it turns out, is not better.

By the way, for anyone interested, here was their diagnosis:

Document Summary
Maxima 2000 SYMPTOM Diagnosis EC
Reference No: FC9002906
Subject information:
1995-2001 Maxima/1996-2001 130; Long Crank Before Starting
Document Abstract:
Customer Symptom: Long crank before starting.
Incident Description: The vehicle would crank for a long time before starting and would occasionally sound as if the timing was too far advanced. Performed NTB96-032, ENGINE NO START/HARD START without anyaffect on the incident. Root Cause: Possible electrical noise (see Service Procedure, below).
Service Procedure: Monitor POS COUNT with CONSULT (Data Monitor Mode) during cranking. If fluctuating during cranking (not 180), the cause of the incident may be electrical noise at the CKPS-POS sensor. The electrical noise can be caused by different electrical ground voltage levels in the engine block, oil pan, and transmission castings. Once the incident is identified, check that all transmission-to-engine (and engine-to-transmission) mounting bolts are installed and torqued to specification. If bolts are tightened to specification and incident still occurs, remove transmission and clean engine and transmission mounting faces. Reassemble transmission to engine and torque bolts to specification.
Source: Tim Brunet, Nissan North America

 

Absolutely. Just cuz someone is wearing a shirt that says Nissan on it doesnt mean they know **** about your car.

 

you can't get service done in one shop, be unsatisfied, and go to a different shop to get it fixed without giving the original shop the opportunity to make it right. no, no, no, no, no. sheesh.

dude. you bought the service from the mechanic. where you bought the car is not important.

if i have a maid come clean my house, and i find a dust bunny in the corner, can i call another maid service to come clean the dust bunny and then get my money back from the first maid service? uh...no.

 

Sweet, I have been looking for this.