When the car starts up, and it isn't driven for about a day, the car makes a quick squeak noise a mili-second after it starts up. The squeak only occurs for a split second, too. It's your typical sounding bad starter squeak...which leads me to believe that my starter may be on its last legs?

My car has also had this hesitation to start up on rare ocassions, and when it does start up after struggling, it does it very poorly/weak. The hesitation has been going on for 2 years now.

Is the starter the culprit?

 

Last fall when temp started to fall my starter started to make that squeaking noise right after the start.
All I hade to do is take the starter out, open it and put some high temp grease. All old grease was gone or dried.
The noise was coming from one part spinning on the axle to the stop. Grease between them settled the problem.

It was good write up how to do it. Even if it was on 4th gen its bassicaly the same. Try to find that link to the website full of write ups (web with yellow interface)

 

Sounds like it needs to be regreased, eh?

 

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....1&goto=newpost

My starter does the same thing for about 5 months now. I've talked to my mechanic about it and he says that you can go ahead and grease it, but it's a hassle. I can live with the sound so I'll just wait until I have to replace the starter itself. BTW, I think the part is referred to as the bindex part of the starter.

gl, and let us know if you decide to do the regrease. I'd get a second professional opinion if I were you, though.

 

Mine has been making a loud grinding sound on a cold start when RPM jumps up to 1500-1700k. Once the car is warmed up and you start it again, it disappears. I was told it was a sign of a bad starter, so I'm just waiting...

Hopefully yours is just a grease matter

 

It's gotten worse. I didn't touch the car for a full day + overnight...started it up yesterday and *SCREEEEEK* it did it louder and longer this time. :\

 

I have the same symptoms when starting cold. But, when starting warm, like after 30 minutes driving - it feels as if something is loose, like if the starter losses the grab for a sec when you crank it. Hopefuly when I'll be changing clutch this weekend, i'll look at it. I thought the sreeching will be just fixed by regreasing, but it sounds like there is something mechanical that may be going bad.. Damn.

Anyone know how much is new starter? Which one is better? OEM or aftermarket?

 

Sounds to me like the solinoid is having a hard time kicking out and returning starting gear because it needs lubrication. I wouldn't wait till it fails as Murphys law it will be when you least want it to happen 100 miles from home at 2 in the morn. It's not a big deal to remove (clean) shaft and lubricate before re-install. If you don't it will either not kick out or stay engaged and burn out starter. Either way your f**cked so fix it before it fails.
Cheers,
James

 

Do you know what grease you'd use for it? I've been to two stores/shopes, schmo have no idea why I need it.
Thanks

 

My starter just died after a couple of weeks of weak start ups. I had to tow it and everything. Does anyone know i can get a starter? How much will it cost? Is it hard to do it yourself?

 

I relubed my and it works fine now. No more screetching noise when whining down after the start. The old grease was hard and dirty..

 

That is what I was told when I asked someone about the sound I was hearing after starting. Where would I find the solinoid?

Thanks
Chuck

 

I had a similiar problem. The starter would turn the engine, then stop for a brief second while making a short screeching sound, then start turning the engine again. Sometimes it would start up right away, sometimes it would take 5-10 seconds of cranking.

The dealer had it over a week before they finally found the problem. Corrosion between the engine and transmission mounting faces was causing intermittent voltage drops. Just enough for the ecu to keep the engine from igniting.

They cleaned the two faces and problem free ever since. Well at least until I had my clutch replaced and the mechanic forgot to tighten one of the mounting screws. Enough to cause another intermittent voltage drop.

 

Rust??? Does engine block and tranny housing rust? I had mine for 6 years, no rust on it. ISn't it aluminium?

 

They didnt call it rust. They called it corrosion. And you know service managers. They have no idea what they are talking about.

Bottom line is something was between the two surfaces that was inhibiting electrical transfer.

And no, that shouldnt happen. That is why they covered it under warranty even though my car was out of warranty.