I've searched around and found a couple threads regarding this issue, although I couldn't pin down the exact problem with my car. Strange enough, it really seems to only happen when it's hot outside, 80 degrees or more.

When I go to start the car (turn the switch) it doesn't start. Instead I hear a sound, "cuhhh"... The sound only occurs when I'm trying to crank. When twisting the key back, it'll go away. After several attemps, the car will finally start.

Any ideas?

BTW the sound is similar to a grinding sound.

 

Starter.
10char





No seriously, it may be your starter. Had the same think happen to me a couple months back.

 

definitely sounds like starter...or battery which i highly doubt. Can u play music at full blast? if so definitely not battery. If you try to start and car doesnt make the CHI CHI CHI CHI CHI sound like its just not turning over, its mnost likely the starter. Any sensors or whatever that could be the problem would take affect after the starter tries to turn over. If its not even trying to turn over then starter pretty much has to be issue. You can bang on it with a metal rod (similar to one of the sides of the club) and sometimes that temporarily wakes it up but its only a matter of time before it gives up. Also, check solenoid too.

 

Leaky injector/s could be the culprit as well. Does this happen a bit after you've just driven the car or after long periods of not driving or both?

 

on banging the starter.
If it starts right up/better after doing so, you know the culprint doing you teh wrong.

 

Thanks guys for the quick responses! When I crank it, it makes "cuhhh..." sound. The sound is almost identical to cranking the car when the car is already on, and when I mean crank, I mean turning the car to start it. I have one code, and it's the p0171 (bank1 running lean). Reason why I'm not sure if it's the starter is because it doesn't make a "click click click" sound.

I feel like it has something to do with maybe the fuel.

It happens both times, after driving for a couple miles and when sitting overnight.

 

That sound is similar to the sound of a bad starter.

 

When my starter went bad, I didnt even get a Click or a sound period. Just all acc lights and no go. Def sucks

 

I'd like to give it a whack, but to be honest I do not know where it's located. Anybody willing to steer me?

 

It's under the intake assembly. Look directly down from intake manifold if I remember correctly.

 

Yup thats exactly where its at... should be right there... give it a few hits so it resets the bendix

 

I just had my starter and battery replaced at the dealership on Friday afternoon. $661 out the door. Not fun.

For a couple months I would sometimes hear a mechanical whirring noise that would last for one or two seconds after the car started. It didn't do it everytime I started the car, it was very random. A few weeks ago I started noticing the car turning over very sluggish, sort of like it would if it were -20 outside. I went to the dealership on Friday to pick up rear brake pads and when I went back out to the car it was just dead. They diagnosed it as the starter and said that it drained my battery past the point of recharging by drawing as much power as it could when it would seize up (the mechanical whirring noise).

With the new starter the car starts right up, no problems and no weird noises. The dealership charged $321 for the part, $200 for labor, and $90 for the battery. The rest was tax. You can get the part online for about $200 but I don't know that I would want to try and replace it. Plus, without them diagnosing the problem I would have had no idea it was the starter in the first place.

 

Ouch, did they use grease while you were bent over?? RAPE. FTL
Well, as long as you got it fixed I guess. Once I diagnosed it as the starter, I got mine for about $120-130, cant remember. And put it in myself. It was pretty easy, just get the intake assembly out. Once it's in, if you have an auto, turn the key to on, shift through all the gears and back to park, start and wallah. Or walk with your own KY to the dealer

 

Wow, I won't be bringing my car to the dealership to get it fixed tho. So your car showed symptoms like "rough starts" and "no starts at all". When you say the car wouldn't start, did it turn over? or just no noise whatsoever?

Anybody ever replaced their starter? If so, was it difficult?

 

Starter replacement was easy as heck... like 20 minutes TOP oh yeah i have a short ram intake, if you have stock intake it might take a little longer... but its still really really ez.

 

I bought a 01 starter from a junk yard for $50 and put it in my 97.

 

Oh nice, so it seems fairly simple to tackle down. I'm gonna go ahead and give it a few whacks and see how that goes. Another issue I'm afraid I might have (besides it being the starter) is the "ignition switch". I read they tend to show age during warmer climates. Anybody have any experiences with this?

 

starter hit it a few times...

 

Jeez, I looked under my hood and couldn't find anything under my intake assembly. BTW, stock airbox is pretty space-taking. Or do you mean it's under intake manifold?

 

U may have to remove the airbox to see it. It's directly down from intake manifold. You'll see a cylindrical object with some wires conencted to it. (2 or 3 at most I believe.

 

Thanks! Will give it a shot again. Now, after wacking it, this will only temperarily fix the problem then basically it's shot?

 

More or less. Depends how far gone the starter is. You may get a few cranks after tapping it a few times (don't go wild and Lou Ferrigno the thing).

 

check the fourth gen threads and they have a how to on replacing it, the pictures will show you how it looks so you know what to look for. I replaced the starter on my 96 i30 wasn't too hard, your engine is the same VQ30 so i'd say if you're mechanically inclined give it a shot, if not then just get it replaced. Take a look at their how tos then make the decision. Good luck.

 

Where do you live? I'll do it for 20 bucks

 

Dude the only thing that was wrong was your battery was beginning to not hold a charge. They ripped you off.

 

Thanks! I'll give that a check. I'm noticing that the 5th gens' are starting to show age. It's normal for sure, but maybe it's following the footsteps of 4th gens. How often do starters go bad, I feel like my car is falling apart the more I put into it!

 

Welcome to owning a Nissan!

While you have the air-box out and you're smaking the starter, spray some WD-40 on the bolts because if you have to take it out, you'll need to give some good penetrating oil time to soak into the threads anyway.