Ok, whenever I start up my car first thing in the morning, it fires up just fine but makes a scratch like noise for like 1 second. It occurs on the driver side somewhere under the hood. I would of taken it in to Nissan, but after like 2-3 days I came up with this: It only happens once, and thats when I first start it up the day, only happens when it's like 2-10 degress outside (live in Colorado), doesn't happen on warm days at all, car runs fine, no check engine light. Only when it's very cold outside does it do this. So...Im not sure, and I'm not really car savvy other than changing oil. Any idea on what it could be? I checked under the car, under the hood, checked the MAF, air filter, everything I could think of thats on the driver side of the car, and it all seems fine. And since it only happens once throughout the whole day, Nissan would probably won't be able to duplicate the problem.

 

let someone else start the car so you can determine the noice. could be driving belts but as you said it comes from d-side so it could also be your intake sound.

 

mine does the same thing on really cold days 10-15deg i have yet to figure it out.

 

Search for timing chain rattle. It's pretty common, supposedly normal during cold weather start-ups, and by most accounts seems innocuous so far. If it really bothers you or starts doing it regularly at other times, there is a TSB out. I think they just replace one of the sprockets

 

same here, same location, go figure.

 

mine does it too, it also did it like twice during the summer but its more in cold.

 

You know I have the same type sound coming from 2000 max in the mornings and sometimes in the evenings also. In a thread I read last year, someone said the sound was coming from the starter. I did not research it any further since I was not having any real issues, ie. SES light or problems starting the car.

-charles

 

Hmm, I'll keep an eye on it when it warms up some more to see if it does it. This is my second winter owning this car, and wasn't nearly as cold last winter so the problem( if it is a problem ) could of been there then and didn't know it.