Hello,

Well I am back with my 2000 Maxima. Car was running great with no issues and then this morning, would not start. Cranking, but just wont fire as if it is getting no fuel. No other symptoms of any issues until this morning. After the car sat for about 2 hours, it cranked first try. I did not drive it, but let it run and it was fine. About 2 hours later, same issue. The car will crank but not fire. I removed the back seat and can hear the fuel pump engaging. Does not seem to be the issue there. The car has about 145K miles and has been running great with good gas mileage, so I have not changed the plugs or plug wire ever. I have owned it since it was new.

Looking for ideas of next steps. What could I check based on the symptoms?

Thanks!

 

Probably not your issue, but new NGK platinums are overdue for your ride.

Any check engine codes?

 

No codes. Has been running great with no codes since IAC and ECM replaced about 4 months ago.

If I can get it started again, I will try to drive it around the block to see how it runs. But as of yesterday, it was running really great with no issues.

Agree that it is due for plugs. Just wondering if old plugs would keep it from even starting?

 

Scan for codes. Seems your camshaft and crankshaft sensors are about to expire.

 

Thanks but no codes.

 

It's very possible for it not to start with bad, worn plugs. Had a customer about a year or two ago with a 95 Deville 4.9 that had us look at the car after it wouldn't start for him. Car hadn't had a tune up in about 5 years. Tune up done with new plugs, car ran perfect until the day he finally sold it.

 

OK. Plugs are inexpensive. I am out of town for a week but will replace plugs as first step when I get back since they are due anyway.

Thanks for the advice. I will check back in after plugs unless there are more things you guys can think of now.

Thanks again.

 

Changed the plugs and still same result. Engine cranks but wont fire. Really seems like it's not getting gas.

I can hear the fuel pump prime
Put in new plugs
Air filter looks good
No codes at all

Again, ran fine for several months and then just failed to start one morning. Actually did start twice after sitting for a an hour or so, but now it wont start at all.

ECM was replaced along with the IAC valve in February. Done by Nissan dealer.

Any ideas of where to start? 146K miles 2000 Maxima.

Thanks.

 

Does the 2000 have NATS?~chipped key?

I know the '99 has issues with the key/programming.

 

Thanks, I think there is a chip in the key. I have tried two different keys and get same results (won't start).

Are there any ways to tell if it is getting fuel?

If the cam or crank sensors were gone, wouldn't it throw a code?

Thanks.

 

OK, I think I will try to replace the crank shaft sensor next. Anyone have any good video links to locating and replacing these sensors?

Thanks

 

I just did the same thing today for my Maxima. I watched this video:

It's a newer maxima but the part is in nearly the exact same place and its just as easy as the video.

good luck.

 

Thanks for the video link, but are you sure this is a Crank Shaft Sensor replacement? He appears to be replacing one of the Cam Shaft sensors.

Thanks

 

Yes, the guy changed the bank 2 camshaft sensor. I guess he got it all muddled up. Sometimes indeed the terminologies tend to be interchangeable.

 

.had same problem with my 95 ...turned out it was at ignition switch ,,
Not making contact inside switch .. took switch apart ,,cleaned ,, put it back together ... starts fine now .. never threw a code ...

 

Thanks for the tip on the ignition switch. When you say "same problem", yours would crank but not start/fire? I thought if the ignition witch was bad that the car would not even crank?

Can you let me know your symptoms before you repaired the switch?

Thanks!

 

You might wanna check your camshaft position sensor dude. I have the same car, mine had a very similar problem. But I'm not telling you to throw parts at it, go literally pull out your cam sensor (takes 2 min) which is on the left side of your engine block, right under where the engine grounds are, it's attached by one bolt and then just comes out.

Pull it out, look at it. If it looks anything like this:


Then replace it now, with a Nissan part ONLY. If not, then maybe that's not your problem. Mine never threw a code but looked like that. New sensor in, problems gone completely the car fires up all times in all weather.

 

they are a hall effect.....good, or bad

 

Thanks Stillwell. Just so I am sure.....

You are saying check CAM shaft and not CRANK shaft, correct?

I am having a difficult time telling if there is a difference.

I understand that there are 2 CAM sensors. Is there also and Crank sensor or is that another name for one of the cam sensors?

Thanks.

 

OK, I found my Haynes manual and now see that on a 2000 max, there is one Crankshaft Position Sensor (POS) and also a Camshaft Position Sensor.

I will pull the Camshaft Sensor and do a visual inspection as Stillwell recommends.

For an issue of the engine not starting at all now and no codes, does anyone have any advice as to which of these sensors could be the culprit?

Thanks!

 

On the 5th gen we have one Camshaft Position Sensor (PHASE) and two Crankshaft position sensors (POS & REF). The Camshaft sensor specifically, causes the car to crank but not turn over for longer sometimes, will do it intermittently, and a key way to tell is that your starter motor always engages with this kind of problem as does the fuel pump, etc... just the ECU is not getting the right signal and has no idea what cylinder is supposed to fire.

That said, it could be Camshaft sensor just as well as crank sensors or anything else.
But me personally I would check the camshaft sensor because it's way more likely, was a recall on these cars on the 5.5 gen, and takes 2 mins to check. BTW if I remember correctly it also depends if your car has a Mitsubishi or Hitachi camshaft sensor (the 5th gens had both brands, but Hitachi is known to fail more). This also fixed my intermittent long cranking issue completely and 100%, for good, so that's why I told you to check it, being extremely easy and free to do and very likely to be the cause or part of it.

Go here and look, pg. 306 shows a great pic of the sensor location.
GO TO THIS LINK - THIS IS THE FSM (YOU NEED PG. 306 or thereabouts)

 

I thought I would come back and close the loop on this one. Ended up being something simple that I had originally ruled out.

The car keys had to be reprogrammed. When the car failed to start initially, we were using a key that had not been programmed for the new ecm that was installed about 4 months ago. After so many attempts, the theft deterrent system locks out any key. So when I suspected the key was bad, the good key had already been disabled too, making me think the problem was elsewhere. So, $100 from Nissan to diagnose and code two keys to ecm.

I hope this helps someone else on the board.

Thanks for all the help too.

Joe

 

 

This is interesting. You're saying you got a bad key but yet the car would still start, with problems, but still started?

That doesn't sound like very good security. So that means someone could just steal one of these cars with a bad key

 

I had the same problem with my car, I added a ground strap from my transmission to the frame and problem went away seems to be a ground issue with our cars...did you have your transmission out lately?

 

What I'm thinking is is the battery in the key for the chip may be bad...or going bad....Like I said I got the key coded at Walmart and I dont have much faith in it......No issues till we started using this key

 

Hm. We don't have any batteries in our actual key, just the chip. It's not like the 7th gen key fob that has a battery.

And I didn't even know Walmart could do a proper job at programming our keys

 

My 2003 does the same thing. It will start, run then without warning shut off. Then it'll crank for 20 seconds or so and start. I can drive it for awhile and then it repeats. Also there are times when first starting it cranks for a long time till it fires.
No codes or cel.
Any more ideas?

 

LOL.....I dont know about a proper job.....Noticed that when car would not start, I tapped the key on the gear shift a few times and it would start right away......This happened on 4 differnt times on different days but would get the same result. Went to Nissian and had new key made.....Havent had issue any more.....
You get what you pay for!!!!
The 50 dollar Walmart key was not worth the additional frustration

 

I'm bumping this thread after reading. You know it isn't normal when you're so used to starting your car and knowing the perfect time to release the key once the engine fires up. When you expect to let off and the engine still doesn't fire up, that's when you know something's amiss.

Could it be at all possible that it's a starter motor that is getting old, with worn brushes? I'm getting some long cranks every now and then, and for the first time under my 8.33 years of ownership of my 5.5, it did not fire up with the first turn. I had to turn it a second time to fire up. The other 98% of the time, it starts up normal and as Ward's Auto said about the VQ, revs like no other this side of a Ferrari.

 

Clean crank sensor before trying to throw parts at it. Flywheel shavings stick to it.