jbasinc

I have a 2005 Maxima SL 3.5 that sat outside for a year without being started. Car belongs to my mother in law who has two homes one on east coast and the other on the west coast. She usually makes it out here to the east coast once a year for a month or so. Before she rolls into town I go over and charge the battery fully before I try to start car. In the past car starts and works fine. Last year I had to replace the battery since it wouldn't charge fully before she got in town so the battery is currently a little over a year old. So last week I go over charge the battery before she arrives. Battery charges fully with no issues 12.8 volts. Go to start the car and it wont crank. All the lights on dash light up normally, no check engine light and no indication there is a security system issue. Started to approach the problem as a bad starter, cleaned battery terminals and made sure I had a good ground by hooking battery cable to negative side of battery and to bracket that's attached to alternator. Still no crank. Don't know what made me cycle the key on and off multiple times but low and behold it cranks and starts right up. Runs normal with no check engine light. So I thought maybe I had a bad ignition key cylinder. The car would restart with no issue until I removed the key from the ignition. Once I put the key back in and tried to start again no crank. Cycle key on and off multiple times again and it cranks and starts runs fine no codes. Now that I have spent some time cycling the key on and off I have figured out the following: To start it, put key in ignition, cycle on and off 5 times. On the fifth cycle turn all the way to start and it cranks over and starts. Works every time. It will never crank over before the 5th cycle. Once the car starts you turn the key to the off position and wait any amount of time and it will restart on the first try. Once you remove the key from the ignition though you have to go through the same process to of cycling it on and off 5 times to get it started again. I drove the car to the gas station and it drives and shifts like it should. Key Fob and Key are the factory ones that came with car. Key fob works like it should to lock/unlock doors, trunk etc. What ever the problem is its only effects start up. Been googling this symptom and cant find anything. Anyone seen this before?

Costee

Try the spare key if there's one.

jbasinc

Well got my hands on the spare key and still have the exact same symptom.

Costee

It could be that the NATS antenna amp located on the ignition barrel is producing weak signals to the BCM. The amp may have slightly shifted location or it's on the way out. Another trouble-shooting option is to have the key(s) re-programmed.
PS. Replacing the amp does not require key programming.

aackshun

iTrader: (3)

For the 8th millionth time on Maxima.org.....

NATS -Nissan Anti Theft System- has nothing and I mean

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To do with the cranking of a keyed nissan.

(Hell it really doesn't have anything to do with keyless systems as well but that's another topic).

If you are having issues with the cranking of your keyed Nissan (any Maxima made 06 and before) car it is between the starter relay (and all things that activate/control it.... Clutch switch, park/neutral switch, etc), battery, starter and ignition cylinder.

Best to check for any aftermarket wiring in your car.

If not maybe your IPDM's starter relay is sticking or your ipdm is not reading something and the cycling resets it.

CMax03

iTrader: (3)

Bump the starter relay with a hammer and if that works it's more than likely a slight corrosion inside the solenoid not allowing it to slide as easy as a solenoid that is used almost ever day!

aackshun

iTrader: (3)

Watch your forum carlton

This is the 6th gen forum. Starter Relay = IPDM