This doesn't happen to me often, but today I put the key in the ignition to on, waited, turned it to start and this awful grinding sound came. I turned the key to off waited, turned back to on, waited, then tried again but then I hear the grin again. AFter the next try, it started. The last time this happened to me was about a month ago. What's wrong with the car? Does this cause a lot of damage? What's the proper thing to do if it happens again? Did anything like this happen to anyone else?

Thanks,
Mike

 

Starter? Does it sound like something hitting fans blades?

 

Your Starter most likely needs replacing soon. Common problem with 4th Gens.

Used to happen to me in the mornings on cold days. Never in the summer.

It's about a 1-2 hour job if you do it yourself. Part costs $140 at Autozone.

 

On cold days it's just a little hard to start but it's not bad, no grinding sound or anything. This happened actually an hour or 2 after I parked the car. If you ever heard someone trying to start a car when it's already on, that's how it sounds. Last time it happened to me is about a month ago.

 

http://www.motorvate.ca/auto/maxima/starter/starter.htm

 

Thanks, but in mine it won't crank or rotate at all, it just makes a grinding sound.