This is bhmax's friend who has a 95 maxima SE with a manual transmission. Ever since I bought the car it had problems every now and then starting. I would turn the key and nothing(no spinning), turn the key and nothing(no spinning), then it would crank right up. And one time I even attempted to crank the car without pushing in the clutch and it was spinning but didn't sound too good so I stopped it. The reason we think it was able to spin is because their was a extra relay added to the car with 4 wires connecting to the starter, the positive battery terminal, the clutch interlock relay, and then finally grounded to the car.
When we take the extra relay out the car won't spin. After about a few months the starter finally went out and was replaced and everything was fine. About 3 weeks after the new starter was put in the no spinning problem returned and finally it wouldn't spin at all. I had the starter checked and it is good. Any thoughts.

 

was it wired for a remote start before you bought it because that would explain why your clutch wouldnt need to be pushed down

 

bhmax back here...my friend couldn't start a new thread himself yet. Yeah, that's one thought I had: a possible remote start system installed previously. We don't know that for sure since the seller was pretty shady. He also had the check engine light disabled. I'm just now starting to search to help solve the problem. I've thought about the issue being a few different things: bad relays, blown fuses, starter, ignition switch, and clutch switch. We've checked fuses, I think we tried a different clutch interlock relay, and then the starter was replaced. I think it's pretty strange how the problem went away after the starter was changed and then came back very soon. We should probably just try a new ignition switch since I think that should be pretty easy to do. I'm not sure how the switch on the clutch pedal itself works, so I don't know where to start to mess with it. The service manual hasn't given me any enlightenment yet.

 

those wires are probably for a ghetto starter kill. A remote start would be connected under the dash. The first thing to do is change the ignition switch. That is the most likely culprit to explain whats going on.

Its an easy fix. You dont want to spend all kinds of money and diagnostic time when the stupid switch is bad

 

Yeah, we'll give the ignition switch a try first.

 

this is acutally a know problem on 1995 Maxima's. there is a TSB out on it. it says to push in clutch and the accelerator pedal to WOT and then Start the car. and once it starts release the accelerator pedal.

 

Would that not be more referring to the car not firing? He's had some issues with that too, occasionally, but we're more concerned with the car not cranking (starter not turning).

 

the clutch switch is just a normally open switch, when you push the pedal the switch closes, just unplug the switch at the connector behind the pedal and using a small piece of wire jump the two terminals together. as for that relay, can you give us details, the pin numbers and where the wires go to and the factory wire colors that they connect to. it does sound like a ghetto starter kill though, maybe one of those trick ones where you have to have some accessory on to be able to start the car, likek the wipers or the cig. lighter pushed down, you can try having various accessories tuned on whilel you start it and see.

 

Sometimes a solution is the easy one we overlook. Just for kicks... Clean and tighten all major grounds. If it doesn't help, you eliminated something easy. Besides, it can't hurt. Good luck.