I'm looking for some help troubleshooting my starting issue. The car acts like it doesn't think it's in park.

Right now my car won't crank. When I turn the key I don't hear the starter. I have strong power in the car, dash lights work, headlights, radio, pwr windows, etc...

background:
1. I installed a new battery about a month ago, I even tried to jump the car to see if that would help.
2. I disconnected the battery and re-cleaned the terminals and the multiple positive connectors.
3. I checked the fusible links next to the battery and none of them are blown. I re-seated the links for battery ign (fl 75a), Ign sw (fl 30a) and Acc (fl 65a)
4. I pulled the air intake out to get to the starter & wiring. I reseated the connections for the neutral start/backup-up switches.
5. I looked in the relay box and re-seated the Inhibit relay as well.

I don't have a multimeter, but my best guess is the inhibit relay might be bad and not passing electricity to the starter solenoid.

Thoughts?

 

Do you hear the relay click? You can check for voltage at the starter... that way you can eliminate the relay.

It could also be your ignition switch or perhaps just a bad starter. Give the starter a whack with a piece of wood or tire-iron and see if it starts.

Try jiggling the key and see if it starts - if it does, then its likely a bad ignition switch.

 

Or it would be the safety neutral switch, the one that keeps the car to start if it's not in N or P.

Mine is wearing out and sometimes I need to move the shifter from P to 1 and back to P again to "engage" the switch.

 

I had a similar problem and it turned out to be the electrical part of the ignition switch...someitmes i would turn the key and it wouldn't turn at all. $50 at autozone. Starts perfect now.

 

I hear *something* electric initiate under the hood when I turn the key but I couldn't say for sure that its a relay.

I tried whacking the starter with a wrench w/o any luck. I've pulled the starter out and am off to Autozone to bench test it. If it checks out then I can focus on the relay and/or the park/neutral position switch.

I've tried jiggingly the key and moving the car in and out of park MANY times w/o any change in behavior.

 

Problem solved!!! The starter checked out, so while I was at the store I picked up a replacement inhibit relay for $12.00. Once I put everything back together and inserted the relay the car cranked right up!

...Now on to the next project: CV boot replacement!

Thanks all for your suggestions!

 

not bad bro...under 4 hours to get it straight

 

Thanks for the props on fixing my car, BUT it's acting up AGAIN. I've been driving it ever since last friday w/o any problems however today I was out and about and the car starting doing the same thing again. I let it sit for a couple of hours before having it towed home. When we unloaded it from the flatbed wrecker it started right up. I was thinking my problem might be an electrical short that was blowing the relay it however with it now starting it's back to the drawing board on what the problem might be.

Does anyone know if any computer codes would be logged in a situation like this? Any ideas would be much appreciated!

 

weird, you had the starter tested and she checked out... but still gives you problems...
I had the same problem with my maxima, but the second time I took it off and had the store re-test it, it was shot. For me it was a new starter...
Mine would start sometimes and not start other times as well. A mechanic buddy told me that the way the starter is built, if you get a dead spot on the starter it won't start for a few hours, but them magically it'll start. When you test it, the starter might not be on the dead spot and all will look good, but really it's not.
Hope that helps you out...

 

i'm having the EXACT same problem, and i had that problem tonight. I'm going to give the starter a quick hit tomorrow morning before i have it towed. luckily my mechanic is only 7 blocks away.

i can't even get a hard start, as the car won't even crank. hopefully it will magically work out overnight and let me start the damn thing.

 

Thanks for the tip on the starter, since mine tested fine I kind of ruled it out but it shoulds like that might not be a sure thing.

I was going to turn my attention toward the neutral safety switch which seems like the only other viable component that would figure into the mix.

PhillyMAx - Sorry to hear you've got the same problem; You got a manual or auto trans?

 

I've got an automatic transmission. Only once in a while will I have to wiggle my slushbox when it's in "Park" to engage the ignition switch or neutral switch so I can turn the car over.

Couldn't get the damn thing to start this morning. AAA showed up in 30 minutes. Tower said it has something to do with my security system - which I don't even have. I have the OEM keyless entry.

 

Now if you had told us that before, we could have told you what your real problem is - the park/neutral inhibitor switch is either misaligned or faulty - it is what prevents the car from starting in any other gear (other than P and N).

 

I highly suspect that my park/neutral inhibitor switch is faulty, is there a way to test it? Would the computer log a code if it failed? I hate to go and special order this thing at Autozone if it isn't really my problem.

The only other thing I can think of that it could be would be the starter as pointed out in post #9.

 

Actually my comment was aimed at PhillyMax.

kuchar - your problem is *most* likely a bad ignition switch. 30 bucks and 15 mins to replace.

 

My mechanic has the car now so he looking into the problem. I'll have my mechanic take a look at the park/neutral inhibitor switch. Thanks for the advice, njmodi.

 

Take a pair of pliers and just give a whack to the starter while someone else is attempted to start. I had the same issue so I just used my auto start and gave a knock to the starter and it fired right up.

 

Well I called around for prices on the ignition switch. Autozone wants $49 bucks and the Nissan $tealership quoted me $40. Go figure!

I hate intermittent problems!

I'll keep some tools in the car in the event the problem comes back and I have to whack the starter.

 

PhillyMax- What did your mechanic find out? Was it the park/neutral safety switch?

 

Call Dave B (see the FAQ sticky) - 32 bucks for a nissan switch + shipping.

 

PNP switch since its a auto, or ignition switch. Nissan OEM ignition switch goes for around $27.00. I would not hit the starter. Starters cost around $130 from autozone. There is another way to start the car straight from the starter to the battery but wont go into that.

 

It was only the starter that had to be replaced. I also had him check any fuses, the fuel pump, and switches to make sure those weren't faulty.

He replaced the starter and the car started up like it was brand new.

 

Cool, I just went thru everything on my car (ignition switch, neutral safety switch, inhibit relay and starter) I traced electricity all the way to the starter solenoid still it wouldn't start. I tapped the solenoid with a screw driver and it cranked right up.

I guess it's off to Autozone for a new starter. What a relief to finally have this isolated! Funny thing is that I had the starter bench tested last week, I guess it's just flaky.