2003 maxima starting issue
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2003 maxima starting issue
My fiancé's 2003 maxima is having a strange starting issue. I recently replaced the cam sensor to fix a code it had been throwing, and that fixed it's stalling issue, and it's now showing no codes.
The issue occurring, is when you start the car, and don't let the engine fully turn over by releasing the key too early, it becomes very hard to start. It will eventually, but it can take a long time, and a lot of tries. If you hold the key forward long enough it always starts the first time. Also, it isn't as if you need to keep it turned a long time, a second or so works.
It seems like this only happens when it doesn't turn over the first time, I never have a problem starting it, except when my hand slips off the key, or I let it off a split second early.
I'm not a car expert, but I'm mechanically inclined enough to fix the simple stuff. My problem here is that I can't even seem to find someone else having this problem, and without the car throwing a code, I'm not knowledgable enough to even know where to start. I think it was doing this while the cam sensor was going bad too, but I assumed it was part of the same problem.
Any help would be appreciated, any search I try only pulls up results for cars that don't start the first try. But like I said, as long as I don't let off the key too early, it starts right up.
The issue occurring, is when you start the car, and don't let the engine fully turn over by releasing the key too early, it becomes very hard to start. It will eventually, but it can take a long time, and a lot of tries. If you hold the key forward long enough it always starts the first time. Also, it isn't as if you need to keep it turned a long time, a second or so works.
It seems like this only happens when it doesn't turn over the first time, I never have a problem starting it, except when my hand slips off the key, or I let it off a split second early.
I'm not a car expert, but I'm mechanically inclined enough to fix the simple stuff. My problem here is that I can't even seem to find someone else having this problem, and without the car throwing a code, I'm not knowledgable enough to even know where to start. I think it was doing this while the cam sensor was going bad too, but I assumed it was part of the same problem.
Any help would be appreciated, any search I try only pulls up results for cars that don't start the first try. But like I said, as long as I don't let off the key too early, it starts right up.
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,446
From: California
Hi guys, did you resolve your starting problems?
I am curious because I have a similar issue: When I start the car, it catches on but the engine RPM's drop to 400-500 RPM's or so very quickly, within 1/2 second or so. More often then not, the car stalls unless I tap the gas pedal. Sometimes, it recovers on its own. So, there is always an RPM drop and then something kicks in and RPM's go up to normal.
This has not been happening before, so I know it's a new issue. I suspect the MAF or the IACV but haven't done anything about it yet apart from checking codes (no codes). BTW, this seems to happen only when the engine is warm/hot.
Any suggestions?
I am curious because I have a similar issue: When I start the car, it catches on but the engine RPM's drop to 400-500 RPM's or so very quickly, within 1/2 second or so. More often then not, the car stalls unless I tap the gas pedal. Sometimes, it recovers on its own. So, there is always an RPM drop and then something kicks in and RPM's go up to normal.
This has not been happening before, so I know it's a new issue. I suspect the MAF or the IACV but haven't done anything about it yet apart from checking codes (no codes). BTW, this seems to happen only when the engine is warm/hot.
Any suggestions?
Last edited by maxiiiboy; Jul 5, 2014 at 11:21 PM.
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