Hello everyone,

I have a 1999 Maxima that ,just today, is having a hard time starting. It was running fine this morning when I took it to the grocery store then about 30 min later I couldn't use unlock the door with the remote. No power what so ever. I had my brother come out and jumped start the car. It started up fine with no hesitation. So we figured it was low on batter or something. We quickly took it home and turned off the car and tried starting it again. It started the first time then on the second try it wouldn't turn over. Nothing was powered on. We are currently letting it sit on the charger until we figure out the next step. Any help from you guys would be great appreciated!

 

I recently had this problem with my 99 Maxima. Same scenario & everything. I recommend you buy a new battery & starter. You could charge the battery but I recommend getting a new one. I recently changed the battery before the starter & it blew out my starter. So I bought a new one from eBay ($50) & replaced it. It's pretty simple to do. The battery I bought was a Duralast Gold from Autozone ($135) I believe.

 

Take the battery after it's charged to the auto parts store and have them load test it.

I wouldn't change the starter though, unless it starts acting up.

 

Well I changed the starter & the battery & I have no problems here but either one should work hopefully.

 

Have the battery tested. If it tests good, it very well could be the starter.

I have a similar problem on one of my old Maximas. Created a thread and several people said it's my starter.

 

With the remote working sporadically, I'd suspect a bad connection at the battery. Did you clean the connections and make sure they're tight? Is there any corrosion of the cable (especially up inside the outer covering)? Are your grounds clean?

 

Yep check your battery connections first. If solid, confirm the battery's condition by load testing at auto parts house. If bad replace. If good, start evaluating voltage drop between the battery and ground and the battery and the starter. If voltage drops are significant replace cables or improve connections. If voltage drops are insignificant check the continuity of the ignition switch. If continuity is bad replace switch, if good replace the starter. Since you have a '99 you have NATS. As part of your trouble shooting you may have to run the traps on this system as well as it immobilizes the ignition as an anti-theft feature. If all those check good its your starter on the way out. Sometimes it will start and others it won't until it fails completely.

 

Hi-
I have a 99. Worked on it for ~8 mos., kid got his license on a Saturday, go to bring the car to him, which I had been using as my daily runner to make sure it was ok, and what do you know? Dead battery. So I'm in a panic because it's the Big Day so I get the battery out in record time (hold down is long gone) and go to Autozone with my overburdened credit card at the ready and they tested it - perfectly fine. By the way, jumping it DID start it.


So - I never suspected the starter motor because those usually tell you when they're failing (noises, hesitation but crank, etc.) and also because it's the simplest problem and I never get that. SO my belabored point is in my case I believe it had something to do with the SECURITY SYSTEM. You mentioned remote unlocking and no crank, and I believe that's what my problem was that fateful day because I put the battery back in and the problem was gone. Thinking total re-boot. So could your new battery have really just been the solution because the battery was disconnected for a bit? Anyway, that was my experience and your symptoms sound familiar. But you now have a new starter and new battery so that alone is great.
John