Hey guys, Im stuck and have work in the morning. Currently trying to find an answer as to what happened?

2008 max se, 211k miles. Radiator cracked at the top plastic so I purchased a new one and installed myself. The install went perfect, no problems. Filled the radiator and started the car like normal to burp/purge air pockets using the no spill funnel technique. It ran for roughly 15 mins. Coolant temp was 185ish. Fans were kicking in. Everything was going like I expected.

My neighbor came over to chat and fell against the no spill funnel knocking it over with damn near boiling water spilling all over anything on the passenger side front near where the radiator cap sits. I know there is a fuse box like black panel, the alternator, the belts, O2 sensors etc in that area near the coolant reservoir.

​​​​​​I cut the car off, checked on my neighbor and fixed the funnel system back in to continue the air bleed. Now the car won't crank up. The battery is almost new and had good charge, 12.8v. The starter turns like normal and tried to start but it's like I have no spark. It doesn't even attempt to hit. Hot water could have definitely spilled into the top front valve cover, maybe the wet or heat screwed up an ignition coil? Or that o2 sensor down by the exhaust manifold near the radiator?

I'm out of daylight. It's 30 degrees outside and I have to sleep before my shift that starts at 3am. I'm kinda out of options here unless anyone can point me to something in that area that would cause a no start like this from having hot radiator water splashed on it from a funnel.

Any ideas?
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Check fuses first before anything

 

Shouldn't be your coilpack(s) unless your engine cover was off at the time of the spill. If your cover was off, pull the coilpacks and look for water.

Are you sure NATS hasn't gotten you? Coincidence?

Any water get into the alternator?

Perhaps unplug and reconnect any connections in the nearby vicinity of the spill and inspect for water.

 

I checked the fuses related to having no spark or fuel but not all of them. I will go back and look at each one.

Everything in that area got surface wet. But the valve cover was not off, coils not removed. Alternator definitely would have been part of the zone that got watered but I am not sure how to check if it's fried or damaged.

 

Alternator wont cause a no start. if youre cranking normally you can disregard anything related to alternator or starter.

start with checking for codes. wash the entire area off with fresh clean water and dry out as best as you can.

 

There are no codes. Before ALL of this happened I had a p0128 for the coolant temp sensor, but it was cleared with the radiator swap and just to be sure I replaced he coolant temp sensor as well.

I got stuck late at work today and didn't get the time or chance to check the fuses. I'm going to see if I can do it flash lite style.

 

I've seen bad ECTS's prevent a warm car from starting back over, but never a cold car. What you have going on is very strange.

 

Indeed, very strange. The more I read and search to find someone else who had this issue, it kinda sounds like I might be grounding out somewhere?

I ran the battery dead trying to start it. Hooked a fully charged (13.8v) Everlast battery jump box to it to try again, and the jump box clicked and went completely dead when I turned the key to start. Never seen that before either. Maybe that hot water exposed some wire or something?

All I know Is I gotta find something quick.

 

p0128 is a stuck open or opening early thermostat 99.9999999% of the time. it literally translates to "the engine coolant temperature does not reach to specified temperature even though the engine has run long enough"

take it from the top. find whats missing. spark or injector pulse, or both.

 

I have a new thermostat housing sitting. The goal was to install it as well but I ran out of time and haven't had any to look at it with work.

So, I checked all the fuses in the entire car. Every one of them is good.

I charged the battery over night and while at work and tried to give it a go. It still won't crank. Starter is working hard. It's regular rhythm is fast. Still have either no spark or no gas and I have no clue why spilling some coolant would do this. The engine makes heat. The exhaust header is right there. A little hot water shouldn't have messed anything up.

Checked the obd with my scanner. A new code shows that I've never seen before. P0118. Coolant temp sensor voltage high. I installed a new coolant temp sensor with thr
​​​​ radiator. ..

Would that sensor stop me from cranking? Giving out a false reading or whatever?



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is it not cranking or not starting? you initially said it cranks normal but wont start but now say it isnt cranking. which is it?

there are only 4 things needed to make an engine run. air, fuel, spark, and compression. figure out which is missing and go from there.

 

Turn your key into accessory mode, turn off, and start. Any chance your car says “trunk open”?

 

Actually, yes. It says trunk open, but that trunk has been open. That's where I keep my tools.

Why would the trunk have anything to do with this? Part of the nvis/nats?

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I was/am having an electrical issue on my maxima that doesn’t let me start my car on the first turn. Making me think that my car doesn’t crank, obviously doesn’t start. Until I put the key on acc. mode, then turn it off, and then crank the car and it starts up.

Idk I guess maybe a fried electrical part throws the error code into the car. My 10A fuse burns out. 10A fuse gives power to all electrical components in the inside of your car. NVIS/NATS are electrical components.

My car trunk will say it’s open but it’s closed.

 

Well, I'm not sure if I'm having that same issue but my key fob no longer works. I can't turn the ignition without inserting the physical key. When I do, I see a red key light on the dash.

I've read about resetting it? But the procedure I used isn't working. (Lock doors, insert key, turn to acc and back off 6 times. Hazard lights should flash twice.)

The hazards is never flash and I can't get anything out of the key fob. Replaced the key fob battery to a new one to be sure it's got power. Stil no results.

 

pull the IPDM out and see if its dripping in coolant

 

I Will check that and get back to you.

My suspicion is that it won't be now, because it's been 3 and a half days of drying out from the spill.

 

I guess that's because you're using an obd scanner. I'm suspecting your Intelligent Key Unit has unaccountably malfunctioned. You'll need a scanner with higher capability than the obd scanner to scan other modules in your car to confirm.

 

I Believe so too. Unfortunately money is extremely tight right now and I can't afford a scanner or anything absolutely non essential to making this thing run.

But, from the replies here and reading other users issues, it sounds exactly like a key issue.

So, I got the car to start one time. I did the thing where someone said to turn it to ACC, then Back off. And the. Try to start it.

The car started hitting like it has spark for the first time in almost a week. The car eventually started and idled very rough for about 45 seconds and began to smooth out.

I let it heat up as I was doing before to try to bleed air from the coolant system. The car started to overheat again at idle with no throttle being used at all. It took about 20 mins before it really started to climb so I cut it off. So, I'm guessing my thermostat is stuck open. I have the new parts in hand but I need to find out how to remove those pain the *** housing bolts to replace it.
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Also, I haven't been able to restart it since. I Keep running the battery down trying and have to put it on charge. And my key fob will not do anything to the car. I have to insert the actual key to get the ignition to move.

 

For the heck of it, get a long pipe and gently smack your starter/starter solenoid before trying to start it. If it starts every time with a smack to the starter, it's a starter issue and not a key issue. I'm saying this considering you got the car to start only one time recently.

 

The starter turns every time I touch the ignition. I don't think the starter has ever been the issue. The issue seems to lie in spark being delivered or not while the starter is working it's *** off.

The dude that posted about turning the key to ACC and then off and then slamming it all the way over to start and trying to start it that way seemed to have the right idea. Thats the only way I got it to start or at least act like it wanted it to start. It was kinda sorta clear to me that the car was presenting a no start condition based on the security system/key transponder and cutting the ignition in that way instead of a mechanical issue with a part.

So, I PMd that gentlemen to see if there is a fix for this issue or If I have to try to trick the computer every time I want to try to drive my car.

 

Gotcha. Your thread title says "car won't crank" not "car won't start", hence my recommendation.

Have you looked through the Factory Service Manual (FSM) for any possible remedies? There should be flow charts on how to diagnosis this situation based on the newly developed key information.

 

I downloaded the manual and looked at the NATS/NVIS stuff regarding the ignition switch not turning and key fob not working. I can't say that I studied it really hard. Google search came up with the method I tried with turning the switch to ACC and back off 6 times. I should have seen hazard lights flash twice when it recognized my key but they never happened in several attempts.

I'm going to be looking at it all when I get home from work. I'm off the next 2 days so hopefully I'll be able to get her done.

 

The return from your Google search applies to the 2004/2005/2006 model years that operate the conventional manual key system. You car belongs to 2007/2008 model years operating the Intelligent Key system. Two very different operation systems, even though you could use the manual key inserted in the fob to start the car. You don't have a NATS issue, Since you said you have downloaded the manual (I presume for the 2008 model year), check the section on the Intelligent Key System, especially page BL-67. As I mentioned earlier however, I'm at a loss as to why you suddenly have an Intelligent Key issue.

 

Which key type I had was something unclear to me when I saw it. It did list instructions for the intelligent key as well. It was from some car dealer service website telling customers "you don't have to bring it in for this, you can do it at home "

I'll go back to the manual and check out that page you suggested. I am also at a loss for what happened or why. I'm guessing I ran the battery way too low trying to start it, sit in it with the lights on and read Google, etc. Thinking if the battery goes too low it could forget key? Another post I read either here or the nico forums suggested that turning the car off and jerking the key out too quickly can cause this issue as well. But, thinking back when it happened, I didn't have the physical key inserted. I always just turn it with the key fob picking up.

Thank you for the replies.

 

Out of curiosity did you find the issue? I was following this and still curious lol

 

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Update - So, the car is still having major issues. I did eventually get it to start using the physical key and the post I was referring to before. The intelligent key was somehow forgotten and my key fob still doesn't work. But I can unlock the doors and start it using the hidden key.

As far as everything else, since I've gotten it started a couple of times, I've been battling problem after problem. Replaced the radiator, thermostat, coolant temp sensor, 6 ignition coils, 6 spark plugs, valve cover gaskets and new covers, and I some how have a constant battery drain going on. It's sucking the battery down lower than 9 volts and I keep it hooked to a charger until I'm ready to try something else to get it going.

It is still running hot. Heats up from idle to 215ish fairly quickly and hovers about 8 mins, and then starts to climb north of 245 if I let it. I typically kill it out when I notice it heading towards hot 230ish.

I've been using the no spill funnel kit to try and bleed the air from the coolant system. The funnel basically has a constant rumble of rolling water going on, my heat never gets warm, and. I matter how many times I do the procedure with the funnel I still burp off some. I'm honestly starting to think it's sucking in new air,... Like from a blown head gasket from overheating. 🤷🏼‍♂️

But I honestly don't know. I'm out of money for the moment while I'm trying to plan my next move..