Having trouble with car staret-up

[Xellos2099]

There is a issue with my mother's car starting last week. What happen was that one day she forget to close the window after she turn off the engine and she immediately turn it on again and the car refuse to turn on. We think there is soe kind of security lock but after a bit it work again. However, 30 minutes later it refuse to turn on again.

2 hours later we try again and it work. We were getting worry so we change the battery(costco warrenty) and the car work fine initially, and then it stop again and work again. We finally take the car to a mexerian shop that we know and they say they can't find any issue as the car turn on fine at the shop. Battery is good, starter is fine and alternator is fine too.

The day after that my mom ask a friend of her to take another look. It work fine but when he turn off the engine and try it on again it stop working. My mom end up having someone to toll the car to a nearby shop. And to our dismay, the car work completely fine at the shop for an entire day, as the guy test it hourly. He claim he hear there is someone wrong with the starter.

I am quite sure on who to trust here. Btw, the car is a nissian maxima 1996.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Why would she start the engine just to close a window? Wouldn't she just try putting the key in the accessory position and put the window up without starting the engine?

It sounds to me like an intermittent issue with the ignition switch, especially if she wasn't trying to start the engine but just use the accessory setting to get power to the window the first time it wouldn't work, but there's really not much information to go on. It's also possible that the starter relay is getting flaky, but my instinct still says the ignition switch is what to check first.

ZV

 

[phucheneh]

Need more info. Differentiate your symptoms...like 'engine cranks/turns but does not start' or 'engine does not crank' or even 'vehicle lacks some/all electrical function when the key is turned'.

Also, there's position 1 (accessory) and position 2 (run).

I think it's probably an ignition switch, too. The electrical portion, that is. When you buy parts like that, it's generally good to specify between the electrical back half and the lock cylinder itself so that you get the right part.

But more clear info would help.

 

[Xellos2099]

Well, my mom reported the past few day the car work fine but sometime the engine cranks for 2-3 second before it start. The day I was with her the engine doesn't crank at all when it just freeze up. It is like you turn the key, u can see the dashboard like up but there is no crank at all.

A friend of mine so is very into car think it could be the temp senor issue, making it think engine is too hot so it won't turn on/

 

[phucheneh]

It sounds like two different problems to me. One is a long crank time, probably after sitting overnight or a similarly lengthy period. Bad fuel pressure regulator is a common cause of this.

No crank at all isn't going to be related to any engine electronics. When you turn the key, a relay is energized that sends power to the small (solenoid) terminal on the starter. The activation of that solenoid is what closes the circuit for the starter motor itself, which then cranks the engine, drawing power through the big cable between the battery and starter.

So, basically- You need to make sure the battery is good (and charged, of course). Then look for 12v at the big terminal on the starter while cranking. If you've got nothing, check the relay. If the relay is clicking on, check the battery cable. There are a limited number of things that can cause a 'no crank' condition.

Being intermittent, I would suspect the starter or the cable the most. Especially if this happens when trying to start a hot engine (e.g. you drove somewhere, stopped in a store for a minute or two, and came back out before the car cooled down). A marginally bad cable may work when cold, but consume too much voltage when hot. Starter solenoids are also known to get finicky when hot.

The most basic test would be the 'whack it with a hammer' check. If you get no crank whatsoever, the caveman method is to hit the starter solenoid (the small cylinder) with a hammer while someone tries to crank. If the starter turns after that bit of encouragement, you know it's the issue.

You don't really need a hammer for that last test, though. I usually use a prybar. Tire iron also works. Anything long and straight with a decent bit of mass that you can tap the solenoid with. You're not trying to abuse it too much, since it may very well not be the problem.

 

[Xellos2099]

I know what a starter look like but i have no clue on where it is. I look for it in google and there are only word description. Now going to help much...

http://www.ehow.com/how_4853156_change-starter-nissan-maxima.html

 

[phucheneh]

The air intake they're talking about is the black plastic box where the air filter goes. If I remember right, the starter is more or less right below the throttle body- throttle body being the aluminum piece that the air filter box is connected to via a big rubber tube. Has the throttle cable attached.

Basically, find where the engine and transmission meet up, and look toward the back of the engine bay.