I bought a 1997Nissan Maxima from my cousin and as he tried teaching me how to drive stick I stalled and the car did not want to start back up we were able to pop starT it it to get back to my houseI am unsure whether it is the ignition switch or the relay because the car will start sometimes after I keep trying to start the engine for a while
Intermittent start that push starts is probably a bad starter or a bad connection to the starter.
If the horn or AC relay is identical to the starter relay swap them with each other & see what it does.
@jmipana - describe exactly what happens when you turn the key. What noises does it make? Does the engine turn over at all?
I changed the relay and i got nothing when i turn the key and there is no noise the radio turns off and all the lights stay on the dashboard and theres just silence thanks guys im really clueless on what to do anymore
Oh yeah the engine doesnt turn over at all no noise nothing but if i keep trying it usually starts
Check if 12V is at the starter when you’re trying to start it. If the starter’s getting 12 V and not starting, then it might be a worn starter solenoid or starter. If it isn’t, I’d remove, clean, and reconnect the battery cables to the battery. If that doesn’t help then it could either be the ignition switch or a safety interlock in the starting circuit. Does putting the gearbox in neutral help? It might be the start interlock switch on the clutch pedal linkage.
Its stick so its always in neutral i was hitting the starter the other day while my friend started it and it started i dont have a volt gauge so i cant check the volts on the starter but im going to try hitting the starter again if it works i think im just going to change it but whats the diffrence between the starter and the starter solenoid?
If hitting the starter helped, then it’s the starter or solenoid. Here’s the starter+solenoid on the Maxima:
The solenoid is the silver cylinder on top. Probably the best thing would be to replace the entire assembly. When you go to get the starter, it should come with the solenoid already attached, it’s not extra.
But before you spend the money on the starter, check that all battery and starter connections are clean and tight.
I don’t think it’s the starter I got the car scanned and these are the codes that came up any of them you know can stop the car from starting like this?
Why would a manual transmission have a park/neutral position switch? Have you checked the clutch pedal safety switch? I had one go bad. If I removed the floor mat I could push the pedal far enough to start most of the time. I had it replaced for $60.
so it ended up being the ignition switch which i fixed by taking it apart and starting it with out the key for now. but now i got the same problem the ignition switch is still out in the open and it wont start up again with the same old no noise or anything when i turn the ignition switch. i looked at the clutch pedal sensor and the harness that goes into the sensor looked kind of weak and the wires going into the harness looked like they were hanging by a strand of wire so i unplugged it and the harness and the wires disconnected from each other. i feel like i broke it myself cause i unplugged it but the car was not starting up so i am guessing that this would of been the problem. the two wires that went into the harness are thin so i tried pushing them back into the harness and plugging it back into the sensor after crimping the wires so it would stay in place. after trying to start it again i got nothing. then i took the wires out the harness and just tied them together to try to bypass the safety switch i try starting it up and i got nothing again!!!
Starter. You’ll just need to break down and buy one.
The code for the park/neutral switch looks suspicious. I’d start there. That code is for an automatic transmission, but manual transmission cars usually have a clutch safety switch, which is something that detects that the clutch pedal is depressed before it will allow the starter motor to work. I suspect they just piggy back the codes, so you get the same DTC manual clutch-safety-switch vs automatic neutral-safety-switch. It’s to prevent kids in the car from turning the key and accidentally starting the engine, as their feet won’t reach the clutch pedal or they don’t realize they have to push the clutch pedal to start the engine. I had this clutch-safety-switch problem with my Corolla in fact.
Before changing the starter it makes sense to measure the voltage at both starter terminals during attempted cranking. Its a big job to replace the starter and you don’t want to do it unless it is necessary. There’s at least a half dozen reasons besides a faulty starter why a car doesn’t crank reliably.
Before buying a new starter try this.
Battery connections are the first place to begin when you have a “No Crank” situation. Even
if you have a new battery, if the connections are loose, dirty or corroded, you will not be
allowing the full flow of current to pass thru the connections. The connection may be
enough to turn on the lights, but not enough for the huge flow that is needed to operate the
starter. This is where many people say that they know the battery is good….”because the
lights come on”. This is no more a battery test than licking a 9volt battery. It only tells you that there is electricity…not how many volts or the amperage that flows from the battery.
Jump starting may have wiggled the terminal just enough to allow the current to pass and start the engine, but tomorrow you have the same problem.
First remove the cables from the battery and use a wire brush to remove any corrosion and dirt from the battery posts and the cable terminals. There is a tool with a round wire brush for this purpose, found at any auto parts store for less than $10 http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/kd-tools-terminal-battery-brush-kdt201/25980576-P?searchTerm=terminal+brush.
Before connecting the cables, apply a coating of di-electric grease to the battery posts this will keep oxygen away from the connection so that it will not corrode as fast.
It is just as important that the other end of the cables also have a clean connection. Remove the positive cable from the battery again so that you do not short anything out. Follow both cables to their far ends, remove this connection and wire brush the connection and the cable terminal clean and retighten these connections.
If there was work done recently, there may have been an “engine to body” ground that was not installed following the work. These grounds normally run from the rear of the engine to the firewall and are uninsulated and most are a braided wire. If any of these are found unattached…reattach them.
Remember….this is not a “Sherman Tank” don’t over tighten the connections.
Tight…tight………………too tight…broke!!!
Yosemite
I have a feeling that those codes were already in the history before you even drove the car for the first time.
Yosemite
Power for the starter solenoid normally comes from the ignition switch, through a safety switch that should be on the clutch pedal in this case, and on to the starter solenoid. In some cases there may be another relay involved before the solenoid. Do yourself a favor and purchase a test light probe for less than ten dollars at a parts store so you can verify where power is getting to and where it isn’t. It takes the guess work out of the equation. Getting a voltmeter instead is even better.
These guys have good ideas, but if I remember correctly the starter for a 95 Maxima was right on top of the engine. I replaced one on a 95and I seem to recall that you don’t need a jack or stands, just remove a bunch of air intake plastic and whatever, and the starter was right there! I guess it could be a dream, but check it out.