# 2006 Nissan Sentra won't start after sitting **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** nissan, sentra\ **Created:** [December 30, 2017, 1:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-nissan-sentra-wont-start-after-sitting/110754 "2017-12-30T01:46:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![loisrn1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/43a26b/32.png) [@loisrn1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/loisrn1)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2017, 1:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-nissan-sentra-wont-start-after-sitting/110754/1 "2017-12-30T01:46:56Z")
2006 Nissan Sentra that went unused for about 3 months. prior to that the car worked perfectly. Now the car will not turn over. Interior lights work. When the key is turned it makes a single "thump’ sound and then nothing much. The battery was replaced (and even tried a second) so we know its not that. Shouldn’t be alternator or starter since they were fine prior. Someone suggested “hydrolock” that can happen when a car sits. Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2017, 1:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-nissan-sentra-wont-start-after-sitting/110754/2 "2017-12-30T01:51:07Z")
Remove the spark plugs and then try starting the engine. If fluid shoots out the spark plug holes while cranking the engine over, that’s hydro-lock. Tester ---
**Author:** ![loisrn1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/43a26b/32.png) [@loisrn1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/loisrn1)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2017, 1:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-nissan-sentra-wont-start-after-sitting/110754/3 "2017-12-30T01:54:30Z")
ok Ill do that in the morning. if water does shoot out, then what? Its brutally cold here. Would that water freeze? ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2017, 1:58am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-nissan-sentra-wont-start-after-sitting/110754/4 "2017-12-30T01:58:23Z")
Normally the cooling system would have a 50/50 mixture of water/antifreeze. So it shouldn’t freeze. If water shoots out of any of the spark plug holes, it indicates a breached head gasket. Tester ---
**Author:** ![loisrn1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/43a26b/32.png) [@loisrn1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/loisrn1)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2017, 2:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-nissan-sentra-wont-start-after-sitting/110754/5 "2017-12-30T02:05:58Z")
And then cars done? Could that go bad just by sitting? ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2017, 2:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-nissan-sentra-wont-start-after-sitting/110754/6 "2017-12-30T02:07:14Z")
You’re going to find out. Tester ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2017, 12:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-nissan-sentra-wont-start-after-sitting/110754/7 "2017-12-31T00:38:08Z")
A car that worked fine then put into storage for 3 months, there’s not much reason to suspect that would cause a hydro-lock condition. Unless you have another reason to suspect a hydro-lock problem, I doubt that’s the cause of this symptom. More likely it is the starter motor is getting a little ornery. If it was near the end of its life anyway, sitting unused 3 months could allow enough oxidation of the various internal contacts to prevent it from powering up now. Starter solenoid contacts, armature, brushes, etc can all oxidize or corrode w/time. If you feel lucky, give the starter a quick knock with the end of a broomstick. It might jiggle it enough to free up the brushes or move it to a better conducting place on the armature contacts. Since you’ve replaced the battery, I presume the posts and connectors have already been cleaned and tightened. If not, try that first.