# 2015 Altima ran low oil won't crank **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** nissan, altima\ **Created:** [May 15, 2022, 12:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2015-altima-ran-low-oil-wont-crank/184148 "2022-05-15T00:12:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![brendanfitz9\_180789](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@brendanfitz9\_180789](https://community.cartalk.com/u/brendanfitz9_180789)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2022, 12:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2015-altima-ran-low-oil-wont-crank/184148/1 "2022-05-15T00:12:00Z")
2015 Nissan Altima I got back from out of town and my friend had been using my car went to start and no crank at all. Oil was under car and looked to be leaking. Went to start and nothing. Friend has gone AWOL and I’m assuming he ran it with no oil. What first steps should I do? Thanks ---
**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:** [May 15, 2022, 12:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2015-altima-ran-low-oil-wont-crank/184148/2 "2022-05-15T00:15:32Z")
Get a socket and a breaker bar and see if the engine can be turned by hand at the crank shaft bolt. Tester ---
**Author:** ![shanonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@shanonia](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shanonia)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2022, 2:01am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2015-altima-ran-low-oil-wont-crank/184148/3 "2022-05-15T02:01:51Z")
Yes, and make sure you are turning it the correct direction, or you can mess up the timing. ---
**Author:** ![brendanfitz9\_180789](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@brendanfitz9\_180789](https://community.cartalk.com/u/brendanfitz9_180789)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2022, 2:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2015-altima-ran-low-oil-wont-crank/184148/4 "2022-05-15T02:12:30Z")
Which is which way? ---
**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:** [May 15, 2022, 2:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2015-altima-ran-low-oil-wont-crank/184148/5 "2022-05-15T02:21:37Z")
C.W. facing the front of the engine. Tester ---
**Author:** ![brendanfitz9\_180789](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@brendanfitz9\_180789](https://community.cartalk.com/u/brendanfitz9_180789)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2022, 2:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2015-altima-ran-low-oil-wont-crank/184148/6 "2022-05-15T02:42:05Z")
It’s very tough to get leverage on it as I’m on the road at home with a jack. With only socket and ratchet could not move it. I found oil jug in the car and it was 10-30 it takes o20 so I’m assuming it was leaking for awhilewhile gone. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2022, 2:52am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2015-altima-ran-low-oil-wont-crank/184148/7 "2022-05-15T02:52:52Z")
Inspect the engine for the source of the leak, if there is a hole in the block from a connection rod, you are done. ---
**Author:** ![brendanfitz9\_180789](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@brendanfitz9\_180789](https://community.cartalk.com/u/brendanfitz9_180789)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2022, 2:58am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2015-altima-ran-low-oil-wont-crank/184148/8 "2022-05-15T02:58:10Z")
The oil filter was loose it appears from there cant see anything else. When I did try start at first it just clicked one time and power shut off could this be something else or am I right thinking major problem. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2022, 3:04am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2015-altima-ran-low-oil-wont-crank/184148/9 "2022-05-15T03:04:25Z")
> [@brendanfitz9\_180789](#): > > When I did try start at first it just clicked one time and power shut off There could be a battery problem, failing battery or poor terminal connections. ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2022, 3:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2015-altima-ran-low-oil-wont-crank/184148/10 "2022-05-15T03:23:18Z")
Have you checked the oil level/ You can put a pipe over the ratchet for leverage or remove the spark plugs for leverage, or remove the spark plugs. Unless your friend changed the oil and left the filter loose I don’t think you have a legal case against them. Around here, I would call local wrecking yards to see if they had an engine. Some of them install engines very inexpensively. ---
**Author:** ![brendanfitz9\_180789](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@brendanfitz9\_180789](https://community.cartalk.com/u/brendanfitz9_180789)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2022, 3:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2015-altima-ran-low-oil-wont-crank/184148/11 "2022-05-15T03:42:55Z")
Battery is good, alternator starter good. oil was definitely out, so best to remove plugs? ---
**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:** [May 15, 2022, 3:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2015-altima-ran-low-oil-wont-crank/184148/12 "2022-05-15T03:51:22Z")
It sounds like the engine is locked up tighter than a bulls rectum during fly season. 😔 Tester ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2022, 3:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2015-altima-ran-low-oil-wont-crank/184148/13 "2022-05-15T03:51:48Z")
> [@brendanfitz9\_180789](#): > > oil was definitely out How much was needed to bring the oil to the proper level? Alternator output is 120 amps, that is good news, how did you test the alternator? You stated the “power shut off” while cranking, what does that mean? Vehicle lighting shut down? ---
**Author:** ![shanonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@shanonia](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shanonia)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2022, 3:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2015-altima-ran-low-oil-wont-crank/184148/14 "2022-05-15T03:55:46Z")
> [@brendanfitz9\_180789](#): > > so best to remove plugs? Can’t hurt and might help. Get some penetrating oil on the cylinder walls where it may creep down to the piston rings. Wait a while and keep your hopes up. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2022, 12:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2015-altima-ran-low-oil-wont-crank/184148/15 "2022-05-15T12:56:01Z")
How long did friend drive car? Weekend? Month? 1 year? Oil was full. You left town. 3 days later motor is blown? if i have a motor that does not leak oil and i see a jug of oil in trunk im going to talk to friend ---
**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:** [May 15, 2022, 11:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2015-altima-ran-low-oil-wont-crank/184148/16 "2022-05-15T23:59:43Z")
Removing the spark plugs and attempting to rotate the engine manually with the crank shaft bolt is what I’d do if I had that problem. If this engine is transverse, can be helpful to remove the wheel to get better access to the crankshaft bolt. You may need to remove engine shields as well. It’s possible the engine is still good, just needs the oil leak fixed, but that level of optimism seems unlikely given what you say. Still, worth taking the time to assess the situation. You always have the option of towing it to a near-by shop.