Car turns, but won't start

My car turns so I know it’s not the starter, but it doens’t catch. If I let it sit for a few hours, it starts, but won’t after the car is turned off.

Year, make, and model please. Also, when does this happen? Hot or cold temperatures, wet weather, morning, evening? With no clues it’s almost impossible to speculate. There are MANY things which can cause an engine to not start. For instance, is there gas in the tank?

2003 Nissan Altima, 4 cyl. No unusual weather circumstances - just started happening 3 days ago. Yes there’s gas, has never run out.

Sounds like a failure in the ignition system. A good mechanic will be able to isolate the cause if you can deliver the car when it refuses to start…

In a case like this, a Nissan dealer might be your best bet.

As much as I dislike going to a dealer for repairs, in some cases it’s worth the extra money, and this might be one of them. An alternative is to find an independent mechanic who specializes in one or two brands (in this case, one of them would be Nissan).

I’ve been lucky enough to find excellent independent mechanics in my area for both my Subaru and my Acura. They are not “cheap,” but they charge less than the dealer and are much more friendly and customer-oriented. I still like to be able to talk directly to the mechanic who will be working on the car, as opposed to a service writer.