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1997 nissan maxima


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tlc831
Novice

Jan 4, 2013, 3:52 PM

Post #1 of 10 (2670 views)
1997 nissan maxima Sign In

I have a 97 nissan maxima that I take good care of, about a month ago it started acting up... it cut off when I was sitting in line at a fast food restaurant but it cranked right back up. a couple days after that it did the same thing. then a couple of weeks after that it cut off but wouldn't crank back up and the battery died trying to crank it I got a jump and it cranked up. After that it sounded like it didnt want to crank but it always would. now when I go to crank it it just clicks and does nothing... I had the battery starter and alternator tested and all 3 came back fine a week ago, so is it the starter that's keeping it from cranking now and if it is then why had it died when it was still running a couple of times??? it doesnt make any sense, I have my mechanic coming tomorrow but im trying to figure it out!!


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Jan 4, 2013, 4:28 PM

Post #2 of 10 (2651 views)
Re: 1997 nissan maxima Sign In

Clicks when cranking usually mean low amps from battery. Single click then nothing usually means a bad connection. Check or replace battery cables as the ends at the battery stink. Must be shiny and fit tight. 1997 also mean both ends of cables. Watch out as positive cable to starter could break right off if not stuck there lube it.

Just know that battery power to the vehicle can only be as good as the weakest link,

T


tlc831
Novice

Jan 4, 2013, 4:34 PM

Post #3 of 10 (2645 views)
Re: 1997 nissan maxima Sign In

Thank you for the information! I tried to jump the car and it still just does the one click. so would it still not even try to start if it were the cables when its hooked up to another car? I would think it would at least try and crank! But I'm definitely not a mechanic lol...


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Jan 4, 2013, 4:47 PM

Post #4 of 10 (2633 views)
Re: 1997 nissan maxima Sign In

That smacks of battery cable connections as said. Pos cable goes to starter and neg goes to engine block. All must be good. If going for it take neg cable off battery first and back on last. You can grease the connections with dialectic grease (silicone grease or any better than nothing) and probably never have a problem again. Whatever works be it a wire brush or sand paper to shine up the connections.

These and many have lousy metal at the battery. Might require replacement??

T


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jan 4, 2013, 6:17 PM

Post #5 of 10 (2618 views)
Re: 1997 nissan maxima Sign In

This sounds like a starter to me. One thing you can try is have someone else hold the key in "start" while you tap on the body of the start with a small hammer, bar or pipe and see if that triggers anything. If it does, replace the starter.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



tlc831
Novice

Jan 4, 2013, 7:19 PM

Post #6 of 10 (2607 views)
Re: 1997 nissan maxima Sign In

could a starter cause a car to cut off while its idle with my foot on the break or anything? or could the battery cables cause the car to just cut off while it's idle?


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jan 4, 2013, 7:42 PM

Post #7 of 10 (2602 views)
Re: 1997 nissan maxima Sign In

Actually neither one of them will cause the car to cut off although there are other power supply connections that could do that. The can needs some testing while the problem is present.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



tlc831
Novice

Jan 4, 2013, 7:47 PM

Post #8 of 10 (2596 views)
Re: 1997 nissan maxima Sign In

yeaaa... well my cousin is a mechanic and hopefully he'll be able to come over and check it out tomorrow... I was just wondering, thank you guys so much for the info i'll let you know what the problem is when I find out!


tlc831
Novice

Jan 6, 2013, 3:00 PM

Post #9 of 10 (2567 views)
Re: 1997 nissan maxima Sign In

So it was my my starter that was causing it not to start and the cam sensor was causing it not to start right and cut off when it was idle....


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jan 6, 2013, 3:02 PM

Post #10 of 10 (2559 views)
Re: 1997 nissan maxima Sign In

That makes sense.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.







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