Nissan Maxima: '97 Maxima No Crank / No Start

I am not sure I understand.
Does the starter turn the engine, but it does not startup?
Or do you just get NOTHING when you turn the key to the "start" position?
If it is the latter do you even hear a click or anything? do the dash lights
dim when you turn the key to the start position?
Please give me more details,(on what happens when the key is turned to the
start position) and I'll try to help. I have had several no start
problems......and fixed them, I still drive the car!
Bitsbucket
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Bitsbucket,
The starter isn't turning at all, however it did work dismounted
from the car. The lights don't dim (all dash lights,window,locks &
fuel pump have juice), and I can hear a single click from under the
dash when the key is in the start position. I was able to get the car
to crank (but not start) in a failing attempt to bypass the inhibitor
relay, I blew a fuse in the process. Thinking if I can get it to
crank, the relay might be the culpret, but I replaced it today & still
no dice. I also adjusted the inhibitor switch on the transmition per
Haynes repair book. I still can't get it to crank & I'm running out of
ideas. What do you think?

Thanks for any help.

Have you replaced the starter? Maximas do really weird crap when the starter
goes, I just had to put one on my 96SE and the symptoms were very much like
yours, you could not jump start it, nothing happened when the key was
turned, acted just like a dead battery,(so we replaced it first) then, new
starter and all was back to normal.

Make SURE to get a Nissan starter yea I know, they are big bucks but the
AutoZone and Advance auto parts rebuilds SUX, you may go through 2,3, or 4
to get one that works OK, if you want to take that chance it's up to you. (I
just don't like doing the same work over and over) Everyone here raves about
using ALL Nissan parts, like oil filters etc, but I do not, I have over 120K
on both my Maximas and they are in great shape. BUT when it comes to
starters and alternators, go with Nissan, you won't be sorry.
I thought maybe that the starter was turning the engine, but that the engine
was not starting, I have had LOTS of experience with that...
Let me know what happens. I put my money on a bad starter, hell, you have
eliminated everything else! I did see a freak thing one time, even though
the lights worked, horn everything, when you turned the key all you got was
a click, like you are getting, it turned out to be the positive cable! it
was one of those that had the lead head cast to the end of the cable and
when you tried to draw allot of current it broke the connection, low current
draw (light etc) would not...I pulled the lead battery connector right off
with a slight tug and it was all green corrosion inside, replaced the
battery connector and it worked fine,,,,,might be worth a look, have you
checked the fusible link? could be that it is doing something similar. You
can have voltage, but high current draw will sometimes break a weak
connection..Hope all this rambling makes some sense..
Good Luck,
Bitsbucket

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Bitsbucket/Group,

I finally got frustrated enough to tow my car to the dealership to
have them diagnose the problem because at this point I was baffled. On
the first phone call he told me the starter was bad and quoted me
something like $350 AND if it was not a Nissan starter on the car, and
additional $60 core charge. !What differnace does that make, a core
is a core! Anyway I explained to him that it wasn't a bad starter
because it worked dismounted. The next phone call was that the
ignition switch was bad "nope, I've replaced that too" and explained
everything I had done at that point. Now to the conclusion of the
lock cylinder, it wasn't turning the switch all the way to the start
position. Then finally everthing made sense. I ended up paying them
$38 to diagnose, I'll pick up a used set w/key for $50 & make it a
project this weekend. Untill then I just turn the switch by hand with
the key in the ignition of course.

In researching the replacement of the lock cylinder I have a few open
questions.

Are there any tips/tricks to pulling the wheel other that disabling
and using extreme caution with the SRS Sytem?
Are the shear-head bolts on the column mount nessesary or simply an
anti-theft feature?

Thanks to all who take the time to reply & hope this tread might save
someone the hassle with bad starter like symptoms.

I've replaced the ignition locks on 2 Sentras (93, 95, the keys were
too worn, & no code) I got a complete key set from Nissan for
$100-$200 from Courtesy Nissan (all locks, set of keys & code).
I drilled out the 1st one from the top (through screw head), the
second from the side (I think that was easier). The shear off bolts
are for security. It was pretty easy. (both had air bags)

I did not have to pull the steering wheel, just the top & bottom
covers and the dash (and steel panel) under the steering wheel
to get the covers off.

The ignition key/switch came with the steel collar, shear bolts, ignition
switch, and wires.

This was all for a Sentra, Maxima may be different...

Gary K


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