My nissan maxima 98 is having a battery issue or alternator
September 16, 2010 9:50 AM Subscribe
Nissan maxima starting problems, either battery or alternator
My nissan maxima 98 is great, however recently I have an issue with the battery or maybe the alternator...
whenever i park my car and turn off the engine the car doesn't start right away... i have to give it 30 minutes or more to get it to start...
if i cant start it i just give it a jump start it starts up right away...
i haven't been able to take my battery to somewhere to check it...
or is it the alternator?
My nissan maxima 98 is great, however recently I have an issue with the battery or maybe the alternator...
whenever i park my car and turn off the engine the car doesn't start right away... i have to give it 30 minutes or more to get it to start...
if i cant start it i just give it a jump start it starts up right away...
i haven't been able to take my battery to somewhere to check it...
or is it the alternator?
Neither sounds especially likely. If the battery was shot it would only ever start with a jump, waiting 30 minutes wouldn't matter. If it was the alternator, the battery would be running down constantly and although the car would start with a jump it would die quickly, possibly as soon as the jumper cables were removed.
posted by indyz at 10:07 AM on September 16, 2010
posted by indyz at 10:07 AM on September 16, 2010
If it doesn't start immediately, yet starts 20 minutes later, it doesn't necessarily sound like either in an obvious way. Usually, if a battery is charged poorly or holds charge poorly, it won't start the car after an extended period of sitting - it won't get better over time from just sitting like yours does - the amount of charge given to the battery when teh engine stops (and that the battery can hold) can only be depleted.
However, if this is a heat issue (the battery is better when it is cold and gets warm under the engine bay) then it could be the battery, but this doesn't seem that likely. It's not a failure mode I have heard of before.
I think we need to know what you mean by 'doesn't start':
1: Does the car crank on the key fast (as normal) but just not fire? Or does it crank slowly all the time (and noticeably faster when on an additional battery)?
2: Does it crank faster than you initial try after waiting for 30 minutes (but without the jump start)?
3: Does the car start fine (good cranking speed etc) after sitting overnight or longer?
4: What happens when you connect the jump start - faster cranking or shorter time between cranking starting and the car actually starting (firing up)?
5: Are the terminals on your battery tight if you wiggle them? Any corrosion on them?
It is possible that there is some sort of electrical issue that is made worse by expansion through heat (when the car is hot it doesn't transmit the starting current) that is overcome by the additional amps from an extra battery. However, I think there is something else at play here - either some confusion over terminology or some other symptom that you don't think is connected but could be important to diagnosis of the issue.
posted by Brockles at 10:13 AM on September 16, 2010
However, if this is a heat issue (the battery is better when it is cold and gets warm under the engine bay) then it could be the battery, but this doesn't seem that likely. It's not a failure mode I have heard of before.
I think we need to know what you mean by 'doesn't start':
1: Does the car crank on the key fast (as normal) but just not fire? Or does it crank slowly all the time (and noticeably faster when on an additional battery)?
2: Does it crank faster than you initial try after waiting for 30 minutes (but without the jump start)?
3: Does the car start fine (good cranking speed etc) after sitting overnight or longer?
4: What happens when you connect the jump start - faster cranking or shorter time between cranking starting and the car actually starting (firing up)?
5: Are the terminals on your battery tight if you wiggle them? Any corrosion on them?
It is possible that there is some sort of electrical issue that is made worse by expansion through heat (when the car is hot it doesn't transmit the starting current) that is overcome by the additional amps from an extra battery. However, I think there is something else at play here - either some confusion over terminology or some other symptom that you don't think is connected but could be important to diagnosis of the issue.
posted by Brockles at 10:13 AM on September 16, 2010
2nd'ing all of the above, plus, if that is the original battery, it is due up for a replacement.
I just replaced my battery that served well for 7 years, until one day it could barely push the starter motor. I highly recommend getting a new battery.
posted by limited slip at 10:36 AM on September 16, 2010
I just replaced my battery that served well for 7 years, until one day it could barely push the starter motor. I highly recommend getting a new battery.
posted by limited slip at 10:36 AM on September 16, 2010
Judging by your description, I'd guess the alternator is probably on its way out, since it is not charging the battery.
And, depending on its age, and the fact that you've obviously been taxing it with jumpstarts and the like, it's probable that the battery needs replaced, as well.
Any shop can do an ignition systems check to determine the weakest link.
posted by Thorzdad at 11:11 AM on September 16, 2010
And, depending on its age, and the fact that you've obviously been taxing it with jumpstarts and the like, it's probable that the battery needs replaced, as well.
Any shop can do an ignition systems check to determine the weakest link.
posted by Thorzdad at 11:11 AM on September 16, 2010
Speaking as an owner of two Maximas, the electrical systems of those cars are pretty robust. Typically, ignition issues such as you describe are solved by replacing either the alternator or battery or both.
posted by Thorzdad at 11:13 AM on September 16, 2010
posted by Thorzdad at 11:13 AM on September 16, 2010
Not a car guy by any stretch, but I had a 1996 Nissan Maxima that started giving me tempermental starting problems in 2005. It turned out there was a dead spot on the starter.
The symptoms, as I remember them, were that when I tried to start it, everything would go dead. As in, I'd open the door and wouldn't get a ding to remind me that the key was in the ignition, no interior lights, nothing. Then, a few minutes would go by and things would be relatively back to normal, almost like something reset. Power would go back to the dash, the interior lights and the ding would come back, and at that point, I'd try again, sometimes successfully.
Try putting your car in neutral and rolling it a little, then trying again.
And please, take this hazy anecdote with a huge grain of salt.
posted by alphanerd at 1:47 PM on September 16, 2010
The symptoms, as I remember them, were that when I tried to start it, everything would go dead. As in, I'd open the door and wouldn't get a ding to remind me that the key was in the ignition, no interior lights, nothing. Then, a few minutes would go by and things would be relatively back to normal, almost like something reset. Power would go back to the dash, the interior lights and the ding would come back, and at that point, I'd try again, sometimes successfully.
Try putting your car in neutral and rolling it a little, then trying again.
And please, take this hazy anecdote with a huge grain of salt.
posted by alphanerd at 1:47 PM on September 16, 2010
Try putting your car in neutral and rolling it a little, then trying again.
Just to clarify, this won't do anything at all. You can move a sticking starter into starting by putting the car (a manual anyway) in gear and shoving it a bit to move the engine a little, but this doesn't work for all kinds of starters nor does it sound like the issue here.
posted by Brockles at 2:21 PM on September 16, 2010
Just to clarify, this won't do anything at all. You can move a sticking starter into starting by putting the car (a manual anyway) in gear and shoving it a bit to move the engine a little, but this doesn't work for all kinds of starters nor does it sound like the issue here.
posted by Brockles at 2:21 PM on September 16, 2010
n-thing the starter. I had the same problem on my '94-ish Stanza sedan that I had in college. Ended up trading in the car after the third replacement starter at ~$300 each. Each one lasted a few months, then would fail again. It just wasn't worth the frustration. According to a couple of mechanics, the non-Nissan starters weren't terribly reliable, and the Nissan OEM ones were closer to $600.
posted by jferg at 2:38 PM on September 16, 2010
posted by jferg at 2:38 PM on September 16, 2010
You can drive the car to your local Autozone (probably other auto parts stores as well) and have them test the battery and starter for you, for free, without removing it from the car. Do this.
I recently had similar trouble with my car. In my situation, the car would start most of the time, but occasionally it would just click and not turn over. Hot or cold didn't seem to matter. Typically, if that happened, the car would start fine in a few minutes, or it would start fine now with a jump/booster pack.
The troubleshooting procedure looked like this, working towards greater expense and trouble:
posted by richyoung at 3:49 PM on September 16, 2010
I recently had similar trouble with my car. In my situation, the car would start most of the time, but occasionally it would just click and not turn over. Hot or cold didn't seem to matter. Typically, if that happened, the car would start fine in a few minutes, or it would start fine now with a jump/booster pack.
The troubleshooting procedure looked like this, working towards greater expense and trouble:
- Are there corroded connections at the battery terminals? If so, clean 'em.
- Are there corroded connections at the starter terminals? If so, clean 'em.
- What does Autozone say about the battery & starter? Replace the indicated component.
posted by richyoung at 3:49 PM on September 16, 2010
So, when the car is hot, it doesn't crank? But it will crank if you jump it?
Sounds like the starter is going bad. When the starter gets hot, it binds (or otherwise increases in resistance) and requires the extra current of a jump start to get it spinning. The next time it doesn't start, tap the starter with a hammer (shocking loose whatever's binding or sticking) instead of jumpstarting the car. If it cranks, then there's your problem.
posted by Jon-o at 4:04 PM on September 16, 2010
Sounds like the starter is going bad. When the starter gets hot, it binds (or otherwise increases in resistance) and requires the extra current of a jump start to get it spinning. The next time it doesn't start, tap the starter with a hammer (shocking loose whatever's binding or sticking) instead of jumpstarting the car. If it cranks, then there's your problem.
posted by Jon-o at 4:04 PM on September 16, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by notsnot at 10:05 AM on September 16, 2010