QuestionQUESTION: I had originally asked a question here: http://en.allexperts.com/q/Nissan-Repair-825/2008/10/93-Nissan-Maxima-shifter-2.
I got the linkage replaced and ended up with an extra neutral position. The car worked OK, but still had shifting problems. It turned out that the body needed to be grounded and that fixed most of the electrical problems.
It shifts kinda hard initially, it smooths out after a while, but the transmission had been fluttering back and forth between gears for a while before I figured out the grounding problem with the body.
About a year ago, it developed a problem where it would crank, but not start. I replaced, one at a time, the spark plugs, plug wires, distributor cap, and the coil. Replacing the coil seemed to do the trick even though it was more or less in range when tested. I had it parked for quite some time and didn't use any fuel stabilizer or anything like that. After about a week of driving, the engine started knocking and I had a huge loss of power and poor gas mileage. I figured there was some buildup from the old gas (even though I had filled the tank a couple times).
I also noticed that the doors automatically locked when I closed the door when they hadn't before. This only happened twice.
So I ran Seafoam through it (1/3 in the oil, 1/3 in the gas, 1/3 in the brake booster line). While I was adding it to the brake booster line, I think some of it leaked out near where the plastic part of the air intake meets the aluminum part. It formed a small puddle under the car at the front and one also near the back. I couldn't tell where the leak at the back came from. Then I shut it off and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then I started it. It ran roughly, but I expected that. I tapped on the accelerator repeatedly to work it out of the system and huge plumes of smoke came from the exhaust and also some from the hot parts that the Seafoam had leaked on. I shut it off when the smoke stopped coming from the back and changed the oil and the filter. Then I added Gunk engine cleaner. It's the kind that comes in a can that you have to puncture; I don't recall the exact name. Then I ran it for 5 minutes at idle. I shut it off and changed just the oil, ran it for 5 minutes at idle, then changed both the oil and the filter.
After that, the car won't even crank. All the electrical stuff works, and there's a click from the relays inside the car next to the fuse box on the driver's side, but nothing under the hood makes a sound.
There's a relay under the hood labeled "start" and there doesn't seem to be any voltage going to it. I'm not 100% sure I checked it correctly, though. According to the wiring diagram there are about 3 or 4 "inhibitor switches" in between the ignition and the starter. There's also a security "module" or something like that. I also noticed that the security light in the instrument panel keeps blinking, but that has always blinked.
I hope that lengthy description helps. I'm at a bit of a loss.
ANSWER: Keith,
I would check the power to the starter and see if it is getting power. It could be that the starter inhibitor is not allowing the car to start. I would check at the starter first and if there is no power check the inhibitor relay. Be sure to unlock the door with the key to make sure the alarm is not the problem. Email me back with what you find.
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start relay
QUESTION: There's no power to the starter. I checked the relay under the hood that's labeled "start" and it works ok, but there seems to be no power going to it. I'm not sure where the other relays are located.
I'm including a pic of the relay I tried. It's the grayish beige one.
ANSWER: Keith,
There is an ignition fuse and the starter relay. I would most certainly bet the fuse / fuse link is defective.
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QUESTION: Ok. I've checked every fuse in the car and they're all good. The wiring diagram in my repair manual lists an inhibitor relay, an interrupt relay, and an inhibitor switch between the fuse block and the starter. Any idea where I can find those?
AnswerKeith,
The shifter interlock prevents the car from starting unless it is in park or neutral. That is the most likely place to look. The interlock is on the shift selector of the transmission where the linkage attaches. A Haynes Manual, or one of your choice should have a wiring diagram that shows which wire to bridge to test for this. Also, a cheap way is to bridge a wire from the positive terminal to the small terminal on the starter. Be sure car is in park so it will not move.
