4 Wheel Drive/SUVs: 94 pathfinder ignition/starter problems, inhibitor switch, nissan dealer

Question
Hello Carl,

Thanks for the thoughts. The starter is ok from bypassing the ignition. Though I could still have it backwards. I need someone who is familar with the pathfinder since I need info on the details of the inhibitor relay. This relay has the ground provided by an inhibitor switch at the transmission (ground present). I have a multimeter and have traced back to the relay.

I do have the automatic and it has cruise so the inhibitor relay has six terminals. I am not getting the hot to the inhibitor relay. This is where I need specific information.

I do have a alarm which has also been bypassed. At this point I guess only a dealer will have the information I need, unless another 'expert' from here has specific detailed information concerning the 94 pathfinder electrical issues.

I have called the local Nissan dealer in Bellevue WA and the response was "we don't tell people how to fix their cars". I will never spend money at this dealership as a result, so I will be calling other dealers on Monday rather than hit them on the weekend.

If you have access to another expert, please pass the info along.Thx.

Best wishes,
Dave





-------------------------
Followup To
Question -
I have replaced the starter and still won't start. I have measured all contacts at the inhibitor relay and have no hot coming from the ignition switch. I do have a ground on pin 2 coming from the transmission switch. At this point I believe it is the ignition. How do I take apart the steering column to fix this?

On a second note, does the inhibitor relay provide the hot or the ground to the starter? I don't remember at this point which connections on the starter are right. The chilton's schematic is poor at best.

I am stranded and running out of energy to get this fixed. Any help is appreciated.

Dave
Answer -
Dave,

First of all, I'm not sure what you are calling the inhibitor relay.  If you have an automatic, then you should have a safety switch that kills the power to the start side of the ignition switch, unless the transmission is in neutral, or park.  this can be found on the transmission on some vehicles, and on the steering column on others.  If you have a stick shift, there should be a similar switch that is connected to the clutch pedal, and limits power to the start side of the ignition switch unless the clutch is depressed.  Normally these switches control the positive side of the circuit, and not the ground.  I believe that this is what you are calling the inhibitor switch.  

The starter is powered by a solenoid that can handle high current, and is usually directly connected to the battery, with smaller wires going to the ignition switch.  The solenoid is nothing more than a heavy duty switch that is activated by the start side of the ignition switch.

On some vehicles, there is a "power distribution center", located under the hood.  This is, simply a box that contains major relays, and fuses, and may be called by another name, depending on who wrote the repair manual.  Some of these relays, and fuses control the ignition system, and can cause this problem if faulty.

If the Chilton's manual isn't helping you, I would obtain a probe light, or multimeter, and start tracing wires from the ignition switch, or the safety switches.  If you purchase a multimeter, you can, also use the resistance portion of the meter to check for bad grounds.  All wiring is color coded, and I would try to trace out the wiring with the probe light, or meter before you go to the trouble of tearing apart the steering column.

You might see if you can find a Hayne's repair manual, as they seem to have a better layout when it comes to the electrical section.  Any of these manuals should have a step by step procedure, along with photos of the procedure to disassemble the steering column.

One question I have, is did you try to jump start the motor, by using a jumper wire bypassing the solenoid.  This would confirm if the starter is good.  Just because you replaced it, doesn't mean that the new one isn't bad also.  This does happen more than it should.

This is a long shot, but while on a 4x4 run, in the snow miles from any service, one of our members had a similar problem with his Cherokee.  As it turned out, after crawling under, over and around this Jeep tracing out wires, he discovered that he had an anti-theft device under the dash.  Sure enough, the plug in component had simply been bumped, and had come unplugged.

Any time you work on an electrical problem, it can be very frustrating, as there are several components that can create this, and similar problems.  You might consider contacting a reputable automotive electrical shop, and see what they would charge to trouble shoot the problem.  It might be easier, and cheaper in the long run to tow the Pathfinder there, and have it checked out.

Carl

Answer
Dave,

Sorry I can't be of more help, but it's hard to tell you all of the possibilities without being there, and working on it in person.  I will talk to a couple of friends that have Pathfinders, and see if they have run into this problem.

Carl