2011 Pathfinder cranks no start

[ctpgs 0]

I have a 2011 Pathfinder Cranks but no start issue, about two weeks ago went out on a Saturday night came home shut off vehicle, next day went to go out put the key in and nothing no lights and no instrument display no click nothing ,checked the battery 12.5 volts checked connection on battery and found loose positive side tightened the connection lights and instrument cluster comes go to start it just cranks won't fire up, so checked fuses and relays all are good, tried to run obd2 scanner to see if possible code, link error, thought it might be my cheap code reader tried two different ones and same thing link error, is this an ecu problem with vehicle or something else that i am overlooking

[JackFletcher 45]

If the connection came undone it might have messed with the vehicle immobilizer system. Sometimes the computers get confused and think the car is still "locked". I would try disconnecting the battery for like 15 mins and then putting the leads back on. I think Nissans will crank with the security triggered but im not sure. Im not familiar with your year pathy but I would read up on the security info in the manual and see if your security light can tell you anything. 

 

 

If its not the security you could also try putting your foot on the gas a little when starting it. I put a new battery in my friends acura and had to do that because the computer needed to relearn the idle. 

[Mr_Reverse 263]

You checked the fuses in both the interior and under hood boxes, including the fusible links, and all were good? You did check the fuses in the IPDM unit as well? For that you have to unclip the IPDM from it's box and pull it out to access the fuses and relays. 

How did you test the relays? Nissan had a recall on the relay that powered the ECM in the Titans. When it failed it would not turn on the ECM and so there was no communication with it. It is a small black relay mounted on the IPDM. 

 

When cranking the engine, does the security light turn on? If so, that indicates the security system triggered and will not allow the engine to start. 5 attempts to start without a correctly coded key locks it and it requires a trip to a dealer or a locksmith with Nissan consult to unlock it. 

 

From what has been described in the original post, I am going to suspect the fusible link unit on the positive battery terminal. I have replaced a few that cracked where it has the 90° bend causing a loss of connection on some circuits. An easy test is to jumper between the terminal and the link after the bend. Sometimes the crack is hard to see. Or you can use a test light or volt meter to see if you have battery power at each wire that is plugged into the fusible link unit.

[ctpgs Topic Author 0]

18 hours ago, Mr_Reverse said:

You checked the fuses in both the interior and under hood boxes, including the fusible links, and all were good? You did check the fuses in the IPDM unit as well? For that you have to unclip the IPDM from it's box and pull it out to access the fuses and relays. 

How did you test the relays? Nissan had a recall on the relay that powered the ECM in the Titans. When it failed it would not turn on the ECM and so there was no communication with it. It is a small black relay mounted on the IPDM. 

 

When cranking the engine, does the security light turn on? If so, that indicates the security system triggered and will not allow the engine to start. 5 attempts to start without a correctly coded key locks it and it requires a trip to a dealer or a locksmith with Nissan consult to unlock it. 

 

From what has been described in the original post, I am going to suspect the fusible link unit on the positive battery terminal. I have replaced a few that cracked where it has the 90° bend causing a loss of connection on some circuits. An easy test is to jumper between the terminal and the link after the bend. Sometimes the crack is hard to see. Or you can use a test light or volt meter to see if you have battery power at each wire that is plugged into the fusible link unit.

 

I have checked all the fuses all in side and under the hood, i did replace the ipdm after seeing all the issues multiple people were having with them no difference, the security light does come on while cranking the engine i have tried both keys to see if one would start it, the fob will still set alarm and lock the doors and deactivate the alarm and open the doors, so will both keys, i thought when the security system locks you out it won't even crank from what i have seen online, i did check the fusible  links in the fusible link box but not on the battery so i will have to do that, would that also cause an obd2 scanner to have a link error?

[Mr_Reverse 263]

If the ECU doesn't power up, it can't communicate. If the power wire for the ECU isn't getting power because the battery mounted fusible link is damaged, it can cause your problem.

I have seen a few IPDMs fail, but usually the problem is elsewhere. Did you replace it with a new one or a used one? I have also seen ECU failures, where when they get cold, they have parts internally that lose contact on the circuit boards and it stops working. Usually they give a bit of warning in that they have intermittent failures usually a no start in the morning but later starts and runs fine. We would test them by pulling the ECU and putting it in the freezer for a couple hours and see if the problem appears.

 

The key fob is a separate system than the immobilizer system. The fob only runs the keyless entry and alarm. The immobilizer is in the key itself and the antenna for that is in the ring around the ignition lock. I have seen the antenna fail preventing the BCM from being able to read the key.

 

If your power and grounds are all good, you might just have to take the truck in and have it diagnosed. The inexpensive code readers are limited in the systems and information they can access. It takes a full scan tool or Nissan Consult to access all the systems and see what is going on, and where to start looking for problems.

[ctpgs Topic Author 0]

On 2/3/2020 at 10:14 PM, Mr_Reverse said:

If the ECU doesn't power up, it can't communicate. If the power wire for the ECU isn't getting power because the battery mounted fusible link is damaged, it can cause your problem.

I have seen a few IPDMs fail, but usually the problem is elsewhere. Did you replace it with a new one or a used one? I have also seen ECU failures, where when they get cold, they have parts internally that lose contact on the circuit boards and it stops working. Usually they give a bit of warning in that they have intermittent failures usually a no start in the morning but later starts and runs fine. We would test them by pulling the ECU and putting it in the freezer for a couple hours and see if the problem appears.

 

The key fob is a separate system than the immobilizer system. The fob only runs the keyless entry and alarm. The immobilizer is in the key itself and the antenna for that is in the ring around the ignition lock. I have seen the antenna fail preventing the BCM from being able to read the key.

 

If your power and grounds are all good, you might just have to take the truck in and have it diagnosed. The inexpensive code readers are limited in the systems and information they can access. It takes a full scan tool or Nissan Consult to access all the systems and see what is going on, and where to start looking for problems.

i will check the fusible links on the battery to be sure, i replaced the IPDM with a new one. It hasn't been really cold here this season it has been in 40s and 50s during the day so not sure about the ECU, it was just strange the way it happened, day before it was running great went to go out the next day and no power found it was a loose positive connection and lights and everything came back on, went to start it and just cranked and would not start i tried my cheap code reader and link error same with two other ones that i borrowed from friends one which was a pretty decent one, so i will start with battery fusible links and go from there thanks again for the input hoping it is something as simple as a fusible link

[ctpgs Topic Author 0]

On 2/3/2020 at 10:14 PM, Mr_Reverse said:

If the ECU doesn't power up, it can't communicate. If the power wire for the ECU isn't getting power because the battery mounted fusible link is damaged, it can cause your problem.

I have seen a few IPDMs fail, but usually the problem is elsewhere. Did you replace it with a new one or a used one? I have also seen ECU failures, where when they get cold, they have parts internally that lose contact on the circuit boards and it stops working. Usually they give a bit of warning in that they have intermittent failures usually a no start in the morning but later starts and runs fine. We would test them by pulling the ECU and putting it in the freezer for a couple hours and see if the problem appears.

 

The key fob is a separate system than the immobilizer system. The fob only runs the keyless entry and alarm. The immobilizer is in the key itself and the antenna for that is in the ring around the ignition lock. I have seen the antenna fail preventing the BCM from being able to read the key.

 

If your power and grounds are all good, you might just have to take the truck in and have it diagnosed. The inexpensive code readers are limited in the systems and information they can access. It takes a full scan tool or Nissan Consult to access all the systems and see what is going on, and where to start looking for problems.

so i replaced the fusible link on battery and new terminal too still no start, cranks fine but won't start,  all the display warning lights come on as they should, but still no start

Edited February 25, 2020 by ctpgs