Quick Starting Problem Question

[95champagnepath]

All,

 

My 1995 Pathfinder XE Automatic has been having the intermittent starting issues for quite some time. I have replaced the battery, alternator, and starter a few times. It will click, but will not turn the motor unless you turn the key several times quickly until it catches. Sometimes it will start on the first turn without issue. I've checked out the battery cable and it looks fine. All connections and grounds looked good. After searching, I found that the Inhibitor and Starter relays may be the issue. I am able to locate the inhibitor relay, but not the starter relay. Just wondering if someone could post some pictures of the starter relay? Also heard that there is an ignition switch under the steering column. A picture of that switch would be much appreciated as well!

 

Thought I read a while ago that some models did not have the starter relay. Just wanted to make sure I'm not chasing a ghost.

 

Thanks for the help!!

[Precise1]

Do you have a manual or automatic transmission?

 

Yes, it could be the starter relay or just the connection. IIRC it is under the hood along the passenger fender, but I can't recall which one or if it is clearly labled. Go to the Garage section, there is a pinned topic for Factory Service Manuals and download the 1995 version. It will be a great resource for years to come and point out which relay it is.

 

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[95champagnepath]

It is an 95 Auto.

 

Yes, I reviewed the FSM. Under the EL section pages 75-77, it show the locations of the different relays. Checking those out, there is no listed Starter Relay. I have heard it mentioned several times, but cannot locate it. As you have said, "it could be the Starter Relay," would you mind posting a pic of where yours is located? It would be much appreciated.

 

Just trying to look at everything before replacing the starter again. Four Starters in two years is a bit excessive.

 

Battery is less that a couple months old, New alternator, Connections are good, Grounds are good. Only thing I have not looked into are the relays.

[adamzan]

If you bang on the starter and then try it will it start immediately? Parts store rebuilt starters have been known to be crap if that is what you have.

 

I can't remember which relay is the starter one. It is different for the auto and manual trucks, though. I would look at the neutral safety relay. According to the FSM it is the one closest to the fender on the drivers side. Three relays beside the washer fluid bottle.

[ahardb0dy]

"Just trying to look at everything before replacing the starter again. Four Starters in two years is a bit excessive."

 

Try two starters in a week !

 

that's what happened with my old hardbody using local rebuilt units, took the 3rd one before I got one that lasted.

 

If you locate the starter relay which should be a blue one, find another blue one from somewhere else and swap them, most of the colored relays are the same, except for a couple that are the same color but don't look the same it's obvious they are different,

 

if it starts fine after swapping the relay than it is the relay that is bad.

 

I don't see anything in the FSM either labeled starter relay, but I know it is behind the battery, when I did the starter relay mod on my 94 the wire that goes to the starter and the wire that comes from the ignition switch were both right there. You may need to trace the wire coming up from the starter solenoid to see which relay it goes too.

 

 

[Mr_Reverse]

The auto trans does not have a starter relay. I had the same problem with my truck 10-11 years ago, and when the 3rd starter did the same thing in less than a week, I decided to find and fix the problem. I started by measuring the voltage at the starter solenoid, and found it was generally at about 9V. That was with a battery that was showing 13.2V with the key in the start position. That was too much of a voltage drop, the circuit could not provide enough amps at 9V to pull the plunger in the solenoid far enough to close the contacts to run the starter. I looked at the wiring diagrams and found the manual trans versions had a starter relay mounted to the fender next to the battery, but for some reason, the autos did not. Instead, the power went on a long route. It went from the battery though the chassis ground to the transmission, through the PRNDL switch, to the inhibitor relay next to the washer tank, into the ignition switch, then back to the battery positive terminal(The power actually goes from the neg to the pos terminals of a battery, though most people think it flows the other way for some reason). That was a very long run in my opinion and I suspected the problem was the contacts inside the ignition switch itself. I grew up with Nissans, when they were called Datsuns here in the US, and have had several ignition switches simply burn out over the years with my old cars. Always the same way, it was the starter terminals in the switch that would fail. The most memorable one for me was when the switch in my 1980.5 280ZX failed the morning I was leaving Fullerton CA after visiting my dad and grandparents and going back home to Northern UT. I wound up unplugging the switch and made a little hotwire harness to bypass the switch till I got home to fix it right.

 

Enough with the sidetrack, I decided that I could replace the switch(it was about $40 for a new one) or I could simply install a relay in the circuit that took the load off the circuit. I spent about $8 for wire, connectors, and a common relay. Have not had a problem since. Still have that original cheap relay and the original switch. I posted my fix on AC's forum way back when, but it is simple to do. I just used a common relay next to the battery. Ran a 10GA wire from the pos post of the battery to the #30 terminal of the relay, a 18GA wire to terminal 85 or 86(it didn't matter which) to ground. I then found the grey 2 wire connector near the battery that has the 10GA black with purple wire and cut the wire on both ends of the connector. The end that goes down to the starter got connected to terminal 87 on the relay and the wire that was in the harness went to the other 85 or 86 terminal on the relay. Simple, quick, and cheap.

 

 

By the way, The headlights suffer from a similar problem. Nissan did not use a relay for them and as a result, the lights are not as bright as they should be and the switch tends to fail after a few years. I just have never gotten around to doing a similar relay fix to the lights. Too many other things in life distracting me and my Altima is my DD anyway.

[Nefarious]

Nice, great info there. Thanks Mr.Reverse. Perfect reference info as I'm about to do these fixes and some more on my 93 vg33e swapped rig.

[95champagnepath]

Mr. Reverse, that post is very much apprecitated. Now that it is cooling down, the starter is not acting up nearly as much. I assumed that there must have been an issue within the circuit itself. Just for some reason the battery was not providing enough voltage to the starter. I have not checked my voltage going to the starter, as I do not have a volt meter. Pretty crazy how long that circuit for the starter is, I have not taken the time to completly track it. I will definitely look into installing that relay. It is a cheapo Autozone rebuild, but I believe the problem is deeper than the starter itself. I assume mine is having the same problem that you found in yours.

 

My headlights are a little dim as well, unfortionately they are airmed a bit high, and when I installed some 31" tires over the XE stock 235/75's, they almost do not make contact with the road. The headlight screws are stripped as I soon found out, which sucks.

[Precise1]

 

I do not have a volt meter

I have a couple of these NIB, and a coupon to get one free with any purchase. PM me your addy and I send you which ever you prefer.

Cheap crap, but they do work (I've tested them against an Extech MM) and are better than nothing. I collect them to give them away, but have one in my tool bag as well

http://www.harborfreight.com/7-function-multimeter-98025.html

 

 

The headlight screws are stripped

Quick trip to a junk yard, look in the Classified section for a part out or post in the Parts wanted section.

 

NPORA: Quick & easy solutions to your needs and problems...

 

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