04 M45 Won't Start!

Forum for Infiniti M35 and M45, and Nissan Fuga owners.
Big Tyme
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2005 9:59 pm
Car: 97 Nissan Maxima, 99 Infiniti Q45 (Sold), 04 M45, 04 Navigator

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Hello everyone. I've been perusing this site since I bought my 04' M45 a couple years ago. There seems to be a good amount of knowledge and information out there, so hopefully someone can help me. Here's the problem: M wouldn't start one day, okay fine. I live in AZ so starters and batteries aren't known to last to long. The car has 74,000 miles on it, so I figure the battery and starter are due for change anyway. I removed both and had them tested at Autozone, both items failed their respective tests. I buy a rebuilt starter, Duralast) and a new battery (Duralast Gold). I install both items into the car and now when I go to start it, instead of nothing like before, I'm getting just a single click. I checked the starter relay and it's functioning as advertised. I haven't dared to pull out the ignition switch due to not wanting to rip the dash apart. Has anybody dealt with this issue? Is it most likely that the Autozone starter is a dud? My next step is to pull out the starter and have them order a new one and try again. It's just a P.I.T.A to crawl under the car, remove the starter bolts, and jack the motor up to take it out. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks.


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loystock
Moderator
Posts: 2144
Joined: Sun Sep 21, 2003 9:12 pm
Car: 10 Pilot, 97&03 Q45s, 97 I30 and 06 M35 Sports (04 G35 & 99 I30-RIP)
Location: San Jose, CA

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It's really strange for both battery and 'starter relay' to fail at the same time. And for an 04M, it's too early for starter to fail. But the fact that you're hearing a click indicates the starting circuit is probably Ok.You can verify this by checking the single -wire connector (B/R-Black with Red stripe) going to the starter. Disconnect it and start the car - you must get battery voltage at the terminal w.r.t ground.

Make sure the battery connections are clean and tight and double check the new battery voltage, >12.5 VDC. Check the battery connection to the starter. Also check the Security LED - normally blinking but should turn OFF with Ignition ON or engine running. And yes, you may have a bad rebuilt starter.

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Y34GLORIA
Posts: 316
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2009 5:17 am
Car: 2003 INFINITI M45 Y34 CEDRIC/GLORIA

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maybe is ur starter. u should get OEM stuffs.

myother45isalesbaer
Posts: 955
Joined: Sun Nov 18, 2007 7:31 am
Car: 2004 M45 Q70 awd,4.5

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I have seen on very rare occasions exactly what you described. Sometimes the starter will not engage the fly. Or it gets locked partially engaged. The way to solve this is to bump the engine a few degrees. As I said its very rare, but worth a try before you pull it all apart again.

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MaxBolus
Posts: 176
Joined: Fri May 18, 2007 3:26 am
Car: 2004 M45

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I second loystock's advice- many moons ago I changed both the battery and starter on my car (not the M) only to have it still not start. Turned out the connectors on the battery cables were corroded back into the wires, where it was not easy to see. Two battery terminal connectors for about 5 buck fixed the problem.

The00Dustin
Posts: 1042
Joined: Mon Jun 29, 2009 4:05 am
Car: 2006 M45
Location: Bloomington, IN

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I will say that I had to replace the starter in my 66 El Camino 4 or 5 times in a row because the rebuilt ones were crap (don't know which brand). If the other advice doesn't work, I'd recommend taking out the starter and having them test it, as I imagine you'll find it to be the problem. If you don't like changing it, I'd recommend going a different route...

Big Tyme
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2005 9:59 pm
Car: 97 Nissan Maxima, 99 Infiniti Q45 (Sold), 04 M45, 04 Navigator

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Well thanks for the inputs. It turns out the first starter was a dud. It wasn't engaging the flywheel so thus no starty. Had another one special ordered. This one looked like and felt like a better one. Installed it, turned the key and tada! Cranked up like a champ. I guess the Arizona heat had taken its toll on the original. It's always nice saving money with DIY skills.


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