2003 M45 ignition problems

[bertini88]

i just got a 2003 M45 3 days ago and right away it started giving me problems when i tried to start it. it has slowly gotten worse, to the point that every time i try to start it, it pops, lights flicker and will not ignite. after a few tries it does start and run fine. i have checked the battery and it is fine ("definately not the problem" per Oreilly's Auto Parts tech). has anyone had the same or similar problem and/or does anyone have a clue as to what may causing this and how i may be able to fix it??

let me know please.

[szh]

i just got a 2003 M45 3 days ago and right away it started giving me problems when i tried to start it. it has slowly gotten worse, to the point that every time i try to start it, it pops, lights flicker and will not ignite. after a few tries it does start and run fine. i have checked the battery and it is fine ("definately not the problem" per Oreilly's Auto Parts tech). has anyone had the same or similar problem and/or does anyone have a clue as to what may causing this and how i may be able to fix it??

let me know please.

I know that the Auto Parts place has told you that the battery is okay, but I would consider replacing it anyway. Your symptoms are the kind of behavior I have seen on my 2003 M45 when the battery simply no longer has the CCA available to start the car.

This last time, I decided not to go for the stock Nissan battery - I got an Interstate top of the line and it is doing great.

One other (less probable) possibility is that there is a short in the insulation of the wiring somewhere and it intermittently cuts in and out as the car shakes (when the starter shakes the car a little).

Final thing that comes to mind: bad starter? You can get that checked out too.

Good luck and please do let us know what the solution eventually turns out to be.

And, of course, welcome to NICO!

Z

[MaxBolus]

I second Z's comments re: the battery.

This happens to me as well, usually after I disconnect the battery to do other work. I found that the terminals usually need to be retightened after a day or two, this usually clears the problem for me. Also need to make sure they're nice and clean.

But I assume O'Reilly had removed/replaced the terminal connections, so it looks like a bad battery might be the problem.

[bertini88]

thank you fellas!
i will look more into it and get the battery tested again along with the starter. yesterday i had no issues whatsoever. but noticed earlier today when the steering wheel was adjusting i tried to start it and it popped again... started right up after. we'll see how today goes, i will be moving this weekend so hopefully it doesn't give me too much hell.

i will keep you all posted ;-)

[bertini88]

sorry for not following up sooner with this topic. this car is actually turning into a nightmare.... the following days after i last posted the car started and ran perfect! than a few days later it would not start at all when i turned the ignition, no pops, no lights just everything would be dead. i literally tried for about 20 to 30 minutes to start and it finally did. i went the next day to an Autozone to do some testing. the man said the battery looked fine but the voltage from the starter was too high and he said he would be concerned. i got a starter relay, replaced it and it seemed to do the trick. after a few days it started again, popping from under the hood and lights flashing in dash while i try to start and wouldn't. after a couple tries it would start up. the sunroof wouldn't open or close without me pushing the button after every 3-4 inches. a couple times the stations were erased from the radio. for the most part the car will light up after a few tries so i've been just dealing with it. for the past week the key will not lock or unlock the doors or activate the alarm, nothing! it's like it's dead but the light flashes when i push any button. i grabbed the owner's manual and read that the emergency key can lock or unlock the doors, this one does nothing! i just started using the wallet key to lock and unlock the car. i noticed the security indicator light flashes regardless if the car is locked or not. i'm finding out these cars have a lot of "glitches" and again this is turning into quite the nightmare. anyone have an idea of what i may be looking at or have had any issues like these??

[DeanM45]

Battery.
Sound like you have an intermittent short within the battery. Remember, once the car starts it is working off of the alternator (you can take the battery out of a running car and it will continue to run). The "high voltage from the starter" that the AZ guy talked about is indicative of a bad battery. A battery can not "look" fine. A load test needs to be performed BUT if you have a cracked or damaged plate the plate will move around and will/can cause an internal short.
Replace the battery.