My 1996 i30 won't start. At first I would have to turn the key firmly and hard. and hold and after few seconds and tries car would start. Then one day car would not crank. I replaced spark plugs, fuel filter. Still would not crank. I removed the start which smelt burnt and advance auto told me it was bad. So I bought a new one and tried to crank three or four times when finally car would not do anything but make clicking sound like the battery was dead. So I checked new starter and it had small amount of smoke coming from it with a bad smell. I don't know what to do. Is there a relay doing this or can a bad ignition switch do this? Fuse? If so which should I check and how will I know if there are bad. Checked the ignition module in fuse box under the hood but don't really know what i am looking for. HELP?

hello,

I don't know if this is your problem, but I have posted awhile back on the same issue with my 95 maxima. I had changed out the pos. cable that attached to the post, made it a solid connection instead of the three wire connector. I tested all my relays related to the ignition system. Had my starter checked 4 times, it tested good all four times, But the start problem got worse and over time it fried my starter, i had to replace it. I got so frustrated that i made an app. with the nissan dealer here in Bloomington In. When i talked to the service dept. and told them everything i had done to it, one of the machanic's got of got a real smug look on his face and said well, it sound's like you need a new Nissan starter for $330 dollars, + labor which would of been about another $150. Wow, i thought it takes me 15 min. to change out the starter, $150 in Labor hey, WOW! He then said if thats not it then we can fab. a ground wire to the engine and tranney all for the bargin price of $168.00 dollars parts and labor. I went to lowe's and got the cable and hook ups for a total of 10 dollars and 15 min. later had it installed. Needless to say i never made it to my app. with the ripoff dealer.

Heres the kicker, I have a buddy that referred me to a machanic here in Bloomington and he only charges $55 dollars a hour for labor. He started checking the Relays and about 20 min. into it, right before he started to check the wiring harness for shorts, i told him i had read an forum that a guy had the same problem that i had, start some time and others it wouldn't, and to let me try something real quick. I took apart the stearing column and i had already done this a month ago to put a new ignition switch in which didn't fix the problem. I unscrewed the two little screws that hold the switch in and pulled out the cyl. that accepts the little tab that is on the key cyl. itself. I took a piece of cig. foil and tore off a small piece and double it over, and slide it up on the tab in the key cyl. on the left of the column. Then i slid the switch back on and put the two screws back in... Sure enough, it cranked! Shut it off and re-start 6 more times. I told the machanic what i had done, he said he would of never found that. He would of just replaced the key cyl if he couldn't find any shorts or if the CPU wasn't bad. So I am not saying this is your problem but after regrinding all my grounds and every thing that i have done sorting out the bug, I WOULD TRY THIS FIRST THING! the tab looks like a "T" and isn't even a metal to metal connection. I just wears down enough that it wouldn't turn the switch far enough to start the car everytime. Nissan has to know about this problem, but instead of taking care of it for very little, they would rather talk about the bendix in the old and rebuilt starters and try to charge around 600-1000 to fix something that cost me $3.65 for a pack of Marlboro's and 15 min. of my time. No wonder the machanic at Bloomington Nissan had such a smirk on his face, They must of thought i had SUCKER WROTE ON MY FOREHEAD.

I hope this help you,

Winston

WOW thanks I will try to reconnect one solid pos cable instead of three. Please, let me know all the items you bought and I will try in the morning. Thanks.

I had a similar problem which is hard to start.So I went to repair shop. They charged me $600.And then told me that

Inspection: cranks but will not start. - $200

Problem Decription : has spark and injector pulse. has good fuel pressure. inspected spark plugs and found plugs gas fouled. replaced spark plugs with o/e style. carbon build up causing hard start when cold. needs carbon cleaned. pos sensor reading noise throwing timing off. need to clean mounting surface between engine and transmission. reroute ground cable to the starter bolt.

Labor Description: - $400 clean mating surface between transmission and engine. installed ground cable to the starter bolt. after cleaning vehicle now starts and runs.

I still have a start problem once in 10 times. I'm worried about that.So I will go to the shop next week again to ask the problem.

Good luck buddy.