1996 Maxima Start-Up Concerns
1996 Maxima Start-Up Concerns
Hey! I have about 84K miles on my Max and I am noticing that sometimes the engine will start with a sort of slow or sluggish sound, while other times it sounds like the engine is reving a bit for a few seconds when started [and no, my foot isn't on the gas]. The starter is new [eight months old]. Trying to explain the unpredictable sound of the engine when it starts is tricky at best. Does anyone have any general ideas as to the cause? Thx!
Wow, only 84k miles on a 96. That's some TLC there.
If the sound you are hearing is a high pitched whine at start up, it is the starter not disengaging from the flywheel fast enough. It's mostly just a nuisance. The only thing you can do is remove the starter, and grease the inner shaft.
As for the slow/sluggish start, it could be the battery straining a little (they don't like this hot weather). If you are super concerned, take your car to an Autozone or similar store, and most of the time they will test your battery for free.
If the sound you are hearing is a high pitched whine at start up, it is the starter not disengaging from the flywheel fast enough. It's mostly just a nuisance. The only thing you can do is remove the starter, and grease the inner shaft.
As for the slow/sluggish start, it could be the battery straining a little (they don't like this hot weather). If you are super concerned, take your car to an Autozone or similar store, and most of the time they will test your battery for free.
I wondered about the battery, too. I "think" [can't swear to it] it seems to start more sluggishly when the car has only been off for a short while before the next start-up. I plan on taking it in very soon to my regular mechanic. He said he'd also check the spark plugs, but he doesn't think they need replacing.
I absolutely L-O-V-E this car and intend to keep it for as long as possible. I got really lucky in that I purchased it in '99 with only 15K miles on it. Why on earth someone traded it in I have no clue! It's been an awesome vehicle. Driving it is like butter.
p.s. The owner's manual says that if the engine's only been off for about 30 minutes, to depress the accelerator if you need to restart it. Do you know why this is? Truthfully, I didn't realize this until now.
I absolutely L-O-V-E this car and intend to keep it for as long as possible. I got really lucky in that I purchased it in '99 with only 15K miles on it. Why on earth someone traded it in I have no clue! It's been an awesome vehicle. Driving it is like butter.
p.s. The owner's manual says that if the engine's only been off for about 30 minutes, to depress the accelerator if you need to restart it. Do you know why this is? Truthfully, I didn't realize this until now.
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MaxKlinger
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2005 12:14 pm
- Car: 1996 Nissan Maxima GXE
Re: 1996 Maxima Start-Up Concerns (DianaR)
Maybe try cleaning up the throttle body? Mine was a little hard to start for a while, it used to either stall or idle a little high. I found that cleaning the throttle body clears the problem up and it's very easy to do.
Well, I tried to start the car within about five mins. of turning it off at my son's day care and it finally died. It was pouring rain, the day care center was due to close in three minutes, and my husband was waiting for me to pick him up, and I had no way of calling him, as he doesn't have a cell ph. [yet].
Thank God one of the other straggling parents had jumpers and it started after a minute or two of charging. Obviously a dead battery which Sears replaced last night.
But let me tell ya ... the Nissan battery was close to four years old and given the Florida summer heat, it was a g-r-e-a-t battery. And what I thought was most interesting is that it didn't just die out without a clue like other batteries have. I noticed that something just wasn't quite right with the starting noise about three weeks ago, so it's as if it's been trying to give me precious time vs. leaving me stranded. Whew!
Our regular mechanic replaced the air and fuel filters today, and finally the spark plugs because I wanted this, even though he felt the plugs were good until at least 100K. Well, sooner or later they need to be replaced anyway.
Would you believe the mechanic just happened to notice the cap was missing on the brake fluid reservoir? I couldn't believe it! So then I'm calling all over town to try and find one, especially after two Nissan mechanics scared me by saying that it was nothing short of miraculous that our brakes didn't completely fail us, as the pistons would shoot the fluid all over the place.
Our mechanic said that wasn't happening. There was no evidence of fluid on the hood's underside. Another whew!
Husbands on his way now to get a new cap.
I am so ready for the weekend!
Thank God one of the other straggling parents had jumpers and it started after a minute or two of charging. Obviously a dead battery which Sears replaced last night.
But let me tell ya ... the Nissan battery was close to four years old and given the Florida summer heat, it was a g-r-e-a-t battery. And what I thought was most interesting is that it didn't just die out without a clue like other batteries have. I noticed that something just wasn't quite right with the starting noise about three weeks ago, so it's as if it's been trying to give me precious time vs. leaving me stranded. Whew!
Our regular mechanic replaced the air and fuel filters today, and finally the spark plugs because I wanted this, even though he felt the plugs were good until at least 100K. Well, sooner or later they need to be replaced anyway.
Would you believe the mechanic just happened to notice the cap was missing on the brake fluid reservoir? I couldn't believe it! So then I'm calling all over town to try and find one, especially after two Nissan mechanics scared me by saying that it was nothing short of miraculous that our brakes didn't completely fail us, as the pistons would shoot the fluid all over the place.
Our mechanic said that wasn't happening. There was no evidence of fluid on the hood's underside. Another whew!
Husbands on his way now to get a new cap.
I am so ready for the weekend!
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audtatious
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Re: (DianaR)
Sounds like you were lucky with the brake issue.
FWIW, I would test the voltage of the alternator at idle to make sure it is charging at 13.4+V. I have also had problems with a started killing batteries like that as well. After three dead batteries within as many weeks, I had the starter tested at Autozone and they informed me it was drawing 180 amps on the test table, thus immediately deep-cycling the battery. They were surprised it had not burned up...
BTW, welcome to NICO and don't forget to sign in: zerothread?id=115172
FWIW, I would test the voltage of the alternator at idle to make sure it is charging at 13.4+V. I have also had problems with a started killing batteries like that as well. After three dead batteries within as many weeks, I had the starter tested at Autozone and they informed me it was drawing 180 amps on the test table, thus immediately deep-cycling the battery. They were surprised it had not burned up...
BTW, welcome to NICO and don't forget to sign in: zerothread?id=115172
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blackmaxxx96
- Posts: 37
- Joined: Wed Apr 06, 2005 5:57 am
Im having sort of the same problem... Its the sensor that plugs into the front of the transmission, I forget what its called, but its a magnetic sensor that reads off the flywhile that has something to do with timing... I broke it when I was doing my transmission swap... You might just want to check that, but its probably something else....
PS: Whats up Maxhopper!! Havent seen you in a while... send me a PM on .org sometime! hope youre doing good!
-Mike
PS: Whats up Maxhopper!! Havent seen you in a while... send me a PM on .org sometime! hope youre doing good!
-Mike
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audtatious
- Moderator
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- Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2002 5:31 pm
- Car: 2017 Q60 Red Sport. Gone: 2014 Q50s, 2008 G37s coupe, 2007 G35s Sedan, 2002 Maxima SE, 2000 Villager Estate (Quest), 1998 Quest, 1996 Sentra GXE
- Location: Stalking You
- Contact:
Re: (blackmaxxx96)
Oh noes!! We are being invaded by a .org'er...
Welcome aboard
Welcome aboard
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maxima278
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- Car: 96 240SX SR20, 69 Ford Pickup, 99 Dodge Ram 1500, 1996 Nissan Maxima, 1997 Nissan Maxima project, 89 Coupe shell
Re: (audtatious)
When I was in college in '98 I had a 90 pathfinder and judging by the look of it, it had the original Nissan Battery in it! It started every time until one day I turned it over and BOOM! It exploded sending water everywhere and smoke out of the hood. Not bad I guess for an 8 year old battery with over 200,000 miles on the car.