1999 Pathfinder Won't Start - Interesting Things Happening

[NolaNissanMonkey]

So yesterday, after parking my Pathy and turning off to load my kayak, I went to start and all I got was a click. So we first tried to jump it with a friend's car with no success. We then tried tapping the starter with no success either. Eventually, we hooked the jumper cables straight from the battery to the leads on the starter while my friend turned the key and we were able to get it started.

So we went to Autozone and grabbed a new starter. Changed it out with no problem. Go to start the car and still just a click noise. We test the battery voltage and it passed at 12.7 (just replaced the battery within the last two months). We then tested the new starter and it also read 12.7. We decided to test the starter while trying to crank and that's when the voltage immediately went down to 0 <<<<Weird right???

So at this point, I'm wondering if it's the starter relay and if it has one? Is this just a fuse under the box on the passenger side b/c it's not clearly labeled. Any help understanding and identifying this relay would be greatly appreciated.

Also, I've been reading the forums and people are saying it's possibly the NATS immoblizer..my security light blinks red when locked and unlocked but it goes off when trying to start and never is steady red. I have had issues in the past with the alarm randomly going off at times so I removed the antitheft horn fuse so it wouldn't go off in the middle of night and upset the neighbors. That was about 2 weeks ago that I removed that fuse, but haven't had an issue with the car not starting until last night.

Needless to say, after replacing the starter it was late and I was at my father's shop, so we jumped the car with the cables from the battery to the starter again and was able to get it home. I have another car so for now I'm not completely out of luck. Any help at all would be appreciated as I am a newer owner of this truck and am really just getting to know it.

Thanks in advance for all the help.

-John from New Orleans

[Blindaviator]

Sounds to me like the main battery wire to the starter. Either a bad connection on the battery, bad connection on starter or the wire it's self is going bad....

[NolaNissanMonkey]

Okay, so that wire goes from battery>fuse box>starter. Is this what is considered the starter relay? Thanks

[Blindaviator]

Okay, so that wire goes from battery>fuse box>starter. Is this what is considered the starter relay? Thanks

No the starter relay on these is on top of the starter also known as the starter solenoid switch. The main power wire goes straight from the battery to the connection on the starter solenoid. The other 2 smaller wires that attach to the battery terminal are for powering the rest of the vehicle through the fuse box.

To replace the main power wire on these pathfinders you will have to buy several different parts. They don't have a direct replacement at your local parts store (not sure if even the Stealership will have it). I personally purchased a set of marine terminals (those are the top post terminals with the threaded stud on the end) and a short 3ft long 4ga cable with eyelets at both ends (turns out the 3ft was a little long and I had to do some loops). Also Had to pick up some 8ga electrical wire terminals to reattach the 2 accessory wires with.

Most parts stores also sell a battery terminal with 2 and 3 short leads off them instead of a complete cable. They are designed for basically stripping the old wires and attaching them to those new leads by either permanent crimps or a screw tightened down on them. If you go that route make sure you don't use the old starter wire since you don't know where it is bad. Make sure to buy a new cable to use with it.

[NolaNissanMonkey]

@ Blindaviator

Thanks for the input, I will try replacing the main power wire this weekend. On the starter itself, there is a plug that comes from a wire and plugs into the starter solenoid. Is this what you consider the relay and will that need to be replaced? Also, the big fuses with the plastic tops on them that show a current pattern; how do you know if those need to be replaced? Are there any big top fuses that I should look at replacing that could also be problematic?

[Blindaviator]

If you are referring to the fuses with the clear plastic tops that you can see through then you can visually determine if they are blown... You can see the thin strip of metal down through the top which is the fuse...

Where the wires attach is the starter solenoid switch... Normally if it is bad it will click when you turn the key to start position but never send enough current through to start the vehicle... If it is bad it is better to replace the complete starter with a new one as many parts stores will not give you a warranty unless you replace the entire unit at the same time... I replaced mine a few months back with a re manufactured one when I swapped engines (lifetime warranty from Vatozone)...

There should be 3 wires total on the solenoid...
One wire will go straight to the battery for power... One will connect to a terminal opposite the battery wire and down into the starter and one will run from the solenoid out to the wiring of the car...

The one that plugs into the wiring harness out into the car is the power wire from the key that engages the solenoid (when you turn the key to start this wire is energized) and causes power to be transferred from the battery to the coils inside the starter for it to spin...
The one that runs down into the starter is what supplies power to the coils inside the starter that causes it to spin when you turn the key to start,,,
The solenoid acts something like a relay but it is MUCH more heavy duty than a standard relay...

[NolaNissanMonkey]

"The one that plugs into the wiring harness out into the car is the power wire from the key that engages the solenoid (when you turn the key to start this wire is energized) and causes power to be transferred from the battery to the coils inside the starter for it to spin...
The one that runs down into the starter is what supplies power to the coils inside the starter that causes it to spin when you turn the key to start,,,
The solenoid acts something like a relay but it is MUCH more heavy duty than a standard relay..."

^^^The one that plugs into the wiring harness from the key is what I'm thinking could be faulty. When I start the car the voltage drops from 12.7 to 0 on the starter. I'm thinking this could be related to the security system locking me out for some reason?

Also, I wasn't referring to the fuses as I know how to check those. I meant the big square plastic conductor fuses? in the fuse box.

[NolaNissanMonkey]

@ blindaviator

Thanks for all the responses and the help. It turned out to be the power cable from the battery to the starter. I cut back the outer covering and found that it was corroded and charred looking. So I went to Zone and bought a new cable and all is good! Thank you for all the help. You're a life saver.

-John

[Blindaviator]

@ blindaviator

Thanks for all the responses and the help. It turned out to be the power cable from the battery to the starter. I cut back the outer covering and found that it was corroded and charred looking. So I went to Zone and bought a new cable and all is good! Thank you for all the help. You're a life saver.

-John

NP glad I could help...

Disabling the starter to prevent theft is quite easy to bypass with a screw driver so instead they disable the fuel and / or spark with OEM systems so if the security is engaged (for whatever reason) the car will turn over but never start because of lack of fuel or spark...