2008 Altima 3.5 Cold Start Problems

[ABRB228]

I just got the car (new) about 3 weeks ago. It has less than 1,000 kms. Sitting in the unheated garage overnight (temps inside the garage would be about 0 degrees C) - it does not want to start easily. (push button starter) Yesterday, it would not start until I held the gas pedal about 3/4 throttle. Of course it's all under warranty, but I'm wondering...I fueled it up with regular fuel. The dealership assured me when I bought it that I did not need to run premium. Could it be the octane count?

Also we have tons of snow up here and after it was running and warmed up, I had a short trip to make across town - the city streets weren't plowed and it was slippery. With the TCS disabled, I found that when the wheels spun, it would cut out around 4500 - 5500 rpm. Complete power loss for a couple of seconds just as if the TCS was activated.

Any thoughts or similar experiences?Thanks

[OldmanPurdy]

Take it to the dealer your car should always start no matter what octane you use, and the TCS system on most newer cars is still partialy active even with the switch turned off so it not uncommon to have it cut out under intense wheel spin even with it "off".

[ABRB228]

Thanks for your comments - its the kinda news I'm glad to hear on both matters, otherwise this car was not doing a great job at making a first impression. I left it outside last night and temps were down around -12C and it started just fine. Not sure if it was a quirk in the computer, but I'll give it a few more cold days before I call the dealer - hopefully, I won't have too. I'd be interested if anyone else has experienced similar situations wrt cold starts or TCS-like behavior when TCS is off.

[OldmanPurdy]

For reference my 02 3.5 with the original battery will start with no problems in the common -30c temps we get up in NS. As for TCS I don't have it on mine but in some rental we had (can't even remember what it was) TCS was a pain, with it on 2-3k of spin = cutout and with it off around 4-5k = cutout. It seems like a standard feature of most cars to have TCS still passivly enabled even with the switch off, prehaps a legal thing so people can't blame car makers for crashes because they were able to bypass a saftey feature? (not that is TCS very useful in snow anyway)

[NISTECH]

Next time it seems to take a long time to start,take note of your oil pressure light. Alot of the newer vtc nissan motors are holding off on fire till it has oil pressure to prevent initial start up chain/vtc rattle.This may be a normal condition. The 07 altima QR25 had a reprogram due to this start up rattle.

[ABRB228]

Next time it seems to take a long time to start,take note of your oil pressure light. Alot of the newer vtc nissan motors are holding off on fire till it has oil pressure to prevent initial start up chain/vtc rattle.This may be a normal condition. The 07 altima QR25 had a reprogram due to this start up rattle.

Interesting comment about the low oil pressure - I can say that it cranked over for about 8-10 seconds until I took my foot off the brake to de-activate the push start. I would have expected it to have established some oil pressure with that much cranking, but next time, if it happens - I'll keep an eye on the light. Holding the gas pedal about 3/4's to the floor seemed to help. It'll be getting it's first visit to the dealership if this happens again - even with less than 1,000 kms on it!

[POINTSANDCONDENSER]

There are plenty of posibilities including : fuel pump , idle air vol. learn , plugs fuel quality , etc. A trip to the dealer is definitly in order... Make sure you set it up for a drop off the day/night before. You can't test the car for a cold start problem when it's already hot. At that point you , as a technician , can check systems and codes and mybe take a reasonable guess.

[NM50]

I have learned that if the warm up is not done and shut off cold then started cold again after cold soak then they have a tendancy to flood.Just 2cents of wintertime advice.

[jordanmullen]

the high rpm spin cut is a combo of rev limiting and tc to prevent trans damage. not start when cold, you bought a 08 with all new tech, transponder start, throttle by wire, and many more that you probly dont even know about, not what you want to hear, but expect problems.

[ABRB228]

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. I haven't had a problem since the 2 consecutive times this happened. Once it happened after a brief cold start and then shut down for several hours; the other occasion it happened after the car had been shut down after running at normal operating temps. I'll wait til it happens again, and maybe get a chance to try out their towing service covered by warranty :-)

[crystale]

I am wondering what the dealer has told you. Yesterday while washing my car it locked down and won't start. It was about 20 degrees, I'm in Maryland. It has totally locked down. I had it towed to my home because it was Sunday and I'm having it towed to the dealership today.

What do I mean you may ask? It won't start, the doors won't lock, the windows won't open, the HOOD and TRUNK won't pop open. I suspect I triggered the alarm system and it shut down. It systematically did this, first the engine (with the lights still on), then the door locks, then eventually the lights.

While the lights were still on there was a light indicator on the dash of a car with a key in the middle. I looked in the manual and it said this indicates a malfunction and take it to the dealership immediately (under troubleshoot).

I am very concerned but optimistic that it is the wonderful alarm system. I will let everyone know when I return from the dealership today.

[Wittman]

Hi There,I have a very sade experience. I'm living in Quebec, Canada. Last weeks we have a very cold nights, when I started my Altima 3.5SE 2008, for preheat period before wheel, power sterring strape broke 2 times, in 2 weeks. 1st time, hydraulic pump was changing, car is once again to repair.I don't know if this series is quiet with winter period, maybe all engine parts were too expose to the elements, due of huge holes of radiator's grill or Calender, here cold weather is a big problem.I'm a old Maxima SE driver, never got this problem before. I let ou know about problem solution.

Cheers.

Éric.