Been driving for 15 years. 1st car a 86 oldsmobile, second 98 altima, now a 2011 rogue, my first brand new car. And surprising this is the very first time I have had a car not start on me. Im very disappointed! All my plans out the window. No dealerships open today so i have to take a day off and have my car towed tomorrow.

Canceled my AAA membership....never needed it for my very old cars, why would i need it on a brand new one? Guess i was wrong!

It's not the battery. car seems to turn over but does not do the rapid stutter that it usually does before a start. after trying multiple times, it does stutter and seems like it wants to start but doesn't. i don't want to keep trying cause i don't want to flood the engine.....also, if by chance it did start, it may be harder for the dealership to find the issue.

Could it be bad gas?...I top off the tank, and now it is at the half way mark...how can only half the gas be bad! I just gave it two quick starts about 12 hrs ago to move if a few inches to rake leaves....could the quick starts and turn offs cause this issue? it is on a slanted driveway....could that be it?

I never thought i would be stranded with a new car.....when a 86 oldsmobile never left me stranded!

Im very disappointed!

This happen to me once, I don't know if it was a fluke but I was trying to start my Rogue for like 10-15 minutes. It just wouldn't turn over, I started to press the gas to the floor trying to give it some juice and nothing. Sat there for a few good seconds upset too because of it being a new car. After turning the key over 2 dozen times hoping not to ruin the ignition, it finally sputtered and eventually ran. I gave it another good final juice of gas and never had a problem since.


I prefer to keep the Triple AAA even with a new car since they are helpful during a flat, especially if your not in the mood to change a tire. Not that it happen to me, but if you ran out of gas they will bring you a gallon if you need it. Moreover, if your in somebody else's car and if they run out of gas, since you have a triple AAA card, you can get them to drop some gas off if your stranded.

There are Triple AAA discounts at stores and hotels.

They also will change your battery and even sell you one on the spot if need be to get you going. Moreover they can test and check the health of your battery.

So many benefits with Triple AAA that it's a great thing to have that card in your wallet or purse.

casperfun wrote:This happen to me once, I don't know if it was a fluke but I was trying to start my Rogue for like 10-15 minutes. It just wouldn't turn over, I started to press the gas to the floor trying to give it some juice and nothing. Sat there for a few good seconds upset too because of it being a new car. After turning the key over 2 dozen times hoping not to ruin the ignition, it finally sputtered and eventually ran. I gave it another good final juice of gas and never had a problem since.

But what do you make of the "fluke?" I need a reliable car. I cant have a car that randomly wont start. And I've waited minutes, even hours and still no luck.

this is a terrible shame. Should i have gone with the Tuscan?

Hi raygold, I'm very sorry to hear about your problems with your Rogue, I've been there and know how dissappointing this is.

It could be a number of things, it sounds like your starter is good and battery if you can hear the starter turning over at the normal high speed. It's either not getting fuel or spark. My first guess would be bad fuel pump. If this is the case you'll have to have it towed to the shop, your Rogue will have free roadside service so at least this won't cost you anything.

I'd recommend calling the Nissan roadside assistnace number monday morning, tell them you're stranded and the car won't start, they'll dispatch a tow truck and deliver your Rogue to the dealer for free where they'll likely find the problem quickly.

From the owners manual:

In cold weather, keep the engine running for a minimum of 2 - 3 minutes before shutting it off. Starting and stopping the engine over a short period of time may make the vehicle more difficult to start.

I've encountered the same issue in cool conditions. Also not allowing the engine to warm up a minute or so can cause it to stall when placed in Drive. The rich running conditions during a cold start may be part of the issue.

There is a proper procedure for a hard to start/flooded engine. Read the owners manual (Starting and Driving section). This will save your starter from overheating and damage.

If the engine is very hard to start in
extremely cold weather or when restarting,
depress the accelerator pedal a little
(approximately 1/3 to the floor) and hold
it and then crank the engine. Release the
accelerator pedal when the engine
starts.

. If the engine is very hard to start
because it is flooded, depress the
accelerator pedal all the way to the floor
and hold it. Crank the engine for 5 - 6
seconds. After cranking the engine,
release the accelerator pedal. Crank
the engine with your foot off the
accelerator pedal by turning the ignition
switch to START. Release the
ignition switch when the engine starts.
If the engine starts, but fails to run,
repeat the above procedure.

CAUTION
Do not operate the starter for more
than 15 seconds at a time. If the engine
does not start, turn the ignition switch
off and wait 10 seconds before cranking
again, otherwise the starter could be
damaged.

philipa_240sx wrote:From the owners manual:

In cold weather, keep the engine running for a minimum of 2 - 3 minutes before shutting it off. Starting and stopping the engine over a short period of time may make the vehicle more difficult to start.

I've encountered the same issue in cool conditions. Also not allowing the engine to warm up a minute or so can cause it to stall when placed in Drive. The rich running conditions during a cold start may be part of the issue.

There is a proper procedure for a hard to start/flooded engine. Read the owners manual (Starting and Driving section). This will save your starter from overheating and damage.

If the engine is very hard to start in
extremely cold weather or when restarting,
depress the accelerator pedal a little
(approximately 1/3 to the floor) and hold
it and then crank the engine. Release the
accelerator pedal when the engine
starts.

. If the engine is very hard to start
because it is flooded, depress the
accelerator pedal all the way to the floor
and hold it. Crank the engine for 5 - 6
seconds. After cranking the engine,
release the accelerator pedal. Crank
the engine with your foot off the
accelerator pedal by turning the ignition
switch to START. Release the
ignition switch when the engine starts.
If the engine starts, but fails to run,
repeat the above procedure.

Hey, called road side assistance and they said it would be $70 to drive me 3 miles to the nearest dealership. AAA would be $85 to sign up. So I decided to try the above mentioned steps to before giving any money.

I pressed the gas all the way to the ground and held it there for a little while, then i left it 1/3 down until while turning the key and it started right up! I drove it for a few blocks then parked and shut it off. Then I tried starting it like i normally do....without touching the gas at all.....and it started right up!

So does this mean it was the fact that i started it, moved it a few inches on a slanted driveway (facing downward) and then shut it off, within a minute, twice, that caused this?

Am i safe to go to work and feel confident that it will start when it is time to go to lunch or come home?

Was this a one time event? should i regain my confidence in Nissan?

I'll respond when/if I make it back home from work :-)

Thanks Phil for the suggestions.

I'm betting that the issue is what was mentioned above. Should it happen again, repeat the process. My wifes had the same problem once, parked in the garage.

Ok! I've made it back home from work. Had to start any turn off the car about 7 times during the day. Had no problems so far. I guess it was the fact that i turn it on and cut it off so fast the night prior to this happening. Maybe I cleared the fuel lines that then there was none left to start the car.....which would be the reason i needed to give it gas to start.

But Im up for an inspection now anyway so I'll ask someone to check it out this Saturday during the inspection.

But all seems to be good now.

Thanks!

The exact same thing has happened to me in cold weather...with a little variation. I started to turn the engine over, but released the knob a fraction of a second too early, so the engine didn't start. After that, it'd just turn over and over and over and nothing. Went back inside and waited 10 minutes, came back out, played with the throttle, and it fired back up.
Never had a problem since.

It must be like what Philipa said. It happens sometimes when it's cold and the engine isn't allowed to run for more than a few seconds.

The only difference here is that it was not cold at all....we are still above 50 degrees. so the weather played no part in this. and i was not like i turned the key and let it go too soon....I actually put the car in drive and moved it a few feet......twice....with no issue.

Im thinking maybe the fact that it was left on a slant, drained the fuel from the fuel lines??? but the car is left on the same slant everyday!

I do feel a little stupid for losing a whole day just because I didn't press the gas!....but now i know...and i never had to press the gas to start it for the full year that I've had it!

But the car is still running fine and starting as it normally did.

the fuel pump would of put pressure back in the lines and fuel doesn't come out the fuel lines that easily. Thats why fuel lines are bent in different directions to prevent that.

It's either spark of Fuel
Does the fuel pump prime? When you turn the car on?

TaiLuu wrote:the fuel pump would of put pressure back in the lines and fuel doesn't come out the fuel lines that easily. Thats why fuel lines are bent in different directions to prevent that.

It's either spark of Fuel
Does the fuel pump prime? When you turn the car on?

I havent had an issue and never needed to give it gas again since that day. But all signs point to there not being fuel in the lines when i tried to start the car.

What makes the car harder to start if you turn the key and shut it off right before the engine ignites? What ever happens in that case is what i believe happened to me.

I didnt do exactly this, but i did start it, move it and turn it off in a matter of seconds....leaving it on a slant.

The car would not start until i pressed the gas a day later....and i tried multiple times,.....seconds....minutes....and hours apart.

But Im glad there is no issue now.

Ok, I finally took the car to the dealership and even though i told them this issue happened only once and was good for more than a week after, they said that it sounded like build up on the throttle body, stopping the flap from opening. He said that my pressing the gas pedal forced the flap open and that is why it started after.

They looked at it and said they saw a little build up , but not a lot. But they recommended throttle body injector service.....in which they put on a machine, or so they say, and clean out the build up that was starting. and of course i had to pay big bucks for this service!

And they also recommended that I which to premium fuel to prevent future build ups!!!!!!! If I could afford Premium fuel, i would be apart of the BMW forum and not the Rogue!.

I don't know what to believe. don't know what to do! I specifically only looked at car that took regular gas and now this!

But hey, the car is still running fine now.

I did which to a cheap hess station from a BP a month before this happened.....could that have been it? should i be safe if i go back to BP regular...or do i have to go to premium even if I go back to the more expensive bp?

What a relief to come across this post! This morning, my 2012 Rogue would not start... I was at a friend's house, 2 hours from home. Last night, I quickly moved the rogue to a different part of the driveway, so I wouldn't be blocking another friend's car who had to leave. It was very quickly done, and I didn't let the engine idle for 30 seconds, as I should, before moving. It was probably 50-55˚ at the time I did this.

So, this morning, I went out to start the rogue to head home. As soon as I turned the key, there was a sound that I would describe as air being blown through a tube, or maybe a very light backfire. It startled me, so I immediately stopped turning the key. I turned the key again and it would just crank and not turn over. I didn't think to turn to the owner's manual, but lightly depressed the gas pedal a few times. After a few more cranks and a good ten minutes later, it finally (and seemingly reluctantly) started.

Also, I should mention there was about 1/8 tank of gas at the time. Put a fresh tank of gas in and drove home, making a few stops along the way, and everything seems normal. Definitely hope it's just a fluke, as I can relate to some of the factors mentioned above.

troyjack wrote:What a relief to come across this post! This morning, my 2012 Rogue would not start... I was at a friend's house, 2 hours from home. Last night, I quickly moved the rogue to a different part of the driveway, so I wouldn't be blocking another friend's car who had to leave. It was very quickly done, and I didn't let the engine idle for 30 seconds, as I should, before moving. It was probably 50-55˚ at the time I did this.

So, this morning, I went out to start the rogue to head home. As soon as I turned the key, there was a sound that I would describe as air being blown through a tube, or maybe a very light backfire. It startled me, so I immediately stopped turning the key. I turned the key again and it would just crank and not turn over. I didn't think to turn to the owner's manual, but lightly depressed the gas pedal a few times. After a few more cranks and a good ten minutes later, it finally (and seemingly reluctantly) started.

Also, I should mention there was about 1/8 tank of gas at the time. Put a fresh tank of gas in and drove home, making a few stops along the way, and everything seems normal. Definitely hope it's just a fluke, as I can relate to some of the factors mentioned above.

Glad to hear that a post i started helped someone else! Well I can tell you...3 years later and the issue has never happened again. Must of had something to do with how fast I started and turned off the car....

Just want you to know that this worked for me too. I had almost the exact same problem yesterday with my 2010 Rogue. I cranked it so much that I killed the battery. I put in a new battery and started to run it down. I put a charger on the battery for a few hours. Found your post and figured I would give it a try. It worked! I should also add, I removed the air filter also (I thought maybe it was being starved for air, my filter looked really bad). Anyway, thanks for the help!

I'm embarrassed to admit I didn't even think about checking the owner's manual when my 2013 Rogue wouldn't start.... but did come straight to message boards! I repositioned my car in the garage yesterday and probably only had it on for about one minute... and today it just turned over but wouldn't start. We did as referenced above (and in the owner's manual) - pressed accelerator down about half-way and held while turning ignition and it started right up! Thanks!

When you first start a car, it runs REALLY RICH (more fuel, than normal). The next time you start it, the system can be confused. Especially if there is a temperature difference.

This is common in the summer nights. move a car at 11pm, at 60F, and then start it back up in the late morning at 90F, and the car will be hesitant. Why? The system remembers the prior temps/settings. It takes a few seconds to set itself up. in the meantime, the car wants to run RICH.

Sometimes you might need to apply the accelerator half way, and crank. Sometimes you might need to NOT apply accelerator. If you smell fuel, dont apply it anymore.

YOU guys saved my life my 2007 Nissan Murano have been doing this for 2 months now and would eventually start on its own when it gets warmer outside but this morning it was 30 degrees in Texas and i had to get to work. and I found this forum (thank God). I did the steps: if your car is hard to start when its extremely cold and it work after 3 hours of nothing. I just want to say thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!

Glad this post is helping so many people... We are in a new age now. Sometimes it's easier to do a google search and read a Blog than to bring out the trusty book....which is why I never understood the "Read your manual first" angry replies. Anyway, 5 years later..Still haven't had this problem again.

rayjgold wrote:they said that it sounded like build up on the throttle body, stopping the flap from opening.
They looked at it and said they saw a little build up , but not a lot.

And they also recommended that I which to premium fuel to prevent future build ups!!!!!!!

the only thing passing through the throttle body is air. filtered air and pcv air. fuel never goes through a throttle body. idk how premium fuel would help throttle body build up.

if you want to prevent throttle bodies from building up grease, change your oil sooner, install a REAL oil catch can, or simply keep the RPM's down to keep the PCCV's down.

And it's still helping all these years later. Haha. Thanks for posting!!

Pretty cool.

11, years later.......I still have not had the problem again. Guess Nissans are still reliable after all. Im trying to get the car to 200k mile before replacing..... The new 2022s look great....but the interior of the Hyundai Tucson has won me over......for now at least. We'll see where I'm at when it's time to buy.

My 2009 still starts too. But I did install a new starter last year.

Well this just happened to me.

I started the car the night before and got a call and had to go back inside. The car was on for like 1-2 seconds.
Came out this morning and wouldn't start. I put a jump pack on the battery and nothing. Battery seemed fine as the light were all bright, but wouldn't start. It was also 10 degrees out so I figured that was part of the problem.

Got the multi-meter and it wouldn't register then it did for a seconds and showed 7 volts and kept jumping around. The battery was a Duralast Gold that I got just over 4 years ago. The previous one lasted less than 5 years so I just went and got a new battery. They tested it and it was fine but needed a charge. Said screw it and got the new battery.

Put that in and still didn't start. Checked the fuses and starter relay, which I switch with the defrost rely to test and still didn't work. Tried the gas pedal again and then it finally started!! yay Seemed like you needed to keep the pedal half way down and just keep trying to start.
Also, don't try to keep starting the car for more than 15 seconds or you could burn out the starter.

This just happened to our 2009 Rogue. Backed it out of the garage on Sat and parked it. Two hours later pulled it into the garage. Today would crank but not start. I did the start with accelerator pedal down and it started. My wife reminded me we had the same problem with a 1995 Maxima following a move out of the garage, then not starting to drive it back in. Towed it to Nissan under warranty and they got it started but did not tell me the problem.
Very helpful and knowledgeable people on this forum.

Since putting the pedal down helped, you have might have a sticky injector. Those can get worse with cold, and nothing Nissan makes will ever start with fuel-fouled plugs. Try running a bottle of SeaFoam, BG, or Techron through the fuel tank.