We've been encountering this issue for approximately a month now. Here are the symptoms:

Upon pressing the brake and pushing the start button, all electrical appears to work (the seat adjusts, radio and A/C come on, etc) but the engine will not turn over. Usually, when this is occurring, the brake becomes hard to press and the steering wheel becomes hard to turn.

Sometimes, the engine will eventually start after multiple attempts. Sometimes this take 3 or 5 tries, sometimes it takes 20 minutes of trying.

If I attach jumper cables to my other vehicle, this one will start right up.

I tested the battery and it seemed good but since it was about 4 years old I replaced it last week. Today, I encountered the issue again. It happens a few times a week. The rest of the time, it starts up fine. It sometimes happens in the morning, but today we had just driven it and an hour later it wouldnt start.

If I get out of the vehicle and have someone else try to start it, I do hear some clicking, but thats it.

So, since I think I've ruled out the battery, I'm thinking either alternator or starter. Any thoughts? Anyone seen this before?

I have an extended warranty so I'm going to take it to the dealership but I have a feeling it won't happen while I'm telling them about it so I want to be sure I explain it properly.

You have a bad brake pedal switch. Very common problem on all I-key Nissans.

Ok this does sound familiar. Do you know if this is the correct part?

https://www.nissanpartsdeal.com/parts/n ... ax11a.html

Looks right, but the best way to be certain is to plug-in your VIN on the NissanPartsDeal home page. Their dbase is the same as Nissan DPC, so if they show a fit for your VIN, it's right. I should point out that the Nissan switches aren't great. The WVE switches (made by NTK) seem to hold up better than OE.

My 2001 Pathfinder does the same thing. I just replaced the starter relay, drove down to Lowes, came out, and no start. Like most of the time, I sifted the gear from park to neutral. Sometimes several times, then it finally starts. Sometimes, if the front wheels aren't perfectly straight forward, it won't start, just click. Power is fine all over, but this problem is irritating. I think it's either the neutral safety switch, or something in the steering column.

On an '01 it could be the starter is just worn out. Bad brushes will cause that sort of behavior. Whether it spins or not depends on which brush lands on which commutator and how little contact pressure is left in the bad brush. Eventually they get to where banging them with a hammer is the only thing which will make them spin, and past that they just die completely. Bad ring contacts in the solenoid can also act that way when they become pitted.

Thanks for bumping this. My apologies for not following up. It was, indeed, the brake switch. I took it out and cleaned it. Popped it back in and no issues since!

After watching a Youtube where a Ford SVU had the same problem, but a loose ground wire on the starter solenoid produced the same problems we're experiencing, the person tightened the nut, problem solved. But in our case, the brushes failing makes sense. Shopping around, I found a well known shop in our area (whom I've used before and trust) who rationalizes that the whole starter assembly should be changed, as just the labor replacing the solenoid alone would cost more than replacing it all. Plus, a warranty would come with the job, and at around $385, it's worth it. I will respond back when we do it.

He's right, there's no point changing out the solenoid and then finding out the problem is really bad brushes (which a new solenoid won't fix). That's good advice, just replace the starter.

A starter/solenoid assembly comes as one complete unit.

David Pinkston wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 29, 2023 4:25 pm

A starter/solenoid assembly comes as one complete unit.

No, the solenoid is replaceable on many of them if you know what you're doing, but unless you're certain the problem is the ring contact and not the brushes, there's no point. To be certain, you really need to open up the case, so the majority of the time you're better off not screwing around and just replacing the whole thing.

I'm experiencing the same issue with my 1999 QX4. I replaced battery and new heavy duty terminals. Can still happen from time to time. As OP said, If I jump start the car, it will start. Okay, decided to replace the starter a couple of weeks ago. Not an easy task. Hard time removing positive wire, so paid a mechanic $400 to do it for me. Book said 2.5 hour for replacement time.
Well, damn, if it isn't still happening. Wife brought truck down and it jump started no problem. Have always wondered if it was a starter relay but not sure where that is. Knocked on computer boxes under steering wheel and dash, but did nothing. Very intermittent.
Hmm, brake switch? I did look at it before wife came down and seemed to move in and out fine. Frustrating!
(gtrplyr) was the brake switch still the issue?
Thanks, guys for any input you might have. Rather than posting a-new, thought I would just go off of this same issue thread.

Only I-key cars use the brake switch in starting, it's the signal that tells the car you want to crank as opposed to just turning the ignition on. Steel keyed vehicles like your QX4 don't care about the brake. The next most likely culprit on your ride is probably the ignition switch. It doesn't have a starter relay per se, only a PNP relay (Park-Neutral) located in the passenger side relay box. You can see the wiring diagram here on page SC-7:
https://www.nicoclub.com/service-manual ... 9%2FSC.pdf

Thank you Vstar,

Ah silly me, your right. Didn't catch the I-key part versus steel key. Makes sense.
Okay, so I drove to take garbage down the mountain to our pickup location last Tuesday early evening and it would not restart. I tried turning the key multiple times and not even a slight turn of the starter. I also put it in neutral to start and then park and over and over turning the key. But as soon as my wife brought the truck down and I ran the jumper cables, it starts right up, no hesitation. It did it a couple of months ago and we were out so I called AAA and it started right up, no problem. So I took it to the Interstate distributor and they tested it and my 600 amp battery had 660 amps. Nope, battery is good, he says. I wonder, if the battery I put in there should have been higher amperage? Seems when I replaced the battery, the previous owner who had it in a garage had a longer battery that what the Interstate guy said would work for my QX4.

Still can't believe the ignition switch would be the culprit. Perhaps I am missing something? Starts all the time this week, no problem. But, I wonder if the park/neutral position relay could be the issue. AND, perhaps the relay works with a jump when it isn't making a contact?

My wife is ready to junk the car. It's perfect with only 100,00 miles. Leather interior, Bose stereo, super reliable except this issue. Bummed I put in a new starter. I realize it is a 1999 car.

I've never had a problem with the steel key ignition. Seems to go through all the 4 clicks without a hitch.

I apologize for not responding sooner. Your really good at helping people, Vstar. I don't get a notification if the thread has been responded to in my email. Thanks for the PDF, I printed the SC7 page and can figure out which relay it is.
Juggling a decision: ignition switch or park/neutral position replay?
Super helpful.
Brynderwen

Oh, okay. I found an ignition switch, a plastic cylinder that has the 6 contacts in it. Is that what your mean by replacing the ignition switch? It looks like it mounts to the lock key assembly.

$30 partsgeek

That can't be too bad. Just have to figure out how to get the whole assembly out and replace the plastic cylinder with the contacts.
Is that what you meant?
thanks

Yes. You don't need to replace the whole cylinder, just the electrical portion. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

I am having the exact same problem. My vehicle is also a 2018 Nissan Pathfinder SL. My vehicle will jump off but most of the time I just keep trying until it starts. Sometimes I have to wait 20 or 30 minutes after my initial first try. I have around 75000 miles on my vehicle but I've been experiencing this for the last 4 or 5 months. I'm thinking of trading it in because of this issue. I have bought a new battery and changed the battery in the key fob.

See if the brake lamps are lit when it misbehaves, if not then you have a bad pedal switch. Many times those switches get high resistance and the extra voltage from a jump overcomes it, so the fact that it starts with a jump doesn't exclude a bad switch. Some R52's also have a brake lamp relay which can be responsible. If the brake lamps are lit, then if you get one solid click and the lights don't dim when it fails to start, chances are your starter is going bad. If the lights dim out and it chatters then you probably have a bad connection somewhere in your battery cables.

Hey Vstar,
I replaced the ignition switch. Not too bad, 1 hour. It worked fine. But a week and a half later, I am still having the sporadic won't start issue. I can hear the clicking.
History: First replaced battery one year ago, replaced battery terminals with HD retrofits. Seemed to work for about 8 months without a start issue. Around 8 months it happened again. If I jump it, it will start up, no problem. Took battery back to Interstate and they got 660 amps on my 600 amp battery and he checked the cells and said it was fine. I decided to replace the starter about a month ago, thought it might be bad brushes as it is 23 years old with 100.000 miles on it. Then It happened again and I changed out the ignition switch as you suggested. So unfortunately it is still happening. Did it Tuesday evening and I brought along a Cat battery booster unit and let it sit for about 5 minutes and it fired right up. Been to the store a few times since and yesterday it would not start and is sitting in the driveway. I hear the clicking and all dash lights go on. No particular dimming. I've messed with Park/neutral to see if that was issue, to no avail. Tried it again this morning, still won't start. Damn, this is stumping me.
Any other ideas? No rust on this car. Spent most of it's life in a garage. Can't figure it out. Interior is perfect, great stereo, runs like a dream. Don't want to sell it.

Try whacking the starter with a hammer. My bet is on a rebuilt starter with bad/worn-out brushes that didn't get properly "rebuilt". If the hammer helps, replace the starter.

PS - If it doesn't help, you're going to need to invest in a $4 test lamp and do some crawling around to find out where the power isn't going.

Oh I tired the hammer with the first starter or original starter with her holding the key in the start position. So that is when I thought I would replace the starter. New starter is a new starter with a Mitsubishi motor.
But if I jump it with my truck, no problem, starts right up. Not battery, took to Interstate distributor and he checked cells and everything and it was pumping 660 amps and the battery was a 600 amp battery.
Perhaps the OEM battery is larger than 600 amp. Oh, he said my alternator is running perfectly too.
Where do I find the OEM sized battery for my 1999 INFINITI QX4, any idea.
Thanks

Throwing spaghetti at the wall isn't likely to help. Try a voltmeter and this...
https://www.nicoclub.com/archives/under ... tests.html
...and if you're getting little or no juice to the solenoid terminal, suspect your PNP Relay or something in the relay wiring. See SC-7 here for your wiring diagram:
https://www.nicoclub.com/service-manual ... 9%2FSC.pdf