94 Q45t just decided to quit :( -help?

[stupidwhiteguy12]

K.

So i was out of school, due to ice covering the roads, and i decided i could maybe be careful and run some errands. car started with no problem, i went about 5-10 miles, and decided to drop by my work to get some food. Went inside, made my food in about 15 minutes, went outside to leave, and it wouldn't turn over. battery was perfectly fine, all lights worked, radio worked, everything. all i could get out of it was a little click in the dash, and the humming of my fuel pumps activating.

i've seen other forums about similar things, and from what i understand, you can sometimes just hit the starter and knock it free. only thing is, i can't seem to find the starter.

if someone can tell me where to find it, or if anyone has any ideas, or has been through this before and gotten it resolved, pleeeaaasssee help.

I love my poor little Q

[goody90q45]

Starter is on the passenger side between the transmission and the engine.

Check the battery clamps to make sure they're tight with no corrosion present.

[sandor]

How do you know the battery is OK? My 94Q would EAT batteries every year and it turned out to be a parasitic drain from the glovebox light switch. I'd try to jump it anyway or preferrably have the battery load tested. My guess is battery or terminal connections. I've put 100K (now at 180K) on my Q and never touched the starter...

Good luck!

[Q45tech]

Obviously every drivers MILE is different...................some drive 100 miles between starts, some only 3.............................why using miles of life for a component is error prone.

By the way my 1990 Q starter lasted 18 years and 318,000 miles

[Kiven422]

Did you plug something into the cigarette lighter?

My first starter went out because of a Radar Detector... car failed to start same day. Worked no problem throughout the week after that incident then my friend remembered I had a radar detector in my car so we plugged it in.... some coincidence, it doesn't make sense but guess what

that was the last draw

the starters location is under the car, passenger side near the front wheel

if you don't know what a starter looks like then good luck but a light whack will do

in fact you can try whacking anything on the engine and see if that works loosens up the starter

[maxnix]

On 1994 and later, accessories are off when ignition is.

[qship96]

Did you plug something into the cigarette lighter?

My first starter went out because of a Radar Detector... car failed to start same day. Worked no problem throughout the week after that incident then my friend remembered I had a radar detector in my car so we plugged it in.... some coincidence, it doesn't make sense but guess what

that was the last draw

A plugged in radar detector cant destroy a starter........electrically IMPOSSIBLE..........JUST A COINCIDENCE.

[stupidwhiteguy12]

they look ok to me, just a little old. i'm thinkin i'm gonna replace those first. it's been too cold to really go out there and do much with it.

[stupidwhiteguy12]

buuut, my plastic cover was ripped off a few months ago. i may have junk that's made it's way into some parts and locked them up.

and i drive quite frequently.

[Kiven422]

A plugged in radar detector cant destroy a starter........electrically IMPOSSIBLE..........JUST A COINCIDENCE.

Agree with you, its JUST A COINCIDENCE THAT IT HAD A PROBLEM THE FIRST TIME I PLUGGED IT IN....... THEN THE 2ND TIME A WEEK LATER WHEN I PLUGGED IT IN

damn RIGHT its just a coincidence

anyways so my buddy was workin on my car... he was telling me he tested ALL 3 starters I have, including the original that i replaced.... and it works!

just didnt wanna work in my car!

[Infinitiguy19]

Or the connectors on your car that connected to the starter were dirty, Did you clean them when reinstalling?

[qship96]

Agree with you, its JUST A COINCIDENCE THAT IT HAD A PROBLEM THE FIRST TIME I PLUGGED IT IN....... THEN THE 2ND TIME A WEEK LATER WHEN I PLUGGED IT IN

damn RIGHT its just a coincidence

anyways so my buddy was workin on my car... he was telling me he tested ALL 3 starters I have, including the original that i replaced.... and it works!

just didnt wanna work in my car!

Both of the above just highlight the need for more indepth study and understanding of electrical systems and concepts.

[stupidwhiteguy12]

*update*

i banged on the starter, no luck. i tested the wires with an auto tester(ya know, the ones with the little light) and from what i could tell, i was getting no power to the starter. so i took off the relay, and had it tested. result=bad starter. ordered the part, put it on today, and still NOTHING.

=[i'm cursing the car gods now.

any ideas on what to do next?i'm thinking take the starter off, but i have little daylight time by the time i get home.any other ideas would be wonderful

[stupidwhiteguy12]

*update to the update*

forgot to mention, also replaced post terminals on the battery.

also, windshield wiper's won't work, headlights won't work, and blinkers won't work unless emergency light is on.

aaaand, i opened my trunk to get something, when i closed it, the car beeped like it was being locked (note, i lost my remote a couple days ago) dash lights came on, and fuel filter purged.my guess is..short, or another relay.

anyway to narrow it down?

[Infinitiguy19]

I would check all fuses.

How's the battery and alternator?

[maxnix]

I would check all fuses.

How's the battery and alternator?

Start with the large fuses under the hood.

[stupidwhiteguy12]

i've checked them all numerous times.

although, i have taken out the huge security one, idk whether it's a fuse or a relay, but i'm thinking it's a relay, looked like one. not exactly sure if that would cause any of the things not working.

anyway, fuses good, battery and alternator are good, had them tested, although i've had to charge the battery a couple times, just because it won't start to get the alternator going to even charge itself.

[Q45tech]

When all else fails tow it to Infiniti dealership and PAY for your lack of skills and possible self inflicted damage created during the diagnostic process.

[stupidwhiteguy12]

haha, well i'm thinking that may be what i have to do.

i'll admit i don't know much. but i definitely didn't do any other damage through diagnostics, the most i did was replace the relay.

[Q45tech]

90% of our electrical repairs are from untrained owners and incompetent mechanics attempting to fix one thing and destroying 2 or 3 others.

If mechanics can do it, owners can in multiples.

Certified technicans [$20-$25/hr] are usually more careful than minimum wage workers and minimum wage workers are more careful than the average owner who won't get fired from screwing things up and costing company money.

You should see the garbage connected to battery or wires shoved into fuse panel or duct tape and crimp sleeves in so many vehicles.

Then people wonder about sudden failures?