'95 Infiniti Q-45 starting problems

[nina_bo_biina]

I had just purchased a 1995 Infiniti about one week before all these problems started happening. Had to replace the alternator, and I got a brand new 6 year battery.

It has been another week since those repares were made, and today the car just wouldn't start. Made no noise, nothing. It was low on gas and parked on a hill so I gave it more gas and still nothing. I cannot even put it into neutral it's like everything is all locked up! None of the buttons or automatic locks are working.

If it's the starter would that effect the locks and buttons too? And the fact that I cannot even switch gears? If anybody knows, please get back to me!!!
Modified by nina_bo_biina at 9:21 PM 3/24/2009

[elwesso]

So the car doesnt crank over at all? I might suspect starter relay, theres a blue relay on the passenger side by the ABS thing.. See if it clicks when you crank the car.

[Reaction Racing]

Have you tried to boost or jump start the car? If so, what happens?

The starter will not cause the buttons and door locks not to work. Do you have a voltmeter or test light? If so, check the battery voltage. If it is not atleast 12 volts, then you need to charge the battery.

Also, make sure the wires are still hooked up properly to the alternator and battery.

It sounds like maybe something was left on and drained the battery.Or maybe a wire came loose from the alternator causing it not to charge.

Please provide more info if possible.Thanks.

[elwesso]

Ive also heard of a main fuse going out (one of the big 100amp ones) causing similar issues.

[Reaction Racing]

If there is a main fuse like Wes says, then definately check it first. If blown, it can cause all the problems you have mentioned.

[Infinitiguy19]

But read the service manual: http://Nicoclub.com/FSM/Q45/1995_Q45

Welcome to NICO.

[jimbyjimb]

It's a semi-valid point but I think it's fair to say 99% of the world doesn't care about cars at all and looks at them as tools for someone else to fix. This is why when people come to these forums seeking to EXPAND their knowledge a friendly and helpful attitude goes much farther in promoting awareness that will aid in the reduction of waste in a world that produces too much already. Scaring people off by being rude, snide and insulting helps no one, not even yourself. More importantly, your children and their children, etc... The time to act out is after the knowledge has been presented to the user and they decide not to use it. For example, if this user were not to change the Infinity to Infiniti a month from now we would know they aren't active in seeking this knowledge and aren't worth our time. There certainly is a time to be blunt and maybe even crass but that time is not from day one second one. You accuse everyone on here of needing work with grammar among other things and then proceed to insult them by referring them to a junior college. MAYBE if you went to some self help classes and worked on your lacking people skills more people would listen instead of writing you off as a douche. I personally believe you're here to help and are doing so in your own unique and sometimes childish way, but to really help people just try being somewhat welcoming instead of a vicious vuture pointing out every flaw within your grasp, maybe even just to make you feel better about something else in life. Just my thoughts...

Turn your headlights on and see if they dim when attempting to crank. Listen for any audible clicking. If you hear clicking note it's location and report back if need be. Barnyard-smack starter with a hammer a few times and see if it cranks then. Could be a relay, bad motor or solenoid, depleted battery. Battery is the most likely cause so start with a jump. If a jump works go get a VAT-40 test from any local shop or gas station. Sorry my response is buried, I was high on my throne of golden obviousness today. Interpret as you will.

[nina_bo_biina]

Thanks =] Yeah I was really tired and posted like a million things that day seeking help so wasn't quite paying attention to spelling.

Anyways, so I tried jumping the car, and the engine turned over but needed more power. So I took the battery to autozone and let it charge there (they said it was so dead, they couln't even test it!) So then I put it back in the car and everything worked perfectly. I drove for about 30 minutes, parked and turned it off for about 3 hours, drove it home. Then not even ten minutes after that, completely dead again!

I checked the whole car, there were no lights left on or anything.Like I mentioned earlier, the alternater is brand new and I had a mechanic check to make sure it was put in right, and he checked the fuses.

So I really have no idea what else it could be. The battery charges, it's reading 14 volts right now. But it was completley drained again within 4 hours.

Thanks for all the advice guys, if you have any other ideas please let me know because I'm clueless.

[Infinitiguy19]

That's a simple fix, Do you hear a buzzing noise when the car is off or even when the car is off?

If so it maybe the ABS relay and that's a $23.80 (Infiniti Of Scottsdale price) fix (weird how I memorized the price)

Here is where the relay is located:

The noise would also be coming from there too.

[jimbyjimb]

Lead acid car batteries lose their oomph after being depleted a couple of times. It may only be that this battery can no longer sustain a charge for a decent amount of time. I would suggest a new battery, keep the reciept, and then head to the local shop for a VAT-40 test. If you pass the VAT-40 listen for the ABS relay. If the new battery loses power after all of this then you probably have a parasitic draw problem somewhere.

[nina_bo_biina]

Thanks! So I took the car to a shop and they had it for about a week and said it's a bad alternator. But I'm going to test drive it for a while to make sure that was the real problem.

I got the ABS relay fixed too, I think that might have been part of it.

[jimbyjimb]

How did this shop come to the conclusion you have a bad alternator? Always get details and write them down.

[nina_bo_biina]

They had my car in the shop for about a week and the guy said he couldn't find anything wrong with it. But I told him to drive it for a while and see if anything drains the battery. So he did and sure enough he got starnded. So he said he would try changing out the alternator. And he did and said it works fine now so Autozone must have had sold me a bad one.

[maxnix]

... so Autozone must have had sold me a bad one.

Why we trust in Joe.

http://www.infinitipartsusa.xom

[jimbyjimb]

Good deal. Let's hope that does it. Joe is a good man. Do business with him when you can.

[gitcash2009]

This buzzing noise from ABS Relay....Is it like a mechanical whirring/buzzing noise when you have the engine off but you are listening to the radio and the same sound exists when the engine is running you just cant hear it as well due to the running engine?