95 pathfinder problem starting when hot

[johnadamsii]

My 95 Nissan Pathfinder is having this strange problem where when the engine is hot and it's been sitting a bit, it wont' start on the first attempt, sometimes takes 5 or 6 tries or waiting for the engine to cool off a bit. Generally if I drive it for 30 min, then let it sit for 15 or 20 minutes, it then won't start. However, one time I left it parked in airport long-term parking for two hot days, and it had the same problem, it took 4 attempts to start.

I've taken it to four shops, they keep saying its the starter. I've had 3 starters in the past two years, I'm not inclined to believe it's a starter problem, or if it is, that there is some other component causing the starter to fail. I've also had the battery and battery cables replaced (they were old/corroded anyway). I can't take it to the last shop that replaced the starter because I moved from CA to CO. Sidenote: a poor design feature , IMO, is that the oil filter is directly above the starter, with every oil change the starter gets an oil bath. I don't know if that would cause a problem or not, but if so I'd think this would be a known problem with Pathfinders.

I discovered something a couple days ago that might help narrow this down... Normally when having this problem, I would turn the ignition to Start, and either hold it there or bring it back all the way to Off and try again. What I discovered is if I toggle the ignition between Start and On, 4 or 5 times in quick succession, it will engage pretty quickly and the engine will start. Does this point any more to a particular problem? (Like, say, the ignition switch?)

Any suggestions as to what else could cause the problem or what could be causing the starter to fail? Any insight as to how shops generally test starters would be helpful too.

[NISTECH]

You have the factory alarm system installed. This system is the one the dealer would have installed or port would have installed when it was delivered to the dealer new. Under your dash above your knee panel is the location of your ignition wires. If you pull the knee trim panel off your will see 2 large white connectors with several white and black wires on one side of each of those 2 large connectors. However on the other sides of those 2 connectors there are multi colored wires in the connectors plugged into the others with the white and black wires. This is the by pass for the alarm system. This basically sends your entire ignition system through the alarm control module located under the drivers seat. Disconnect both those connections and plug together the multi colored connectors leaving the black and white wire connecotrs disconnected completely. This will eliminate the alarm system and will likely eliminate the problem you have been having.

[johnadamsii]

ok, the wire color coding on mine was slightly different than you describe, but I was able to see a pattern and do what you recommended. I'll keep an eye on it and post an update in a couple weeks if this seems to have cleared the problem (it's going to be hot this weekend, if it was going to happen, it'd be then).

Details: on my Pathfinder, the 2 white connectors had the following color scheme....Left connector, towards steering wheel - Red/Whi, Bla/Yel, Bla/Whi, Bla/Gre, BluLeft connector, away from steering wheel - 3 white, Bla/Yel,Red, Orange

Right connector, towards steering wheel - Bla/Whi, Whi/Bla,2 Bla/Yel, Bla/BluRight connector, away from steering wheel - 3 white, Bla/Yel,Red, Orange

Noticing a pattern with the connectors that had all 3 white, I took those out of the loop. the truck started, all the electrical seemed fine. So, I'm going to go with that for now.

[NISTECH]

Thoise control units tend to do this when it gets hot. Especially when the interior temp reaches the 120 degree points. Not all that uncommon. And misdiagnosing it as the starter is a very common mistake even by low level dealer techs.