Intermittent starting issue

[beachybum]

Hi--I am brand new to this forum but have had my 91 Q45 since 93. Currently at 114,000 miles and running good but have had the following problem 3 times--once 2 months ago, once 6 months ago and once 10 years!! ago. I turn the key, the car makes a whining type sound but does not crank or turn over. In a day or two it will start and runs normally after I have done nothing at all to it. 10 years ago I had an Infiniti dealer look at it and last year my local mechanic did but never found the problem--and my local guy kept it a week and started it several times a day but never recreated the problem. It looks and runs great otherwise but makes one leary of going any distance with it, not knowing when it might occur again since it is so infrequent and unpredictable. It had been so long since the first occurrence in 98 that I had forgotten about it until I recently was looking thru all of my service records on the car when I was thinking of trading it on something more reliable---until my love for the car made me forget that idea. Any thoughts??

[qship96]

Sounds like you need to replace the starter relay. less common other possibility would be mis-adjusted park/neutral safety switch that prevents starting car unless transmission is in park/neutral.

[maxnix]

If you can hear the starter motor running, I would guess the solenoid.

[qship96]

I was assuming the whining noise he was hearing was the normal fuel pump sound pressuring up the rails or even the antenna extending when key turned- but if it is indeed coming from the starter, then it IS NOT the starter relay or transmission interlock issue I posted in my earlier post.