Rogue no start

Nissan Rogue forum - Includes Nissan Qashqai and Nissan Dualis as well.
Dan S
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Joined: Tue Dec 15, 2020 2:53 pm
Car: 2013 Nissan Rogue

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SO i parked my Rogue in the garage and the next day it wouldn't start, turned over 3 times and acted like the battery was dead. Replaced battery and still no start, turned over 3 times. Metered the new battery and when starting the meter would drop voltage, metered the starter from negative and block ground but still drop voltage. Changed the starter and still nothing. All with new battery. Any ideas?


datechboss101
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Did you check the alternator?

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VStar650CL
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2004 Nissan Altima 2.5 S

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datechboss101 wrote:
Tue Dec 15, 2020 4:01 pm
Did you check the alternator?
The alternator might have caused the first battery to die, but wouldn't cause a no-crank with a brand new one. Not sure if you meant you did or didn't get a voltage drop when cranking. If you didn't, check the main fusible link in the link-block on the hot terminal, I'm pretty sure the Rogue has a fused starter just like the Altima. If you did (and you're getting a heavy "thunk" when you try to crank), then your engine is locked up. You can confirm that by putting a socket on the balancer nut and try to spin it by hand. Make sure you're checking for Vdrop in the right place, you have to go from the battery+ post and not the lug. If the problem is high resistance between the lug and the post, then measuring from the lug to the starter will show a phony Vdrop because of the high resistance. Measure only from the +post to the starter terminal, that will give you a true reading.

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VStar650CL
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PS - Or the plus post to ground, depending if you're checking the wire or the starter. Measuring to the starter terminal does the former, to ground does the latter.

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casperfun
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I had the same problem recently with a no start. Kinda pissed me off since it was a yellow top optima that had been on a maintainer for 3 years practically everyday.

I had a few warnings of it having a difficult start but I thought it wasn’t my battery since I use a maintainer religiously.

So while listening to music in the parking lot while my mother was picking up her prescriptions, my rogue wouldn’t start. I couldn’t even jump it.

It just click. So I started smacking my starter to see if that worked. Then it had a really, really, really, weak a** faint attempt of a start if you can call it that, then back to a single click.

I really thought my starter was going to crap since it’s 11 yrs old. So I started smashing it to give me one last chance to get it home.

Then I removed the battery and took it home to recharge it. Went back, still no start.

So I thought about the optimas being made in Mexico and it’s bad history lately, so I said f-it, I’m taking the battery out and going to advance auto to test it. The guy said his tester said my battery was bad. Seriously hope he wasn’t lying because I didn’t read the screen.

Anyways, I decided to go to autozone and bought a new battery. Installed it in the parking lot the next morning and moved on. So I thought.

Again while at the groceries my damn rogue would not start. Well you know the feeling sitting there with my new battery. Feeling helpless.

So thinking about my crummy luck, as life is not bad enough these days. I had a memory of when our Toyota Camry would not start. Back then it was because the wheel was locked and the key could not be moved and resulting in a no start.

It got me thinking, so I just nudged my steering wheel ever so slightly, a tiny barely perceptible movement at the atomic level. And boom, it starts and no more single click!

A feeling of great happiness overcame me when this miracle happened and I was able to drive home. :banana:

I’m like, “are you kidding me”?

I realized in hindsight that as I was backing into my parking space, I might’ve not have straightened the wheel perfectly when turning my car off and removing the key.

But it never did this before, as far as I know.

When I got home, I did more dd on this situation. My thoughts were maybe there was a loose wire, perhaps the security defense mechanism engaged from a locked wheel, something worn where it won’t allow the key to work. Just speculating.

But my paranoid a$$ still bought a NEW starter, and took no chance on a refurbished unit and paid mightily for a $280 one. I was planning to install it a few weeks ago. Remember I was smashing it with a wrench, crowbar with much force, but the damn rogue has been starting like it always has since then.

Well the starter is on standby for now and all is good in the world. To think something so little was all I needed to do. :woot:

I never had to nudge it again so far, either that, or maybe I park with the wheel straighter these days.
Who the heck knows.

Dan S
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Car: 2013 Nissan Rogue

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For clarity, the engine will want to turn but acts like there is something locked up, possibly the timing chain or a guide is jammed. While having the meter attached to any location it would lose voltage when trying to start and the engine seems strained. I pulled the spark plugs out and I put a breaker bar in the crank pulley to see if i could manually turn it (clockwise) but nothing. I considered turning counterclockwise just to see it it would free up whatever may be jammed. Any comments on my thought process?

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VStar650CL
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Nope, if it won't turn at all with a cheater bar then she's locked up solid. Could be a lot of things, but if it happened when you shut down then it's probably timing and chances are a bent valve is what's jamming it.

Dan S
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Ok, thanks. With that being said what would be a good estimate to fix it?

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VStar650CL
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It isn't worth fixing them when the head is trashed, look into a good used engine.

Dan S
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Thanks, that's what i expected to hear but was hoping for something less impactful. I appreciate everyone's assistance and input.

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VStar650CL
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You're most welcome, wish I could've offered better news.

itsa300zx
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Hard to believe a 7 year old engine to seize up with proper maintenance. Wondering if you had any background information on scheduled oil changes etc? Any odd issues prior?

Thanks

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VStar650CL
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Since it died when he shut it down and then never woke up, chances are either the chain jumped or something broke in the timing components. It probably isn't seized, but it's an interference engine and probably bent a valve on a piston crown. Now the valve can't retract and it's jamming the piston. When chains slip (as opposed to breaking), it's usually on startup on shutdown. Especially startup for Nissans, because they all use hydraulic tensioners which are weakest on first crank with the oil pressure at zero.

itsa300zx
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Good to know, I was not aware of the possible issue. Hope that doesn't happen to mine.
Is there a way to check the hydraulic tensioners? or should they be replaced at timed/mileage intervals?

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VStar650CL
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No, they fail rarely. In fact, timing chain or tensioner failures on the 2.5's are rare altogether. Not to say they never happen, but it sounds like the OP was just unlucky.


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