starting issue

[mattd1979]

I have been having a problem lately with starting the car and the starter staying ingaged for 2 seconds after releasing the key. As soon as this happens the TCS and SLIP lights come on and what I have to do is turn the car off and wait for 5 seconds then start it back up. Half of the time I have to shut it off and restart twice before the lights go out. I have to do this just about every time I start the car. I don't know if it is the starting solenoid or the egnition switch causing the starter to stay engaged. For some reason it affects the TCS computer. Has anybody else run in to this problem? It is a 91' Q45. MattJacksonville, FL

[JedCoop]

This is NOT a starting issue, it is a problem with your TCS.I had similar behavior on my '92 - replace both TCS relays and it worked fine.These two relays are located under the battery tray. I believe they are blue.

You may need to replace only one, but they go with time. I'd just replace both now, they don't cost too much. If you still have any problems after their replacement, (and I doubt it) you will not have wasted your money in any case.

[mattd1979]

What is the life span of the relays? They were replaced on 12/31/03 I replaced the TCS actuator and flushed the entire system until I got clean fluid on 12/25/04.

The problem with the starter staying engaged for 1-2 seconds after releasng the switch started about 2 weeks ago. If I shut the car off and start it again the starter will stop like it is supposed to as soon as I let go of the key and the TCS/SLIP lights will not come on. They only seem to come on right after the starter hangs for 2 seconds.

Matt

[mattd1979]

Update:

I have noticed that the only time the TCS/SLIP lights come on as soon as I start the car is when it is cold. I tried to make the lights come on after I got home from work by shutting off the car and starting it but after 4 or 5 tries I couldn't make them come on. I just recently started my new job at Coggin Nissan of Atlantic here in Jacksonville, FL and I had the consult II hooked up to it to see if we could pull any codes and all we got was a faulty knock sensor.

[mattd1979]

Ok..... I when the lights came on again I pulled the code off of the TCU in the trunk and the code was "13" which states "Secondary throttle opening signal circuit open, throttle signal circuit open or fail-safe for T.C.M."

At the bottom of the page it goes on to say "If TCS control unit displays code number 13, refer to throttle control module (T.C.M.) for self-diagnosis."

The page number is BR-99 in the 91' shop manual.

I haven't pulled codes on the TCM yet

Matt

[mattd1979]

Well apparantly I guess I am going to have to figure this out on my own since I am the only one(other then JedCoop) that has been posting . I thought for sure somebody out there had some idea as to what this could be and had been in the same boat as me. Well Anyway, I pulled the code on the TCM which is behind the dash and it gave me a code "55" which means that everything is fine. So I guess I will be testing the secondary TPS. Thanks for the help. Matt

[mattd1979]

I tested the secondary throttle sensor and it is fine. So I guess the next thing to do is to check the connection between the TCU and the TCM.

[psychic_mechanic]

This is NOT a starting issue, it is a problem with your TCS.I had similar behavior on my '92 - replace both TCS relays and it worked fine.These two relays are located under the battery tray. I believe they are blue.

You may need to replace only one, but they go with time. I'd just replace both now, they don't cost too much. If you still have any problems after their replacement, (and I doubt it) you will not have wasted your money in any case.

Did you check these relays yet?

[mattd1979]

No I haven't checked them yet. I didn't think they would fail in less then 2 years. I'll go ahead and check those anyways just to say I did.

[JDMEnthused]

it is more than likely the relays.. for some odd reason Nissan has alot of problems with relays.. starter relays, power window relays and.. now TCM relays.. they will learn one day :-p

[mattd1979]

How do you test the two relays under the battery for the TCS to determine if they are bad?

[mattd1979]

Elwesso!!Do you know how to test the two relays under the battery for the TCS?

Please help thanks

Matt

[mattd1979]

Ok

I tested the relays under the battery and they are both good. I decided to pull the ECU out so that I could see if I was getting any codes from there so I checked and I am getting a code 16 and 34. The 16 has to do with the TCS and the 34 has something to do with a detonation sensor circuit. I erased the codes and started the process over again after I let the engine run awhile and I got the same codes again. I also still have an issue with the starter hanging for 2 to 3 seconds after releasing the switch. I tested the starter relay (at least I think I did. The book called them ignition relays 1 and 2 beside the fuse panel under the dash.)and the only thing else I haven't tested yet is the starter solenoid which I feel is going to be a pain in the ***. Now I did pull both of the ignition relays at the same time and while they were out I wanted to see if the car would still start. Well, It started so I don't know what these ignition relays actually do.

I still don't see how that the starter hanging up could cause the TCS and SLIP lights to come on. Has anybody else here had this same problem and if so what did you have to do to fix it if you were able to? I don't know what else to test on the TCS. The TCM behind the glove box is telling me that all is good. I don't know. I am almost tempted to bypass the TCS all together.Like I said in my last post, If I turn the car off and start it again the ligts will go out.

P.S. If those relays that I pulled are not for the starter then can somebody tell me were the starter relay is? thanks

Matt