Non Duramax electrical gremlin

[MACKIN]

Driving me nuts. I figure I'd toss this out there maybe someone has had a similar issue.

1997 Nissan Sentra GXE

When the car sits outside and the interior gets hot the car will not spin over. All the instrument cluster lights illuminate it just will NOT spin over! Now if you go back outside say at about 8 pm when everything has cooled off the car spins over and starts right up!

I have tried to start it in neutral,I have moved the shifter up and down ,jiggled the steering wheel you name it bit it will not spin over. Go out there at 7 am car spins over and starts. Let the car sit all morning go out there at 3 pm forget it will NOT SPIN OVER! Go out at 8 pm spins right over!

If it was the starter it would do it hot or cold. Car runs great very low miles it's actually my daughters driver training vehicle. WHAT CAN POSSIBLY BE TEMPERATURE RELATED THAT PROHIBITS THE VEHICLE FROM SPINNING OVER? IM STUMPED AT THE MOMENT!

 

[MACKIN]

I want to add once the car starts it's fine after that. In other words say she gets lucky and the car starts when the interior is hot,I mean if you keep messing with it wiggle this jiggle that it spins over and starts. Then drive to the store or what ever come back out in a hour or so car spins over and starts.

Dumbest thing I've ever dealt with. I've debated on installing a remote start which would by pass the ignition but then if it won't start ,just imagine that frustration trying to figure it out.


I'd bet that when it does this BS if you were to bump the starter manually it would spin over. Problem is getting to it to just do that ,bump it.

 

[curt]

my son has a 1992 gmc 350 and it happened a few times the truck would start right up then he would drive it like 10 minutes shut it off, truck wouldnt start, tap the starter it would fire right up! it always started when cold, so i would check the starter! i just replaced the brushes like $4 bucks cleaned up copper rotor/ lubed the shaft where bendix slides! works great! i would try tapping "lightly" onthe starter when it wont crank over to eliminate the starter when it is warm out!(or use a volt meter to confirm 12vdc is going to starter when key is turned to start position when it wont spinover!)

just my .02 cents! :thumb:

 

[MACKIN]

That is or was my thought also ,the starter but like I said the car sits all night all morning motor is cold hasn't ran for hours then the heating of the day warms up the interior and the car will not spin over. Leave it do nothing go back to it at 8 o'clock at night when it's cooled off and it spins right over and starts THE EXACT SAME THING IF YOU GO OUT FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. When it's cool out.

Otherwise the car starts normal it's only when the interior gets hot! What can it be ? I would think if it was the starter it would do it other times also.

 

[Sledhead]

Meter the voltage at the solenoid when it won't start then you'll know if its the starter or the circuit.

 

[chevyburnout1]

I know this may sound dumb but are the battery terminals tight?

 

[jc1843]

You should check the battery-- that is the most common problem with no start. I am betting that a new battery will fix the problem.

 

[MACKIN]

That's what I'm going to have to do is put this thing up on ramps and check the voltage at the starter. I'm just so baffled how or why it starts fine when the ambient tempature is cool but Yet when it's 80/90 degrees outside gets hot in the car and it's stuck.

The battery terminals are tight but I do get the fuz around the positive terminal not aware of age. Like I've said spins over fine but I know the battery isn't fresh.

 

[bradyn]

Might just be a bad ignition switch. Or a bad starter relay, when its hot swap a different relay and see what it does.

 

[MACKIN]

Might just be a bad ignition switch. Or a bad starter relay, when its hot swap a different relay and see what it does.

This is what I have been leaning towards. I also think there is a solenoid on the brake shift lever lock out thingamabob. The ignition switch isn't cheap nor easy to change. Although willing to do don't want to if it isn't needed plus the whole two king thing .

Also if it is the ignition switch it would be cheaper to put in a remote start I believe.

Thanks a million for the help as I've been beating my head against the wall on this. To all keep the ideas coming especially if you have had a similar problem.

Thanks

 

[MACKIN]

This makes it easier IF its the ignition switch which is possible. Looks like for $30 bucks it's worth throwing this part at it to find and eliminate a possible problem and well hopefully a fix. Basically it's the electronic guts of the switch. The whole switch is $160 bucks and a bitch to change.

 

[McRat]

Batteries hold less power the hotter they get. Computer chips error more the hotter they get. Corroded connections pass less current the hotter they get.

But for laughs, make sure the A/C is always full OFF when doing testing. Just in case the ECM/AC communication is flaky.

 

[MACKIN]

Batteries hold less power the hotter they get. Computer chips error more the hotter they get. Corroded connections pass less current the hotter they get.

But for laughs, make sure the A/C is always full OFF when doing testing. Just in case the ECM/AC communication is flaky.

All makes sense and understand but I'm telling you this is the weirdest crap I have ever dealt with automotive electrical. Take today cloudy damp on off light rain windy muggy in the 70's and the car spins over every time without hesitation! DUMB!

So I think I'm going to start with the part above then perhaps a battery as I know it's not the best but working fine I just know it has a low reserve. I know that as I left the lights on for about a hour and the battery was toast I mean toast nothing zilch. If it continues then ramps and starter voltage. Just so hard to believe taking in consideration today's events of not a problem spinning over.

TIA!

 

[TeaBagger2006]

My old worktruck, a lil ole 93' Dakota, loved turning off randomly when it was up operating temps. Oh how I enjoyed sitting in the middle of the street waiting for it to cool off so it could start..... Never did figure out what was wrong. Sold It after it pissed me off for the hundreth time....$300

 

[MACKIN]

Can you believe I'm still battling this? :angel:


What happened it got cold so it was starting but as soon as the temps hit 70 it reared it's ugly head! So all fall and winter it clicked off and ran like a champ ,a champ this car could never be but a champ nonetheless!

So fast forward on a no start this week ,I disassembled the sterring wheel trim and litterly stuck a bag of frozen veggies on the electrical portion of the ignition switch (shown above post 11) and within 10 minutes besides opening the doors the car started. Makes you go hmmm.

So the following day repeated the frozen veggies but substituted for a bag of ice and once again waaa laaa the car started! So I bought the part , FINGERS ARE CROSSED!

I did some Internet search and others have had this same issue with many models of vehicles .

 

[MACKIN]

So far SO GOOD! Just thought I'd let those know who have helped me! :thumb: