The car won't start ! Please help!

W

wbgamaray

Member
Location
Chicago
My dear IS friends,

I am really having some starting problems with my 05 FX. I have searched a lot of posts regarding to the starting issue but had no luck yet. Here is what happened:

I had the car parked outside my friend's house when I was off for vacation during last Dec. After I came back, I found the battery died. So we used the jumper cables to start the car. It started just fine.

And then I ran the car for two days with no problem. However, right on New Year's Eve, When I tried to start it at around 2am in the morning, it wouldn't start. I could hear the starter running fine and the engine did crank. But the car just wouldn't start at all. The second day I had the car towed to a car service. They recharged the dying battery for me. And I was told that there are two error codes indicating O2 senser and another sensor(can't remember). They cleaned the code up and it never showed again. So I picked it up in the afternoon the car ran fine again until I tried to start it at midnight. It wouldn't start again. Exactly the same thing happened: The starter running very strong and the engine cranking just fine. Just no ignition.

So I had the car towed to the Infiniti dealer next day and left the car there for about two weeks. During that time, they reset the computer and checked all the sensors but didn't find any problems. They couldn't repeat what happened: The car started just fine everyday. But the weather was relatively warm during the two weeks. Because I have a feeling that it all happened at cold night. During the day, never had a problem.

I took the car back last Friday. It started snowing and it is very cold outside today. When I just got back from work at around 2am just now, the car refused to start again. It did the same thing as previously. The engine cranked very well. Just won't start.

Above are exactly what happened. I somehow felt that had something to do with the cold weather. Every time when it is very cold outside, it starts showing problem.

BTW, the car has Stillen SC Stage 4 installed. And it has Stillen CAI. AP BBK. I don't know if any of those could be the cause. Shall this issue have something to do with the fuel pump ? I had a Walbro 255 installed too. Or could that be the plugs ? The current plugs I think are 1 degree colder than the stock ones.

My friends, since the dealer told me that they found nothing wrong with the circuit and sensors. I really don't know what I should do about it. Could anyone please give me some help ? Sorry for the long post. Thanks a lot in advance.

Rubin
 
I would blame battery. Maybe it doesn't generate enough power to turn the engine ( especially in cold days). If its older than 3 years should be replaced. I'm pretty sure that i will solve your problem. why?
I had problem with my other car - Chrysler Voyager (Dieslel 2,5 CRD), battery was fine but had to roll and roll and roll with starter for some time to start the engine( especially in cold days). I've bought the new battery and it starts at once (even now when its -25 C / - 13 F )
 
I had a similar problem. It would crank but wouldn't turn on. The culprit ended up being a loose negative battery post. I had to put a small piece of metal in the clamp to act like a filler/shim and clamped it on super tight. Never had that problem since.
 
It sounds like you have the same problem before I changed the batter to a brand new one. It now starts like a champ. I'm pretty sure you have a battery problem.
 
Guys,
Thanks a lot for the help. Sorry for the late update. I was off for the last whole week.

I just bought a new battery two days ago. Indeed it started right away!!! I asked the dealer twice about the battery and they confirmed that the battery passed their test~~~

Anyway, I started the car with on problem for the whole day, until the next morning it wouldn't start until I tried several times long cranking, and the first 10~15 seconds the engine revs and dorps like crazy. . After thatit did just fine for the whole day. Same thing for this morning, it took a long cranking to start the car, then the engine revs up and down for a while before it stabilized. After the morning start. The car did perfectly.

So it seems to me that the battery was part of the issue. But now it seems something else is palying. I read the thread Jumbosrule sent to me. Do you guys think that is the same fuel pump issue ? I have had the Walbro 255 installed for only around 5 months.
 
ThE Fx 45 BeAsT said:
Get a new battery bro batteries shoe there age in the cold. Its an 05 so its time for a new battery
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ThE Fx 45 BeAsT You have a red FX?! :eek:I have never seen a red one in Chicago area.

I will be in Seattle later this month. Hows the weather there? Anything good right now ?

---------- Post added at 11:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:56 PM ----------
turbocad6 said:
check for a dirty throttle body too, sounds like a good possibilty here from what your discribing
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Thanks. I read some thread regarding to the throttle body cleaning. i will have it cleaned very soon.

But it seems to me that it all happened after I parked the car for one month. Before that it never had any problem. If it is a dirty throttle body, will that be like all of a sudden, the car won't start ? or start after a long cranking ?

thanks again. :rolleyes:
 
turbocad6 said:
? hard to say, but worth checking I think
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you are right. I will have it cleaned this weekend. Having to crank the car over and over is really embarrassing in a public parking lot. Especially when people see you have a lot of mods on. :embarrassed:

I am still worried about my Walbro 255. Do you think it could cause the problem too ?
 
of course it's possible, there are a few other possibilities really, rule the tb out first since it's easy to do & a likely suspect, & then see if you even need to look further depending on those results I'd say
 
Just FYI. I had my TB, Fuel Injection, and Fuel pump replaced for free under the factory warranty. But, I still had some morning sluggish start...most likely from the old battery. I had mine changed 2 days ago. It only costed me $45 (just for prorated cost of the battery, free labor) at the dealer since my car still was under the factory warranty. So, any of you with FX under 4 yrs/60K miles...just stop by the dealer and have them change it for you. I saw some threads who tried to get their battery changed on their own although their car was under the factory warranty. Don't do it...your battery is going to cost you more than $100 if you get the right one..not walmart specials. Good luck!
 
mhkeyemd said:
... I saw some threads who tried to get their battery changed on their own although their car was under the factory warranty. Don't do it...your battery is going to cost you more than $100 if you get the right one..not walmart specials. Good luck!
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My Optima Yellow Top D35 was around $200, but the fact that I'll never worry about it again makes it very much worth the money IMO. I've used them (Yellow Tops) exclusively for a little over 10 years now and have literally never had a single issue. Battery problems are a B-I-itch.
 
tchuck said:
My Optima Yellow Top D35 was around $200, but the fact that I'll never worry about it again makes it very much worth the money IMO. I've used them (Yellow Tops) exclusively for a little over 10 years now and have literally never had a single issue. Battery problems are a B-I-itch.
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Hey tchuck,

Optima yellow top is exactly what I purchased. I think it will support my stereo system well
 
Well, I need to clarify myself. For those who don't want to spend more money than they have to when their warranty is still good, it's not bad of an idea to have your dealer change it for you for a small sum of money. If you want to change it for a better performing battery, all the power to you! I personally try to save as much as possible during this recession.
 
mhkeyemd said:
Well, I need to clarify myself. For those who don't want to spend more money than they have to when their warranty is still good, it's not bad of an idea to have your dealer change it for you for a small sum of money. If you want to change it for a better performing battery, all the power to you! I personally try to save as much as possible during this recession.
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I agree that it's not a BAD idea, but in my opinion it depends on how long you plan to keep your FX and how you value your time. Personally, I don't like dealing with batteries at all let alone the problems associated with battery failures, and I certainly don't like dealing with the stealership or giving them money. Optima upgrade solved all those problems for $200 and I got to pick exactly when it happened. Including the 10min commute to Autozone, it took less than 20min.
Maybe if the dealership was closer to me (it's a 40min drive in traffic) and they replaced the battery for free I would consider it. Maybe.
 
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