# bizzare maxima issue!



## wheels47 (Jan 15, 2010)

over the last three days my 99 maxima was starting struggle when cranking to start up. I figured my battery was going bad. Yesterday I drove it to the store and when I came back out to start it the most bizarre thing happened. I there was this wierd noise that I couldn't figure out so I turned the car off but it wouldn't turn off. It finally died and it wouldn't start again. I left if an came back latter in the day and jumped started the car fine and drove it home. The battery was dead today so I jumped stated it and drove it down to get a battery and when I put the new battery in the same thing happened. The car start fine but then it acts like it is still trying to start while it running. When I shut if off it won't turn off until I disconect the battery cable. I haven't been able to find anything like this online? Any tips?

Thanks, 
Wheels47


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## jdg (Aug 27, 2009)

Really?
That thing where you put your key doesn't strike you as being a possible culprit?
Really?
2+2=5?


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## wheels47 (Jan 15, 2010)

jdg said:


> Really?
> That thing where you put your key doesn't strike you as being a possible culprit?
> Really?
> 2+2=5?


Are you referring to the ignition switch? If so yes' nothings that I've read indicates this happening as a bad switch. If you're referring to something else then no. Sorry I am a novice at these type of things and try to figure it out first before paying someone, so I am not catching your sarcasm.


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## jdg (Aug 27, 2009)

Nothing you've "read" indicates a bad switch...
Ya, 'cause that's troubleshooting...Reading about it.
"Well, I had a flat tire, and I read this thing about how tires that aren't carrying any weight, aren't carrying any useful load, hence, don't require any air pressure, therefore aren't flat."

"starting struggle when cranking to start up"
Defne struggle. As in engine turns slowly while cranking or you gotta mess with the key to get it to turn in the first place.

"I figured my battery was going bad"
Sounds like you're doing a lot of "figuring". Maybe you should leave the figuring to somebody else.

"there was this wierd noise that I couldn't figure out"
Go figure...
"so I turned the car off but it wouldn't turn off"
Generally indicating a switch is probably stuck. Did you open the hood and try to locate the sound or just stand next to the car and scratch your head?

"It finally died and it wouldn't start again."
So was it running or not?

"The car start fine but then it acts like it is still trying to start while it running"
Like the starter is still engaged? Like that fairly loud noise you get when you are starting the engine? Really?

"When I shut if off it won't turn off until I disconect the battery cable"
So, you turn the key to the off position and/or try to remove the key, but the engine is still running?

Still believing what you're reading???


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## wheels47 (Jan 15, 2010)

Yes, I am trying to diagnose based off my past experiences of car problems however I have never had something like this happen before. When the vehicle is slow turn over and you get a clicking noise this is usually a bad battery, this is why I took it down to get a new one. Yes the battery was bad and when I replaced it I occurred the issues with the starter still engaging when the car is running. At first I thought it was a bad starter then I began looking into why it won't shut off which has mostly to do with the ignition. I am just trying to gather some starting points as I am going down to the parking lot it is sitting in to see what I can do before I stop "Figuring" and let someone else do it. I will take the starter out and have it tested because it is acting like it is still engaging when the car is running then I will move to the ignition switch after that I'll look at the relays. If it is none of these, then I'll give up and have it towed to a shop.

Thanks for your help JDG.


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## rogoman (Dec 16, 2004)

Before you do too much "Figuring" and maybe throwing too much money down the toilet, why don't you take JDG's advice and check out the ignition switch. Easy enough to do. Some of the symptoms you described seems to point to the ignition switch.


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## smj999smj (Jan 1, 2006)

Actually, my experience has been that the starter is usually the culprit when the starter stays engaged after turning the key off. If you can duplicate it on a regular basis, you can remove the air box to gain access to the harness connector for the starter signal wire to the starter solenoid; it'll be a single wire, gray connector. Start the engine and if it stays engaged, disconnect the harness connector. If the starter keeps turning, you'll know it's the starter. If the starter stops spinning, check for power at the harness connector on the main harness side. If there's power, likely the ignition switch is faulty.


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