# Help! 93 sentra XE won't start again after drving



## goldeneyes (Nov 17, 2003)

My automatic 93 Sentra XE has been weird for 3 weeks. Every time it just won’t start again after a 20 min driving. I twisted the key, but nothing happened, no even the cranking noise. The weirdest part is that it can start again if I wait for about an hour. It won’t start if I wait for less than about an hour. I also noticed that this would happen more frequently if the weather were misty and dull. 

Got checked at Autozone. The battery and alternator are ok. Spark plug, air filter, fuel filter and all kinds of oil, etc., are either recently changed or 2 years old. Could this be the faulty starter or some bad relays?

This phenomenon happened suddenly without giving me any indication. My car could start up within 2 seconds 3 weeks ago. Now it takes so long if it can start at all. Now whenever I go out, I have to leave my car on at the parking lot and have to carry two keys. I really hate this. Can anybody give some suggestions? Thanks


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## Nelly17 (Feb 15, 2003)

yeah that happened to me a while ago and it turned out to be my distributor and my vehicle computer. it sucked and i know its annoying. take it to a quality repair place and have them check out your dist. and computer.


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## goldeneyes (Nov 17, 2003)

I checked at two garages, and they both said the starter is bad. A mechanic in one garage pulled out the cable terminal on starter, and tested the terminal with a electrical pen. It showed that the current does reach the starter, so the the colusion is the starter is bad. Does this sound correct? 

p.s that mechanic asked for a total of $235 to replace the starter. Sucks!


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## NismoXR (May 1, 2002)

$235 To replace it is way too much!
check this thread
http://www.nissanforums.com/showthread.php?t=25239&highlight=starter


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## SangerSE-R (Jan 13, 2003)

learn how to work on your own car, I can't tell you how much money I have saved.


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## 95 SentraB13 (Jun 14, 2002)

My original guess would have been the distributor, a bad ground or a dying battery until you said it takes longer and longer to start your car each time which in that case it sounds like your starter, as you've been told.

Generally, the cheaper solution in this case is to get the starter motor rewired at an electrical shop. They're often listed in the yellow pages in the Automotive section with names like Alternator and Starter Motor Repair. I paid about $90 to have mine rewired and they easily last five or more years. They may also clean the housing(acid dipped I guess) and repaint it to look new unless you have no other option and time is an issue. I personally wouldn't buy new. Always price around to get the best deal.
You'll save anywhere from $35-$65+ in labor if you can do the work yourself. I easily saved over $1000 doing a lot of repairs myself or calling around for better prices on parts in the last few months.


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## SangerSE-R (Jan 13, 2003)

maybe it has beenb said already, but you should check to see if your battery wire is corroded. Mine was and I remember having the same problems.


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## Nexidus (Aug 14, 2003)

SangerSE-R said:


> maybe it has beenb said already, but you should check to see if your battery wire is corroded. Mine was and I remember having the same problems.



Yeah...one the same note if I slam my door too hard (R title car with lotsa door sag) the neg cable moves a little an causes the car to just sit there doing nothing. Sometimes after a min or two it will just catch and go. If it is getting worse the cable might just be getting looser and looser. Who knows...just an idea to maybe save you some money. MAKE SURE THOSE BATTERY TERMINALS ARE TIGHT! :cheers:


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## goldeneyes (Nov 17, 2003)

Thanks, guys. I called around and found a machenic who will only charge me for $50 labor fee and I'll need to get a starter myself. The cheapest price I got is from Autozone, $85 for a rebuilt one. So, it comes out like $135. Is worth it just to replace with a rebuilt one?

I'd love to do eveything myself, but currently I don't have the neccessary tools which I think will cost a lot too. Of course, I always change the oil, filters, plug etc etc myself. 

As I said, my battery is perfect and the terminals are clean enough. 

I searched in google group alt.autos.nissan, and found a lost of similar situations. All of them turn out to be one of the following three reasons: bad starter, disctributor cap/coil and fuel pump. Look at this thread about the fuel pump problem:
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=...cc2e6c&[email protected]#link6

I am almost convined that mine has a fuel pump problems too. Here is my plan. I'll play around with the distributor things first since they are cheap. If it doesn't work, change the starter. no start again, feul pump.


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## NismoXR (May 1, 2002)

the link i gave you shows you how to do it yourself. good luck and hope your car starts.


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## goldeneyes (Nov 17, 2003)

I am really pissed off by my sentra! This morning I got the starter, distributor cap, distributor rotor and wireset changed. It could start very well after the change. I was very happy. Guess what? This afternoon I went to Walmart, and it couldn't start again!!! Still no cranking noise! but I hear a click (not clicks) coming from under the driver side of the dashboard panel. Which part does this?

I think my old starter wasn't really bad, and I think my fuel pump is good too, because eveytime I can hear the buzz sound coming from the fuel tank. Must be something else! One of my friends had the exactly my problem years ago with his 96 honda civic, and it was a bad starter relay. But Where is the starter realy located in my 93 nissan sentar XE? the Haynes doesn't give any information about it. 

I guess I need to take it to the nissan dealer. Boy, I put about $500 in this sentra every year! hate this.


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## SangerSE-R (Jan 13, 2003)

I already told you waht to do, check the wires that go to the battery I bet one of them is corroded form the inside of the wire like mine was. Just check it. You may have to cut your battery wires to check.


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## Nexidus (Aug 14, 2003)

SangerSE-R said:


> I already told you waht to do, check the wires that go to the battery I bet one of them is corroded form the inside of the wire like mine was. Just check it. You may have to cut your battery wires to check.



If you tried everything else this would be a good bet before you head off to the $75 an hour dealership. My battery seems to die or not make contact every other day and it does the one click thing. Give it a shot this sounds exactly like a battery/no power related problem.


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## sunnysentra (Jul 24, 2002)

*I can sell you a starter cheap*

Hey, I got a starter, but its for an automatic. i will sell it to you for 80.00 + shipping. Its still good, just from my manual swap.

Email me at [email protected]

Thanks Chris


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## goldeneyes (Nov 17, 2003)

Can anyone tell me where is the starter relay located in my 93 sentra XE? Thanks


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## goldeneyes (Nov 17, 2003)

Ha, ha...I solved the problem myself. Neither of the suggestions above worked for me. There are four relays on the right side of the fuse box underneath the instrumental panel. I don't know what they are and the Haynes doesn't say anything about it. There are four of them. One is brown, and the other three are identical and blue(?). It's 
the second one (the one next to the bottom one) which makes the clicks. I pulled it out and found one of the legs has burning trace. I switched this one with the one at bottom, and the problem solved. My car now can start immediately, and I can go anywhere. I think the reason is that the relay is worn and has developed resistance so that the voltage transmitted to the start is not high enough. I will take the defective one to autozone to test it. 

So, do you guys know these relays?


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## rafman (Jun 19, 2003)

Interesting. My 95 200sx doesn't start right now. I'll check the relays now. Brown and 3 Blue relays you say.

Will update this forum if it helps me. THanks.


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## supermaltese (Jan 5, 2007)

I recommend a factory service manual, it will answer many questions and have troubleshooting tips that aren't found in any of the usual repair manuals.

Is the computer in the area of the "clicking" there could be a bad connection at a plug/terminal. If something there is too hot it may not start cause it needs an hour to cool off.


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## MisterRx (Feb 8, 2006)

You had the answer from the start. Starter or the Relay. Starter expensive to fix - Relay cheap. Honda Accord had similar problem turned out to be Main Relay underneath the dashboard.

I am also hearing the clicking sound from underneath the dashboard when I turn the high beam on. My left high beam is not working, low beam works. Changed the bulb, still samething. I was thinking of replacing the master switch in the steering column. But now I will have to look at the 4 Relay you mentioned.


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## MisterRx (Feb 8, 2006)

Look at the Electrical Diagram Page 12-26 it has 4 Relay, maybe what you are looking for!


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