# 2004 Maxima - Random hard to start\rough idle



## uffs79 (May 7, 2010)

Hi Everyone-

I recently purchased a 2004 Maxima and am having a random issue, I'm hoping someone can help..

Every so often (maybe once a week) it's a little hard to start, then it will idle really rough for a few seconds (between 1-5 seconds).. During the rough idle, giving it gas doesn't do anything.. After the few seconds of rough idle it seems to "catch", then runs flawlessly. The problem only occurs when I first start the car in the morning and like I mentioned only once in a while. Last Saturday however I couldn't get it started at all. The engine would crank but it felt like it wasn't getting any gas. I tried starting it for a while, then let it sit for about 10 min, tried again, repeat over and over, but it wouldn't start. Eventually I called a tow truck, he came and lifted the car.. When I told him that once it starts it runs fine he pulled over and we tried starting the car again but sprayed ether into the air intake first.. Sure enough it started and ran perfectly. I'm not sure if it was the ether or that the car had been bumping around behind the tow truck.. Its been running fine ever since (however I did get the rough idle this morning)..

I'm not getting a service engine light, does anyone have any ideas?

I was thinking that maybe the fuel pump is starting to go and when there is lower voltage (when starting) it is malfunctioning, but when the car is running and it gets full voltage it works fine...


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