# Got a new starter



## Thorongil (Mar 18, 2005)

My Xtrail had acted wierd a few times by not starting...the starter would grind and not catch...

I took it to the dealer several times and it would never do it...figures.

Anyway it was fine for a few months, then did it again last week. So I called the dealer and they said they have seen a couple of other Xtrails and Altimas with the same prob. Maybe a bad batch of starters???
Anyway they volunteered to put a new one on it.

Hopefully thats the problem and its gone away.


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## ViperZ (Feb 9, 2005)

How long have you had your XTy? 

Whats the milage on it?

Good to hear it's fixed now


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## aussietrail (Sep 24, 2004)

I had this problem before and it turned out to be a dirty throttle body, which they had to remove from the car and give it a thorough clean. Never had a problem since.

Hopefully replacing the starter will solve your problem, if not, then it's the throttle body that causing the problem.

The symptoms between a dirty throttle and a faulty starter are very similar.



Thorongil said:


> My Xtrail had acted wierd a few times by not starting...the starter would grind and not catch...
> 
> I took it to the dealer several times and it would never do it...figures.
> 
> ...


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## Lukasz (Oct 14, 2004)

Thorongil said:


> My Xtrail had acted wierd a few times by not starting...the starter would grind and not catch...
> 
> I took it to the dealer several times and it would never do it...figures.
> 
> ...


I am having the exact same problem. I did advise the dealer of the problem, but it's just not something that can be reproduced. They advised me to call nissan for towing next time it happens so they can examine it at the shop. This is quite a hassle, and not the route I'd prefer to take.
Can I please find out which dealer you went to, so I may let my dealer know. I would like to have the starter replaced as well, as I do not want to get stuck somewhere at an inconvenient time.


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## Avery Slickride (Jan 6, 2005)

Are you sure the problem isn't a bad relay in the drive-by-wire throttle? There's a service bulletin out on it. Your dealer should know about it, but it's worth asking about, anyway. Your symptoms sound consistent with just such a problem -- engine turns over but won't catch because it's not getting fuel.


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## Lukasz (Oct 14, 2004)

aussietrail said:


> I had this problem before and it turned out to be a dirty throttle body, which they had to remove from the car and give it a thorough clean. Never had a problem since.
> 
> Hopefully replacing the starter will solve your problem, if not, then it's the throttle body that causing the problem.
> 
> The symptoms between a dirty throttle and a faulty starter are very similar.


 Btw, just for the record and to explain a bit more in depth, the issue isn't with the engine turning over but not catching (as would be the case with the throttle body). It's actually that the starter turns, but it seems that the solenoid isn't engaging the starter to actually turn over the engine at certain times. You can try starting, three or four times, but the engine does not turn over at all, while you hear the actual starter turning.


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## aussietrail (Sep 24, 2004)

Thanks for the clarfication, yes, in this case I would say it's the starter and not the throttle body that causing this problem. Sorry that I misunderstood your earlier post.



Lukasz said:


> Btw, just for the record and to explain a bit more in depth, the issue isn't with the engine turning over but not catching (as would be the case with the throttle body). It's actually that the starter turns, but it seems that the solenoid isn't engaging the starter to actually turn over the engine at certain times. You can try starting, three or four times, but the engine does not turn over at all, while you hear the actual starter turning.


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## Thorongil (Mar 18, 2005)

Correct....It is not the engine turning or trying to engage....its the starter making a distinct grinding 'skipping' noise.

More details on my experience:

My X trail started to do this 1 week after I bought it....I took it back to the dealer, it would not do it there...

It happened again several times and I went in to them a couple of more times. The truck would not do this at the dealer. They would hook it up to the comp, start it 20 times and it started like a top each time.

Strange thing is, it went away for 3 or 4 months since last fall. Then last week it did it again when I was going to run out and pick up chickety china for supper.

Next day I called O'Reagan's Nissan on Kempt Road in Halifax and spoke with the service manager. I gav him a brief history. He said they have seen a couple of Altimas with the same engine (2.5) do this and heard of a couple of X trails too. He said they will put a new starter on it. And they did.
The number at O'reagans is 902-453-2020. I hope thos eof you with the same problem get help.


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## sherpy (Feb 9, 2005)

Thorongil said:


> Correct....It is not the engine turning or trying to engage....its the starter making a distinct grinding 'skipping' noise.
> 
> More details on my experience:
> 
> ...



hmmm...just curious....what is chickety china? ...is that an east coast chicken joint???


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## ViperZ (Feb 9, 2005)

sherpy said:


> hmmm...just curious....what is chickety china? ...is that an east coast chicken joint???


Sounds almost derogatory for a Chinese Resturant...  

Maybe it's a Chinese Chicken Joint?


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## Lukasz (Oct 14, 2004)

Thanks Thorongil, I will definately pay the dealership a visit with a printout of this thread in hand. Maybe this time they will actually just replace the starter. 
Thanks Again,
Lukasz


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## digitaloutlaw (Jan 10, 2005)

Chickity China the Chinese chicken
You have a drumstick and your brain stops tickin'
Watchin' X-Files with no lights on
We're dans la maison
I hope the Smoking Man's in this one
Like Harrison Ford I'm getting frantic
Like Sting I'm tantric
Like Snickers, guaranteed to satisfy

For shame.. not knowing Canadian bands.. its BareNakedLadies.. :hal: 



ViperZ said:


> Sounds almost derogatory for a Chinese Resturant...
> 
> Maybe it's a Chinese Chicken Joint?


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## ViperZ (Feb 9, 2005)

digitaloutlaw said:


> For shame.. not knowing Canadian bands.. its BareNakedLadies.. :hal:


Ha, actually that came to me just after I posted, and I started singing that One Week song too


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## Rockford (Jan 28, 2005)

Mine did this (grinding but no turn over) to me once last summer and never again...until this morning. Wierd. Anyone else 'starting' to see this problem? Is it bound to get worse and worse or do you just cross your fingers and crank the key each day?


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## Xspec2440 (Jan 22, 2009)

Just picked up a 2005 xtrail as a cert. pre owned. I loaned it to my father early one morning so he could grab a coffee and a paper and he complained of something similar happening. He's hearing impaired so he couldn't accurately describe the problem but he did say it felt like the starter was turning, and not a "slowing down" with each successive turn as you'd expect with a battery problem. I've not experienced this myself since, but it's only been a week or so since it happened. I wondering if I should consider getting the starter replaced preemptively?


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## Rockford (Jan 28, 2005)

I asked my mechanic (who specializes in Nissans) about it and he's never heard of it. He suggested checking the starter connections and to "see if it's tight" (whatever that means) the next time I'm in for service.


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## Xspec2440 (Jan 22, 2009)

So my Xtrail had a little trouble turning over this afternoon. Keeping in mind it is minus 7 degrees celcius with a windchill it came to a total of -17C. So I dunno, I'm still thinking about replacing the starter, but I am curious to know if anyone has problems with their Xtrails in the cold?


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## marcel_g (Sep 10, 2007)

My 06 with 129K has been fine below -15C, but I've only had it for a week. Possibly your battery is getting weak or else you've got thicker oil in it?


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## Xspec2440 (Jan 22, 2009)

Now today it was even colder and it started fine. Methinks something fishy is going on.


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## Rockford (Jan 28, 2005)

For me it has nothing to do with the cold (btw, innanimate objects do not feel windchill). 
The problem is not one of having trouble turing over. It's a complete abscence of turning over. The stater that grinds but no turn over.
It's happened only twice to me in 3.5 years.


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## Xspec2440 (Jan 22, 2009)

Ok, so now I'm starting to think I'm going crazy. I thought my problem was related, and now I'm not convinced there is a problem at all... well, at least until it happens again. As for the all too horrible sounding "starter grinding, no turning", well, that just sound oddly mysterious. I've owned Nissans going back over ten years, and spanning 5 different models (Sentra, Altima, Maxima, Pathfinder, and now the Xy) and I've never seen or heard anything quite like it.

(and Rockford, sometimes I get so attached to my new cars I start thinking they're people and can feel windchill. I'm seeking treatment.)


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## otomodo (May 23, 2008)

Xspec2440 said:


> Ok, so now I'm starting to think I'm going crazy. I thought my problem was related, and now I'm not convinced there is a problem at all... well, at least until it happens again. As for the all too horrible sounding "starter grinding, no turning", well, that just sound oddly mysterious. I've owned Nissans going back over ten years, and spanning 5 different models (Sentra, Altima, Maxima, Pathfinder, and now the Xy) and I've never seen or heard anything quite like it.
> 
> (and Rockford, sometimes I get so attached to my new cars I start thinking they're people and can feel windchill. I'm seeking treatment.)


Hi,is your transmission manual or automatic?
Mine was doing the same thing and dealer told me it was the parking sensor.Since then,every time before i start the car,i push the stick towards the parking.I could do what they suggested me:lubricate the transmission cable 40$ if too rusty replace it 350$.Hope this helps


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