# 2003 sentra gxe start issue



## Jamieb-1970 (Oct 13, 2016)

Hi I have a 2003 sentra gxe. A couple of months that back we replaced the fuel tank because it bellied up. After we replaced it it still wouldn't start. We spent a few days hunting but in the end had a mechanic figure fuel had flooded into the spark plugs and they cleaned them and everything g was good. 
A few weeks later Ithis started taking mtiple tries to start it after it had sat for more then say 8 hours. After a couple of weeks it just didn't start at all. It would try to turn over but no. On a whim I got a jump start and after a few tries it fired up and was fine starting the first try for about a week then started with the whole multiple start thing again before completely dying and needing a jump start. The last time about a week and a half ago I tried to start it about 15 times and it sounded like the battery was going to complete die so I stopped trying and got a jump later that day and it fired up and ran perfect until this morning when it took 5 tries to start. So I know I'm in that cycle again. 
The battery is only a year and a half old so doesn't seem like that should be on the brink but who knows? It's really the only thing I can think. Why would it straighten out front a week and then start acting up every time. Anyone have this happen with their car? Thanks for reading


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## Shadow_Death (Feb 21, 2016)

Have you had the starter tested? I had a starter on my 98 F150 and on my current 01 sentra do similar things where it wont start on one turn but the second key turn it fired right up. Then one day I got home and my starter refused to even try at all.


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## ommynous (Aug 23, 2016)

Could be anything. Things I'd recommend to check:

Spark plugs, make sure they aren't fouled. Even after cleaning, they could be permanently damaged.
Fuel filter, could be clogged. Fuel filters also cause rich running conditions, which could cause flooding. 
Coil packs, in extreme cases, they can be fouled by flooding 

Shadow is also correct in saying the starter. In other thoughts, does it crank if you push the gas pedal in? That clears "flood mode" which sometimes is a temporary fix. I'm gonna guess you've also checked the battery cables and that they aren't rusted over?

A little more testing would help. Does it crank EVERY time you get a jump off? Could easily be the coil packs at that rate. I current have one that's going bad. It causes a really rough start at idle, but it evens out. 

You'd do good to check voltage going to the coil packs. The ground wire(black) should be reading 12V. That would assure that, in the very least, the wiring itself isn't to fault.


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