CAR WILL NOT START

2007 Altima Hybrid. 28,000 miles.

A week or so ago, the car would not start in the AM after the break and button press. My wife said the previous day she had same problem and that only after repeated attempts (a few minutes) it turned over.
That evening I spent 5 minutes pressing and it started. We took the car into the dealership. It sat overnight and started up for them their first try in the morning. They said they tested everything and could not find anything wrong.
On the dealership write-up, the technician stated “Car starts fine for me. Check for codes. None stored. Test aux battery and charging system. OK. No problem found at this time” “Customer requests recheck cold”. The car sat overnight at the dealership. On the same write-up, “Recheck no fail”.
This AM, two days later, the same problem. It would not start in the AM. It had stayed in the garage undriven for one and one half days. I considered calling the AAA and having it towed to the dealership so that the service write-up person could confirm it does not start. I am over the 5 mile AAA limit and the tow would be costly.

Help!!! Anybody else have a similar problem. Any suggestions?

 

Haven't had this problem.

What happens when you step on the brake and push the start button? Does the orange LCD message illuminate with the "Step on Brake" or "Push Start Button"? Do any of the lights come on in the instrument panel? Does the green "ready" light come on but the engine doesn't start?

 

lloyd123

Thank you for your interest. I was just writing up some input to accompany our car as it makes another grand appearance at the dealership in hopes it might help the service people diagnose the problem.
1. I opened the door and ignition light came on. It shows “lock” position
2. I closed the door and both the ignition light and brake lights were on. Ignition switch still shows lock.
3. I pressed ignition switch. It now reads “ACC”. Break light is on. Ignition switch still shows “ACC”.
4. I pressed on break and the ignition switch and display lights came on. Ignition switch now says “on”. No “ready” light.
5. I pressed the ignition switch a second time with foot on break and the display lights went off. Ignition switch still says “on”.
6. If I press ignition switch again, display lights come on but still no “ready”
7. I tried various combinations of break and start button with no turn on. In the past, after 10 minutes, plus or minus, the EU mode came on but not this time.
We are stymied. Later this PM we wall call the AAA and have it towed to the dealership. Hopefully the car will cooperate and not turn on. The service writer has not as of yet asked me any of the procedure questions.

 

Sounds like a job for the dealer - surprised there isn't a malfunction light on.

There's this procedure in the manual - couldn't tell by your post if you tried this:

When the Hybrid System cannot be started, the following procedure can be used if the Hybrid System and POWER switch function normally:

1. Put the transmission in P (Park) position.
2. Push the ignition switch to the ACC position.
3. Depress the brake pedal.
4. Push and hold the ignition switch for about 15 seconds. Even if the Hybrid System starts using this procedure, the system may be malfunctioning. Do not continue to use this emergency procedure to start the system.

Have the vehicle checked by your NISSAN dealer.

If the Hybrid System still does not start, contact you NISSAN dealer.

Still needs to go to the dealer either way.

 

lloyd


I did not try the procedure you mentioned. I should have read the manual more thoroughly. I did look at “trouble shooting” and did not see it there. Anyway, the car now resides at the dealership. We will see what tomorrow brings.

Thanks

 

lloyd123

The car would not start for the dealership. That's good news becuase I have at least gained credibility.

And the answer is--------a faulty break switch, if I understande them correctely. It is now on back order and I am the prowd recetiant of a Pontiac rent a car.

 

hope that fixes it for you, keep us updated!

 

Thank you. We picked up the car and indeed it works fine. I hope the final outcome (faulty brake switch) helps others to short circut (pardon the pun) their similar problems.

 

Whew! I just picked up my 2nd hand 07 NAH and came online to read the first thread which was this one and instantly became concerned. Glad to see it was a straighforward anwer to the problem despite the hoops you needed to jump through. From all my reading, seems even after 2+ years, the dealerships are still not too good and diagnosing Hybrid issues, but as a previous first year model of a performance car owner, i am luckily familiar with this process so here I go...

Glad to hear this resolved AND to see what it was... probably will help a great number of people in the future.

 

yu888

Thank you and good luck with your new purchase. I totally agree with your assessment that the dealerships, at least mine, might well suffer from a poor diagnostic record.

Now, with the car once again starting, I can once again face my prior problem with the hybrid, which was the bad smell one. I guess it is bad etiquette for me to speak of a totally unrelated smell problem on this no start thread.

Suffice it to say I posted on a previous thread about the odor problem which now has, as I pinch my noise, once again reared its head.

In spite of my complaints, I think you have yourself a real nice car. I hope my setbacks with it are very much only faced by a minority of owners.