if Your Nissan Doesn't Start: Common Problems and How to Diagnose

My parents' automatic Nissan won't start, this happened early this year and now it's happened again. The car company says it's the battery, but we don't think it is – is there anything else that could be wrong with the car?

Diagnosing the Nissan Start Problem

First, let's discuss the symptoms you're experiencing. If the car company has told you the battery is faulty, it is assumed that when you tried to start the car, the battery did not have enough power to turn the engine over. This could be due to various issues.

1. Charging System Malfunction

Your car's charging system, which uses an alternator to recharge the battery, may not be working properly. If this system fails, the battery will slowly discharge, leading to a start-up issue. However, your car's dashboard should show a warning light if there is a charging system problem. Since you mentioned no warning light, it's less likely that the charging system is the issue.

2. Parasitic Battery Drain

A common issue is parasitic battery drain, where an electrical fault in the car's electronics or wiring causes the battery to drain when the key is off. This is the most likely cause based on your description. You can test this by turning on the headlights when trying to start the vehicle. If your headlights remain bright, it suggests the battery is fine.

3. Bad Starter or Starter Solenoid

A faulty starter can give the impression that the battery is dead. However, you can quickly test this by turning on the headlights when trying to start the vehicle. If the battery is indeed fine and the headlights are bright, then the issue is likely with the starter or starter solenoid.

4. Battery Terminal Issues

The clicking noises can indicate that the battery terminals are not clean or tight. Cleaning and tightening the terminals with a gel coating can help prevent this issue. A professional mechanic like the "Rescue Dude" can clean and secure the terminals properly.

More Information Required

To accurately diagnose the issue, we need more detailed information:

Exact symptoms when trying to start the car Whether you contacted the car company, and what they said If you took the vehicle to a dealer for repairs What makes you think the battery is not the problem

Previously, how did you manage to start the car? This could give us a clue to the fault. Remember, there could be hundreds of potential issues, and it's crucial to replicate the problem in a controlled environment for a technician to diagnose effectively, especially if no fault code is stored in the ECU memory.

Therefore, it's essential to consult a professional mechanic, who can conduct a thorough inspection and provide a definitive diagnosis.