I started my car this morning to warm up for about 15 minutes since it was super cold outside (approx -30*C), it started with no issues.
I left my house and few blocks down i had the SLIP/VCD lights came on after traction kicked in as noted in this thread https://g35driver.com/forums/g35-cou...ing-gears.html

I pull to the side of the road to restart the car since that always resets it, didn't wanna take a chance driving with no traction on the highway when its this cold. I shut the car off and it wont start again. no crank no nothing. I gave it few minutes it started but not as smooth as usual, it felt like the battery was very low. The weather got better during the day and temp changed to -8*C approximately. I left work car started same way, felt like the battery is weak. I drove home parked in my drive way, shut the car off and same wont start again. I try to crank and all i hear is a one tick from the engine bay. I try to start without clutch i hear no ticking which means the switch at the clutch (or whatever you call it) is fine.

I check my battery and the cables were SUPER loose for some reason, seems like the idiot who installed my clutch and serviced my car last didn't tighten it enough. So i tighten the red cable, no luck. I boosted the car from the SUV 2010 Escape and it started fine!!

I let the car idle in my drive way for a good 45 minutes thinking it would charge, i go out take the car around the block few spins (not more than 4 km) park back in the drive way, shut the car off and try to start it all i got was half a crank followed by a tick. Every time I try to start same issue, no crank just ticking. The dash lights go off when i try to start as usual, however interior lights and exterior remain the same, they barely dim.
I try to boost the car again no luck, it wont start. same ticking noise. I connected it for a good 15 minutes and still it wont start.
I had to go visit my sister, so i disconnected the battery and i left the car sitting in my driveway.

I had my battery tested at a shop last week they said voltage is good but CCA is low, its supposed to be 660 CCA (not OEM battery) but its about 400 (low maybe because the cables were loose?). He asked me to bring it in to recharge but i didn't get the chance to do it yet.

Any idea what could be the issue?
Is it the battery? if so then why didn't start when it was boosted?
Is it the starter? Alternator?

its an 04 coupe 6MT with about 97xxx KM on it

any help is greatly appreciated.

 

Check the normal things for VDC/ SLIP LIGHT. Check how much brake fluid/pad life you have left. Make sure all the wheel speed sensors are clean and no debris is in the way. Make sure and inspect the IPDM fusebox under the battery and that it is totally dry and no corrosion.

https://g35driver.com/forums/g35-sed...ssues-car.html

 

when the car started both times (in the morning and after the boost) the VCD/SLIP were back to normal

 

Check your alternator, and have your battery tested.

FYI, it's much better to drive the car to recharge the battery than let it idle.

 

As i mentioned before i already had my battery tested few days ago, as for the alternator it might. But shouldn't at least crank when im boosting it if thats the issue?

yeah i figured that out but i just got home at then and wanted to have dinner with the family.

 

It could be your starter solenoid if it makes a click and doesn't do anything after that. Next time it does that, take a wooden plank.. such as a length of 2x4 or a thick wooden dowel, and place one end on your starter and hit the other end with a hammer... then try to start it. Sometimes this frees up a stuck solenoid and will allow it to start. If that makes the car start, the problem is your starter.

It could be a combination of a weak battery as well as a dying starter. Are you still on your OEM battery? I am in my '04 and it definitely needs to be replaced in spring when I bring the car out of hibernation. It still starts the car, but in a very unconvincing fashion.

 

Generally when all you get is that clicking sound when starting our cars it's the battery. Sammy I'd take it to Nissan and have them check out your system. With your issues the ECU is going to forget what it's supposed to do....Gary

 

There is no dealer in my area. They are a good 5 hours away.
Do you think the ECU reset would help?
I was also reading about the cam & crank position sensors and what they could cause. Could this be my issue? However most people with this problem that had ba sensors they had a SES light. Which I don't have.

 

any idea how can i test the starter? whats the easiest way to get access to it?

 

Usually the starter is on the same side of the motor as the battery, which for us, is the passenger's side. Since we're RWD and Front-Engined, the starter will be at the back of the motor near the firewall. It should mount right near the bell housing and you probably need to access it from under the car if you plan on removing it to have it tested. Typically a starter is held in by 3 bolts and is connected by 2 wires(power and ground) or a single wiring harness. Starters are really easy to remove and replace unless there is something in the vehicle which is blocking access to them(as is often the case in many AWD/4WD vehicles when it comes to starter and alternator replacement).

 

i located the starter, i guess its going to have to come out. I just wish theres a way i can confirm its the starter thats gone wrong before i go ahead and take it out and replace it

 

Same thing happened to me with my 2004 g35 5AT. It ended up being the battery. And as mentioned above when you hear the tick when cranking, 9 times out of 10 its the battery. Good luck.

 

did it work when you tried boosting it?

 

If you have an Auto-ZoneŽ near your house, you can bring it there. They typically will test your starter and tell you if it's bad or not free of charge. Of course, if the starter solenoid is being temperamental and only intermittently doesn't work, but the starter works fine otherwise, it might yield a positive test result even though the starter is on the way out. It would be ideal if you had access to a mechanism of checking your battery voltage on your own.... that way, the next time your car fails to start, you could make sure the battery is putting out enough voltage to start the car. If the battery isn't putting much voltage, you'd be getting ahead of yourself by replacing the starter as a first priority.

I'm not sure if you ever mentioned it or not... but are you still on the OEM battery?

 

ugh, so do i get a battery or starter lol
if i connect a battery pack for boosting would it still fail if the battery is low?