So my old 98 Maxima, which my son drives, will not start. Not turn over, not even attempt to crank. Figured it was the battery--the thing is old enough that it needed replacing before Winter anyway. So I get a new battery and install it. No dice. Same thing as before. I'm baffled. Could it be a bad fuse preventing the whole thing from starting? What else couldl cause a car to not crank at all, much less start?
If this is new, then I'd say a fuse. But, if it's been slowly coming, could be the starter solenoid or possibly the alternator. Or, it could be that I don't know anything about modern cars. Most of my car-figuring-out-the-problem days are pre 1990.
No, if that were the case, then the matterbaby would have lit up. I dunno, maybe the shock of the last few days' coolness was too much for the car?
Best bets: 1.) Starter 2.) Ignition switch going bad 3.) Short in the electrical system 4.) Blown fuse 5.) The car's computer needs a reboot (or told that it has a new battery)
Paladin agrees: Concur. Mechanic should be able to diagnose very quickly. He doesn't need a mechanic. Yet. Use a hammer and slap that starter a few times with it and then try it. If it works then you need a new starter.
