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1999 Altima - DEAD


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ameilius
Anonymous Poster
ameilius@gmail.com

Feb 5, 2008, 9:11 AM

Post #1 of 4 (2701 views)
post icon 1999 Altima - DEAD Sign In

hi guys - please help - lol

1999 altima gle - drove to work today - perfectly fine - nothing wrong - get to work, use keyless entry to lock it up --- came out to run to the mailbox, unlocked car using keyless entry - got in - put key in ignition... nothing... nothing at all - NO lights work - no chimes - nothing to do with power is working

now this happened before - a friend and i tried to jump it - and it didnt do anything...

so out of curiosity i started pulling random fuses and checking them and replacing them back in - all of a sudden, on a hunch - the car started

now for the life of me i cant remember the fuse - but based on this im thinking its something to do with the keyless entry for some reason -

please help - i dont want to be stranded an hour away from home, especially at work!


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Feb 5, 2008, 1:18 PM

Post #2 of 4 (2683 views)
Re: 1999 Altima - DEAD Sign In

Hi,

If this now behaves like there is no battery at all then it and then later then you really have to suspect the battery cable connections - at battery and ends at block and starter. Do they even look good? It can happen that they do and are just making poor enough a connection to behave like zero. Radio could reset etc.

You said it didn't change with a jump which would contact the outer side of the battery cable connections at the battery and on thru the car and since that did nothing - even once then it's more likely the immediate problem is at the engine or cable ends but all need to be cleaned now just to rule it out.

If this car is set up for everything to be routed thru a fuse then it would be a large amp fuse, probably underhood and just touching it may have altered the connection of it.

It's not impossible for there to be a fault in the battery itself. A simple test light and better yet a multimeter can detect this while it's down. If everything is working right now clean up the cable as mentioned.

It's also possible that jumpers didn't make a good contact at all - - you may have done that before and had to readjust the cables. Same type thing will all the connections.

If you did or do get stuck with this where you need to try something - try just torquing on the cables by hand, a slight tug sometimes will get you going.

It's not very common that the battery do this inside but might respond to just bumping it - not too hard.

If you see any wiring that looks stressed in the cables that is suspect too and cable should be replaced.

If this battery is known to be 3-4 years old it's really worth just up and replacing with a new one even if that's not the problem at the moment. Good luck,

T



ameilius
Anonymous Poster
ameilius@gmail.com

Feb 5, 2008, 1:57 PM

Post #3 of 4 (2681 views)
Re: 1999 Altima - DEAD Sign In

it started! - i played with fuses - and still wouldnt turn over or start

then i noticed some blue (not much at all, but it was there) battery extract around the positive connector - i wiggled this wire a tab trying to pry it loose by hand... then tried the car one last time before i went back inside work, and it started up - i drove it around the block - came back - turned it off, and tried to start it again - and it started

i DID NOT use the keyless entry when i left the car for the last time after it started... i THINK it has something to do with that since i needed to use the shift-lock a few times to move the car out of PARK

any info??


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Feb 5, 2008, 2:22 PM

Post #4 of 4 (2678 views)
Re: 1999 Altima - DEAD Sign In

I don't think it has to do with the keyless entry but that connector you mentioned which should definately be cleaned up. The shift lock might just be inadequate/intermittent power sourced right back to that connection.

Connections can be cleaned up with sandpaper, wire brush, baking soda neutralizes the acid, smear of grease when done helps them to last.

Note: Take neg cable off first if messing with any of them and back on last when done. That way if a tool hits grounded metal it doesn't short things out. Use a memory saver - thing that can just go in a power port or cig lighter can save pre-sets and 'puter memory when disconnecting a battery. Important big time in some cars,

T







 
 
 






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