The Nissan Path

My 1992 Pathfinder has been the best vehicle I have ever owned. It still runs like a top, but it has developed a strange problem that I can't figure out. The problem occurs when I try to start it. Sometimes it will start just fine. Other times it will begin to start and then freeze. Other times it will do noting at all. When it freezes or does nothing, if I hold down the key in the start position for more then a 1/2 a second, it will fry the green wire on the fusible link that is connected to the positive battery terminal. If I turn the key from off to start very quickly multiple times, it will suddenly start as if nothing is wrong.

What could it be? I have replaced the starter a couple times in the last 12 years, but even if the starter is going out, how does that explain the fusible link frying. It never did that before when the starter went out.

Starters fail for different reasons. Disconnect the starter and try holding the ignition key to "on" like before and see what happens. If nothing occurs, you're starter is the problem. Or, if you don't want to fry another link, I would remove the starter and take it to an auto electrical specialist to be checked out. Chances are that's what your problem is, anyway.

smj999smj wrote:Starters fail for different reasons. Disconnect the starter and try holding the ignition key to "on" like before and see what happens. If nothing occurs, you're starter is the problem. Or, if you don't want to fry another link, I would remove the starter and take it to an auto electrical specialist to be checked out. Chances are that's what your problem is, anyway.

The starter has a life time warranty and you what a pain it is to get it off. If I take it off, I will just get it replaced. I was hoping it might be something else though. This starter has less then a thousand mile on it, it just seem unlikely to go out so soon.

Okay, I replaced the started but the problem still persist. What else could it be?

I have the same...ish problem. but mine won't start. put a new starter in and still won't start. could be the new starter is bad also, i bought it off eBay. you can still hear the cylinoids firing in the starter but nothing cranks.
Any ideas?

matt8urton wrote:I have the same...ish problem. but mine won't start. put a new starter in and still won't start. could be the new starter is bad also, i bought it off eBay. you can still hear the cylinoids firing in the starter but nothing cranks.
Any ideas?

Well, when I took my starter in to Autozone to have it tested, it tested as bad. But the brand new one is acting the very same way the bad one did. It does seem that if I stomp on the clutch really hard, it will start, but I am not sure if it is a clutch switch problem, because using the clutch override switch does not seem to make it start when it is acting up. Maybe the jarring of stomping on the clutch is moving the connection that is weak enough to make it start. I have had this problem for over a year and still can't find the source. Some say that autozone starters are just really bad. If they would give me my money back I would go somewhere else, but where is the question?

I'd go down the path of an inoperative or intermittent issue with the Clutch Safety switch, if your model is equipped with that.