Car Dies Upon Startup

Rama · Dec 18th, 2007, 07:13 PM

OK here is the problem my 96 200sx 1.6 is completely shuts off when I turn the key to start. I see everything come on for a half a second then the car completely loses all electricity. At first I thought it was because of the connection being loose on the positive lead on the battery since it was barely touching. Now that it is touching it I have to tap the post on the battery because the intermittent problem continued. Last night it happened at least 8 times, sometimes the power would cut off before I even got back in the car. Today on the way to work my car didn't die and it started fine but during the drive my stereo completely lost power twice and then came back on with the setting not needing to be reset like they did before I haven't gotten to auto zone yet to see if the battery is the issue or the starter. It may be a short some where I really not for sure where to look for shorts or where grounds are, because it could be that too or a combination of things. I don't have a wiring diagram with me either. Has this happened to anyone else? Am I on the right track or is there something else I need to be looking at?

azkicker0027 · Dec 18th, 2007, 09:11 PM

well, check how bad the damage is on the battery terminals and see if you would need to replace them. also check the damage to the battery posts. maybe it deteriorated due to repeated loose connections causing arcing.
when you get that squared away, check the alternator output voltage with and without load. you can do this with a DVOM connected to the battery positive and negative terminals. check at about 2k rpms and you should have more than 12v with and without any electrical loads.

Hobogoku · Dec 18th, 2007, 11:49 PM

i own a 2001 nissan sentra se 2.0 and had a similar problem. I think that you are headed in the right direction, but i think that you should have the alternator checked. my car also died in a similar fashion, and upon inspection by me, my dad, and the shop, it was really the alternator. Also the battery got to the point of being replaced, so I'd check that too. It seems like your car has seen better days, so it's about time to have it thuroughly checked out.

I hope I was able to help out.

Rama · Dec 19th, 2007, 07:20 PM

You know what this does help. Thanks and if can come up with anything else please do. Here is something I noticed yesterday. I had the same problem after I left work again repeatedly would turn off and when I turned the key and pressed in the clutch and the brake I would here the click of it turning over and then everything went dead. So I decided to leave it neutral and just press in the clutch (which happens to be sticking) and it turned on fine and I have been doing that and it hasnt failed me yet. I went to auto zone and the battery tested fine but I do need to replace the terminals especially the negative one it doesnt tighten any more is movable. That might be my problem. My car has seen its better days. When I got her in Sept 2000 she had 68K and now she has 178k and it always seems to be something going wrong at one point in time to another. Starting to get the feeling that it is time to start looking into something newer.