Hello. I have a Nissan Sentra 2002 SE-R, approx 57,000 miles. In the morning or after the car has cooled down, it usually starts fine. However, after I have driven it and let it sit for a short period of time, I experience hard start issues on a "warm" start. I have to turn the key and the starter cranks but the engine just won't turn over. Sometimes, this causes quite a bit of shaking in the front end of the car. Nissan has replaced the starter on two occasions but this hasn't helped. In addition, they released a service bulleting stating that the gas pedal may need to be pressed during starting when this happens. This sounds ridiculous to me as it's obviously a fuel injected car. In addition, there supposedly is a fuel-pump in the gas tank that builds-up fuel pressure prior to the engine starting. Some advice I have received is to turn the key to the position just before starting the engine and let the fuel pump build up pressure prior to actually turning the key all the way. This seems to help a little but the starter still seems to crank more than necessary. No Nissan dealer or other mechanic to date has been able to duplicate the problem (at least that's what they say). However anyone that drives the car seems to experience this problem if running into a store for a short period of time and then coming back out to the car to start it. Has anyone else experienced this problem and found the cause? If so I would appreciate any advice you can give to finally put an end to this most annoying problem. Thank you in advance for any help received.

 

Have the same problem with my '06 any solutions yet?

 

Unfortunately No! Damn thing has been doing it now for about 2 years straight. My battery died on me recently and I thought that replacing it might, just might, solve the issue but had absolutely no effect. I did some more research and found that if you get in the car and immediately turn the key to the position just before the engine starts an then put your seatbelt on that it gives the fuel-pump a little more time to build-up pressure in the line and most of the time it starts. However, we both know that it shoudln't be this way and no Nissan dealer or mechanic that I've brought it to can fix the problem although some have been able to duplicate it. They just can't give me an answer of why. I personally thing that not enough pressure builds-up in the fuel line on a warm start for whatever reason or a check valve gets stuck and won't let enough fuel through until you let off the ignition and crank it again.

If you do find anything out with you '06, I would appreciate a post back. Since yours is much newer and still under warranty, I would think you could get the problem solved by Nissan at no cost. If so, let me know what the culprit is so I can finally fix mine. It's embarrassing to say the least and troublesome when it really gives me a hard time. Just to throw one other thing out there, it seems like when it's damp or raining out that it does it more often than dry. Good luck!

 

They did have an issue with the check valve at the fuel pump bleeding off (not holding pressure) causing an extended crank time. does that sound like what your car is doing? When these "techs" duplicate the problem do they happen to have a fuel gauge hooked up to the vehicle? What the hell are they checking then? Or do they just rely on the force to guide them?

 

deeznuts - I think you just solved my "unsolvable" problem. I'm not going to lie... I really don't know much about the internal workings of cars. However, I did have a feeling that a valve was getting stuck or some kind of thing like that. The bleeding off issue sounds exactly like what's going on. Extended crank times or having to stop cranking and turn the key again to get it to start. Also, explains why I have to sometimes push the gas pedal while starting the car in order for it to start. I have been told that there is no tee on the fuel line of my Sentra SE-R so that hooking up a fuel gauge is not possible. Although, some techs have told me that the fuel pressure is "normal" so this is probably a lie to get me to just get me to go away. What do you recommend I do to get this fixed? Can just the check valve be replaced? I am VERY grateful for your help.

 

hey guys i am having the same problem right now on a 1994 nissan sentra ... please deeznuts if you have the answer to this post more on it

 

cisaac, trust me you can most certainly check fuel pressure on that vehicle. any tech that tells you otherwise, leave his establishment immediately. at first you had to change the entire fuel pump assy. to correct the issue. however now nissan does have just the check valve available.

 

deeznuts,

I really appreciate all of your advice. I went to my "preferred" (don't really prefer any of them for service) Nissan dealer and asked about getting the fuel pump check-valve replaced. I was "informed" that the entire fuel-pump would need to be replaced at a cost of $432 plus tax. Also, the service manager proceeded to tell me that this fuel-pump replacement with new check-valve was for problems with the existing check-valve bleeding off pressure over LONG periods of time and not the situation that I was explaining. Again to be very specific, I have issues with "warm" starts (i.e. car has been off between one-half hour and 2 hours). It pretty much starts "cold" just fine. He told me that he didn't think it was going to fix the problem and that there would be no guarantees on their part. Frankly, I'm fed up with their nonsense and it sounds like you really know what you are talking about.

If the check-valve itself is available, how would you go about just getting it replaced at a reasonable price instead of the $432 for the whole fuel pump that the stealership quoted me? Also, can you shed light on the warm vs. cold start issues with this check-valve? Why would it bleed pressure over a short period of time and then build pressure back up as it sits for longer periods? Is it heat-related? i.e. after the car cools, something in the valve cools down too and works properly again? Your advice is GREATLY appreciated as I really want to get this most annoying problem fixed but want to do it as economically as possible.

Thanks!

 

Hey guys, just went to my local Nissan dealer... yeah, they fed me the same line that everyone else is having, except what they told me was that they needed to purchase and install a fuel pump repair kit... about $360. I politely told them, in no certain terms, that if they can't garantee the problem will be fixed, there's no chance I'm giving them that amount money.

Keep posted if you guys hear anything.

 

cisaac,
Sorry for the long time in between post. I checked out the cost for your "fuel pump" repair kit. I'm afraid that it retails for around $250. That is just the repair kit, that doesn't include a new pump. But it's what I have always changed for the bleed off problem (since it has become available). Before we had to change the entire sending unit ( I have no idea what that cost). Did the service manager offer to check your fuel pressure? Or was it one of his"techs" that said fuel pressure could not be checked. Nissan sent every dealer in the country the fuel gauge to check those cars. I fact if you look on your fuel rail you will find a grey plastic cover near the end (it covers the connection), that is where you check the fuel pressure. I would suggest pointing that out to the "tech" ( and I use that term loosely), but if that retard doesn't know how to check fuel pressure. I wouldn't let him work on my lawn mower, but hey that's me.