Vanilla 54 1.5 SE wont start, weird combo of symptoms

O

Otis

Believe me I have looked for the answer before posting this...

Nice rainy day.
get in car - was left unlocked yesterday as its on private ground.
turn key, all the usual dash lights come on. I wait for the ABS light to go out.
Turn key to start.
short noise - starter motor not engaging.
Doors unlock
ABS light comes back on.
I notice that the dash clock is reset to zero ! (clock never done owt weird before).
rinse and repeat several times.
same results.
only now the dash clock is counting up the minutes. i.e. incrementing from zero.
release handbrake.
pump foot brake a couple of times. pedal now gone 'hard' with very little pedal travel left

used central locking on drivers door to lock car - get out and shut door. car locked all round.
then used the key manually in the passenger door to unlock car. open passenger door and all doors unlock - as expected.

makes no difference, same results on trying to start.

have read many posts re the central locking, haven't found any combo of symptoms like mine.
any ideas what it could be ?
or things to try ?
(I should add that I am useless with spanners etc but game to try owt).
 
Okay,
Put new battery in key fob (Siemens 5WK4876/818 - right way round. Can lock and unlock car from outside with the fob.
When I lock I only get 1 flash from the indicator lights though...

So I then followed these instruction very carefully.
http://almeraownersclub.com/threads/problems-with-keyfob.33964/
very carefully. I did what it says.as I a go along lights flash in the right place and the right way.
So I am feeling hopeful !
Until I got to "7. The warning lights will flash once to indicate successful programming."
I didn't get the flash.
So car still unstartable as before.
But when I turned ignition to ON to try to start THEN I got the double flash of the indicators.
any ideas folks ?
 
Last edited:
Just sounds like you have a flat battery.Abs light can come on and central locking can activate if the battery get's flat enough.See this all the time.

When NATS plays up the engine will crank over at normal speed but gets no fuel/spark hence a non starting situation.Sometimes the red flashing LED Nats could be lit solid.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the post.
battery not flat :(
NATS light not lighting when ignition turned to ON
Does flash when car is locked with the key button though
 
Found out some stuff.
The '5 second trick' (as per the handbook) to take the NATS out of Lock Mode is wrong in the handbook.
from a real manual - Nissan Almera N16 2000-2006 Electrical System.pdf
" ESCAPE FROM LOCK MODE
1. Turn ignition switch OFF.
2. Turn ignition switch ON with registered key. (Do not start engine.) Wait 5 seconds.
3. Return the key to OFF position.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 twice (total of three cycles).
5. Start the engine."

so its three cycles

and some other useful to know info
"When the starting operation is carried out five or more
times consecutively under the following conditions,
NATS will shift the mode to one which prevents the
engine from being started.
I Unregistered ignition key is used.
I IMMU or ECM’s malfunctioning."


Key reprogramming:
found this
"NISSAN Almera & Almera Tino Key Remote Control Programming

The Central Door locking is controlled by the Multi-Remote Control system which controls the door locking, door super locking and hazard reminder. When the doors are locked and unlocked the unit flashes the hazard lights once for lock and twice for unlock.

A maximum of four remote controls are allowed to be programmed.

Ensure all the doors have been unlocked, either by using a good transponder key or remote control plip key.

1. Turn the ignition switch from Position 0 to ON 6 times within 10 seconds.

2. Then turn ignition switch to OFF position. Leave key in ignition switch.

3. After 2 seconds, the system will enter programming mode and will flash the warning lights twice.

4. Press and HOLD the unlock button on the Plip.

5. While pressing the unlock button, press the lock button 3 times.

6. Release the unlock button.

7. The warning lights will flash once to indicate successful programming.

8. Repeat procedure 4 to 7 for up to 4 plip key’s.

9. When completed turn ignition ON, and the warning lights will flash 2 times.

10. Remove key, and check all plip key’s for operation."

stage 2 is different from that shown in the thread I linked to in my second post

when I left the key in the ignition and ran the procedure I show above then I did get the single flash at step 7 which never happened when I used the procedure shown in the thread I linked to in my second post. key left in ignition I got the single flash at 7. But key taken out of ignition no single flash at 7. So leave key in Ignition turned to OFF.

step 7 is a bit fiddly with the key still in ignition - I used one hand to hold key solidly in OFF position and other hand to do the plip pushing.

still not starting !! but at least I have unwound some problems.
 
Last edited:
Further info.
After studying that pdf file - can I post a link/name of/ the (free) website where I found it so other can benefit ? It has loads of manuals for the N16 - it looks like it the Harness and not the NATS.
There is a LOT of diagnostic info in that manual.
Looks to me that the key piece was "NATS light not lighting when ignition turned to ON". Manual is the best part of a thousand pages and the extensive section on NATS is a goldmine.
So I need to find a local mobile automotive electrician who has Consult-II.
I think the clock being suddenly at zero is also a big clue.
When it gets resolved will post the details.

I assumed NATS and went to down a blind alley AND caused more probs by following wrong procedure.
Have fixed those things now. That is why I posted the details in the previous post to hopefully save others.

Can I post info for others on where to get the N16 manuals ?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom