No start, all test pattern lights on when key is turned to on position.

STIGGI

MEMBER
1996 NISSAN PATHFINDER
4 CYL
4WD
AUTOMATIC
124,000 MILES

My grandson hit a pothole and the engine quit. He was able to pull off to the side. When he tried to start it,
he turned to the key to start and got nothing. When he released the key back to on position all test lights
displayed as normal. Tried again and still nothing. There is no physical damage to the vehicle from the pothole hit that we can see.
Is there some sort of safety feature or cut out switch involved? The rest of the electrical accessory system is working, just the starting operation is out.

3 Replies

MHPAUTOS

MECHANIC
31,938 POSTS

Depending on how hard the hit was, something may have been jarred loose, start with checking for power at the starter solenoid wire with the key turned to start, post what you find.

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Friday, July 18th, 2014 AT 4:04 AM

STIGGI

MEMBER
2 POSTS

After reading your message, I charged the battery during the day. When I got home, I tried starting the engine. The starter cranked ok, so I knew the
ignition system was working, but it wouldn't start on several attempts. There was a smell of gas, but we couldn't find any wet areas along the chassis or on the ground. My son-in-law tried it also and the same result,
with that same slight smell of gas. If it means anything, my grandson said he hit the pothole with the left front wheel. We didn't find any loose wires or connections under the vehicle. Is there anything that would cut out
the ignition system that we should look for? We are limited in the time we will have to work on this over the weekend, but should we start looking at the electrical system, at some particular circuit?
By the way, the battery was low, so I charged it before doing the above, just in case the original problem was because of that, but it looks like that's not what was wrong.