2000 Infiniti Q45 Infiniti Q45 died, then wouldn't start.

SLAN77

MEMBER
2000 INFINITI Q45
V8
2WD
AUTOMATIC
90,000 MILES

The check engine light came on two days ago. Today I started the engine to move the car back so I could clean the garage, and when I went to move it back in, the car started and then quickly died. After that the starter seemed to engage some and disengage, making wierd noises [but not clunking noises like most people report]. There was a smell of smoke that was like burnt rubber or something, and now the starter doesn't engage at all, but makes a whirring sound. The battery died a couple of weeks ago, and would not hold a charge at all, so I replaced it with a new battery. The headlights are bright so I don't think it's a battery problme, but I suspect it IS electrical. If the starter went out, can that kill the engine AFTER the engine is running? I also found out I had forgotten to clean the air filter for quite some time, but don't think it's related to this problem [it's a K&N, and was pretty dirty].

1 Reply

BLUELIGHTNIN6

MECHANIC
16,542 POSTS

Hello slan77
Thanks for the donation

A whirring noise is indicative of trouble with the starter drive (also known as the bendix) which is usually replaceable, but probably better off with a new or rebuilt starter.

For the car dieing, you need to get the codes that the Check Engine Light is giving. This will make diagnosing the issue at hand much easier. Post the codes that you pull up and I will follow up.