Starter Relay exact location?

Tiny
ERIN E. VEST
  • MEMBER
  • 1995 NISSAN TRUCK
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 215,000 MILES
Where is the exact location of the starter relay on the truck listed above XE short bed? Is it labeled inhibitor relay? How to release the stubborn clip for removal and replacement?
Sunday, February 2nd, 2025 AT 2:29 PM

16 Replies

Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,818 POSTS
Yes it is the inhibitor relay located on the left fender apron. That age of plastic you will want to be careful with the clips, they can fail easily. I'm guessing you already tested the switch and the park neutral switch? Or are you removing the relay to test there?
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Monday, February 3rd, 2025 AT 4:42 PM
Tiny
ERIN E. VEST
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  • 8 POSTS
The relay switch box is on the passenger side fender well. The lettering on the cover is faded so I need to know the exact location of the inhibitor relay and exactly how the clip is to be released. I'm not testing anything because I know this is what needs replaced.
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Monday, February 3rd, 2025 AT 4:58 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
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The inhibitor relay should be on the left fender if this is a US truck. There are a bunch of relays on the opposite side, but the starter relay is on the left side tucked into the bracket as shown in image 2.
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Tuesday, February 4th, 2025 AT 10:29 AM
Tiny
KEN L
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It is on the right side. These diagrams are not correct for my truck.
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Tuesday, February 4th, 2025 AT 11:15 AM
Tiny
KEN L
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Can you give us the VIN# so we can make sure?
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Tuesday, February 4th, 2025 AT 11:16 AM
Tiny
ERIN E. VEST
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VIN#
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Tuesday, February 4th, 2025 AT 11:32 AM
Tiny
STEVE W.
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As Ken says, give us the VIN and we can see if there is some different service information on your truck. Service information from Nissan for 1993-1996 shows it the same way as indicated for the US delivered XE and Hardbody trucks. There is a starter interlock relay on the right side but that in on the manual transmission trucks, not an automatic as you indicated.
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Tuesday, February 4th, 2025 AT 11:41 AM
Tiny
ERIN E. VEST
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This attachment is the VIN#
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Tuesday, February 4th, 2025 AT 11:42 AM
Tiny
ERIN E. VEST
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  • 8 POSTS
1N6SD11S2SC467132 is the VIN#
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Tuesday, February 4th, 2025 AT 1:10 PM
Tiny
ERIN E. VEST
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  • 8 POSTS
On further inspection the image 2 provided by Steve W. Seems correct after all. Thanks for your help.
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Tuesday, February 4th, 2025 AT 4:37 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
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Yep got it. Thank you. Looking at a factory manual for that VIN shows the location of the starter inhibit relay in the same place as I already posted on the left side of the engine bay if it's an automatic, which the VIN shows it was built as from the factory. The online Nissan info system goes back to 1996 and looking at the 96 D21 it shows the same relay location as well in 1996. I'm not sure what relay you are looking at unless someone modified the factory harness on the truck to relocate the inhibit relay as all of the OE info shows it on the left fender.
There is a neutral position relay on the other side, but it doesn't control the starter. It only tells the ECU itself if the inhibitor switch (gear position switch) is in park or neutral as part of the emissions system. It has a light blue wire and a yellow wire as well as two ground wires in black. Is that the relay you are looking at?
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Tuesday, February 4th, 2025 AT 5:13 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
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Okay, it sounds like you found it. Did changing it solve the problem, or you haven't had a chance to change it yet?
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Tuesday, February 4th, 2025 AT 6:07 PM
Tiny
ERIN E. VEST
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  • 8 POSTS
I'll have to wait until tomorrow to change it in daylight.
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Tuesday, February 4th, 2025 AT 6:08 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
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No problem. I know about waiting for daylight is like.
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Tuesday, February 4th, 2025 AT 6:27 PM
Tiny
ERIN E. VEST
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I have located the inhibitor/starter relay. I can't seem to figure out how to open the clip holding it in place. This attachment, though not the actual starter relay, is a photo of the type clip holding it. How does this thing release?
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Wednesday, February 5th, 2025 AT 2:48 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
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Should be a push release. Push in on the lower blue tab and pull up. Because it has been on there since new it may fight a bit. Be careful rocking it though as the connector under it may be brittle.
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+1
Wednesday, February 5th, 2025 AT 8:05 PM

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