95 Max SE with intermittent starting problem

My stock 95 SE (90K miles) is having an intermittent problem for the last 7 days with starting that I am thinking is an ECM problem. I'm not getting any trouble codes or the MIL/CEL, so I'm fumbling a bit here. Any help/opinions on my diagnosis is greatly appreciated

When I turn the key and do not hear the fuel pump run for its 1 second, the starter will crank but the engine does not turn over. Repeated attempts to start without turning off the ignition are also unsuccessful. I turn the ignition completely to OFF for a few seconds and try again. If the fuel pump still doesn't run, wait 30 seconds or so and try again. When the fuel pump does run, the engine will start without fail.

The starting problem seems worst in the evening when the car has been outside all day (in Virginia) and temperatures are colder, but it starts fine in the morning in the garage.

I did suspect the pump relay, but swapping it out did not solve this. If the pump relay contacts close, the pump runs, so I'm fairly certain the pump is okay too. I am pretty confident that the the ECM is not energizing the relay reliably. It's almost like a bootup problem. There may be other issues with the ECM not running other systems as well, but the problem is short lived and general happens away from home. I haven't traced other systems yet. Nice, huh?

One more data point is that I have had 2 times in the last 3 days that while driving in town that I notice the tach drop to zero for a fraction of second and then back to normal. A very slight hesitation in forward motion is felt telling me that the engine did cut off, but again, no trouble codes. I'm almost certain this is caused by the ECM since it drives the tach, but I guess it could be a bad ground too. I'm in process of cleaning each one before I think about trying to buy a $500 ECM. It's been too snowy to get the underhood ones done.

Speaking of ECM's, anyone know if the 96 or later ECMs are interchangeable with the 95? I found a cheap used 96 one that I would give a shot if there is a plausible chance of success. I think there were ODB-II compatibility changes for 96, so it would not surprise me to learn that they are not swappable.

I also read some recent threads here that suggest a problem with a ground between the tranny and block causing starting trouble and I'm wondering if that could be related here... but I have a hard time believing this one. I would expect adding a simple strap wire would get around that problem easier than a $600 cleaning job.

Well, this is one got me stumped since I can't get a hard failure. I hope it doesn't take all winter to figure this one out. :-)

*No* replies? :disappoin Guess I'll not write so much next time.

In case anybody wants to know, further checking of the symptoms led me to look at the ECU/ECM power supply. The problem was fixed by replacing an intermittent ECCS relay up front under the hood... It checks fine on the bench, but after swapping it out, not a single fault since. It's a $20 part instead of a $600 ECU/ECM that would have had the same problems.

I have a same problem on my 99 Maxima. Is your problem fixed so far? Where is ECM relay located that you replacing it?

*No* replies? :disappoin Guess I'll not write so much next time.

In case anybody wants to know, further checking of the symptoms led me to look at the ECU/ECM power supply. The problem was fixed by replacing an intermittent ECCS relay up front under the hood... It checks fine on the bench, but after swapping it out, not a single fault since. It's a $20 part instead of a $600 ECU/ECM that would have had the same problems.

We got the same problem that you are talking about and I belive that what you did is right?, but the Question is where is the ECCS relay at? I need to know the location and I'll go to murder that damn thing who made me mad and been keeping the car for 2 monthes in my garage.

I realy need your help in that,

KAL beaSSt171787@hotmail.com

In addition to my previous post, I finally got my 99 Maxima fixed. The solution was different even it had a same symptom. As I said, when I tried to turn the ignition key, the engine cranked, but never start. What happened was my security key code was messed up. Like most luxury car with a security key option, my Maxima's key has a programmable microchip built-inside, so the program code somehow was meseed up when my son inserted a different key (honda) into my Maxima. I had to tow my car to a Nissan Dealer for re-programming a key which costed me $75 for a less than 10 minutes job. Here if your car has a security key like mine, you might look at a security light (on left panel of the stirring wheel) if it is blinking after you put the key in and try to start, then you have a same problem like mine. Otherwise, if you don't have a security key with a chip built-in, then I don't know whatelse. One thing that I hate about this security key option is that it is easy to be messed up. I have so many keys in my keys chain. Someone, who borrows my car, will easily put a wrong key again. It is fine to disable the ignition, not allow a stranger trying to thieve my car. But it should be enable when a right key is inserted.

Dear fellow readers,

I own a Nissan Maxima 1995 GXE
I have a similar problem with starting the car. I hear a "click" sound when I turn the key, but it wont crank. I had the battery and alternator checked at Autozone. surprisingly, moving some of the car windows up and down a couple of times and then trying ignition seems to then allow cranking the car. This last week, the car battery just discharged overnite. I tested and recharged the battery again, and tested it on site in the car, and it seemed to be fine, but the battery discharged again the very next night. seems like the battery needs about two days to discharge completely.

I wonder where the problem could be. Any advice is welcome. Thanks.