'07 NAH intermittent start problems
 

Please help! (The dealer has been useless!)
December '07 bought a new 07 NAH. Worked fine, love it, proud of being green, etc.

17 months and 20,000 miles later, I'm having intermittent start problems. It began about a month ago. Press brake, press button (keyfob in purse), ACC comes on but green READY light does not. Press button again, car turns off. Start the sequence all over again and sometimes it starts, sometimes not. Plug the fob into the hole on the dash -- sometimes it starts, sometimes not. Tried extra keyfob, no difference.

Now it rarely starts. Owner's manual says if keyfob battery is low a display light indicating such will show, but it never did. Took it to dealer, who couldn't recreate the problem and said there were no recalls on this model.

Drove home into my garage, turned it off and could not turn it on again! Read numerous posts here about cell phone intereference and have tried all sorts of different locations for cell phone and garage door remote, but can't figure out what the problem is. Teenage son earned his keep by pushing my car out of garage onto driveway where I put it back into PARK and was able to start the car.

Today purchased new battery for keyfob and still will only start intermittently. This happens around town as well as in my garage, but mostly in the garage. This makes me think it might be the garage door opener, but why all of a sudden and WHAT DO I DO ABOUT IT???

Thanks for letting me rant and for any help!

Re: '07 NAH intermittent start problems
 

go back to the dealership and try to recreate the problem.

my guess is it has nothing to do with the fobs since it will go to ACC mode meaning it senses the key. maybe it could be the battery?

Re: '07 NAH intermittent start problems
 

I agree, it probably has nothing to do with the key fob - especially since you had the same problem when the fob was plugged in physically. The behavior sounds more like what happens when you try to start without fully depressing the brake. Perhaps it isn't properly sensing that the brake pedal is down?

If the dealer can't diagnose this, and there's another dealer anywhere nearby, I'd try a different dealer.

Re: '07 NAH intermittent start problems
 

Did you ever discover what was causing these issues? I have an 07 NAH and it has just started doing the same thing over the last month.

Please help!

Re: '07 NAH intermittent start problems
 

One known issue with altimas in general has been this lack of starting and it seems it is often a faulty or loose brake pedal switch. the car starts only if the brake is applied. Well if that switch acts up and it can sense the pedal being stepped down, it will not start. So I would start by having someone check that/

Re: '07 NAH intermittent start problems
 

I own a 2007 NAH and have been plagued by this start problem. I am a single woman and have been left stranded in potentially dangerous situations when the car would not start late at night. The dealer acts as though it's no big deal. However, just today the car had to be towed from Oakland to the dealer in Millbrae when it would not start after I landed at Oakland International around 11:00 pm last night. In late 2009, the car would not start and had to be towed to the dealer. They determined the $5K battery was defective. Today, I've just learned that that "new" battery has a bad cell and is defective.

When I brought the car to the dealer last month re this same problem, they suggested it MAY be a brake switch problem. Today, they added it MAY be a start button problem. I think something MAY be draining or causing damage to the battery. However, all of the above are simply guesses. If anyone in the NAH community learns the source of this problem, would you PLEASE let me know!

Re: '07 NAH intermittent start problems
 

We had the same problem. It turned out to be the brake light switch was out of adjustment.

The next time it does not start, check to see if the brake lights come on when you depress the brake pedal. If not, then it is the brake light switch.

Re: '07 NAH intermittent start problems
 

just a suggestion Maildfrelix: Given Daland Nissan's reputation, I would venture to say perhaps you could try another dealership?
http://www.yelp.com/biz/daland-nissan-inc-millbrae

Re: '07 NAH intermittent start problems
 

Thank you yu888, but Serramonte Nissan is the WORST. I also tried Oakland Nissan. They actually Does a decent Nissan dealershio exist? If so, can anyone recommend a good Nissan dealership or sevice department?

Re: '07 NAH intermittent start problems
 

Sorry, following's my corrected post.

Thank you yu888, but Serramonte Nissan is the WORST. I also tried Oakland Nissan. They actually scratched my new car and never bothered to return my calls about it.

Does a decent Nissan dealership exist? If so, can anyone recommend a good Nissan dealership or sevice department?

Re: '07 NAH intermittent start problems
 

^ yes, but I don't think you want to drive to Massachusetts

Re: '07 NAH intermittent start problems
 

The one at Hilltop was pretty decent in my few times up here. Another friend swears by the one in San Leandro but other than buying parts, I do not have any experience there. Good luck.

Re: '07 NAH intermittent start problems
 

Altima Hybrid Engine Wont Start, ECM Lost Comms.
My 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid has had this recurring problem since I purchased it used and I learned the original owner had the same recurring issue and other owners on the internet also. Typically when I go to start my car in the morning, after my car has sat in the garage over night, I depress the brake and the ignition button and **ALL** the warning lights come on including the EV mode ready and Service Engine light but the car has no power steering and the gas engine won't start at all. The car is drivable for about 30 seconds in EV mode then dies. When the car is at the dealer the car starts fine and they can't replicate the issue but find the following DTC's: UOO73, UO100 ECM 211, UO100 ECM 530, UO123, UO124, U0126, U0129 BRAKE 220, UO293,UO131 EPS 433, UO121 EPS 434, U1020, U1022. Nissan replaced the hybrid battery, the hybrid harness and the main car harness and now they say there is nothing more they can do to fix the problem. The problem remains.

Re: '07 NAH intermittent start problems
 

Plus 1 on the above statement. IT IS YOUR BRAKE! You are either not pressing it firmly enough (happens to me sometimes when I am in a rush, or the switch is faulty)

Re: '07 NAH intermittent start problems
 

This is identical to someone forgetting to turn off the car when stopped. If you hit the button (by accident) twice when you are getting out, you put the car into accessory mode which will kill the battery and this is how the car acts with a low battery (not hybrid battery, car battery)

Re: '07 NAH intermittent start problems
 

Last July I had the intermittent start problem it turned out to be a brake switch out of adjustment. I had it again this week and it turned out to be a common problem requiring $430 replacement of the brake swtich and some harness sub assembly. Apparently this is common on the Altima Hybrids and 2.5s. The Nissan TSB# is NTB10-139. It was issued in November of 2010.

My car was out of warranty, but I am will be requesting a refund AND reporting it to the NTSB because the same switch controls the brake lights and if you can get the car started by smashing down on the brake, you don't have brake lights when just using normal braking.

Re: '07 NAH intermittent start problems
 

Premier Nissan in San Jose is able to answer all my questions regarding my NAH. One of their service writers really liked my PHEV conversion.

Re: '07 NAH intermittent start problems
 

Perhaps NHTSA (http://www.nhtsa.gov/) is the right place to report it?

Re: '07 NAH intermittent start problems
 

Secondary question.
How often do you check things like your brake lights?

Based on looking at how many people drive with 1 or more lights not working on their cars, many people don't check them regularly. I check mine once a month, along with other things. Yeah, it usually takes 2 people to check them unless you get creative.

Re: '07 NAH intermittent start problems
 

You are right. That is where I ended up reporting the problem.

Re: '07 NAH intermittent start problems
 

I have a '07 NAH as well and had the same problem. Your description is to a tee on what happened to me. My dealer figured out that it was not the key fob at all, but was a mechanism in the brake that was faulty. In other words, the brake must be pressed while the button is pressed. For some reason, my brake was not registered that it was pressed, thus the vehicle would not start. For a while I stomped on the brake and it would work, but it finally just wouldn't start. Bad news, I remember it costing a fair amount to fix ($300-$500). I have a 101,000 miles on my NAH right now. My problem happened around 60K miles. Since it was fixed, I have not had a problem. I still love my car and am getting 40-42 mpg. Good luck!

Re: '07 NAH intermittent start problems
 

We have the intermittent start problem with our NAH '08 since about 1 year after the purchase. One out of 15 times we can not start the car but it just always used to work after 3 times trying. So we didn't bother bringing it to the dealer. Since 2 years we had some more serious non starters but they would happen rarely until now. Had AAA come to tow but he could fix it and was very aware of the problem.

He went to the cables under the steering wheel from the drivers leg space. And tightened the brake sensor and that was the fix.

4 starts later I encounter the same problem and now just wiggle the cable under the steering wheel and get the car to start.
Not very elegant but we don't want to pay $ for a mistake that so many of those cars have and should be fixed by the manufacturer.
We should get a car count with this problem.

Re: '07 NAH intermittent start problems
 

^^^
If you can repro a problem where you can get the brake lights to not turn on w/reasonable force on the brake pedal, I think a safety complaint to http://www.safercar.gov/ is in order.

That might force a recall (since that would be legit safety defect) and get this fixed for all of us.

Re: '07 NAH intermittent start problems
 

I agree. I have an 08 NAH also. Although I don't have the problem, I'd like to see a recall to prevent it.

Re: '07 NAH intermittent start problems
 

I have an 07 and never had this type of trouble... Thanks for the tip though.

Re: '07 NAH intermittent start problems
 

Thanks for the link. I just emailed them with the problem. But I don't know if it will account for a safety issue. Because the result is that the car will not start and not that the brakes don't work.

The brakes always work. The problem is just the sensor (or cable hub) that tells the starter that the brake is pressed.

Re: '07 NAH intermittent start problems
 

That's a primary safety issue... The car manufacturer's are supposed to be able to ensure that a car can limp home... Leaf when the battery is low, limits how fast you can go, not can you move at all. Fuel injection failures, have some sort of limp home mode. There probably are other related things.

Re: '07 NAH intermittent start problems
 

But, if the brake lights don't come on (when brake pedal is pressed w/a moderate amount of force), that's definitely a safety issue. Someone could rear end you.

If you can repro that problem, you'd have a legit safety defect.

Re: '07 NAH intermittent start problems
 

I reported it over a year ago. I heard nothing back.

The replacement of the brake assembly fixed it finally after several brake switch adjustments by the techs.

I only figured out the problem after following the car home one night and noticing that the brake lights were not working (a real safety problem).

There is a technical service bulletin: TSB# is NTB10-139 that describes the problem and the fix: $430 in April 2011 for me and not covered by my warranty.

Re: '07 NAH intermittent start problems
 

I called and reported the starting problem to the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the lady had no other cases of the same problem. She said it will be sent to their investigative group.
But on this forum only 2 people reported this. That is too few for a recall.

I want to point out again that otherwise we love the car.

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NHTSA safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT. Complaints can also be waged online at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/ (the NHTSA's website) or by filing a petition.