So I went 6 months without having a single issue with the z, then all of a sudden a bunch of crap crops up all at once. I hate this ****. Anyway, here's the issue (which just started today):

I go out to the car to start it, push the clutch in, and the car cranks just fine but never catches and fires. I turn the key off, let the clutch out, and then let it sit for about 5 seconds. Turn the key again (clutch in obviously) and it starts right up.

So on the way home, I'm thinking maybe I just didn't have the clutch pedal in all the way. Is it possible that if the clutch isn't depressed all the way to the floor, that the motor won't fire? I try it again when I get home and shut the car off: Depress the clutch about 90% of the way, car turns over, won't start (this time, there was actually a really audible *pop* when I turn the key back to the off position).

I then press it all the way down, car starts up first try. Anybody have any ideas? I really hate having stuff like this hanging over my head; I can't really afford to have my car strand me.

 

nevermind..has nothing to do with pushing the clutch in to the floor. now im getting a code. guess i'm headed to the dealership in the morning

 

Maybe an ignition/starter/fuel issue and nothing to do with the clutch

 

you are definitely correct. this all happened after i washed the car, so im wondering if potentially got something wet? possibly the pop that i heard was a fuse going out? i only say that because it threw these three codes all at once yesterday:

P1612 - NATS Malfunction
U1001 - CAN Comm Circuit
P0463 - Fuel Level Sensor Circuit High Input

I understand that the second two codes are thrown in conjunction with each other occasionally. Any ideas?

 

So the car acted fine this morning when I dropped it off at the dealership, started on the first try (did this multiple times). Dealership called back and said they've been over it several times over the last couple of hours and they can't reproduce any issues. Cleared codes, and they haven't returned.

They think I got something wet, and now that it's dried itself out, the issue has resolved itself. I'm hesitant to believe them, as all NATS related problems that I've read about seem intermittent and based on other threads, tend to return down the road. The only thing that throws me off is that it randomly threw a fuel code and a NATS code together. WTF?

 

Did you check all of your fuses? Kick panel and under hood

 

They are right to an extent, if water got in under your hood things can act screwy for a few days. Then normalize when it dries out.

If they cleared them and they don't come back, then you're good to go.


If they come back, you can try to disconnect your battery, step on the brake a bunch of times to drain ecu capacitors. Re-connect, and see if the codes come back.

 

Water definitely did, if that were possible - I went through an automatic car wash (no judgies, I live in an apartment complex. I have my own garage, but no place to wash ), so it definitely sprayed a boatload of water every which way it's possible.

Now, that being said, I checked the battery/fusebox engine cover and it seemed to be on securely. Maybe it got on some electrical components under the hood? The only thing I'm worried about now is washing it in the future, or driving in the rain (which isn't a huge prob here in AZ...).

I guess hopefully I shouldn't be all that worried about this. The car was fine this morning.

 

So just as an update for this, after the computer tripping each one of those codes once and the one day where I was experiencing starting issues, the problem has not returned. It's been starting/driving fine for two days now. I'm at a complete loss as far as why this happened.

 

something got wet causing a circuit to bypass, probly fuel. One of only reason your car can turnover but not start is lack of fuel or spark

 

interesting. if that's really what happened, makes me afraid to drive in the rain, haha.

who am i kidding.. it doesn't rain here. occasionally dust falls from the sky, though...

 

i had an '04 back in the day and it cranked but didn't start randomly. it was annoying as hell and the solution at the dealership turned out to be the "immobilizer". its a chip in the key that had to match a chip in the car for fuel to be released to the injectors a.k.a 350z's cannot easily be hot wired at all because it will crank but not start since no fuel released.
anyways this is something no one can fix except nissan dealerships cos i doubt anyone has the expensive programming equipment. hope this helped.