Chattering Relay

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micven55 - 20 Apr 2006 01:23 GMT

My son has a 2003 Nissan Sentra XE with a manual transmission. Several
times in the past month he (or I) have turned the key and all we get is a
high speed relay chatter. It's rather loud and can be heard well outside
the car. Of course all the dashboard lights are going nuts. What should
I be looking for?? Low battery? Fuel pump relay? The sound is coming
from the right side, it sounds like it's under the dash, but it could be
from the engine bay since it is so loud. Whenever we try to recreate it
with the hood opened the car will start (of course). Thanks for the help.

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DS - 20 Apr 2006 19:10 GMT

Starter solenoid? Check your battery charge and check your starter. Though
it seems kind of early to have starter issues.

> My son has a 2003 Nissan Sentra XE with a manual transmission. Several
> times in the past month he (or I) have turned the key and all we get is a
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> from the engine bay since it is so loud. Whenever we try to recreate it
> with the hood opened the car will start (of course). Thanks for the help.

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The OTHER Kevin in San Diego - 20 Apr 2006 21:56 GMT

>Starter solenoid? Check your battery charge and check your starter. Though
>it seems kind of early to have starter issues.

I'd second that as well. Double check both ends of the battery cables
as well and make sure the connections are clean and tight. Couldn't
hurt to pull each end, hit it with a wire brush and snug 'em back up.

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JM - 20 Apr 2006 22:44 GMT

I have experienced something similar in my 99 Altima when turning the key
off, or, switching to "ACC" from "ON". I'll get the same kind of sound, the
buzzing of some relay switching on and off quickly and the lights on the
dash flicker. It seems there's a spot in the rotation of the ignition
cylinder where the contacts are not quite contacting 100% and things switch
on and off rapidly (probably due to the contacts arcing inside the switch).

I shot some oil into the ignition cylinder and worked it back and forth one
day, and it seems to have helped minimize the problem; the key now moves
more freely towards the ACC position from being in ON. In your case where
it happens when you turn the key on, you might have worn contacts in the
switch that need replacing.

Of course it may be something different altogether, but that's my 2c worth

Hope that helps,

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