Tuesday at my friend's house my car wouldn't start and it wasn't turning over at all. The AAA guy tried several things and he tried to start it by just leaning over the seat from the outside of the car and it wouldn't start. So finally he got it started but said it needed a new starter, so I got home and then again, it wouldn't start. So today, being Saturday, my friend Kent came to put in a new starter and it turned over right away for him. Every time he starts it, it does start, but when I try it won't start, so we tried over and over, and we finally found that I need to put more pressure on the key in the ignition, then it won't start for me, so I leave it a little bit and try again, with much pressure on the key. But why am I having that problem now since it's been starting just fine for a long time and I never had to think about i should hold the key when starting it?

Asked by Silverstar888 Mar 26, 2017 at 02:18 AM about the 1998 Nissan Sentra GXE

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

My car wouldn't start the other day & AAA guy said the starter needs to be replaced, so my friend was going to replace it today, but it started for him and he check everything about the starter and it's very good, but when I put the key in it won't start, and as I tried over and over, I discoveored that I need to put a lot of pressure on the key with my thumb and it won't start at first but then it will start.  However until a couple of days it was starting just fine for a long time.  What else could cause this now since it was fine?

1 Answer

223,745

It has to do with the ignition switch. You have to turn the key so far for it to make contact. There may be some linkage for the ignition switch that is stretched, or might be able to adjust the ignition switch, or the ignition switch is in need of replacing.

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