Whenever it Rains my car doesn't start? Why is That?

Question

I have a 94 Nissan Maxima. I don't understand what the problem could be evertime it rains and I go out to start my car it never starts. When I turn the ignition it acts like it's going to start then it just stops, the engine won't kick over but when it's nice, dry and sunny outside it's fine. I recently had a tune up, oil change and air filter replace and it was fine the last time it rained but not it's right back to it's old tricks. I know it's not the battery because everything else works fine, lights, radio, horn. What else could this be?

Answer 1

Moisture on the spark plug wires, moisture under the "Distributor cap" "Cracked Distributor cap" ( this can even be a tiny hairline crack) will make the car NOT start. When all is dry, and car is starting fine (nice weather), open the hood with the motor off, and spray the spark plug wires, and distributor cap, with "Silicone spray" or "WD-40". Sometimes this helps keep the moisture away, and it is not too expensive.

Answer 2

Ok, well if you want to fix it properly, then most of the answers are there for you already but I will tell you what you should do anyway, especially on a vehicle of that age.

Replace all the ignition components, don’t bother trying to find the fault because your just penny pinching here.

Go to your local Motor outlet and order a new rotor-arm, Distributor cover, a new set of leads and a full set of spark plugs and ask them to make sure they are all set to the correct gap setting for your vehicle make. And replace the lot!

Then trace the single main ignition cable, this is the one on its own, and it leads to a unit mounted on the chassis of the car. It’s not the ones that lead to the engine spark plugs. Now when you have located the unit it connects to, on your chassis, Unplug the connections on that unit and clean them with a dry cloth and wipe the unit down real well of grease and dirt. Also, it would be advisable to take a piece of plastic and custom make a nice cover for the unit, to protect it from any further water penetration.

Do make sure that any cables you replace are secured with straps or tape, but do make sure they are not just left dangling around, if they come into contact with the engine, they may heat up and fail. So secure your new wires.

Now that can be all done for less than £40. So what you waiting for? Only if I could leave you now with one last warning!

It is paramount that you don’t unplug all the leads at once as you will never remember where they go, so do the following....

Remove the Distributor cap, and inside you will see the distributor rotary arm. Change that first, then take your new distributor cover and place one lead on it at a time, copying exactly that of the old one and wire it to the old spark-plug that matches. Does this until you have replaced all the leads and all the spark plugs are connected to the new distributor cover.

Now place the new distributor cover on the vehicle and fasten it in place. Then and only then, replace the spark plugs, only do this one at a time and put the cable back on the new inserted plug once your done. Move onto the next plug. That way you will not mix them up.

Happy? You should be.

Answer 3

Wire Dryer Spray

Answer 4

try some new spark plug wires http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/mmp/nissan~maxima~ignition_wire_set~parts.html

current is leaking through the old wires and following the moisture on them to ground, try this 1st- get a can of spark plug wire dryer http://www.amazon.com/Permatex-Ignition-Wire-Dryer-oz/dp/B0002JN1Z0 and next time it rains and the car won't start, spray the spark plug wire, all of them and even the ignition coil park where the other end of the spark plug wires go. If the wires or the coil pack are leaking current this will temporarily seal the leakage and your car will start. Then you know you need wires and maybe the coil pack (expensive). Replace the wires 1st.

Answer 5

right this is what I do for that, get the engine heat then with a bottle of water I spray spark plug wires first nonetheless to the coil p.c.. or distributor and all factors one after the other while the engine shuts off I replace that area. Spraying with wd40 works,yet its non everlasting.

Answer 6

This is an ignition problem! Replace plug wires first! After that look at the distributor cap/coil pack. Try the wires first though,they're relatively cheap. ;-)=

Answer 7

i would like to get the points for best answer but justanoth has the right idea, except that i would reccomend putting on a new dist. cap to fix the problem permanently.

Answer 8

It sounds like a cracked distributor cap...very common problem and easy to fix.

Answer 9

Could also be cracked coil

Answer 10

i think you have a problem with your cold start injector or your automatic choke let your technician check and tested either of this two
hope it helps