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Chattering Relay

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.

Reply to
micven55
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Starter solenoid? Check your battery charge and check your starter. Though it seems kind of early to have starter issues.

Reply to
DS

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.

Reply to
The OTHER Kevin in San Diego

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,

Reply to
JM

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