Quick answer. The owner had put in a new alternator, a new battery and new coil packs. The truck still would not start. Our tech checked fuel and found no fuel pressure at the fuel rail. The relays and fuses for the pump tested good, and the pump did not make its usual sound at key on. The diagnosis was $150. The repair was bigger than the approved number, so our tech stopped and asked for a new yes.
Key Points
- New alternator, battery and coil packs did not get this Frontier running.
- Our tech found no fuel pressure at the fuel rail.
- Fuel pump relays and fuses tested good.
- No pump sound when the key was first turned on.
- The key was fine. No security light, so the immobilizer was not the problem.
- Work stopped at the diagnosis so the owner could approve the bigger repair.
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Three New Parts and Still No Start
This truck was in a driveway in Hemet. It would not start.
The owner had already done a lot. A new alternator. A new battery. New coil packs. They tried a jump too. Nothing.
That is a lot of money in parts. None of them were the problem. An engine needs spark, fuel and air at the right time. The owner covered spark and power. Nobody had checked fuel yet.
What Our Tech Checked
Our tech went down the fuel side one step at a time.
Fuel pressure at the rail. None. No fuel was reaching the injectors.
Relays and fuses for the pump. Good. Power was not being cut off at the fuse box.
The pump itself. Most pumps hum for a second or two when you first turn the key. Our tech listened for it. This one did not come on.
The key. A bad key or immobilizer can also stop a start. Our tech checked. The key programming was good and there was no security light.
The scanner had one code, for low voltage from an oxygen sensor. A low O2 sensor reading is common when no fuel is burning, so it was noted, not chased.
Our tech wrote down the next step, to confirm it with starting fluid. If the engine fires on starting fluid, it has spark and air, and fuel is the missing piece. That points at the pump.
The Job on One Card
2010 Nissan Frontier, Hemet, September 28
Came in with: no start after a new alternator, battery and coil packs.
Tech found: no fuel pressure at the rail. Pump relays and fuses good. No pump sound at key on. Key good.
Work done: one hour of no start diagnosis. Stopped for a new quote.
Cost: $150.
The repair was bigger than what the owner had approved. So the work stopped. That is our rule. You get a new quote and give a new yes before a wrench moves again.
What This Means If Your Truck Won't Start
Do not buy the next part on a hunch. Have someone test fuel pressure. It takes a gauge and a few minutes.
If the pump does not hum at key on, say so when you call. It saves the tech time.
Every step on this job went on the record in Shop Desk, our own shop software. Any mechanic can use it free, right here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why won't my truck start after a new battery and alternator?
Those parts give the engine power to crank. It still needs fuel and spark. On this Frontier, there was no fuel pressure at the rail.
How can I tell if my fuel pump is working?
Turn the key to on without starting and listen near the tank. Most pumps hum for a second or two. No sound is a clue, not proof.
What is starting fluid used for in a diagnosis?
It gives the engine fuel from outside. If it fires on starting fluid, spark and air are there, and the fuel supply is the problem.
What happens if the repair costs more than I approved?
The tech stops. You get a new quote and decide before any more work is done.
Supercanic tip: Before you buy another part for a no start, ask for a fuel pressure test. It is cheap and it rules a whole system in or out. Call us at (951) 904-2477.
Truck Won't Start in Hemet?
We come to you, test first, and show you what we found before any part is bought.
