What's wrong if you have to put the car in neutral to start?

  • Thread starter Thread starter sunnysky
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sunnysky

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My car has recently been totaled, my rental car usage was up last Friday and I still have no idea on how to get a new car, so my brother who is currently unemployed (out of college) and is staying with my mom let me borrow his car for a week or so until we can figure out something with getting me a car. So in gratitude I was going to take care of some of the maintenance. I am going to change the oil and fix his radio...but his car also does this thing where every now and then, I'd say maybe every 4 times you go to start it, it won't start and you have to put it in neutral to start.The engine won't turn at all at these times, doesn't make any noise at all, but fires right up once you put it in neutral and start it. What is causing this and is it something easily fixed? Thanks in advance!
Sorry for the lack of more specific details, it's a Nissan Altima, not sure of the year, with about 122,000 miles...and it is an automatic.
 
its bizzare you have to start from neutral, since we all know that in neutral status, the car is on no gears, its equivalent to holding the clutch down. from my understanding, your stick maybe set up wrong, maybe gear 1 and neutral crossed over or something that's the only explanation, you start from gear 1, no exceptions, unless you have slow mobility, in some cases you can start from gear 2, but never from neutral, so your "neutral" is actually gear 1, and "gear 1" is actually neutral.
 
The neutral safety switch is bad or needs adjustment. It is a switch located either on the transmission or linkage that allows the car to be started only in park or neutral.
Not knowing the brand of car, I can't tell you where to look.
 
The neutral safety switch is bad or needs adjustment. It is a switch located either on the transmission or linkage that allows the car to be started only in park or neutral.
Not knowing the brand of car, I can't tell you where to look.
 
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