MaximasMane.

Here are the symptoms I've had lately:
1. Starting about 2 months ago, i would smell a really weird smell every once in a while, while driving. Kinda like a burning rubber smell.
2. Starting about a week ago, I noticed my car just sounded different. I know this doesnt help much, but it was kind of like a whining noise the car was making, coming from the right side of the engine bay when sitting in the driver seat.
3. Tonight I was leaving my house to go get gas, and when i cranked up it kinda took it a second to start up, like it was kinda sluggish and had a hard time turning over. I just didnt think anything of it and headed to the gas station and the whole way there my headlights would dim when my subs hit (never happened before) and they would dim with the ac on, when rolling up the window, etc. The airbag light would also come on randomly for a few seconds then it would go off. And when i was leaving the gas station my car wouldn't start so i asked some guy at the gas station and he had a pair of jumper cables and he jumped me off. I made it home and now my car still wont start :/ it just makes a clicking noise when i turn the key.

So is this my alternator or battery? This might not be enough info to make a conclusion but if you need any more info please just ask me.

2001 Nissan Maxima GXE Automatic

GLE03

Sounds like your going to need both a new battery and alternator.

Is the battery physically old? What is its resting voltage?

You could start by cleaning the terminals and giving the battery a good charge.
Check resting battery voltage, should be 12.5 or better. Start car, and you should see 14.5 volts or so at battery terminals.
Below 13.5 and your alternator is not performing.
If above 13.5 continue testing by loading. Turn on all electrical loads; heater blower, stereo, rear defrost, wipers, brights, step on brake light, ect. You shouldn't see a drop below 13.5 or you have a charging issue.

I would deal with this myself by starting with a new battery, because likely your battery is shot. Clean the battery connectors. And then do a load test on alternator as described. You may be lucky with just a really old battery that slowly dropped out. But sounds like a classic lack of charge

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

It sounds to me like your alternator has taken a dump. With the alternator not charging, the battery has discharged so that is why you can't start the car. If you measure the battery voltage when it is discharged, it will most likely be less than 12 volts, probably closer to 10 volts.

If the alternator was working and the battery was bad, once you got the car jump started, you would not have had the lights dimming when the subs hit or the windows rolled or whatever.

jr schultz

Another way to help diagnose the problem is to unhook the positive of the battery with the car still on. If the car behaves normal and doesn't stall, then the alternator is ok.

chrome91

iTrader: (1)

get a cheap voltmeter, when the cars idling put voltmeter positive to battery positive and voltmeter negative to battery negative. anything significantly lower than about 13.8V means the alternators most likely not charging enough

MaximasMane.

Thanks a lot. is an alternator something that is easy to change in the 5th gens or would i need to take it to a mechanic?

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

It's all relative to your skill level. If you are not used to doing mechanical work in tight quarters, maybe you should have a mechanic do it. You do most of the work from under the car.
Cliff note version:
1 - disconnect battery
2 - loosen belt tensioner
3 - remove splash shield below alternator
4 - disconnect wires from alternator
5 - unbolt alternator
6 - unbolt air conditioner compressor
7 - remove alternator