Non-starter

My niece’s 2003 Nissan Micra refused to start the other day, so a friend of hers unsuccessfully tried to charge the battery. They then tried a tow-start, but still the car refused to start. The car has a fully-charged battery and all the lights come on, but the engine doesn’t turn over. I have plugged in my Pc-based ELM and found codes for ‘P1610 Nats Malfunction’, ‘P1611 Nats Malfunction’ and ‘U1001 ECM cannot communicate for more than the specified time’.

My thinking is that the only key has lost its ability to communicate with the ECM, which is immobilising the car. If this is correct, is it a dealer-only job to reprogramme the key and ECM? If so, have you any idea of the cost involved? Steve Dale The codes ‘P1610’ and ‘P1611’ can be triggered when an unregistered or faulty key is used in an attempt to start the engine. After five attempts with the same key, the system will lock. If you do have another key, I would first try disconnecting the battery for around 30 minutes and then, after reconnecting, retry with the alternative key.

The code ‘U1001’ indicates a fault in the Controller Area Network (CAN) and is a code that has been subject to a Nissan service bulletin due to a known problem with harness-to-earth connections behind the dash. I would check the integrity of the wiring harness in this area and clean the earth points.

If the key does need reprogramming, mobile auto locksmiths should have the necessary equipment to complete the task, depending on what is required. I would estimate the charge to be around £50-£80.