my4dsc.com – Premier 4-Door Sports Car Source!
Tag

Electrical

Browsing
myInfiniti

How to Replace AC Amplifier on 2004 Infiniti FX35 (Resolves Hard Start Issues)

Community Member Credit: smijus

So I was having some cold start problem. I knew that my battery was good so I did some research and it seemed like the AC Amplifier was the best culprit. So here is the process of replacing the AC Amplifier.

First off, the AC Amplifier is the most expensive plastic box that I’ve ever bought and this is what it looks like.

The only explanation I could find was that the AC amp gathers climate information( outside temp, humidity, etc), sends it to the ECU and that determines the fuel/air mix on start up.

2003-2005 FX35 / FX45

Part Number: 27760-CG000, 27760-CG700, 27760-CL000, 27760-CL01A
Part Description: AMPLIFIER – CONTROL, AIR CONDITIONER
Price: $650.97

 2006-2008 FX35 / FX45

Part Number: 27760-8Y71A
Part Description: AMPLIFIER – CONTROL, AIR CONDITIONER
Price: $650.97

P1000587_zps45457d03.jpg

There are three cable connections at the back of the unit.

P1000588_zps7c018c67.jpg

The AC Amplifier sits immediately behind the AC Controls under the main display stack in the middle of the dashboard.

To replace your AC Amplifier, do the following:

1. Take a plastic pry tool or something non-scratching and slowly pry around the bezel of the center display panel.

P1000586_zpse3f94515.jpg

2. You’ll need to slowly make your way around the entire bezel until it starts to pry up, before you pull the center stack out, there are two cables that need to be disconnected. One white connector, seen here from the bottom.

P1000585_zpscd16d916.jpg

…and one black ribbon cable seen here from the passengers side.

P1000583_zpsd1e675d2.jpg

Once these cables are disconnected, you can remove the entire center stack and set aside for the time being.

3. You will now see the guts of your center stack, and the AC Amplifier, the gray plastic box at the bottom. You will need a Philips head screwdriver to remove the 4 screws holding the center stack in place.

P1000582_zpsdbf45088.jpg

4. Now you can pull the entire center stack slightly out of place so you can access the 2 Philips head screws that hold the AC Amplifier in place. There is one on either side of the unit, remove them both.

P1000578_zps77b26a69.jpg

5. Once these two screws are out, you should be able to pop the box out of place and more easily access the 3 cables at the rear of the AC Amplifier.

P1000580_zps44eadfbd.jpg

6. Remove the three connectors, replace with the new AC Amplifier and reconnect the 3 cable assemblies.

7. Put the AC Amplifier back into place and return the screw on either side of the unit.

8. Slide the Center Stack back into place and return the 4 mounting screws back into place.

9. Before returning the faceplate, re-attach the white cable and the black ribbon cable.

10. Place the bezel back into place and slowly push firmly around the entire outside of the bezel, you’ll feel the face click back into place.

11. Start up your car and go through all of the functions on the center stack to ensure that everything still works.

12. You’re all done.

Keep Reading
By
my4thgen 95-99

1995-1999 4thgen Nissan Maxima Turn Signal Smoke

Community Member Credit: Frank / motorvate.ca

About one year ago (2000), I was driving back from work, and I saw a single streamer of smoke coming up from my steering column. I immediately tried all the switches on the steering column, thinking that I will find out which switch has gone bad, and maybe I will make it stop.

Well, everything worked just fine, and the smoke did stop. A month later the same thing happened, a single streamer of smoke.

After the first time I parked my car in the garage thinking “I hope that I don’t set my garage on fire if she lights up.” It never happened again.

In August 2000, when I signaled to turn left, after the turn was completed the signal would cancel, but the turn signal relay would click about twice the usual speed, “click-click-click-click-click” Luckily for me the turn signal light did not flash, it was just the relay.

I removed the relay, and opened it up. It is not your typical relay. It is a relay with printed circuit board on the side. I noticed that the circuit board was cracked, and it looked like a few traces may not be in full contact. I added a little bit of solder, thinking that it was now fixed. I was wrong.

Now it is March 2001, and I noticed that my turn signal was not “smooth” like I remembered it. It was very notchy. I removed it from the steering column, and saw this:

The YELLOW ARROWS point to some melted plastic. The RED ARROWS point to what the contacts should look like. The yellow arrows in the right picture above, show little plastic “parking” islands are melted. This made the contacts sit lower, and they were only touching a little, causing a little current to flow through the relay. The relay senses current, via the built in IC, and makes the relay pulse, but because the current is very small, it flashes faster. (just like when you have a burned out turn signal bulb, the flasher goes faster)

Anyways, this is where the smoke came from. YEA! I found it. My car is not going to burn down!
I tried to “file & fix” the contacts, but it did not work.

I called up North End Nissan, and 1 day and $71 later I had my turn signal back to where it was, nice and smooth, with no harsh clicks.

Problem solved in 10 minutes, but it took over a year to figure it out.

Keep Reading
By
my4thgen 95-99

1998 4thgen Nissan Maxima – AC Not Blowing Cold Air and Compressor Not Kicking On (FIXED – 7.5 Amp Fuse)

Credit: Eddy

My air conditioner had stopped working all of a sudden. I tried to add R134A refrigerant but the gauge was showing it was full. At first I was thinking I may need a new AC compressor. But before that I decided to do a few basic checks.

First I checked the sub-harness where you plug-in the compressor and alternator. I noticed the alternator pigtail was in very bad shape. I replaced the harness with a used OEM one and then I went to check the AC fuse. To my surprise it was blown. Soon as I replaced it, the AC compressor kicked right on.

The R134A refrigerant gauge now read low but a good sign since it just needed more. I refilled it with a full can of R134A refrigerant and now the AC is ice cold, super ice cold. I suspect it was the bad alternator pigtail that probably caused two wires to trough. This  is what likely caused the 7.5 amp fuse to blow.

Now back to cruising with a nice COLD AC in this summer weather.

 

Keep Reading
By
my4thgen 95-99

1995-1999 How to Always Keep Clock Fully Illuminated on 4thgen Nissan Maxima

Credit: Daniel B Martin

Warning: This procedure is very dangerous, you can very easily screw up your wiring. The key to doing this is taking your time and looking everything over twice before doing it.

If you want the clock display to remain at high intensity when the lights are on…

1) Remove the clock. This may be done with a small flat-blade screwdriver. Insert the screwdriver blade between the lower right hand corner of the plastic dashboard clock panel and the adjacent softer dash board. Slowly pry the panel up. Continue this at all four corners of the contoured panel until the metal snaps which anchor the panel are loose. Remove the panel by pulling outward and downward.

2) Note that the clock’s electrical connector has four wires. Cut the wire which is red with a blue tracer.

3) Install the clock panel. It just snaps into place.

Keep Reading
By
my4thgen 95-99

1995-1999 4thgen Variable Intermittent Wiper Mod

Credit: Smooth Operator

I hope it is of use to some of you thinking about swapping out your “standard” wiper switch for a variable intermittent wiper switch (standard on GLEs; included in GXE’s and SE’s S&C package).

My 97 SE 5sp is a stripper. It does not have the variable intermittent wiper which is available only in the SE Security and Convenience package. I did it for several reasons:

  • The “standard” wiper looks like something from a Kia parts bin, whereas the variable intermittent wiper switch matches the shape of the “combo” switch and is more aesthetically pleasing.
  • I truly miss not having the feature of a variable intermittent wiper.
  • Its a simple and relatively cheap “mod”

I did the swap in about 10 minutes. It is a direct swap. You don’t have to mess with any relays, fuses, etc.

Here are the simple steps to swap out the standard wiper switch with a variable intermittent wiper switch:

  1. Remove lower dash cover (held by 2 screws on each bottom corner, and snap-in clips across the top edge of the cover)
  2. Remove metal knee bolster (held by 2 10mm screws)
  3. Remove steering column cover (Held by 6 philips screws; 4 in front and 2 in the back)
  4. You will expose the column switches. The wiper switch is held by two gold-colored screws. Remove the screws and slide out the wiper switch (direction indicated by the blue arrow).
  5. Unclip wiring harness.
  6. Install wiring harness onto new wiper switch
  7. Install is reverse of removal.
  8. Finish Product:

Note that if your Max is a 97-99 you MUST source a wiper switch from a 97-99. The pin outs are different. (Same goes for 95-96 Maximas).

 

Keep Reading
By
allGens

1995+ Nissan Maxima Electronic Engine Motor Mount – How It Works and It’s Risks (Automatics Trans)

Manuals don’t have a electronic mount. In an automatic, at idle there is additional vibrations where a manual Maxima (which would be in neutral) would otherwise not experience. Therefore, as mentioned, the electric mounts soften at idle and the actuator will then add pressure to the inner rubber once the throttle increases.

The engine mount (electronic one) is controlled by the ECM. The ECM controls the engine mount operation corresponding to the engine speed and the vehicle speed. The control system has a 2-step control (hard/soft). The motor mounts are supposed to harden up when the RPM’s of the motor goes over about 1000 RPM. When it drops below that, they loosen up. At idle with vehicle stopped the mount is soft and when driving the mount is hard.

Most people disconnect them and cut the wire to avoid ECU shortage. It’s been common in some 5thgens and 6thgens. It will not cause a Check Engine Light (CEL) by disconnecting. 

Additional Notes:

  • The vibration is not even noticeable. I have had mine unplugged for ~6 months and there is no discernable difference at idle or speed.
  • There is no reason to disconnect them before they fail. It is pretty easy to tell when they do go bad (buzzing/whirring sound after you turn off the car) and even if you don’t fix it right away nothing bad happens. Mine buzzed for ~2 months before I decided to unplug them.
  • As it turns out, the mount is not really an electric mount, it is a hydraulic device. It uses electricity to run a small electric motor that pumps oil in and out of a rubber bladder. Built into the little motor are contacts that are supposed to shut off the motor after it has rotated some certain number of times. As too many members have found out, this design fails and “poof” goes your ECU.
  • I ran my 99 i30 with the electric mount unplugged. I read where 5th gens can short out and knock out the ECU. Though I don’t think 4th gens have the problem. Anyway, replacing an ECU on a 99 model can be an expensive ordeal, so I didn’t want to take any chances with the mount’s electric motor causing a short.
  • Mine have been unplugged and replaced with ES motor mounts for well over 3 years…..

 

Keep Reading
By
my4thgen 95-99

1995-1999 How to Remove ECU and Replace Air Mix Door Actuator

Credit: Vladimir_K

  1. To remove ECU the 4 Philips screws should be removed: 2 from rear side and 2 from front side. But it will be still difficult to remove Air Mix Door Actuator. The next step is cutting out all plastic clumps holding electric cables on the ECU frame.
  2. Final step is removing the ECU frame: take out 2 (10 mm) bolts from rear side. There is no mount bolts for a front part of ECU frame (just pull out central plate by shifting frame back/rear).
  3. Someone may find useful to cut out some parts of the ECU frame. (Pictures attached) And use parts of the plastic rings (from 1/4 tube) for holding the 3 screws inside of holes of actuator.

Keep Reading
By
Load More