Hi. Years ago my mom had a 2nd Gen Maxima that spoke (Fuel level is low...etc..) I was just wondering the years this was an option and if anyone figured out how to remove or add this feature...I would love it for the car to tell me that I need gas, one less thing for me to worry about.

Thanks,
Erik

 

Where the hell do you get the kind of money to buy those nice cars and all of the cool accessories? With that kind of money, you could probably pay someone to custom design a voice command system for you. It would be a ***** to pull a voice system from a 1st or 2nd gen Maxima and try to install it in a newer car. I think it would probably be better to start from scratch. You'd have to have some sensors that would detect the alarm condition, then send a signal to a main computer. The computer would run a program that when it detects the alarm condition, it would output the spoken alarm to your car speakers. For a computer programmer, it shouldn't be that difficult to design that kind of setup. You could probably splice into the wires that go to the dummy lights, thereby avoiding the need to install your own sensors. Also, you wouldn't need a fancy computer or anything like that. A CPU from a graphing calculator could handle it and you would store the program inside an EEPROM chip.

By the way, Nissan had the voice system in its 1st and 2nd generation Maximas (1981-1988).

-C-

 

Thanks. When I told my parents that I was putting in a $3,000 navigation unit, my dad said for three grand he'd pay someone to sit on my hood and tell me where to go...lol. I had some delusion that it could be plug and play to the ECU, but I guess not. I loved the voice stuff, why did Nissan stop putting it in?

Erik

 

I believe its when voice-over actors became unionized.

Sorry, stupid Hollywood-biz joke.

 

A few manufacturers from the 80's were putting in voice systems in their cars, mostly luxury makes from the time. They primarily did it to show how hi-tech their cars were (remember the digital dash). Also, most 80's vehicles were pretty boxy, unstylish, and slow, so trying different things such as this helped auto companies sell cars.

My guess is that it never caught on with people, although I think it's pretty cool. My dad had one in his Thunderbird SC and my mom had one in her Buick Riviera back in the day.

Hell, they even use voice warning systems in fighter planes such as the F-16. The pilots call the system B*tchin' Betty.

Unfortunately, my Maxima is a floater, which means that it was originally invoiced to go to another country, but shipped to the US to get around quota restrictions of the time (Lee Iacocca pretty much had the US government in his back pocket then and since the US couldn't make decent cars they decided to restrict Japanese cars and force people to buy the US junk of the time). Most of the countries that these cars were invoiced to were Central American countries, where the peoples' primary spoken language isn't English, so there was no need for a voice alert system, therefore mine didn't come with one.

-C-

 

So it was completely left out not disabled in some way?
Man, thats harsh.

Erik

 

Yep, it's completely gone. They also left out the power antenna override switch since it doesn't get cold enough down there that the antenna would freeze. I wish I had that since my antenna has frozen a few times over this past winter, although if I wanted it badly enough I could always put in a custom switch fairly easily.

-C-

 

the voice box on the first gen maximas was located under the steering wheel right above the pedals on the far left wall. when you take down the shielding under the dash, its a black box with some a wire harness running into it. it runs to one of the speakers...
thats all i really know.

hope it helps.........

 

Not to be sexist here, but, I think I know why the talking Max was given a woman's voice. It only tells you the really painfully obvious stuff, key is in ignition, door is open, etc. None of the things yoo really need to know like you're down to your last six pack of Point, the Packers have a 3 point spread, your wife knows where you REALLY were last night, things like that. Oh, well, even ON Star can't do that...yet.

 

Actually when my Mom got her Maxima they asked who was the primary driver...if it was a man the Maxima would have a woman's voice, if it was a woman, it would be a man's voice (or thats what they were told).

Erik

 

OH

 

I'm looking at the vice module from my 85. The inputs seem to be simple enough to duplicate on other cars. I'm going to do a little resreach, cause I liked my girls' voice and my 92 doesn't talk. Send me a note if you want the info. Like the other guy said you can hire somebody to do this.

 

The thing to do is add custom messages to spice up your driving experience...
Ray

 

Hey you've got a good point, even though it's on top of your head. The voice mod is difficult, but possible (need to burn new PROM). The only reason I enjoy the voice is my wife hated it. Is that the kind of spice your talking about?