ok I was working on my car today and I noticed some strange things

first thing was that when I went to un-lock the doors none of them would unlock using the power locks. if I pressed the unlock button several times I could get the front passengers side doors lock to go up about half way. also when it did unlock the passengers side door all the lights would dim and I would hear this click noise from undre the dash.

2nd thing I noticed was that when I closed my door my overhead light would go off but the 4 small lights on each door wouldnt go off. The only way I have been able to get the little lights to go off is to take out the fuse for the "batt acc" or something like.

3rd I noticed that when I open my passengers side door the seat belt does not go forward now. it will make this noise like its trying to go and then I will hear that same click noise from under the dash and the lights will dim again.

now I know that this cant be my battery. I just bought an optima red top battery 2 days ago. it soudns like to me that some sort of relay or something has gone bad and thats why I hear that clicking noise under my dash. its comming from the drivers side if that helps at all.

anyone have any ideas on what it could be? do you think since this has caused the seat belt to not work that it would be covered under warranty since there is an unlimited warranty on seat belts?

 

anyone?

 

if you take the kick plate from under your steering column out, right next to the fuse block will be a relay block, try swapping out those, but keep your receits and see if it helps

 

U cardevils are not afraid of battery. They fear only well connected God's people...

While figuring that out, try reading: http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/748507/10

 

I wonder if it is a problem with either your door lock timer or one of the electrical locks. The batt acc fuse powers the things that need power when the keys are not in it. The courtesy lights in the doors, the dome light, the clock and the automatic seat belts all run off that fuse. Unplug the two harnesses to the door lock timer and put the batt acc fuse back in and see if everything else seems normal. Go from there.

 

everything is still messed up when I have the batt acc fuse in. the only thing that happens when I put that fuse back in is that I get the radio and my small lights on the door will stay on. everything else is still messed up.

also I didnt replace my battery because of this problem. my old battery went out on me and so I had to buy a new one and then 2 days later (last night) I had this problem happen.

it really sounds like the noise is comming from inside the dash or right under the dash on the drivers side. I will go on and try out the box next to the steering colum.

 

Your 2nd point about the lights on the doors may be normal if they go out after about 30 seconds. The dome lights and door lights stay on for about 30 seconds after you close the door. The dome light will dim and fade out during this time. I can't remember if the door lights dim.

 

i say its the door lock timer under the dash, b/c that makes a clicking noise

 

I have waited for about 20 minutes and the lights are still on.


do you have a pic of what that would look like? is it a little black box under the drivers side part of the dash close to the center console? would that cause my door lights to stay on all the time and mess up my seat belts?

 

not sure about the seat belts and the lights but the door lock timer could be the thing ticking

 

Here is a link to an article with pictures, courtesy of Matthew Duggan dugganm@us.ibm.com


http://65.65.104.211/cars/maxima/rep...ckTimerBox.htm

 

the link isnt working

 

well when I called the local nissan dealer they said that the car was to old and that it could be anything and that nissan didnt want to fool with a car this old. well I dont know if anyone else has been reading the post about the rust recall but that is me and this is the same nissan dealer.

I told this guy that if nissan didnt want to deal with the seat belts 15 years and 214,000 miles later then they should have made it a 15 year 214,000 mile warranty but no it was lifetime and unlimited miles. after I hung up the phone he called back 10 minutes later telling me that they would look at it but it would cost me $75! WTF! I made the appointment for tomorrow at 8:15 and I am going to take my car in there and they are going to look at it and they are going to show me whats wrong and if it is covered they ARE going to fix it.



DO NOT EVER GO TO KINGS NISSAN IN CINCINNATI OHIO lol. the service department there is horrable!

 

I would expand that truth to any car stealer ship around the globe. Few individual exceptions.

Find a good mech and stay for life. Where? I know there are some. Maybe the forum should make a list... :(would not help me, selfmech, always the quilty one...)

 

Some old posts on google group searches for door lock problems for maxima and pathfinders of this vintage have problems had some hits with people with doors locking by themselves, or having trouble unlocking them. Some people had trouble locking there doors though. Some people pointed towards the door lock timer. Some people had shorts in the driver's side door/window switches on the driver's door. Not sure how to do a specific diagnostic test though. Don't know if your passenger seat belt problem is related. But at least that part has a free warranty.

 

I'm stuck with my mechanic for life
actually he's also worked on a couple of other orgers cars too