So....weird thing.

I bought another 5.5 gen (2002) last week, and I've only driven it during the day thusfar. Someone else drove my car early this morning, while it was still completely dark out, and reported to me something very strange that I had yet to notice.

He said when you drove, the SES light was BARELY illuminated (he couldn't tell until he looked up close which light it was), but when you hit the brake, it went away.

I haven't noticed this at all during the day. When it's dark out, the instrument cluster lights up fine....apparently, it's just the SES that is really dim. To my knowledge, there is no reason for the light to be on, so I'm unsure as to whether it's just something weird or if my SES is actually on for some reason and doesn't illuminate properly.

The only similar thing I had noticed up until that point was that during the day, if you had the headlights on, the Bose display would get pretty dim; I have a 2003 (non-Bose), and it doesn't have this problem at all if the lights are on during the day. (However, my previous 1997 SE with Bose also did the fading w/ lights on thing.)

I have never experienced or heard of anything like this. Anyone got suggestions as to what's going on? Let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks!

 

That just means something is partially broken. JK

Alternator?

 

LOL. Nice. That's the "Ehhhh....service engine if you get a free minute" light.

I haven't noted any obvious alternator issues, or any issues period for that matter, and it's totally weird that it's JUST this one light that does it. (And all the instrument lights are functioning as they should, independent of this issue.) Granted, I've only had the car a week, and that kind of thing may not be totally apparent in the early period of ownership.

 

Go to Autozone, get the codes pulled to see if there are any stored.

 

This happened to my 02 I had. I beleive it is a ghost code. As if something isn't right but not quite broke yet.

 

No, there's no code...it's a very common problem with the instrument cluster. Search and you'll find a lot of info on it including a TSB.

 

Interesting. Never heard anything about this....thanks for the info guys.

 

This is funny, I too just bought a 2002. I had a long drive back from where I bought it, bought it during daylight and was into the night driving home. I also had this very faint SES light, of course I was thinking "well MF" and naturally thought maybe someone had tried to cover the light or something. Once I got a chance and had shut the car off I turned the ignition to ON so it would do the pre-flight idiot light testing and it was as bright as it should be so I figured something must be bleeding light through to the SES.

 

Ha! Your story is basically identical to mine, Klutch. I thought the same thing at first, and tried turning the key to accessory and it was fine. I figured my car was a fluke...

 

Nope, it's a very common problem Mine's done it since maybe 40k miles or so, and I have no codes, stored or active...matter of fact I just got my car inspected yesterday.

 

Do you know if it will ever interfere should an actual code come up? The SES light still functions as it should, right?

I tried doing a few searches just now, but I wasn't really sure exactly what to search for, so nothing relevant came up. If anyone knows any helpful keywords for searches, please let me know.

 

Yes it'll work. The error is with the circuitry inside the instrument cluster itself and in no way affects it's normal functions.

 

ahh sometimes my seat belt light will do that...be lit up very dim, even when its on!
a little annoying.

 

correct very common problem. My 02 had that problem when it was new and had it fixed under warranty. They have to replace the whole gauge cluster. If your car isn't under warrenty just live with it cause it's expensive. I am surprise the previous owner never took car of the problem cause nissan was very aware of the problem.......