[WA] Auto Electrician Recommendation?

Discussion in 'Non Technical' started by Suou, Feb 17, 2015.

  1. Suou

    Suou Member

    Herro,
    Can anyone recommend a good Auto Elec that I can take my Zed to? :/

    My HICAS light just came on randomly one day, and I've lost my power steering.

    I took it to a workshop and they told me its an electrical issue, so I took it to an auto electrician near my work place but they took my zed in for a day and couldn't figure out WTH was going on (they told me my control unit is not where it's supposed to be as stated in the manual or something? lol)

    Anyway, so I took it back to the workshop and they tried to run the HICAS diagnostic and couldn't do it, (I've also tried and can't get into it either) and then suggested I could remove my HICAS if it really bothered me.

    They also suggested that I take the zed to a nissan dealership and get them to plug it into their computer to run a diagnostic that way (conzult? I'm guessing?) but I'm not sure how much luck I'd have with that (any one else tried?)

    So yeah, does anyone know an auto electrician who's familiar with these kinds of cars?

    I don't mind removing my HICAS as long as I know that's the real issue here... and I have a number of other strange electrical issues I'd like them to look at too.

    Thanks in advance!
     
  2. Jinxed

    Jinxed Moderator

    what year is the car?

    is it electric or hydraulic hicas.

    id certainly be inclined to delete it, particurly if its giving issues.
     
  3. Suou

    Suou Member

    Its a 1997, electric HICAS.
    I just don't want to go through the effort of removing my HICAS and finding my power steering still hasn't come back haha :(
     
  4. Jinxed

    Jinxed Moderator

    id say that both problems a re likely related.

    hicas varies the way it works depending on vehicles speed, as does the steering. both having issues points to a potential common fault.
     
  5. rob260

    rob260 Administrator Staff Member

  6. Suou

    Suou Member

    Hmm well at least its good to know that if worst comes to worst I can just do a delete if I can't find an auto electrician to look at it :/


    Hey Rob, yeah the workshop tried it and couldn't get it into diagnostic mode

    I've tried it for the last week when I start the car to go home (lol people look at me like I'm crazy because I do it in my work car park) but I can't get it into diagnostic mode either.
    I've watched youtube videos and everything on it, but I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. :confused:
     
  7. rob260

    rob260 Administrator Staff Member

    Take it to the dealer get them to run conzult -beats guessing!
     
  8. WazTTed

    WazTTed Grease Monkey

    fill up ps fluid :)
     
  9. andy

    andy Member

    I had a problem with the HICAS intermittently switching off the power steering.

    The HICAS diagnostic software in Nissan Data Scan made it simple to diagnose the problem. The HICAS diagnostic software displays the state of all the inputs used by the HICAS controller. It is worth buying the datascan software and a cable, it will save a lot of time diagnosing this problem and other problems in the future.

    Don't waste your time and money taking the car to someone that does not have HICAS diagnostic software.

    [​IMG]

    In my case it turned out that the rpm input on the Turbosmart e-Boost2 controller connected to the ECU was intermittently pulling down the rpm signal to the HICAS controller. When the HICAS controller could not detect an rpm signal it would turn on the fault light and switch off the power steering. The problem was solved by putting a resistor in the e-Boost2 rpm signal wire.


    It may be something as simple as low power steering fluid. Make sure you do not overfill the power steering reservoir. If you overfill the reservoir then when the power steering gets hot it will overflow and take out the alternator.
     
    Last edited: Feb 18, 2015
  10. Suou

    Suou Member

    Haha first thing I checked :( if only it were that simple

    Wow! that software is a lot cheaper than I thought it'd be. I'll take a look into it, many thanks ;D
     
  11. Suou

    Suou Member

    Helloo..
    Sorry to dig this old chestnut back up, can someone tell me what PBK/Clutch sw is supposed to signal and the same for WOT/neutral sw?
    I'm having trouble getting these two items to show diagnostics.

    I've found out that my ASCD A/T control fuse is blown and when it goes it takes my HICAS ECU down with it. From what I can tell its for cruise control and auto .. of which I have neither so I'm a bit miffed.

    Also can't tell what is causing this fuse to blow, seems to be completely random. Sometimes blows on ignition, another time it's been fine and I drove to work with my power steering back .. and then it blew when I parked the car.

    Bleh
     
  12. andy

    andy Member

    My guesses are.

    PBK/Clutch
    PBK = Park brake
    Clutch = Clutch pedal depressed.

    WOT/Neutral SW
    WOT = Wide open throttle
    Neutral SW =

    There appears to be two Neutral signals. One would indicate the gearshift is in neutral. Not sure what the other would be.
     
  13. Suou

    Suou Member

    Thanks Andy,

    We tried pulling the Park brake and clutch in but it didn't change the PBK/clutch status.

    Also tried putting on the throttle and getting into gear but couldn't get the WOT/Neutral SW to change status either.

    Neutral signal changes status when in gear and clutch out, so not sure what the Neutral SW is for. :confused:
     
  14. andy

    andy Member

    The simplest solution would be to run the software on a another Z32 with HICAS and compare the results.

    You really only need to worry about the signals that stay red. It may be that not all of the signals inputs are used by all models.
     

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