Pathfinder:

Point well taken. I think I speak for most of us here when I say that our problem isn't so much with the mechanics as much as the "service dept." in general. Probably since you work at one, you haven't had the experience of taking your car to a dealer for service. It's so rarely good. Let's take a simple example. You hear a strange clunk when you go over bumps in your brand X car (or model X in our case). You decide to take it to the dealer. Now you're filled with anxiety like a warrior preparing for battle because that's what it's like--war. Right off the bat the experience is bad because you have to leave it for a few days. Bad because it's your only car, and worse because it's hard to be without your X for so long. The dealer tells you they'll call when they know something, or when it's finished. But they never call. So you end up calling only to find out it isn't done. Or worse, it's done but nobody bothered to call and tell you. But is it really fixed. Too many possible scenarios to name, but let's look at a few. Perhaps it really is fixed, and better yet, fixed and no charge. But more likely, after three days in the shop, they tell you they couldn't find anything wrong. So, now you're no better off than before you took it in. Or perhaps, they say it will require new shocks to fix your problem. You blow money for new shocks yet it still doesn't fix it. So you take it in again and the story goes on until it's either fixed or you just can't stand to hear them tell you it needs yet more work and more money and more time to fix so you learn to live with the clunk...

I don't think the (nearly) 1000 members of this board would have a problem coming up with enough bad dealer stories to run XOC's hard drives out of space. Though, I think it's probably pretty rare that the mechanic is the problem. For me, it took an incredibly cool truck to make me jump brands. Not because there is necessarilly anything wrong with Nissan, but because the dealer I've been getting my Hondas from has a better than average service dept. And that's no small thing in my book. They aren't perfect, but they seem to try harder than most. I'm already not nearly as happy with my Nissan dealer as I was with my Honda dealer, but that's a price I'm definitely willing to pay.

Pathfinder, don't take it personally. I think everyone here is happy to have a mechanic around this board to add input and help people sort out problems so they don't have to take it to the dealer.



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'01 Solar Yellow XE 3 Pk. 4x4

True...I conceed your point....maybe it is because I work for a Cadillac dealer that was rated number 1 in the state of Florida, and number 7 in the Nation in quality and service.... (patting own back)....he he he!
Sorry, just hate to see that other people have so much trouble at "the competition"...maybe I should move to a Nissan dealership???....lol...

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First, I am a nurse and I can say that Ibuprofen does not cure anything. It only treats symptoms. It's kind of like turning up the radio to hide a rattle. Second, I was a mechanic before I became a nurse (kinda the same thing really). If you are a good mechanic you will know the possible problems that can cause the service engine light to come on. When a customer comes in and says, "I don't have a gas cap and my service engine light is on", you should say, "Put a gas cap on and drive around. The light will go off on it's own" not,"Put a gas cap on and pull into the bay, I'll turn that pesky light off for $80." Kind of like the doctor saying, "We'll have to run some more tests" and then charging you for hospital Ibuprofen (much more expensive) after he already knew what you had, instead of telling you to go out and buy over the counter meds. I say get a new dealer today!

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[This message has been edited by Xterrian (edited January 23, 2001).]

And your point about the whole Ibuprofen thing is...? That's what they told me at the hospital, so I'm just passing on info - not saying it's right or wrong. Jeez, it was just an example!

Nobody was talking about not having a gas cap on - if you would read the posts, the question was about brand-new locking gas caps, put on and tightened correctly, and still causing the check engine light to come on because some of them don't keep a good seal. A mechanic reads the code and it doesn't say specifically that it's the gas cap - just that the feul system is not pressurized.

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It sounds like more an issue of policy, not principle. Yes, it's proper for for a technician to be paid for acquiring the skills and knowledge needed to fix your problem. But, it might benefit the business more to eat the cost. An example: after having the clutch slave cylinder replaced on my ex's Explorer, she began having more clutch problems. With trepidation, she took it back to the dealer service dept. The tech, after some diagnostics, found the problem: driver's floor mat scrunched up into the clutch pedal. Problem fixed and, even though it took expensive tech time to discover, there was no charge. Will she go back to that dealer for more service? You bet. And, ultimately, they'll make more money that way.

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To reset the ECU yourself, just take pull out the negative battery post. then put it back in 10 min

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First of all your dealer is full of crap. Secondly, I have a locking gas cap and have not had a problem. According to the service manuals (I sneaked a peek at one), you must turn the gas cap until it clicks at least 5 times. The check engine light will reset itself after 15 starts of the engine.

If you have any questions email me. I had a car that did this to me in the past so I know the engine light will reset.

I have had my locking gas cap (Stant) since November.

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'00 Solar Yellow XE
Automatic
3-pack

This posting is a little old now but I thought I would add my recent experience here since it sorta fits in.

I recently purchased some "Pilot Ind." backup lights from Autozone. ($24.95). They are 55W lights and come with a harness and have universal mounts for any hitch. The instructions say to just wire them into the reverse lamps. There is no relay included, supposedly doesn't need it.

Well, I hooked them up, as instructed. Before the final hookup I turned the key to the running position, put the parking break on, and put the gear in reverse to make sure the regular backup lights worked. They did.

I shut everything off, tied in the new lights and then put the key to running pos. again and put it in reverse. Went and checked and there was nothing. Then I tried cranking (in Park) and again nothing. Turns out I had blown the "A/T cont" fuse (10A). I replaced the fuse, unplugged everything and I was back to a running truck with the normal backup lights. I checked the circuit and I think I had a short on one side of the harness. I still need to check that out.

Anyway, the point of the whole story...In the course of that the computer sensed the failed fuse and turned on the "Sevice Engine Soon" light. Since I knew exactly what caused it I figured I didn't need to go to a dealer to reset the light. So I tried all the items suggested here. The "removing the ground from the battery for an hour" did not work.

About 4 days later, the light went out. I did a quick calculation and I estimate that I cranked the truck at least 17 times, probably more like 20 or more. So, it sounds like the 15-20 starts of the engine will reset the computer. At least it did in my case.

Now, I'm going to go back and re-wire these things with a relay like they should have been in the first place.

I couldn't have said it better! And some mechanic's wonder why they get a bad rep, Duh! The one thing I don't understand is why are they charging anything at all, can you say "bumper to bumper warranty"? If I had a light come on in my new X, and they charged me $80 to fix it, I'd tell them to go pound sand in their ass.

HA!HA! I don't think there is enough room for all the lights like that.
"your turn signal is still on, gramps!"
"inflate your tires, dork"
"wash me, lazyass!"
"take your kayak off the roof before you try to go in the garage, einstein!"

sorry to bring up an old topic, but I am trying to ind a way to clear the codes from the ECU. I was installing lights and pulling fuses and my service engine light came on from trying to start the car with a fuse out. I've heard of adjusting a screw on the ecu to reset codes? Any one know how to do this without a Nissan Consult computer?
My tech let it go this time, but said in the future it will cost about 30 bucks. If it happens again, I'd like to try to fix it my self...any ideas?
JOhn

Always disconnect the battery when working on your truck. This will avoid a lot of problems. You can either disconnect the battery for 5 or so minutes to reset, or just drive it and after a while (sometimes a few days) the code will drop off. There was a setting on my old car (99 SEntRa), but it was a pain to get at. I imagine the X is the same. Better just to drive it.

Charlie

This was posted on another board:

For a little background info, the ECM (electronic control module) constantly checks all the sensors it has. When a malfunction is detected, some malfunctions will immediately beckon the Service Engine Soon Light (referred to as the MIL, malfunction indicator lamp) and some malfunctions will trigger the MIL only after they are detected a second time. The former are referred to as 1st Trip DTC (diagnostic trouble codes)and the latter as plain 'ol DTC. The only way the computer will self-reset the trouble code(s) is if it is driven 3 times without the malfunction occuring, and the count will reset each time the malfunction is detected. (BTW, it says that you *can* reset the computer by disconnecting the battery...for about 24 hours. But, if the malfunction is still evident, then the MIL will reappear after 1 or 2 drives.)

In order to determine what the problem is, you'll need to run the ECM in Diagnostics Mode II (Self-Daignostics). In this mode, the MIL light will flash a pattern and the pattern will indicate the DTC. Setting the ECM into its diagnostic mode is done directly on the ECM. For Frontiers, it is located under the radio...if you look in from the Passenger side down by the foot-heater vents (I don't think that's the technical Nissan term for them), you'll see a black bundle of wires. That's not the ECM. Behind it is. You'll see a small white screw that accepts a slotted screwdriver. That is the mighty spot of the ECM. For Hardbodies, I'm under the impression that the ECM is under the passenger seat, which kinda sucks. Again, the MIL light will flash the pattern, but I think the Hardbodies' have a Red and Green LED that flash the code. (At least you Hardbody owners won't have to creak your head up to see the MIL when you're in the foot-space on the passenger side.)

Knowing all that, now to put the ECM into the Self-Diagnostics mode. There are a few checks to go through first, though. Have a pad and paper ready to record the DTC counts.

1) The MIL light should come on when the key is in the ignition at ON, but the engine is not running. This is normal. When you start the engine, it should stay on/blink if there is a problem. (Hence, this case.)

2) With the engine OFF, but the ignition set to ON, rotate the white screw on the ECM fully clockwise until it stops. The MIL should come off.

3) Wait at least 2 seconds before turning the white screw fully counter-clockwise until it stops. The ECM is now in the Diagnostics Mode and will flash the DTC using the MIL. Be ready to count them...

4) Count them! Actually, what you'll notice is that there will be three time-lengths of the blinking: a short one (0.3s), a medium one (0.6s), and a long pause (2.1s). All you need to count is the number of short and medium flashes (just count the number of times the light comes on for each interval). The pause is just that; it's used to mark the end of a DTC. There may be more than one DTC to count, but the cycle should repeat itself until you've got them recorded and decide to proceed to reseting the ECM.

5) The DTC are 4-digit codes (XXYY), such as 0102, 0403, 1003, etc. The XX portion is the number of medium flashes, and the YY portion is the number of short flashes. So, let's say there were 10 medium flashes, and 3 short flashes...1003. 1 medium flash, 2 short flashes, a pause, 4 medium flashes, 3 short flashes...DTCs 0102 and 0403. Don't you wish college was this easy?

6) If you get the trouble code 0505, there is no malfunction...or at least not yet. If the code is 0505, starting the engine will put the ECM into a second stage of the Self-Diagnostics Mode: Front Heated Oxygen Sensor Monitor (or FHOSM as the big-boys call it). This allows the fuel mixture condition (rich or lean) to be read. To find the condition, keep the engine running after entering the FHOSM (that's not really what they call it) mode. Let it warm up until the temp guage points in the middle. "Run the engine at about 2000 RPM for about 2 minutes under no-load conditions. Then make sure the the MIL comes ON more than 5 times in 10 seconds with engine running at 2000 RPM under no load." (That last part came directly from the manual, but I'm not exactly sure what no-load means...I would assume revving in Neutral. Also, I'm not sure about the 2 minutes then 10 seconds part...but just keep an eye out.) If the MIL light stays ON, you're running lean; OFF, rich. If it "Remains On or Off( maintains conditions just before switching to open loop system), it's running 'any condition'." (Again, another vague part. Lean and Rich status are referred as Closed Loop Systems and I assume Open Loop Systems is the ideal condition). If it's running rich or lean, let me know and I'll tell you what's suggested.

7) Before continuing, turn off the engine if you entered the second test mode mentioned above, but set the ignition to ON. If you turn to OFF, quickly return to ON. If you take too long (~5s) the diagnostics test will return to normal conditions and you have to do all the steps above again. But, now that you've got the codes, wait 2 seconds (Hah! You've been probably reading the codes for 2 minutes!). Turn the white screw on the ECM clockwise until it stops. Wait at least 2 seconds and turn the white screw fully counter-clockwise until it stops. This is what actually resets the ECM so make sure you got the codes or you'll have to take a few test drives to recover them (or if you're lucky, the malfunction, though unlikely, is resolved). Make sure the white screw is turned fully counter-clockwise before driving.

Brent

Get one one these:
http://www.ghg.net/dharrison/obdscan.html

The ISO9141 model is the right one for the X.

It will allow anyone to retrieve trouble code information and to reset the MIL light without jumping through hoops. It also lets you read sensor data for those that really want to know what's happening under the hood.