I haven't had that problem (or I haven't noticed). With the top down I'm too busy watching the world go by to look at the tach ....

 

I just assumed that the sunlight was heating up the tach.

 

Guys, I'm really lost on this issue. Why would (reasonable) heat or light affect the tach or any other instrument (other than LCD instruments)? Is anyone having trouble with other instruments?

I have an '06 ZR so I'm interested.

Thanks.

Ken

 

don't worry Ken. i talked to Nissan Corporate Office yesterday. they wanted to survey me on the dealership and overall car value. i gave them a piece of my mind and made it known that they're was an issue with the tachometers. now the only thing is to have others that had this issue, and report it to their dealership regardless if they could diagnose / replicate the problem. there's no exception to a faulty tachometer in any car. hopefully there'll be a TSB on it. heat and light should distract the tachometer was those of you are refering to a light sensor... still trying to figure it out and isolate the issue. there's not enough bright sunny days that can allow me diagnose further. if i get anything, the board members would be the first to know.

 

If you search this forum you will see many people have this issue with the tach on a ZR. It is rare and intermittent. And yes I had my dealer note the issue, but since it has not recurred I have not asked them to replace the tach. Again I just assumed that the needle was heating up and somehow expanding and draging at the pivot point. I have no actual explanation as to why the tach freezes up, I can only say that it has happened to me twice.

 

i will agree it is somewhat rare and is intermittent. i can understand what you mean by it freezing in it's previous location (referring to tach needle). but my situation is a bit different. it doesn't stick, it rather dumps, like the engine was shut off. this is driving me nuts, i can't seem to figure out why others would just disregard such a fault.

 

I also have an 06 ZR and my tach does the same thing and it is always when the sun is shining from behind the car. Put your hand up to shade the tach and it will operate again almost instantly. Was told by the dealership that the sunlight confuses the fiber optics that run the tach and that there is no fix for it. Annoying...but fortunately doesn't happen very often.

 

the dealer told you there was no fix for this??? obviously the fiber optics in this gauges aren't fully sealed... if that's the case...

 

I find it funny when I read these Tach threads. I was the first to complain about this problem and the first to figure out it was the sunlight at your back creating the problem. I find it funny because everybody on the board back in 03' gave me nothing but crap about it. Statements like "What have you been smoking" or "How much have you had to drink". "Your an idot, the sun, it makes no sense".

I had the dealer replace the gauge, still occured only when I was driving home from work, with the sun at my back. Then I took it in again and they replaced the wiring. Issue still was occuring. Then I adjusted my steering wheel one day and the tach started working and the MPH gauge was now messing up. I figured there was a short in the wiring again. No, that was not it. If it occurs and you shade the needle with your hand it will instantly begin working again. Obviously Nissan still does not know of the issue if it is happening to the 06's.

It is nothing to worry about. Only drive North and South and it will be fine. Drive West in the morning you'll have a problem. Drive East in the evening you'll have a problem.

 

with sun shining on the tach it died. I shaded it with my hand and it sprang back to life. This is weird. I'll bring it up with my dealer next time I'm in for an oil change. Doesn't seem to be serious, but it shouldn't happen.

Ken

 

i knew i wasn't the only one... hasn't happened since the first three times early in my first month of enjoying my car.

 

I've reported it as a problem every time that I've had it in to the dealer (every 3,750) on my 06 ZR. Of cource, they can never replicate it. I keep reporting it so that they will still be responsible even when the warranty runs out. I never had the problem with my 05 35th. ZRs only?

 

well ZR more importantly, because when the top is down, it goes whenever it wishes... though many are having this issue, Nissan has failed to find a resolution or fix to this problem. I'm trying to work my way in to Nissan Dealership, hopefully by some friends, I can be reffered in to be a technician.

 

Stop being gayzor and call my friend at the Lexus dealership again, I'm sure they are looking by now and just have your file lost somewhere. It won't hurt to call and re-establish a lead.

 

i just bought a 2006 silver 350z grand touring with navigation and nismo shocks.......i felt like poop when my tach started glitching. everytime i take it to the dealer they say "well its working now..." i kinda feel bad my parents almost payed 45000 for my new car and it glitches when i shift in sunlight.....

 

i just bought a 2006 silver 350z grand touring with navigation and nismo shocks.......i felt like poop when my tach started glitching. everytime i take it to the dealer they say "well its working now..." i kinda feel bad my parents almost payed 45000 for my new car and it glitches when i shift in sunlight.....

 

Those A holes are programed at birth to say they have never heard of anything. It's their job.

 

I realize that this is an old post but I am sure glad I came across it in a search. My 05 ZR has the same problem described here. I live in SUNNY Phoenix and I had noticed the 'sticky' tach at various times but could never reliably duplicate the problem.

I finally did a search this AM after it really acted up yesterday morning driving to a meeting at 6.30 with the top down & my back to the sun.

Thanks to all who wrote about the issue.

 

Unlike several BMW models with light sensitive meter illumination, the Z has no light sensor in the meter.
Certainly Scotch 3M transparent IRS (Infra Red Shield) film on the lens would help.

 

It's weird, i live in Palm Springs where its sunny 99% of the time and i've yet to have this problem on my 2004 ZR....