So I just finished installing my stereo and I have a problem. My tail lights, and front parking(tiny white bulb and the amber LED's) lights no longer work. What in the world could I have done to cause this? I have a feeling Nissan will blame the stereo and won't fix it. I just got the damn car like 5 days ago. :-/

The headlights, blinkers, brake lights, and back up lights are all functional still.
Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

Check your fuses, after electrical work, there are chance of blowing fuses.
You did not disconnect your battery during the install did u???

 

Check both fuse compartments, I bet one is blown.

 

most likely blew a fuse

 

Had the battery disconnected both days the car was being worked on. :-/
I tried checking the fuses but can't seem to find one for the lights? Closest thing I could find was stop lamp fuse.

 

what do you mean you just got the car? haven't you had your z for a while?

 

Traded in my blue '04 roadster for a white '06 coupe.

 

did you just install a head unit or what?

 

Head unit(with brain), sirius, ipod interface, amps, subs, and all new speakers.

 

Bump, does anyone know which fuse it would be that could cause this?

 

There are a bunch of fuses and fusible links related to the lighting in the Z.

 

I would check the illumination wire on the back of the radio (orange, or orange/white). In the past with Japanese vehicles I've had problems with brake/tail lights not working if the illumination wire was hooked up. It would blow the tail light fuse. I would definately take a look in the kick panel fuse box, and in the fuse box behind the battery. Unfortunately Nissan likes to change their fuse arrangement from year to year so you may want to dig up an 06 manual and see if you can find the exact fuse location for the tail lamp fuse.

 

Funny you mention that. Because it's an '06 with BOSE there was no wire harness specifically for it so I had to use an 03-05 harness and test the wires to see what they did. I couldn't figure out how to find the illumination lead so I just didn't hook it up as my head unit manual said it was optional. As I was driving earlier I turned my headlights on and my stereo turned off then on really quick. Hasn't done that since then and everything else works.

 

This happened to mine when i was installing it, I had accentially used the illumination wire to power the head unit ( OOPS )

I had blown a fuse and "melted some wire" according to Nissaan when the fixed it

( Luckily it was done under warranty ! )

Steve

 

It sounds like you hooked your ground up to the illumination wire. Whenever working with a car that has an ISO mount head unit its best to ground the radio directly to the frame of the car and NOT through the harness. Most ISO mount cars don't include a ground wire in the harness, as the ISO mount provides adequate grounding (and the antenna lead is grounded, too). An ISO mount is any radio that has metal brackets on the side that bolt in to a metal section of the center console.

I would pull the radio, move the ground to a chassis ground, and then work backwards from there, trying to find the fuse for the lights that are not working. Have you been able to locate an '06 service manual?

 

Well, I'm bringing in into Nissan today. They're gonna hook it up to some computer to find the problem.

After reading your posts I'd be willing to bet I hooked up the illum. wire to power the radio though. But if I did that and blew a fuse would my stereo work still?

I'm gonna come home early today and attempt to fix the problem myself before going to Nissan. I'll just run my own power and ign wires instead of using the harness and I'll ground it to the chassis.

Thanks for all the help guys! And if anyone has any more suggestions please post 'em up!

 

If the illumination wire rests at grounds and goes to +12vdc when you turn the lights on then yes, your radio would still work IF the fuse is blown. That would also explain why your radio shut off the first time you turned your head lights on, you lost your ground. Once the fuse blew (or fusable link even) then the radio would come back on.

 

Friends Dont Let Friends Install Car Stereos.

 

Haha, ok it was just the fuse. Re-wired the stereo running my own line from the battery, a ground, and an ign. wire. It's all good now! Thanks for the help guys!