Ok so I've been working on sound deadening in the ZR.. While doing all this I unplugged a lot of "stuff".. after re-plugging everything I went to start her up and it just cranks... nothing else. So i spent about 3 hours making sure everything was plugged in and I was not missing anything. I am at a loss!!
I noticed that my Check Engine, Low Tire Pressure, Brake, and Battery light stay on now on the gauges. I tried to do a ECU reset and it didn't seem to do anything.

soooooo.. Im hoping that this is something very simple that Im missing..

any ideas???

here are some pics of what I unplugged..

(behind passenger seat)
<img src="http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/36/l_0504687a71c249758a93208a2711bf53.jpg">

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(behind drivers seat)
<img src="http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/3/l_fb4a843081a548cf92b37c593cb59a2e.jpg">

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(BCM+fuse panel - drivers side under dash)(I had all 9 plugs out)
<img src="http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/38/l_a2ed6d5afc104839a69fb529a1d62515.jpg">

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(passenger side under dash)(just the 2 plugs out)
<img src="http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/7/l_72395f08af0a4faa8faca6ee436ce47a.jpg">

<BR> <BR>

(srs air bag brain???)(I had all 3 plugs out)
<img src="http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/7/l_8f9f9ec7d91f42f1bcd5a8de1ced92e4.jpg">

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the only other plugs i had out were the ones under each seat....


so what have i done wrong? I don't want to have my car towed to the dealership...

 

did you have the key in the ignition at any point when something may have been unplugged?

 

Maybe unplug the battery for a few minutes and plug it back in....?

 

I may have.. I cant say for sure.. (I asked myself the same question earlier)

 

what happens if I had the key in while things were unhooked? Am I going to have to tow this thing to the dealership????? omg I hope not....

 

Sounds like CANbus error. You may have disconnected a unit that "broke" the CANbus loop. I had this happen when the white module behind the A/C controls was disconnected.

When you manage to figure out the missing link, you may see the CEL for about a week before going away.

 

well Im just trying to get the dang thing to start.. lol.. everything is plugged in... that I know for double, triple sure

this is crazy... i've never ran into anything like this in all my years of doing car audio... and if I have to have it looked at I hope they will, cus the car is in pieces... ughhh this just makes my head hurt...

 

I'm just going to leave the battery unplugged all night and see if it works itself out... fingers crossed.

 

this almostsounds like a MAF fault or MAF unplugged, but i would focus on the plugs in the back that relates to the fuel pump also, its the plugs in the driver side sub box location area. check for broken wires nad pins...

b

 

UPDATE..

So after racking my brain I decided I would first check the pins like Bing said... (i checked all the fuse block and BCM pins earlier before my first post) so I unplugged and replugged the 2 plugs under the passenger seat. They must be tied into the ECM in some way. I think these plugs are what caused the problem because i've had the others disconnected and never had a problem starting the car back up once replugged, even while the key has been in while things where unhooked.. these two plugs were never unplugged previously........

<img src="http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/7/l_72395f08af0a4faa8faca6ee436ce47a.jpg">

Okay so I left the battery completely unhooked over night and I held the brake in for 15 seconds at a time for like 10 times (wanted to make sure I had drained the caps).. I re-hook the battery, put the key in and turn it and she still will not start. but... a few things have changed... no CEL and now my fans come on full speed and stay on about 3 seconds after turning the key????

I still see Low Tire Pressure, Brake, & Battery staying lit solid, with the addition of TCS OFF and SLIP which blink on and off very slowly.

So all I did was unplug the 2 plugs that seem to be tied to the ECM... and I don't think It reset itself.. any more ideas before she gets the tow?
lol

 

i am no mechanic, but the fan thing reminds me of my own car...

either way, did you think you plug something in that WASNT plugged in before?

we have a plug in our car where its off, and you only plug it in for testing, or flashing hte ecu and other stuff, not suppose to be there while driving the car.

its a long shot but i figure i w ould ask.

b

 

Nah I did'nt... everything was re-plugged just the way I found it.. I even took pictures of everything that I unplugged to make sure I got things right when it's time to put things back together..

I stopped into the dealership today and talked with one of the techs.. he said that he is almost 100% sure I just need my keys reprogrammed. I figured as much. That was one of the first things that popped in my head when she would'nt start. So it looks like this is a costly mistake. Time to bite it and call the tow company..... uggghhh there goes my drinking money for the next month and a half... lol

 

I had a problem just like this a while back....check the fuse to the ecu.

I don't remember which one it was but it was under the hood and not in the cabin.

Also, do you hear the fuel pump cycle when you turn the key on? If not, check the fuse.

 

It sounds like your ECU doesn't have power. I would start there and make sure the ECU is getting power.

If it is then go to the fuel pump.

 

yea it does cycle when you turn the key.. i checked all the simple stuff like that + all the fuses inside and under the hood.. And its out of my hands at this point because I just got back from having it towed to the dealership.. $90 just for the tow OUCH. and they told me that it will be at least $100 to reset the keys (if thats what it is)

Sooooo I hope they are able to get her fixed up easily and its not anything crazy. I trust the tech thats working on the car... Ill be sure to update you all on what the exact problem was so others don't do the same!

 

soooo I got the call from the dealership today... and it wasnt the kind of call I wanted. I was told that the ecu was shot and im having to buy a new one and then told me it was going to be 1400+ installed.. i bout fell over!!!

he broke it down that the ECU would be $1016.22 + 200 labor
then 200 more to reprogram the keys and reset SRS..

I called him out on the cost of the ECU and finally got him to agree to $795 for the ECU (which is still high)... then he called me back and tells me I have to pay 60 bucks shipping for it.. I wanted to choke this guy.

Anyway now its looking like $1200 or so plus tax... AND he could not give me a reason this happened.. cus unplugging things should not be the cause..

UUUGGHHHHH!!! ok done with my rant.


I asked him if i could have the "bad" ecu and he said i could.. what could I get for it? anything? or maybe have it repaired??

 

Doesn't sound right...

 

I had a similar problem awhile back on a different vehicle, after going back and rechecking everything it turned out that one of the pins in the connector bent and didnt go into the hole properly.

You may want to check that. good luck.

A

 

+1. Would it be possible to have it towed to another dealer for a second opinion?

 

so she is fixed with a new ECU, Re-programed keys, reset of ABS and SRS, and an "idle relearn"...

I asked the service manager and tech what could have caused it.. they had nothing.. I did talk to the tech in private and he told me that unplugging stuff would have nothing to do with the ECU going bad and I must have "created a voltage spike that fried the ECU" he said that since I had the car apart "modding it" that it IS my fault and that is how NISSAN sees it. He said even If I had put the interior back in before I had it towed to the dealership, the second they found the sound deadening they would have pointed the blame at me anyway for "tinkering" with the car.

BULL CRAP I SAY!

I think that I just had a major dose of bad luck. I honestly think the ECU just took a crap. (at my expense) I dont see how what I unplugged would have caused this, and the tech even agreed with me... I plan on going over the dealerships head and try to push to get at least a portion of this covered under warranty.. Its a long shot but I'm sure going to try..

Oh and to top it off, they would not let me have the "bad" ECU back. Changing their story of not needing the core. WTF!??

So I was hoping to have an answer to all this to share so others could learn from my mistakes... but looks like that is still as unclear as it ever was..

but thanks guys for all your input on this.. to bad it turned out the way it did.