I installed Eibach Pro Kit springs this weekend and when I started the car up, after I was all done, I noticed the Check Engine Light was on and stayed on. I disconnected the battery to reset the ECU and, sure enough, it came back on.

I didn't disconnect any sensors during the process and, from what I've read through searching, disconnecting the speed sensor would result in ABS, TCS, SLIP and a CEL - I'm only experiencing a CEL.

A side note: I had the stereo on during my install and ended up killing the battery. I had to jump it to get it started and this is when I noticed the CEL.

Electrical problems FTL... should I just take it to Nissan?

 

Ack! Just called Nissan. They want $94 for a code diagnostic. Fukc that.

 

I would say the reason for the CEL light is probably b/c you drained the battery. It may come on if the battery is disconnected also for a period of time. Try the manual resetting of the CEL light, the instructions should be on here somewhere. GL.

BTW, if I remember correctly, its turn off the key, inssert key, turn to on position, wait 3 seconds, presss gas 5 times in 5 seconds, wait 10 seconds, press gas hold in for 7 seconds, release gas and turn off key. Something like that. Don't feel bad if you dont get it the first time. I had to try about 10 times to get it right. You will know you are doing it right when CEL continues to blink after the last step.

 

Thanks. I've been searching for a way to manually reset the CEL but all I can find is "disconnect the battery for 15 minutes".

Would a drained battery really cause a CEL? That just seems odd to me.

 

Bring it to an auto parts store and get the code read for free.

 

Looks like that's what I'll be doing on the way home from work.

 

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find anything on my350z.com about SES or CEL lights coming on after the battery dies but it does, in fact, happen. I found a thread on z06forums.com about most new cars having this happen. So, Google revealed how to perform the manual ECU reset (geomark, for the most part, had it correct):
1. Confirm that accelerator pedal is fully released, turn ignition switch “ON” and wait 3 seconds.
2. Repeat the following steps (2a and 2b) procedures quickly five times within 5 seconds.
2a. Fully depress the accelerator pedal (HARD).
2b. Fully release the accelerator pedal.
3. Wait 7 seconds, fully depress the accelerator pedal and keep it for approx. 10 seconds until the CEL starts blinking.
4. Fully release the accelerator pedal (while the CEL is still blinking)
5. Wait about 10 second.
6. Fully depress the accelerator pedal and keep it for more than 10 seconds.
7. Fully release the accelerator pedal (The CEL light will continue to blink).
8. Turn ignition switch to “OFF” position and now you can start the car. The CEL light should be gone.

 

Yup... once you get it down the first time, its easy

 

i can do it off the top of my head now.

 

Took me five tries but I finally got it.

 

Did you ever get the code read? I would have figured out what it was before I erased it.

 

Nope but the SES light never came back on. I figure I was right in assuming that killing the battery is what threw the code.