HELP, I can't drive my Z at night...
 

So I'm on this forum all the time for advice and to gain more information on the Z. Being that I'm a new owner, I leave it up to the old timers (long time Z owners) to post up the facts so I can learn from them. But I'm in desperate need of help right now and don't know what to do, so this is me asking for help.

Basically my problem is I have no running tail lights at night. I'll do my best to explain this. My brake lights work, my hazards work, my turn signals work, and my headlights work fine, but my running lights don't go on and I can't figure out why. I just put in a pioneer head unit, a sub and an amp. Simple install and I know it was done right. I re-traced my steps today and took everything apart including taking the tail lights out. I used a test light and placed it in the tail light and it lit up when it was on the pink wire (which i believe is the brake) but the other two holes showed no power. I checked all the connections and they were all good. I checked the fuses and they were all fine as well. I don't think its anything behind the dash (by the cd player) but i could be wrong. So I'm stuck, and this was my last resort so if any one has any idea of what would be wrong please help me out. and if this is in the wrong section I do apologize, I'm still trying to figure out how to navigate my way around the site.

Oh yeah, I drive a brand new 2008 6speed base model and it only has 2,700 miles on it

Thanks

New car, warranty= go to dealer.

+1
33,000 mile Warranty.. Do it!

I wouldn't even have a thought about trying to fix something that only has 2700 miles on it. That's the dealer's baby. No ifs, ands or buts.

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The dealer may bail after the install of the aftermarket audio system. Sound like you have checked everything you can. Maybe have another experienced installer review your work....he may see something you don't.

its worth a try to take it to them ..

where did you get your power for the audio system?

tap into a fuse, splice the stock head unit wires, etc ??

maybe unhook it and check your fuses .. see if it works .. if not, then I'd take it to the dealer

This happened to me once when installing an aftermarket unit in another Nissan vehicle...the problem was a blown fuse. I'd double check your fuses before going to the dealer. I'm not really familiar with the fuse box locations on the 350z, I know there's one on the driver side. Are there more fuses you might have overlooked located under the hood?

Aftermarket radios hook into your parking lights. It sounds like your parking lights are not working because you had a short with your radio. The parking lights go with the dash lights when the lights are on so they dim.

I would check the fuse for your parking lights. I forget where it is, could be in the kick panel or in the engine bay. But check all the fuses anyways. If you have a blown one, and it blows again your radio install did not go well.

3-year/36k-mile guarantee, actually...GO!

Warranty will not cover issues that are the result of a modification. Perhaps it will fix it self through divine intervention....Probably not, God only helps those who help them selves so we are back to a fuse/short issue.

Whoa, thanks...Then it's time for the car electrical shop! Hope they don't charge you much.

I had a car towed to my shop yesterday.Owner said it just quit while driving,demanded a ctsy car,rants and raves etc.My tech gets on the job and first thing he notices is a bunch wads of black elec tape on the drivers side floor.Keeps checking and finds the ECM 2 fuse MISSING.Puts a fuse in and low and behold the car starts.But now it will not come out of park.Keeps check and in the underhood fuse box finds no fuse in the shift interlock ckt but finds a fuse plugged into a blank slot.moves the fuse and viola,car comes out of gear.So I confront the guy,WTF???how does a car quit while driving and how do fuses disappear and jump around on ther own.The idiot keeps lying to me,says he has WTY and is not paying.Funniest thing is he thinks he left with the last laugh.:bowrofl:

Thanks for all the tips, im going to revisit this issue today. Does anyone think it has anything to do with radio harness? I know there were 3 for the stock radio and only 2 for my after market one. I didn't use the small little brown harness for anything.

My 03 had the fuse for the running lights under the hood where the battery is. I don't know where it would be on the 08 but yes the radio is tied into your lights.

I just plugged in my stock radio to see if that had anything to do with the issue and no luck. I think i must have pulled something loose when i was feeding the power wire from the battery through the firewall into the car.