Guys I need HELP. I have a 2004 Enthusiast. Here's my issue. When I bought the car it had 225/50/17 on the fronts and 255/50/17 on the rear. No problems with driveability. Switched to the 19" G35 wheels and tires, no problems. Then got the 17" 's painted to match, sold the g wheels, and put the 17"s back on the car with 225/50/17 up front and 245/45/17 on back. Almost immediately started having problems when slowing down and turning, the VDC would engage. This is my first Z,so I had no clue what it was. Talked to a buddy and he said he thought that it was the VDC. Took the fuse out in front of the battery, no problems. Took it to Nissan, and they said there was no problem with the VDC. They set the steering angle and said it was fixed.....WRONG!! Switched to a 235/50/17 out back, still does it, switched to a 255/50/17 out back...still same problem. Guys, I am trying to sell this car, and am at my wits end with it. PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!

 

Sounds like ABS, how are your front tires? Worn out badly?

 

Sounds like one of the wheel speed sensors may be bad or damaged.

Wait a minute - the Enthusiast doesn't have VDC. Are you sure you don't have TCS instead?

Exactly what lights or warnings are you getting?

 

Front tires are brand new! How do I check tspeed sensors??

 

Makes little sense to me. A Enthusiast with VDC.

 

I'm guessing, but I'll bet you have the wrong tire size on your front wheels. You say you have 225/50-17" on the front, but check this again.

...And you report mounting three different size tires on the rear!?

How did you get three different size tires for your "test?" Do you own a tire shop?

--Spike

 

I'm assuming it's an enthusiast. It has cruise and vdc. That would make sense right??? Like I said, I'm new to the Nissan world. I'm assuming it to be the VDC because when I remove the VDC fuse, the problem stops. However, with that fuse removed, it throws the ABS light.

 

I had the 255's when I bought the car. Got the 245/45 from a friend, then went and bought some 235/50's. Need some tires????

 

Its cool. But we must make sure the button says VDC or TCS?

 

Yes it says VDC. The tires do in fact say 225/50/17 on the sidewall.

 

Then that makes things complicated:

a. One or more of the wheel sensors is broken.
b. Yaw - G sensor malfunction.
c. VDC TCS ABS computer broken.
d. VDC actuator malfunction.

NOTE: Assume you have 17x7.5 and 17x8.0 inch wheels.
Did you accidentally put a 17x7.5 and 17x8.0 inch wheel on the same axle?

 

These are the factory 7 spoke wheels. They are different widths, but I am positive that they are correct in placement because the fronts were done at a different time than the rears

 

If the switch is labeled "VDC," you do not have an Enthusiast model 350Z. Your car is a Performance, Touring, or Track model.

If you pulled a fuse to defeat VDC (not a wise thing to do), you might have messed up the car's stability control (that consists of VDC, TCS, and ABS). Failure of these devices is rare, but a repair is very co$tly.

--Spike

 

Let me reitterate that with the 19" G35 wheels, this never hapened. The only way that I can drive the car, is with the VDC fuse pulled. Otherwise the car acts like it wants to act up. Like it tries to slow itself down.. But it will do it briefly and then it will be fine. But will eventually do it again. Sometimes I can drive the car for up to 15-20 minutes with no problems, then it will do it. VERY FRUSTRATED!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I never try to overlook the obvious. Brake fluid is topped off?

 

I'll check the fluid. C'mon fellas, help me out!!

 

That ("Like it tries to slow itself down.. But it will do it briefly and then it will be fine.") happens when your front tires are taller than your rear tires on a VDC-equipped car.

I know you are certain you have the tires mounted correctly, but I'm staying with my theory that you do not.

--Spike

 

255/50/17 on the rear and 225/50/17 on the front currently. Hard to say that the fronts are bigger than the rear.

 

You are pushing the limit with those 255/50-17" rear tires. If you have a 2003 or 2004 model with VDC, that could be your problem.

--Spike

 

I am not aware of a VDC equiped Z that came standard with 17 inch wheels. Correct me if I am wrong?