So, here's some background: 1997 Nissan maxima SE with a some upgrades. Underdrive Crank Pulley, Car Starter and a Dual guage pod. Volt Meter and Oil pressure. The car starter has this rather annoying habit of melting fuses that are on the car starter harness.
About 6 months ago I noticed that the volt meter was not able to display a full 14.4 volt charge when running. Also, if the car sat for a week, the battery would be completely drained. Upon start up, the volt meter would be a 14.4 volts, but as the car ran, the voltage would steadily drop.
I replaced the battery in January thinking that my 3 year old battery could be the culprit. It managed to hide the problems for about 2 weeks.
I took the car to auto source and had them check the alternator, and the girl that did it, well lets just say I don't really think she knew what she was doing. She asked me to rev the car to 20,000 revs. MAybe 2000? I asked. Oh yeah, maybe thats it she says. D'oh. I took it in to Nissan and had them check it as well. They told me that my alternator needed to be replaced.
Ok, 2 weeks ago I purchased a rebuilt alternator from and installed it. Took the car for a drive and watched the volt meter. IT would not climb above 14 volts. Weird. Went to turn around and take the car home... the revs dropped right off, and the charging system lights came on. WTH? They flash on and off.
Got her back home (barely) and bought a volt meter to check things out. Turns out that the alternator IS putting out 14.44 volts. The battery is being drained faster than what the alternator can replace the charge.
Also, when the charge system lights come on, the daytime running lights will flick off and the control module will make a buzzing noise.
The charge system from what I can tell runs through that little black box (DRL) so I bought another one thinking that would fix my problem and guess what. NO LUCK.
I'm am lost as to what my next move should be and there is no way that I can afford 120/hr to figure out what this problem is and then have nissan fix it.
Anyone else ever have a problem like this before. Suggestions are welcome. Thanks .org
This week, I am going to remove the "new rebuilt alternator" and have the place that sold it to me check it out. If that's bad, that should solve my problems... if not.... I will return to the .org for further direction. Wish me a bad alternator.
You might need to check the wiring on the remote starter, or the unit itself. The problem showed up after that was installed?
If you mean the problem of it (the remots starter/alarm) melting a fuse that it came with then yes. That started about 2 years ago and has gone through 3 fuses to date. If you are referring to my charging system, then no. The remote starter has been on the car for a few years now and this charging system problem just started in the past 6 months.
I managed to pull the "new rebuilt alternator" off last night and it will be going to the place that sold it to me today around 10am. I will update at that point.
O.k. I just got back from the alternator place and the "rebuild" checks out. Putting ou 125 amps and 14.44 volts.
With regards to the car starter and the fuses, the plastic holder is melting. The little bit of wire that is in there is inside the fuse is not popping. If that makes any sence.
so this evening I went through the fuse box that is located in the engine and in the lower dash. I pulled out fuses that were not esential to keeping the car running (one at a time) and the charge system lights just kept on flicking on and off. I also disconnected the power from the car starter/alarm unit and no luck there either. It will be going into Nissan tomorrow (friday April 4, 2008) in the am and I'll post back with what they find.
It will be 3 weeks since I started this little endeavour and I'm sick of looking at my car on supports in the garage.
Good luck man. I wish I was able to help. Difficult to diagnose electrical.
I appreciate the suggestions anyway. Have a great weekend.
Nissan phoned me today and they were unable to get the car in... maybe on saturday... maybe. there are 21 or so cars already booked in for work so we will see.
First when you start melting fuse boxes that means you're really pulling a lot of current! Do this...With the car off, remove the negative cable off the battery and connect a volt meter between the ground cable and the negative battery post. Set Voltmeter to 20 volt DC and take your reading. Make sure all your doors are closed etc...if greater than 1 volt start pulling fuse until you find the big voltdrawer. Check all your ground/bonding wires and terminals for security and cleaniness.I'm running an underdriven crank pulley on both my Maximas and I've never experienced any charging problems. Do you have a big audio system? Do you have a relay setup for that remote start button? I think you should recheck all your electrical mods with a proper vehicle electrical schematic and instructions to ensure your splicing is incorporated with correct wires!
No on the big audio system. I currently have the stock blose system. I am upgrading the system currently, but no parts are installed yet. it has been rather difficult deciding on what amp to get as with the underdrive crank pulley, you simply shouldnot run more than 600 watts rms. I'm looking at the alpine pdx-5 for an amplifier. 75*4 AND 300*1 for the sub. 5 channels in all and there for a much simpler install with only one amp.
I check fuses and I was told that there should be no more of a draw then 50 milliamps. Couldn't find the draw. Also, my leads for the volt meter were not long enough to do the fuse box inside the car... so I didn't get to do those. I just pulled fuses out while the car was running and hoped that the charge lights would go off. I pulled off all the gounds execpt for one that I couldn't get to, cleaned them up and re-installed them. No luck
I'm not too sure on how the car starter/alarm is wired in and it's not melting a fuse box, it's melting the plastic that has the number on it on the fuse. It takes a really long time for that to happen though.
I am waiting for nissan to tell me whats wrong with it, and then I will make approiate repairs. I'm going to be kinda pissed if it's the car starter as the place that installed it is now out of business and there for I have no warranty on the install. More money down the flusher.
Thanks for the suggestions though...
so I had a phone conversation with the Nissan tech who is working on my car. He informed me that my FACTORY security system is failing to go into sleep mode. Once you close the doors and lock the doors, the factory alarm is supposed to arm and go into a sleep mode so that it does not take anymore power. It seems that mine is not doing that at the moment. He seems to think that a door switch or a key lock switch has gone bad and that may be the cluprit.
Also, he did a drain test on the battery and it was showing 125 milli-amps. Which is good for a new car with 9 computers. With my car being older, it should be drawing less. 125 is apparently still in spec, but a little high. D'oh could have told you that. Anyway that's where it is for now, and I will know more about it on monday. Need to find that factory key fob for the alarm.
so the Nissan tech preformed an amperage test on the "rebuilt" alternator and left the car running for about 10 minutes. The amperage at idle showed 120-125 at startup, but then after a few minutes, the idle amperage dropped down to 50 then dropped down to 0. ZERO. I couldn't believe it, but there it was in typed clarity. and then the amperage started jumping all over the place. So....
$412 for a new alternator that nissan is going to install to see if it fixes my problem. $20 or so for a trunk switch that is thinking that someone is trying to break into my trunk and it is keeping the alarm from going into sleep mode. That will take care of my battery drain issue. Never would I have thought to look there. 120 for the r&r labour for an alternator. AND THE COUPE DE GRACEE.... 190 for a rebuilt alternator that is no freaking good. I'm trying to get money back for that "rebuilt" peice of crap. Add another 90 or so to find out that the trunk switch is failing the cost so far is inexcess of $830. Well, that averages 100/per year that my car has avioded the dealership.
Hopefully the new nissan rebuilt alternator fixes my problem because if it dosen't... I could be screwed.
ANd the car is still at the dealership. Hopefully I will get a call back later today to let me know what is what.
Not surprised it was something causing a drain on the system. The newer the car the more chance of things shorting and draining the system. Had a problem with my alarm going off randomly, took all the door/trunk/hood switches apart, cleaned and lubed-not a problem since. Only a matter of time before I'll be chasing something like yours down. I hate electrical problems!
wow....talk about waaaay out of left field. Who would have thought the issue would have been the trunk.
exactly. I would have thrown thousands of dollars at the problem and still not have fixed it. In this case, it was totally worth taking the car to the dealership.
Now this afternoon, the tech replaced the alternator (with a new Nissan rebuild) that I had purchased that was supposed to be a "new rebuilt unit". Whatever. fixed my charging system problem. Immediately. The guy that sold me this peice of crap has agreed to give me a unit that I will return to nissan for the core refund.
He has also agreed to refund me all the money for the unit that he sold me that was supposed to work that is clearly defective. Had he just done his job right in the first place and really rebuilt this thing, he would have saved me a tremendous amount work and frustration. my car sat in the garage at my house for 3 weeks less a day. The nissan tech said that the alternator does put out the proper amperage at startup, but after a few minutes it failed. that, he thinks was the main problem... The bench test that this guy did on it the second time took all of about 30 seconds and due to the lenght of the test, it would not have appeared as a failing unit.
I need to say that I never take my car to the dealership and this is the first time in 8 years that I have not been able to fix something myself. I feel really bummed about that part of the failure, but again, I never would have found that drain. I am really choked at that place that sold me the crappy alternator also. So, in this case it really did pay to take the car in.
Live and learn.
exactly. I would have thrown thousands of dollars at the problem and still not have fixed it. In this case, it was totally worth taking the car to the dealership.
Now this afternoon, the tech replaced the alternator (with a new Nissan rebuild) that I had purchased that was supposed to be a "new rebuilt unit". Whatever. fixed my charging system problem. Immediately. The guy that sold me this peice of crap has agreed to give me a unit that I will return to nissan for the core refund.
He has also agreed to refund me all the money for the unit that he sold me that was supposed to work that is clearly defective. Had he just done his job right in the first place and really rebuilt this thing, he would have saved me a tremendous amount work and frustration. my car sat in the garage at my house for 3 weeks less a day. The nissan tech said that the alternator does put out the proper amperage at startup, but after a few minutes it failed. that, he thinks was the main problem... The bench test that this guy did on it the second time took all of about 30 seconds and due to the lenght of the test, it would not have appeared as a failing unit.
I need to say that I never take my car to the dealership and this is the first time in 8 years that I have not been able to fix something myself. I feel really bummed about that part of the failure, but again, I never would have found that drain. I am really choked at that place that sold me the crappy alternator also. So, in this case it really did pay to take the car in.
Live and learn.
/thread.
Sounds like the dealership did a decent job, which one did you go to?
I, too, avoid the dealerships at all costs but I expect a day will come when I am in a similar situation to you and have no choice but to take it in. At that time, I hope to at least take it to one of the better dealerships.
Sounds like the dealership did a decent job, which one did you go to?
I, too, avoid the dealerships at all costs but I expect a day will come when I am in a similar situation to you and have no choice but to take it in. At that time, I hope to at least take it to one of the better dealerships.
it went into erickson. I think that I might still be having some problem, I am going to talk to the tech tomorrow and see whats up. I'll let you all know.
so, here's the deal after the car finishes with its high idle upon startup, when i am driving around, the revs will drop off to apx 350-400. This only happens when I drop the clutch and it's only for an instant. they come right back up again to around 600. The volt meter will fall down to about 12 volts when the revs fall and then will come back up to 13.2 or so. It will happen when I am slowing down for a red light/needing to come to a stop. When I am on the brakes.
It has been about 2 years since I did a fuel filter change and I don't think that the IACV has ever been done so I am going to start with those. Maybe a pcv as well. Any other ideas? Throttle body was cleaned just recently.
its not worth throwing parts at a car its just a stab in the dark. take it to a reputable shop or dealer and ask them to diagnose it. you have already spent a bunch of money on parts you didnt need just bite the bullet and let the tech diagnose it.
I hope after all of this that your car is back in action!
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