Nissan 370Z Forum - View Single Post - Question - Does your car make the high-pitched ringing sound near the glove box?

Csquared · 04-14-2010, 10:32 PM

I'll let you know what I did.

First off I'm in Hong Kong so it might be slightly different when you go to your dealers.

Well I took my car into service and I explained the situation to the service manager, but I told him that I want to get a technician in the car with me to show him the problem. He said this was fine but I would have to leave the car there because it was lunch time and they were out. I told him that I wanted to be in the car with the tech to make sure he hears it. So I came back later in the day and went out with the tech to drive around the block. The tech could hear it but he wasn’t sure what the problem was. We went back and I sat down with the tech and the service manager. I made sure the tech said to the service manager that he heard a high pitched sound coming from the passenger side of the car. (I was not sure where the ECU was but now I can tell you it’s close to the glove box. If you get either the service manager or the tech with you, point that out to them, as in the sound is coming from the glove box area).

Once I got them both to acknowledge the problem I asked them what they thought it was. They both said they have no idea as they haven’t heard any cases here in Hong Kong. (We don’t have that many Zs running around cause they are so expensive here, people here love status symbols and you can get a z4 23i for 70k hkd less, I have the only yellow Z in hk!). I then explained to them it’s the ECU, that I have done a bunch of research and have forum posts explaining that swapping out the ECU fixed the problem. I also gave them links to all these threads. I then dropped off the car and went back to work. They said they would check if they have spare ECUs lying around to test. I told them that I would not accept this as it seems to be a universal problem with 2009 ECUs, that if they tried they had to get a brand new one, manufactured for the newest 2010 Zs.

I called them back later and asked them what they thought. They responded saying that they read all the treads but they could not just go ahead and get a new ECU from Nissan as it is such an expensive piece of hardware. They told me they would have to do a couple more tests to gather enough information to prove to Nissan, or the dealership since I was the only case in Hong Kong, that it was most likely the ECU. I said fine and asked them what tests they had to do. They tested the speakers but unplugging them all, then the fuel pump system. They then came back and said they tried insulating the ECU and the noise was not as loud so it is very likely the ECUs problem.
I went back to get my car and they said they will file a report and order a new part from Japan and would I can come back when I they received it.

Went back a week and a half later and got the new ECU.

I asked them for the serial numbers of the ECU but they wouldn’t give it to me but they did say that the new ECU had a completely different Serial number from my original one.

I’m not sure how you can check to make sure they made a change. I guess there are a few things you can do to try.

First, record or ask for the original serial when you first go in.
Then ask them to show you the ECU before they swap it in, and they should also have records of getting a new ECU from Nissan because Nissan should reimburse them if it is a warranty problem.

Also since it’s a new ECU it should reset all your trip counters, MPG average speed ETC. So check that once you get your car back. This is only a last ditch method since they could simply reset your original ECU and this would happen.

Okay I hope this helped out no time to read over it cause I’m at work. If you need any more infor let me know.

04-14-2010, 10:32 PM	#38 (permalink)
Csquared Enthusiast Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 302 Drives: 09 Nissan 370z Y 7sp Rep Power: 15	I'll let you know what I did. First off I'm in Hong Kong so it might be slightly different when you go to your dealers. Well I took my car into service and I explained the situation to the service manager, but I told him that I want to get a technician in the car with me to show him the problem. He said this was fine but I would have to leave the car there because it was lunch time and they were out. I told him that I wanted to be in the car with the tech to make sure he hears it. So I came back later in the day and went out with the tech to drive around the block. The tech could hear it but he wasn’t sure what the problem was. We went back and I sat down with the tech and the service manager. I made sure the tech said to the service manager that he heard a high pitched sound coming from the passenger side of the car. (I was not sure where the ECU was but now I can tell you it’s close to the glove box. If you get either the service manager or the tech with you, point that out to them, as in the sound is coming from the glove box area). Once I got them both to acknowledge the problem I asked them what they thought it was. They both said they have no idea as they haven’t heard any cases here in Hong Kong. (We don’t have that many Zs running around cause they are so expensive here, people here love status symbols and you can get a z4 23i for 70k hkd less, I have the only yellow Z in hk!). I then explained to them it’s the ECU, that I have done a bunch of research and have forum posts explaining that swapping out the ECU fixed the problem. I also gave them links to all these threads. I then dropped off the car and went back to work. They said they would check if they have spare ECUs lying around to test. I told them that I would not accept this as it seems to be a universal problem with 2009 ECUs, that if they tried they had to get a brand new one, manufactured for the newest 2010 Zs. I called them back later and asked them what they thought. They responded saying that they read all the treads but they could not just go ahead and get a new ECU from Nissan as it is such an expensive piece of hardware. They told me they would have to do a couple more tests to gather enough information to prove to Nissan, or the dealership since I was the only case in Hong Kong, that it was most likely the ECU. I said fine and asked them what tests they had to do. They tested the speakers but unplugging them all, then the fuel pump system. They then came back and said they tried insulating the ECU and the noise was not as loud so it is very likely the ECUs problem. I went back to get my car and they said they will file a report and order a new part from Japan and would I can come back when I they received it. Went back a week and a half later and got the new ECU. I asked them for the serial numbers of the ECU but they wouldn’t give it to me but they did say that the new ECU had a completely different Serial number from my original one. I’m not sure how you can check to make sure they made a change. I guess there are a few things you can do to try. First, record or ask for the original serial when you first go in. Then ask them to show you the ECU before they swap it in, and they should also have records of getting a new ECU from Nissan because Nissan should reimburse them if it is a warranty problem. Also since it’s a new ECU it should reset all your trip counters, MPG average speed ETC. So check that once you get your car back. This is only a last ditch method since they could simply reset your original ECU and this would happen. Okay I hope this helped out no time to read over it cause I’m at work. If you need any more infor let me know.