DIY: Replace dreaded steering-lock on 2009s and early 2010s.

Chico370Z · 10-18-2012, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fritz

D370Z said, on 11 or 12 Oct
Follow instructions and pictures, this is from the forum.
That forum "from the forum" posting (not 370Z's) is DANGEROUS and should be nowhere near a sticky.

If the lock is on the car with the motor connected and the sensors depressed then
the lock can LOCK THE STEERING while in motion:
In another thread I showed how to do "this" (but not with tape please) but installing it in an eyeglass case without the lock.
Depressing the lock element with tape is real "DIY" rubbish.
In fact the lock element is being depressed against a cush-spring but is actually held in
"locked mode with cush-spring depressed"

Tape will give way and the lock will engage when driving.
The motor will repeatedly press at the lock. Tape is ridiculous. A threaded bolt could do it but then there's a fire danger (as there may be, actually, with tape).
Further: the torque of the motor is not understood it will soon, with heat, stretch the tape holding on the cover and lift it to engage or disengage the motor gear. Screws are essential.

IN BLOCKS: I AM SHOUTING. THIS REMOVES FAIL SAFE AND HAS NO BUSINESS NEAR A DIY:::OR ANY SITE...apologies to the originator.....but!!!

By all means e-mail me for long, detailed, and fail-safe (for your health) instructions
but I need your real name and address as I do not want bits copied irresponsibly and I prefer cars not to be stolen. This is so serious that I give my own e-mail address Johnmacd@hotmail.com. which, unlike this site, I visit often.

Fritz:

Edit: misunderstood

cinellipro · 10-19-2012, 09:03 AM

Dealer called me this morning to alert me that the Steering Lock Assembly was the culprit; fortunately under warranty. The part they had in stock was defective so they ordered another one to be delivered on Monday. Hopefully the next one will last another three years.

My car was built in February 2009 and has 17000 miles.
One more thing, the loaner car was a Nissan Versa. Nothing more need be said ......except paradigm shift.

cinellipro · 10-22-2012, 08:00 PM

Picked up my car today from the dealer. The part they replaced was 48700-JF00D along with some bolts. Covered by the factory warranty but the invoice I signed was for $892!!!!! However, now there's a whining zzzzzzzzz that happens just before the engine cranks!? That wasn't there before.

a370zlover · 10-24-2012, 04:37 PM

Yep... my Steering Lock Actuator just failed last week on my early 2009 Nissan 370Z. Wish I had checked out this forum before I got it fixed. The part cost Nissan 700-something dollars to order and the total cost (part plus labor) was a mere $1173 (hope you're picking my sarcasm on the "mere").

Ridiculous. I've been talking to Nissan Consumer Affairs (1(800) 647-7261) about getting reimbursed for the repair and they are reviewing my case.

If they come back with some crap that I'm not going to get fully reimbursed I'm going to work my way up through management if I have to in order to get full reimbursement. This should've never happened. It's obviously a problem.

a370zlover · 10-24-2012, 04:39 PM

Oh and my Z had 54000 miles on it FYI.

John26jm26 · 11-19-2012, 01:52 AM

Do you have to program the steering wheel lock with Nissan or can you use it just like that after Installing it ?

Tronchaser · 11-27-2012, 03:33 PM

Ok, just had this happen with my '10 model with a C revision code. I whacked it with a hammer and I was able to turn it on.

Question, should I pull the fuse to disable it? Or should I go ahead and have it replaced with a newer version?

SouthArk370Z · 11-27-2012, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tronchaser

Ok, just had this happen with my '10 model with a C revision code. I whacked it with a hammer and I was able to turn it on.

Question, should I pull the fuse to disable it? Or should I go ahead and have it replaced with a newer version?

I went ahead and pulled the fuse before mine failed. I suggest you do the same (or one of the other fixes), ASAP, before it goes out again. Once you pull the fuse, you don't have to replace the steering lock unless you need it for regulatory or insurance purposes. If you need it, then I'd suggest replacing the steering lock AND pulling the fuse. You would only have to re-install the fuse when you need it.

kenchan · 11-28-2012, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tronchaser

Ok, just had this happen with my '10 model with a C revision code. I whacked it with a hammer and I was able to turn it on.

Question, should I pull the fuse to disable it? Or should I go ahead and have it replaced with a newer version?

definitely do that or cut the brown wire on the harness leading to the steering lock. my 'replacement' at the time when i made the DIY was RevC and that's wat im running right now. i am sure a few GTR owners are going back to get their locks replaced again to RevD.

when my RevC dies i will try the tap to revive it momentarily, and kill it by cutting the brown wire per fritz's diy. i have my old RevB which still works as backup too.

the fuse option is nice, but imho a lot of work to do the same thing. i think once i disable it, i would never re-activate it anyways.

Tronchaser · 11-28-2012, 01:59 PM

*sigh* Before I could pull the fuse, the light comes on again. This time though, the car still is able to turn on (verified twice). I think the thing I didn't do this time was to not move the steering wheel after turning it off, thereby not locking it. So, even though the light is on, I can still turn on the car. I have to be careful not to touch the steering wheel before I turn the car off. Man, I'm not diggin' this.

Can I still pull the fuse now with the light on even though the car works? Or should I *tap* it again?

kenchan · 11-28-2012, 02:24 PM

that's odd because the steering-lock locks/unlocks unrelated to you moving the steering wheel like on most cars. i know on my other cars the steering locks after the car shuts down and i turn the steering wheel left/right forcefully.

on the 370Z:
it will lock when you shut down the car and open a door.
it will unlock when you press the start button.

Tronchaser · 11-28-2012, 02:30 PM

I dunno. Maybe I'm reading into things that aren't there (paranoia setting in?). All I know is that the light is on and it starts. That was not the case yesterday. It's "locked", and wouldn't do anything until I banged on the module with a hammer.

kenchan · 11-28-2012, 02:43 PM

cut the brown wire or pull the fuse regardless while it's still unlockable. you might have 2 unrelated issues going at once. change your fob battery if that helps (or measure it with your volt meter).

also did you recently have stereo or something installed that required to pull off the center console? if so, check that the RF antenna is connected. otherwise you wont be able to start the car unless you place your fob in the fob holder thingie.

Tronchaser · 11-28-2012, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenchan

cut the brown wire or pull the fuse regardless while it's still unlockable. you might have 2 unrelated issues going at once. change your fob battery if that helps (or measure it with your volt meter).

also did you recently have stereo or something installed that required to pull off the center console? if so, check that the RF antenna is connected. otherwise you wont be able to start the car unless you place your fob in the fob holder thingie.

Nope, haven't changed or installed a thing. I'll look into changing the FOB battery, but I haven't had a problem with either one yet. I'll go ahead and cut the brown wire.

kenchan · 11-28-2012, 03:03 PM

make sure you cut the brown wire AFTER you press the start button once (while your car is in ACC). dont cut the wire while the car is off because then you wont be able to unlock it until you re-connect the brown wire again.

10-22-2012, 08:00 PM	#513 (permalink)
cinellipro Base Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: florida Posts: 102 Drives: 2009 370Z Rep Power: 13	D Revision Picked up my car today from the dealer. The part they replaced was 48700-JF00D along with some bolts. Covered by the factory warranty but the invoice I signed was for $892!!!!! However, now there's a whining zzzzzzzzz that happens just before the engine cranks!? That wasn't there before.

11-19-2012, 01:52 AM	#516 (permalink)
John26jm26 Base Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: El paso Posts: 6 Drives: 09 370z white manual Rep Power: 12	Do you Do you have to program the steering wheel lock with Nissan or can you use it just like that after Installing it ?

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10-24-2012, 04:37 PM	#514 (permalink)
a370zlover Base Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Tennessee Posts: 23 Drives: '09 Nissan 370Z 6MT Rep Power: 15	Yep... my Steering Lock Actuator just failed last week on my early 2009 Nissan 370Z. Wish I had checked out this forum before I got it fixed. The part cost Nissan 700-something dollars to order and the total cost (part plus labor) was a mere $1173 (hope you're picking my sarcasm on the "mere"). Ridiculous. I've been talking to Nissan Consumer Affairs (1(800) 647-7261) about getting reimbursed for the repair and they are reviewing my case. If they come back with some crap that I'm not going to get fully reimbursed I'm going to work my way up through management if I have to in order to get full reimbursement. This should've never happened. It's obviously a problem.

10-24-2012, 04:39 PM	#515 (permalink)
a370zlover Base Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Tennessee Posts: 23 Drives: '09 Nissan 370Z 6MT Rep Power: 15	Oh and my Z had 54000 miles on it FYI.

11-27-2012, 03:33 PM	#517 (permalink)
Tronchaser Base Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 150 Drives: 10 6MT/MB/Tour/Sport Rep Power: 15	Ok, just had this happen with my '10 model with a C revision code. I whacked it with a hammer and I was able to turn it on. Question, should I pull the fuse to disable it? Or should I go ahead and have it replaced with a newer version?

11-28-2012, 01:59 PM	#520 (permalink)
Tronchaser Base Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 150 Drives: 10 6MT/MB/Tour/Sport Rep Power: 15	sigh Before I could pull the fuse, the light comes on again. This time though, the car still is able to turn on (verified twice). I think the thing I didn't do this time was to not move the steering wheel after turning it off, thereby not locking it. So, even though the light is on, I can still turn on the car. I have to be careful not to touch the steering wheel before I turn the car off. Man, I'm not diggin' this. Can I still pull the fuse now with the light on even though the car works? Or should I tap it again?

11-28-2012, 02:24 PM	#521 (permalink)
kenchan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N/A Posts: 76,801 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 141521	that's odd because the steering-lock locks/unlocks unrelated to you moving the steering wheel like on most cars. i know on my other cars the steering locks after the car shuts down and i turn the steering wheel left/right forcefully. on the 370Z: it will lock when you shut down the car and open a door. it will unlock when you press the start button.

11-28-2012, 02:30 PM	#522 (permalink)
Tronchaser Base Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 150 Drives: 10 6MT/MB/Tour/Sport Rep Power: 15	I dunno. Maybe I'm reading into things that aren't there (paranoia setting in?). All I know is that the light is on and it starts. That was not the case yesterday. It's "locked", and wouldn't do anything until I banged on the module with a hammer.

11-28-2012, 02:43 PM	#523 (permalink)
kenchan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N/A Posts: 76,801 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 141521	cut the brown wire or pull the fuse regardless while it's still unlockable. you might have 2 unrelated issues going at once. change your fob battery if that helps (or measure it with your volt meter). also did you recently have stereo or something installed that required to pull off the center console? if so, check that the RF antenna is connected. otherwise you wont be able to start the car unless you place your fob in the fob holder thingie.

11-28-2012, 03:03 PM	#525 (permalink)
kenchan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N/A Posts: 76,801 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 141521	make sure you cut the brown wire AFTER you press the start button once (while your car is in ACC). dont cut the wire while the car is off because then you wont be able to unlock it until you re-connect the brown wire again.