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

wstar

It's possible, but that would make the service manual wrong. The chart listed there is intended to be "what you see with a probe" on that line, and apparently it's 0V when it's been unlocked for 15+ seconds, 12V when it's locked (or recently unlocked), and then a signal a little negative pulse signal against a 12V background for the lock/unlock command. What makes no sense in that chart is: how does the BCM send the pulses against 12V to lock from the unlocked state, if the line is at 0V? :P Clearly, at the very least the chart just doesn't tell the whole story, but it does seem it's 12V and unlikely serial, just some timed pulses.

Good point on the flash, but how does a relay fix things? Is there such a thing as an electromechanical relay that keeps its persistent mechanical state through power cycles?

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ChrisSlicks

This is common in the electronic world. The line is "pulled up" to the signal voltage (most electronics in the consumer world use 3.3V or 5V) and then switched to ground to send data pulses. Like you said this doesn't look like complicated data, just a simple pulse pattern with fixed frequency.

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wstar

What I meant was: clearly the chart cannot be factually correct that the line is always 0V when unlocked for 15+ seconds, or the signal shown for the lock action could never take place

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ChrisSlicks

I think what they meant is the line goes to 0V when idle, and is at 12V when communication is possible or if in the locked state.

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Trips

Hey Ken,

I've stickied this like you asked so its easily available for other members.

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kenchan

thanks, triples! i hope it brings awareness to other owners and be able to help them.

TongMan

Just confirmed my steering lock module is JF00C...whew

kenchan

Cool. Wat build date is your 2010?

TongMan

Manufactured Date is 03/2010

kenchan

thanks, tongman.

the Jan2010 build car that needed the steering lock replaced today unfortunately had no label on the unit... so couldn't tell which revision it was. very odd.

so it is confirmed Mar2010 build and after is using RevC.

Anyone with a factory installed RevC have an earlier build date than Mar2010?
Please post up your build date and full part number on your unit.

should look something like this: 48700-JF00C-A1-01 or 48700-JF00C-B1-01

kenchan

chrisslicks, wstar, vaugnanabe - there's a member that posted this on another thread in the maintenance forum about his steering lock failure. wat strikes me is he could start the car with a faulty steering lock using his remote start.. just shuts off when the remote starter hands off controls back to the car when he steps on the brake.

do you think you can use a remote starter's signal to trick the BCM in this case??? that 'microprocessor' you guys were talking about earlier..

FL 4Motion

(Apr 2010 build date here)

wstar

Beats me, I don't even understand how or why a remote-start unit would cause the engine to shut back off when you tap the brakes in the first place. Maybe he means this is new buggy behavior with the malfunctioning steering lock + remote start?

This whole affair is annoying. Just yet another example of everything in modern society going so overboard on supposed security or safety issues. If car theft is such a huge problem take it out on the car thieves (e.g. shoot them), not on everyone else with all this ******** burden and complexity. Ditto for airbags and people who don't wear seatbelts.

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GaleForce

Remote starts are hooked up to the brake as a safety. So if for some reason you need to kill the engine during the time it's running after being started with the remote starter you can just step on the brake to kill it. They should also have an over-rev, and also be hooked up to a neutral safety switch to make sure it doesn't start while in gear.

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ChrisSlicks

My guess is that the remote starter in his case is wired in post BCM and IPDM (as I described in a previous post about a racing style setup), and they are instead sending signals directly to the ignition and starter relays. The remote starter is also wired into the brake switch on auto's and clutch switch on manuals as an anti-theft mechanism to prevent the car from being driven while on remote start mode. You could remove these wires if you didn't care about that aspect. So there is no BCM or IPDM trickery, just a complete bypass. When the BCM is back in control of the starting operation it says no go as the steering lock is stuck.

Given the frequency that these lock issues are starting to occur it might be time to start putting pressure on Nissan for a recall. Obviously they aren't going to do it voluntarily given that it is an expensive part. We could set up a petition and send it to Nissan or everyone that has had a failure can submit a complaint to NHTSA. If successful they are usually back dated so anyone that has paid for a replacement outside of warranty has an opportunity to get reimbursed.

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