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

Ron

went to the dealer, they said the battery on the key needed replacement and that the light wont go off until I change it on both keys... so I did that and of course the light is still on..

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2011 Twin Turbo PW nismo #113 - My Journal - My TT Build Thread
[ GTM GTX Stg2 TT || HKS EVC6 || Custom CarPC || F.I 3'' TDX CBE || SB 6puck clutch/ZSpeed CSC || BC BR Coilovers || SPC camber arms || Work VSS-X || Custom Headlights || PW:JDM CF Covers || Seibon CF Engine Cover ]

ZMan8

typical dealer will try to run you through all these other "solutions"

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2010 370Z 40 Anniv., 6 MT | Fast Intentions | Swift Springs | SPC | Z1Motorsports | JWM | Redline Oils | 35% Window Tint
2015 Mazda6 | 370ZChicago: Chicago Area Cars & Coffee

kevr6

That was the first thing I tried also before checking the forums!!

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KaienZ34

Can you take a pic of the light?

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GaleForce

The light for the key lock is on the lower left side of the fuel gauge pod. It should turn on (lights up yellow) when you start your car for ~2 seconds then turn off. It has the letters "KEY" above a key symbol. Page 2-8 of the owners manual. On page 2-10 there three paragraphs stating what to expect when that light is on.

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azn370z

Yeah the yellow key light stays on until its fixed. I could take a pic of mine.

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2010 k23
H&R sport springs / Spc rear camber arms / SSR SP1 / Berk cbe / Varis cf lip / Nismo S-Tune side skirts

Tino2fasT

Last Friday i was off and choose to get an early start and take care of some odds and ends previously hadn't gotten around to. So i went to get some gas, and while i was there i checked the tires to make sure the pressures were optimal.
FRIDAY------
Ok, so i STARTED my car to leave my house, i turned it off to get gas, RESTARTED it to go to the air dispenser to check the tire pressures then turned it off while i did that. Got back in the car to leave, tapped the push-start and NOTHING....

Called the salesman that sold me the 370Z (real cool guy and is one of the TOP salesman at Universal Nissan, who also drives a Z, 350, but a Z, lol) and he instructed me to push and hold the button the Immobiliation system that was installed as I bought the car (KEY ISSUE HERE, as i did NOT order this item to be installed....) Car still did not start, and as I have AAA, as was about 2 miles from my house and a couple other vehicles, i decided to deal with it on the following Monday, had to do it Tuesday, work was CRAZY Monday!

I live in Rolling Hills Estates (about an hour and a half from Universal Nissan) and the closest Nissan dealer to where i live is Power Nissan off the 405. Nissan will come your car for you 3 times a year (if its under warranty) and you get 12 miles free and will have to pay a small fee per mile after that.

TUESDAY------
I followed the Flatbed with one of my other cars and "14 miles" later (was NOT charged for the extra 2 miles, lol) i was at Power Nissan. I was dealing with the Assisstant Service Manager there and he is TOTALLY cool. Since this is not where i bought the car from i made sure that the service manager and I were on the same page.. i told him that I knew the Z's, GT-R's and Altima's have been having THIS EXACT problem and was VERY aware of what it probably was and actually mentioned that a LOT of people in our forum (THIS one) have had his problem.

Funny how people deal with you when they know you are aware of things... well I had to go to work so he said he'd call in a couple hours with thier findings/diagnosis. He did, and it was the "Steering Wheel Lock Mechanism", which had to be "ordered" and would be received and installed on Wednesday, and it was...

WEDNESDAY------
So I went to pick up my car, so the porter drives it to the pick up area where you wait, and as I usually do, i walked around it to check for any damage (its extremely clean, an 09) Its still running and the porter gets out takes out the little white paper floor cover and the plastic they use on your seats, I thank him for bringing it, and proceed to sit down. I turnthe car off, because i wantd to test the Push-Start for myself.

But as soon as I turn off my car its starts doing this really fast beep-beep-beep... and then on the left-most panel where you can see the mpg and other readouts, a big warning light comes up saying P-SHIFT with an arrow pointing forward, indicating that the car thinks you have shut it off without it being in park.. but it WAS in PARK.... At that exact moment the Service Manager guy happens to walk out and ask me if everthing was Ok, and I respond, "I don't think so.. i've never seen it do this before, does something need to be reset?"

So, he gets it and starts it, puts it in reverse and backs up about 5 feet, the back in drive and comes back to where we are standing (the porter guy and I) and shuts the Z off, and it does the same thing... he tells me to give him a few minutes and he drives it back to the service bay where the mechanics are.

About 10 mins later he comes to me and asks "Can you pick it up tomorrow?" And I ask him "Well whats going on with it?" at which time he told me that they had to look at a couple things and since it was the end of the business day and I was there in another one of my cars, and then told him "I guess I dont I dont have a choice, I'm not taking it like that".

THURSDAY------
So this morning,I get a call from Assistant Service Manager telling me the BCM has to be replaced and as far as they can tell its because of the Immobilization system that was installed as I waited for it to be delivered after I was approved to get it. As I mentioned before i DID NOT ORDER this to be installed on my car and now since its being blamed for the BCM malfunction, I told the Assistant Service Manager at Power Nissan to just put back together (at least it STARTS now) and I would take it to Univeral Nissan and get to the bottom of it. So NOW... it does that fast beeping sound AS LONG AS one of the KEYS are in the vicinity. If I walk away from the car Z with both keys it does this continuous BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP.... and its LOUD!

So, for tonight I have to leave one of the keys IN the Z... glad I have a private garage, geesh. Called Universal Nissan, told them the whole story and they told me to bring it in as soon as possible, I do have the 6 year 75,000 mile warranty, which covered the Steering Wheel Lock, I will le you guys know what happens tomorrow. Mt dilemna is this... the Assistant Service Manager said that if the "readings" they got are correct, the Immobilization System that was installed at Universal Nissan is causing this, AND even though NISSAN installed it, its NOT covered under the warranty...and since i did NOT order it to be installed on my car, and he salesman KNOWS this too, because it was one of the very first 370Z's that came in '09.

Sorry for the NOVEL, but i wanted to make sure all the particulars were covered... took OFF tomorrow to deal with this one, will keep you guys informed, and if anyone has any advice, please put it out there!

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370Z SP 7AT

GaleForce

Of course the light is still on. In the owners manual it states, if the light is on, take the car to the dealership immediately for repair. It doesn't say drive the car home, change the batteries and watch the light turn off. They must be thinking of the other key light. Damn service advisors.

Any updates Ron?

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Ron

I called the guy and got VM of course, so I left him a msg letting him know that to no surprise the fvcking light was still on. I did not hear back from him so I drove back to the dealer and told him that the light was still on. He took both of the keys and came back 1hr later. Light was off, he took it for a drive and light remained off... I go back home and right as I pull in..the light comes on... Waiting until 9 before calling him again.

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2011 Twin Turbo PW nismo #113 - My Journal - My TT Build Thread
[ GTM GTX Stg2 TT || HKS EVC6 || Custom CarPC || F.I 3'' TDX CBE || SB 6puck clutch/ZSpeed CSC || BC BR Coilovers || SPC camber arms || Work VSS-X || Custom Headlights || PW:JDM CF Covers || Seibon CF Engine Cover ]

GaleForce

At least you can drive it.

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