ATTENTION!! 2009-2010 owners with steering lock/wont start issues

864Zbeast

Yes I bought an extended warranty from the dealership I got my car from to have all my work done etc. at nissan. I got my z in 2011 with 3k miles and it didn't have an exsisting warranty so the extended I purchased covered any major malfunction that took place and thank god this covered it.

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SurfDog

pulled.

you are both right! however as I am way more interested in my upcoming mod plans than how to get a "fixed" problem recalled, I guess Ill have to work up the motivation to try and figure out how to report to some (presumably worthless) government agency.

If somebody links me to an appropriate Nissan contact or bullshiznit government agency, I'd be happy to tell them how unsettling it was to live in fear of a known, car stranding malfunction!

Is it frustrating that Nissan hasn't dealt with this big bummer? Yep!
Will it stop me from buying another Nissan? No.
Will it cost me or a dealer 1,000 bucks to fix? Nope. (pulled it)
Does it affect my feeling about the car? nope!

Sooooo, what is their incentive to fix/recall? Dunno.

(maybe if I'd been stranded/bankrupted by this crap, I'd feel different. Thanks the370z.com for saving me from that *horrid* experience)

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09 6spd Berk CBE, JWT cams, ZSpeed CSC, Stillen (25 row oil, brake cooling, sways, gen3 CAI), Passport (9500ci), Quaife LSD, Z1 400 hp kit, ss lines, pads, rotors, clutch etc, Phunk's pan and fuel starve fix

asdfsammich

Surfdog said it all best right there ^^^.

Pull the fuse and enjoy the ride. Getting all twisted up over it isn't worth it.


Tapatalk & such etc

doesntcount

Well, that's fair enough to say. But I'm still super pissed. The dealership gave me the quote for the repair: ready? Have a seat.... $1600!!!!!

So, yesterday, I called Nissan Consumer Affairs and lodged a complaint. My car has only 19000 miles on it. It's 3yrs7mo old. Used to have an extended warranty (extended in coverage, but not in time) that expired 3 years ago (not sure why the original buyer bought it... maybe worried about the 09 being a first gen). So I'm hoping to get at least some of the repair subsidized.

If they leave me out to dry, I'll likely be done with Nissan. I know there's a lot of Nissan loyalty on this site, and don't get me wrong, I love my Z, but I've had a lot more problems with this car than I've ever had with any car. Had to replace 2 MAF sensors over the summer for a cost of $600.

I can't help but chalk this up to poor practices on Nissan as a whole. Not just in their manufacturing of parts like this that frequently fail, but the failure to realize that these are the parts that need to be recalled in order to maintain customer loyalty. ie. you either need to not make mistakes or you need to own up to your mistakes by way of recalls.

FWIW, my coworker who has a GT-R had his steering lock recalled. Why the GT-R and not the Z? Totally bizarre.

daisuke149

did you try fixing it yourself by tappoing it and then pulling the fuse?

doesntcount

I tried the tapping. No dice.

However, I posted in another thread (here: How many of you have pulled the steering lock fuse?) about the nissan service guys being able to get it working using a lock from an altima.

Baer383

They are Nissan techs and they have no Fvcking clue,
My discovery to remove the fuse has been argued since I recommend it and nobody has had any problems(except for a delay in starting which has not been proven to be related)if the Nissan techs studied these cars as much as we do they just may learn something.

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2013 ZL1

754 rwhp 747 rwtq

doesntcount

I can't argue with that. I know absolutely nothing. I just know how to drive it. I don't know how to fix it

R0bDC

Call Nissan! Don't just email. Talk to Regional Specialist! then try and talk to a Senior Regional Specialist and fight them! lol

Also report it here Home | Safercar -- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Here is the Number (888) 327-4236

Good Luck!

doesntcount

Ya. I emailed and called. I have a case. They're investigating. If I don't get satisfaction tomorrow, I'll escalate it.

And ya, I submitted an issue to the NHTSA.

Huan'z

Good luck buddy. Hope u sorted it out ASAP.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

wilsonp

Don't understand how your extended warranty was good for 7 months?

In any case, pulling the fuse won't help if you have another lock installed - when they put the broken one in, your car won't start again. You have to pull the fuse with your lock installed and the car running.

I had this happen to me at my sister in laws. Unfortunately I thought I'd be immune or something, or I didn't feel like ten minutes of car work just a get at a fuse! Or make the Nissan extended warranty pay - Nissan won't get my business again by treating 370Z owners like second class citizens but not GT-R owners. Some of those car engineers should be made to fix every problem they've designed in on every car sold.

In any case, I tried the tapping, etc, and after reading some more, followed the advice to smack it with the tire wrench like it was stealing $500 dollars and it started. I promptly cut the brown wire.

Note: My steering wheel could turn fine - it seems it stuck without fully locking or during the unlock.

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2014 Cayman S PDK Sport Chrono White/Black
Was 2009 370Z Touring Sport+Nav 7AT Metallic Black/Persimmon
Was 1991 NSX Auto Black/Black

Dante Rising

Sorry everyone,

I know there are several threads related to this problem, but the more I read the more confused I become on the subject. I have absolutely no knowledge about working on cars.

Three days ago the low key battery indicator started showing on my 2009 Nissan 370Z (automatic transmission) LCD screen. I ordered a set of new batteries from Amazon, but they have not yet arrived.

Today when I went into my garage and the car wouldn't start. I noticed the yellow "key" indicator is on, and the intelligent key will only lock and unlock the doors. I tried to start the car by placing the intelligent key in the manual start port, but the push button ignition stays ("reads") in the locked position, and the LCD shows an image that appears to be telling me to pull the key out of the port.

The steering wheel itself is not locked, however. I can actually move it back and forth, but the break petal will not press very far down.

Is this most likely the Steering Lock failure issue, or am I doing something wrong? And if this IS the steering failure, am I understanding my first option is:

1) "open the car door, but dont try pushing the start button. Take a heavy tool like a hammer or something and smack the crap out of the SLU about 5 good times and then put your foot on the break and push the start button"

or am I supposed to HOLD the push button down WHILE banging on the Steering Lock pane?

2) Also, the piece I'm supposed to hit is silver panel under the steering column that says "to throw away in case of free fall"? Correct? I'm REALLY worried that I will hit this thing too hard, or from the wrong angle with the hammer and cause even MORE problems.

3) If this doesn't work, are there any other manual ways for a newbie to disengage this lock without calling a two truck and spending $1500 dollars?

Thank you, everyone.

Baer383

Hit it with a hammer a few times while trying to start the car at the same time,then once started cut the brown wire or pull the fuse and that's it.

Yes the small piece that says free fall on it.

And the last resort is really not for newbies you have to remove the lock open it and push the lock open manually.RPIA

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2013 ZL1

754 rwhp 747 rwtq

diddy535

Don't smash it with anything, time for a tow unless you can replace the steering lock yourself

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