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Tailight Out

2K views 23 replies 10 participants last post by  jcrewdo 
#1 ·
I drive a '02 3.5 and just got pulled over for the taillights being out (the parking lights and the HVAC backlights are also out). I work a lot of night shifts and don't get a chance to pop over to the dealership. Quick question for anyone who can help out: Is it just a blown fuse, or could it be the wiring (or lack of wiring) I did when I changed the head unit?...Or it's probably a combination of both?
 
#2 ·
BLZNALT said:
I drive a '02 3.5 and just got pulled over for the taillights being out (the parking lights and the HVAC backlights are also out). I work a lot of night shifts and don't get a chance to pop over to the dealership. Quick question for anyone who can help out: Is it just a blown fuse, or could it be the wiring (or lack of wiring) I did when I changed the head unit?...Or it's probably a combination of both?
I would check the fuse first, wiring and bulbs in that order.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Thanks guys. I checked the fuses...none of them were out. Then I checked with a place that has done some mods to my car. They said that the wiring of the unit should not have affected the lights, just like you said, Altimaxnh. What could have happened was just a random occurance that may or may not have been linked to the switching of the radios. If there was a mis-wiring conducted, fuses would have blown. However, there are fuseable links that may have been blown that were mentioned. I am not willing to pay dealer prices just to have someone solve my problem, but I've run out of options (I gotta get those lights fixed, or never drive at night again!). Any last words of advice from anyone before I sell my soul to the dealers to get my car serviced?

Oh, by the way, JerryJ, you're ride is tight as hell!! I spent a lot of time going through your registry page, and you done a lot of great things in such a short amount of time. I've only made a few mods in the car's 42k history, and it's pretty difficult to get anything done here in this DC/MD/VA area.
 
#7 ·
BLZNALT said:
mrbiggs,

Sorry...but 15 months and 42,000 miles later, no warranty need apply to this problem! I did manage to get a window weather strip and shifter boot replaced at the 35,976 mile mark (Talk about waiting until the last minute!).

haha i see myself doing the same thing....hope u figure out whats wrong with ur car...
 
#9 ·
Actually, I haven't tried bulbs, but two taillght bulbs (that work when I press the brakes), two front parking lights, HVAC backlight, and the glove compartment light out at the same time? It sounds like an electrical problem somewhere. Whatever it is, I have got to get it fixed fast, because I just got pulled over again last night, right next to the Pentagon of all places...a Security Heaven! I am just going to have to pay the dealership to fix it (so much for that little bit of extra tax return money!).
 
#12 ·
Yep...no blown fuses (checked both driver side fuse box and engine compartment)...there are possibly blown "fuseable links" whatever the heck they are. I'll have to check on that lifetime warranty, but I don't think that they'll go for it, since I put in my own stereo system. However, people keep telling me that the stereo has nothing to do with those lights.
 
#13 ·
Lifetime warrantee on lights, I think the sales representative was pulling something. Just go to the service department and tell them you got stopped for no tail lights and let them figure it out. Looking through the ESM this is what comes up. As you see, it could be a number of things. I recall once on my old car, I changed the light bulb on the digital clock (it was a contour) and when I went to use the headlights, nothing worked. By pure luck, a switch, which was later part of a recall failed, and I thought I caused the problem.

PARKING, LICENSE PLATE AND TAIL LAMPS PFP:26550
System Description EKS0016R
Control of the parking, license plate, and tail lamp operation is dependent upon the position of the lighting switch (combination switch). When the lighting switch is placed in the 1ST position, the BCM receives input requesting the parking, license plate, and tail lamps to illuminate. This input is communicated to the IPDM E/R
(intelligent power distribution module engine room) across the CAN communication lines. The central processing
unit of the IPDM E/R controls the tail lamp relay coil. This relay, when energized, directs power to the parking,
license plate, and tail lamps, which then illuminate.
Power is supplied at all times
l to tail lamp relay, located in the IPDM E/R (intelligent power distribution module engine room)
l through 10A fuse [No. 38, located in the IPDM E/R (intelligent power distribution module engine room)].
Power is also supplied at all times
l to BCM (body control module) terminal 7
l through 50A fusible link (letter f, located in the fuse and fusible link box).
With the ignition switch in the ON or START position, power is supplied
l to BCM (body control module) terminal 35
l through 10A fuse [No. 12, located in the fuse block (J/B)].
With the ignition switch in the ACC or ON position, power is supplied
l to BCM (body control module) terminal 36
l through 10A fuse [No. 6, located in the fuse block (J/B)].
Ground is supplied
l to BCM (body control module) terminals 8, 27, and 63
l through body grounds M57, M61, E15, and E24.
 
#15 ·
i got what he said in writing.....along with that i would get free oil changes for the life of the car as well

now it seems i have temporarily misplaced my copy of this document stating these things but im going in for my first 3k oil change and hopefully they wont haggle me about not having my paper saying that i got this stuff for free.......anyway they will have the original right? they cant throw that out....or can they???
 
#16 ·
BLZNALT said:
Wow, pcsgrp35se, what can I say!? That's one heck of a system description that just went right over my head! I'll just take your first input and run to the service department ASAP. Thanks.
I had looked through the ESM as well, and I concur that the systems that control these lights is complex (pcsgrp35se was quoting the right section). But I also have a hunch that maybe your glove compartment light is just burned out. The ESM shows the glove compartment light on another part of lighting system. So the fact that it also is not working doesn't make sense, unless of course as I said, it's just burned out.

The only posible thing they all have in common is the BCM. I'd like to hear what the dealer finds.
 
#17 ·
I have 32k miles and in addition to the series of problems I have had with the car since day one (mine was the 190th car made on the first day of production) and now all the other little but expensive problems if I had to pay to have them fixed, that appear to be showing up, I took the gold perferred zero deductable plan. It covers all this kind of junk.

One of the persons I take the bus into Mahnattan with has 2 MBs. She was telling me all the little BS problems that Benz is having with their cars. Same issues, switches and electronic junk that causes problems. Their cars spend time in the shop just like ours and the problem are a big concern for MB. MB treats their customers differently then Nissan, they get loaner cars no matter what and they also get free pickup and delivery. I guess when you pay $50k for a car that is the level of service you get.
 
#19 ·
Finally stopped by the NISSAN dealership today...Bottom line: Must get it looked at @$85.00 (minimum) for the first hour. They cannot estimate how long it will take, how much it will cost, and the actual problem/solution. It is definitely an electrical problem, and it was covered by the warranty, about 6,000 miles ago. There are only two warranties that exceed the standard 36k: 60k for the transmission and lifetime on the seatbelts. Oh yeah, just when you guys thought that 6 lights were out at the same time, I forgot to mention that the light on the rear license plate housing was out also...that's a total of seven!!
 
#20 ·
I would guess it has somethign to to with the BCM. I don't know how much you modified your car but perhaps you can give Nissan a call and explain what the problem is and perhaps they can give the dealer a call to lighten the cost. As far as the problem, the consult unit should be able to figure it out with the self test of the electrical system. I recall reading someplace that you turn on the ignation and press the driver door switch about 10 times and it does a complete diogonstic of the electrical system. Perhaps someone else knows where the post is. If I get some time this evening I will look in the manual but there, everything is consult oriented.
 
#23 ·
Man...has it been that long already? I had my stuff fixed 2-1/2 months ago. It set me back $250. They (not Nissan) had to replace and rewire a new electrical harness for my car, to control the lights, radio, etc. Everything's fine now, taillight wise (some bastard hit [and ran] my car in the winter...so it's in the body shop right now). Just received an synthetic brushed aluminum dash kit today via UPS. Can't wait to install it. New Momo boot and shifter on the way. Summer's around the corner! There's a theme here...Rims to follow!
 
#24 ·
Cause of my tail lights being out

I had the same issue as the original thread. I brought it to the dealer. They said the my aftermarket fog lamps short-circuited the parking lights. Initially they told me it was my HID conversion kit. Perhaps there was too much voltage running through the wires (Hanabi Super Conversion Kit/ Crystal White 6000K). What do you think guys?
 
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