Don't know who has kept up with ordeal but I had the dreaded "Push Start FAIL" and Nissan had to come get my 370Z and take it to a Dealership for that probem, but when i got it back it had ANOTHER problem, that i was fortunate enough to notice AT THE DEALERSHIP, before taking delivery of my car. GREAT news! when the Dealerships Service Manager informed me that my "P-Shift" warning light/Fast Beeping" problem was NOT going to be covered under my EXTENDED 6 YEAR, 75,000 mile warranty, i was HOT!!! and demanded to speak to someone with more "authority to deal with my problem, because it WAS NOT doing this when it was TOWED to Nissan BY NISSAN's Roadside Assistance! They put me in touch with a representative from Nissan NORTH AMERICA, you explain your case to the Rep, and if the rep thinks you have a case, they present it to the next higher up know as a "Regional Specialist". Well GOOD NEWS!

The Regional Specialist handling my case called and got all the particulars of my case and ruled that Nissan will FIX my car replacing a DAMAGED shift knob, (I have a 7AT, so it's that type) i was told that it must have been damaged while being towed or while being worked on at the dealership, but seeing as how the car is FLAWLESS and ALWAYS been serviced on time getting all recommended services (like tires being replaced when they were deemed past minimum safe tread, stuff like that) The payments have ALWAYS been on time or early, and that NISSAN is the ONLY people that have TOUCHED it.... That it was decided that Nissan WILL FIX IT UNDER WARRANTY AND PAY for the car that "magically" turned into a RENTAL instead of a LOANER once it as determined that the warranty was NOT going to cover the repairs.

I explained to the "Regional Specialist" how I have SHOWN total Nissan LOYALTY, and that I had been planning on buying a GT-R after I pay off the Z, instead of getting a Corvette ZO6. (have always wanted a Vette since i was about 10 years old, lol) And explained that I was not MAD, about the earlier decision to NOT take care of the car, but rather disappointed that Nissan would not stand behind the warranty. It was then explained to me that Nissan's warranty covers over 1800 parts under the "Gold" warranty plan that I have, --BUT-- the parts have to be defective from the FACTORY, not a part that Nissan's tehnicians find that were DAMAGED.... I have an excellent reputation with my dealership and they know how meticulous i am with my car, which is whythey went to bat for me on this matter.

I LOVE the DIY section here don't get me wrong, but having that extended warranty pretty much saved me on this one. I am a Custom Stereo Istaller by trade so I'm extremely familiar with a lot of the things handled in a lot of these DIY's, but as long as those of us that have purchased a BRAND NEW car DO that, GET the EXTENDED warranty if possible.. especially when dealing with "electronic" parts.. because for as long as I have been dealing with them I've come to find out that some parts last forever, some fail within the first few trys. THATS why a warranty is a GOOD thing.

Once again, SORRY for the novel! :tiphat:

tino- you missed the point of the DIY. read the first page again why i made it. having extended warranty does no good for me.

Mr. Kenchan,

I have been trying to practice egressing the Z without using the steering wheel for leverage. I settled on a technique.

1. Undo seatbelt
2. Open driver's door
3. Rotate upper body counter-clockwise
4. Outstretch both arms
5. Bend waist until palms touch the ground
6. Using palms in a walking motion pull until knees are clear of the door sill
7. Drop to knees but keep feet elevated
8. Crawl away from vehicle until feet are clear
9. Stand up

Thoughts? Suggestions?

:icon18: you need to copyright this methodology. :icon17:

This is a new DIY. Let's chronicle the previously mentioned steps with some visual examples. You can be the model Mr.onzedge, I'll take the pictures... Don't worry, I'm a professional. Now just undo one more button on your top please. :tup:

:icon18: You have seen what I look like, right?

Yep :yum:

On a side note, the potential "Egressing DIY" will need a supplement for those who choose not to wear a seat belt. I didn't realize people still do that in 2012 until I notice a thread complete with poll about that very thing on this very forum. Those poor bastards would hit a road block from step one.

:icon17:

this is a question for AXW and KORRUPT...or anyone that actually took apart a broken steering lock. if we were to just remove the spur gear in the pict below, would this mean we would be removing the root cause of the failing steering lock problem?

we wont have steering lock feature as the motor and pinion will just spin inside, but i think it was the spur gear that was jamming that causes this problem in the first place. any thoughts? :)

where is the detection pads/pins that sends signal back to the BCM? is it part of the large gear or no? :confused:

The big white gear seen on the left...
http://www.the370z.com/members/kench...-korrupt-4.jpg

I hope someone with the know how can jump on this project and let us know. Many many reps will be given... :tiphat:

dont try to undermine me kaizen.

Looking the assembly, I believe the 2 blue micro switches, next to the motor, sending the signal to the BCM. The 2 switches are used to detect the position of the white gear.

yah, i think so too.

now are the micro switches mechanically activated by the spur gear? i think so, but i can't see where it would connect in the picts we have.

my RevB still works fine so dont feel like opening it up yet.

Most micro switches are internally mechanical with contact point. The contact point can get sticky from contaminant. The switch nipples are riding on the flat profile surface of the spur gear. I saw someone posting photo by-passing those switches and get the car to start so I think you can permanently short out those switches if you know the switch circuitry.

http://www.the370z.com/members/kench...-korrupt-4.jpg[/QUOTE]

This part does not look like 500+ dollars part. The motor got powered, then turn and drive the spur gear, spur gear turned the lock column shaft up or down. The 2 micro switches detected spur gear position and then send signal to BCM.

cool. that was the part i wanted to see in more detail. :) so you think the oil contaminated the microswitches on the initial GTR recall? could be, huh?

yah, it's probably no more than $35 to make this thing even if it was assembled in the US. service parts have huge margins for the distributor and retailer (dealers).

Should be able to solder bridge the appropriate switch on the backside of the circuit board creating a permanent setting of "unlocked".

i wonder if the "locked" condition is needed for correct shut-down? we dont want the intelligent key icon to show up in the cluster.

Yes the ideal would be to trigger whichever condition it desires based on the pin input signal. The problem is that this would require additional circuitry and always on power (microscopic power drain) to store the current state using a transistor pair. Definitely can be done, and for a lot cheaper than the price of a new lock. If the logic state storage isn't required it will be even simpler, but I haven't had a chance to experiment yet. I guess I will have to buy someone's dead unit since I don't feel like taking apart my working one yet :)

As a quick fix I think setting it to the always unlocked state would work, but give you the key icon.

Got information on the switch from this link, http://www.the370z.com/diy-section-d...no-photos.html. The switch is SPDT commonly close, Download Data Sheet: Turquoise stroke switches Data Sheet for: Switch,pin plunger,SPDT,PCB,without boss. Part No ASQ11510J. Manufactured by Panasonic

So much for being a sealed switch, not sealed very well if it allowing grease in.

Ok so the switch must be internally cut, removed or track trace cut since it is normally closed (in the released state).

If the switch removed, it would be normally open, wouldn't it? Then removing the switches would be the same as keeping the switches pressed all the time.

Yes switch removed would be open circuit, which is equivalent to pressing the switch.

Sounds good. But I suppose this is something one must risk doing prior to failure...otherwise same issue with dealing with towing and dealer. Now how many users would risk taking the thing apart while it is still functional is yet another question to consider I suppose. :)

Kenchan, you can remove the white plastic gear completely and the actual shaft that the gear moves up and down to lock the steering wheel, as well as the motor really. Obviously you wont be able to lock the steering wheel but who cares the car will start. As for the electronic pins I assume they have to be held down and connected for the car to start by completing the circuit.There is a metal plate inside the white plastic gear that presses the pins down and completes the circuit when it releases the steering lock. I am by no means a electronics wizz and if someone can come up with an easier way to do it than a piece of metal and electrical tape then I say sweeet and I will open mine up again and change it.:tup: Hope this made sense.

I just looked at photos of the lock unit internal mechanism. It looks like the 2 switches activated by the column shaft. So the 2 switches will determine if you can start the car or not.

Hope this helps.

Aha, this makes sense. Thanks! :D so how many revolutions does the spur gear make to raise the lock latch and to lower latch/push micro switches? :confused: or does it not make a full rotation? (My guess)

Maybe one rotation. It isn't much.

I bet it wouldn't be hard to come up with a simple jumper module to plug in place of the steer lock and make it like work liked the late 2012 model.

I wouldn't be surprised if they come up with an ECU "upgrade" that allows Consult to disable the steering lock and have it removed. This would be a good feature for UpRev to have as well.

I agree, someone call uprev and get them on it.

chris- the 'brain' for the steering-lock is the BCM, no? can UpRev, which i believe flashes the ECU EPROM, be able to flash the BCM as well? :confused:

Why Nissan used 2 switches to detect the column shaft? The switches got activated at the same time. Is it a redundant system?

good question indeed...

BCM correct. It's a good question, someone will have to ask UpRev if they have any BCM control.

Redundancy yes. Both switches must agree otherwise it's a lock-out state.

So it might be AND logic input to the BCM.

Yes, there are 2 outputs from the steering lock with opposite signal voltages feeding the BCM on pins 97 & 98, so it would actually be A & (!B). I think you could just hardwire to the unlock status and it should work, pin 97 12V, pin 98 GND - you would still get the key signal though but at least it would work and you don't risk burning out the expensive BCM (unless you screw up the wiring).

I tackle electronics from the "end user of the circuit(s)". Maybe you find my new thread "Steering Lock: cut a wire..etc" of interest...learned from all the circuit board connections within the lock itself. Hope it helps.

Fritz