Now that I've gotten mine working again, I'd say the worst part of a self-repair is just getting the switch open. Took me probably an hour once I had my drill charged, and used the correct Dremel cutter.

It super easy to just move the gear back into the unlocked position, and pull the motor like I did then put it back together. All in all, it should only take a couple hours. I spent a lot longer trying to understand how everything worked, but really the only important parts are pulling the motor to prevent accidental lock engagement, and forcing the buttons down. You could even forgo reinstalling the lock all together (there would be an empty hole which could cause problems), put the board inside something, and/or tape the buttons the down.

akmofo wrote:
When the switch is depressed (there's only in, no half-way as theorized by Fritz in other post). 1 and 6 get disconnected and 2,3,4,5 are all connected.
Not this Fritz! Disconnection/Connection is complete at half-way in or earlier but I advised not to over-push the switch(es) to the limit(s).

Confirmed again: the two switches change at about half way and nothing in between! (They're also easily available cheaply from your electronics parts shop...as are the Omron relays.)

That apart::::the important thing to note is that the brown wire passes both positive and negative. On car testing with voltages is ill-advised and the "fuse" is thus...er... confused!

Also see my several posts and threads on this: The board fits (fitted) neatly in an eyeglass case which fits nicely in the car thus saving dead weight...but testers in Europe (and some states) need a steering lock so I progressed from there with the "switch optional" thread which also adds vehicle security.

Regards,

Fritz

Hey Fritz This site has been very quiet since you have been gone don't come in here and start the "fuse" stuff again like you and that other guy did and all you guys did was confuse everybody if you want to help then help if you have any other agenda I suggest finding a new site.

Hello guys.

So... i ended up having my steering lock go out on me on my GTR, and after searching realized the 370z had the same part and you guys had alot of information.

Since my warranty was out, I ended up having my car towed to my home and attempted some of the fixes that are listed on this forum. It seems the Fuse fix doesnt work on the GTR, as I was able to get the car to turn on to Acc and On mode, and with the fuse removed, the car was still looking for the steering lock. I didnt end up trying to cut the wire, maybe this will work?

I will attach some pictures of the battery fuse box and the fuse that i removed if someone wants to look at it.

Anyways I ended up taking out the Dremel, and slicing the box open, and having the gear fully turned so that the 2 buttons are fully depressed and basically it is in a permanent "unlocked" state.

Well... that is cool but now, it seems this throws a code? the key light came back on after a few times of turning the car on and off. It doesnt affect the car turning on, but it seems to be triggering that it cannot lock the steering lock when the car is off? It actually goes away when I clear the codes on the car but will always come back after a few on and off cycles.

Anyways, if anyone has any more information about this on a GTR or possibly another permanent fix that i havent tried. or maybe i should try the wire cutting method?

I wrote up a complete DIY on how I repaired mine.

http://www.the370z.com/diy-section-d...ml#post2134381

(this wasn't really to answer bhk1004's post, just coincidentally posted at the same time).

I'm confused. about this part:
Are you saying it doesn't prevent the car from starting? Or that the steering lock no longer works? I would expect the lock to not work anymore if you pulled the fuse.

I think the fuse just powers the motor that spins the gear and raises/lowers the lock. Cutting the wire does the same thing, just at a different point in the circuit.

My girlfriend's car has the little yellow light on as well, but it doesn't seem to affect the ability to start it, which is the only thing I cared about.

yes, I followed your pictures and write ups, as well as someone else on the GTR forums that actually was able to actually fix the unit. So now with the motor removed and the unit in a permanent "unlocked" button depressed mode, I am getting the key light again. but it seems now its for not being able to "lock" when the car is turned off and is throwing a code. which I can actually wipe. but will come back.

Wondering if there is a fix somewhere for this.

BTW, I actually used the peice at the top, the spring lock mechanism, the hold the pin down which seemed to work pretty good as well.

yes, the light is on, but the car starts perfectly fine. I was wondering if there is a way to get rid of this stupid light... as I am sure there will be questions when I am either selling the car or trading the car in which will become a headache...

BTW awesome info on the new bolts to replace the headache security bolts... gonna go get me some tonight!

Thanks! Wait, I just realized you said you have a GTR. Aren't you eligible for the recall?

http://www.the370z.com/diy-section-d...ml#post1501963

called the GTR hotline, what we consider a recall and what they consider a recall are 2 completely different things. They say officially that is only considered a technical service bulletin and are refusing to fix it FOC outside of warranty. and the part doesnt fall under the drivetrain warranty... i woulda thought steering wheel would be part of the drivetrain? lol. oh well.

oh and my car didnt fall into the catergory for the TSB either... due to this was to replace the unit for the C model. and my car already came with the C so I am assuming thats why my VIN wasnt included in this.

Is it a 2009? I would print it up, go dealer to dealer until one will do it for you.

It says pretty clearly:

http://www.the370z.com/attachments/d...lockrecall.pdf

OWNER’S LETTER
Dear Nissan Owner:
Nissan is committed to providing the highest levels of product quality and customer satisfaction. We believe that our current and future success depends on your continued satisfaction with Nissan. With that in mind, we want to bring to your attention important information regarding the Steering Column Lock System in your 2009 Nissan GT-R.

REASON FOR SERVICE CAMPAIGN
Your 2009 GT-R is equipped with an Electronic Steering Column Lock (ESCL) that locks the steering wheel when the vehicle is parked and turned off to help prevent theft. On some 2009 GT-R vehicles, excessive oil within the ESCL may cause the On Board Theft Deterrent System to prevent the engine from starting. To avoid any such occurrences, Nissan will replace the ESCL Assembly.

WHAT NISSAN WILL DO
Your Nissan dealer will inspect and if necessary, replace the Electric Steering Column Lock (ESCL) Unit free of charge for parts and labor. WHAT YOU SHOULD DO Contact your Nissan dealer at your earliest convenience in order to arrange an appointment. To ensure the least inconvenience for you, it is important that you have an appointment before bringing your vehicle to the Nissan dealer for service. Please bring this notice with you when you keep your service appointment. Instructions have been sent to your Nissan dealer.
If the dealer fails, or is unable to complete the service free of charge, you may contact the National Consumer Affairs Department, Nissan North America, Inc., P.O. Box 685003, Franklin, TN 37068-5003. The toll free number is 1-866-668-1487.

Is that the 866 number you called?

yup. but the problem is, they are replacing the earlier A and B units for the C unit. My car already had the C unit from the factory and my car is outside of the VIN numbers that are covered.

oh and if you call them, they still maintain this is not a recall, and is only a technical service bulletin. lol.

Lame. I'm still waiting to hear back from Nissan as I've asked them to foot the bill since I have a B unit, but I have a 370z (like it matters, a bad part is a bad part).

kinda wierd having a GTR guy finding info about steering lock here since i originally found the info from a GTR site how they swapped out the unit. :icon17:

GL on the repairs guys. :)

yah... they did say if you keep the reciept for any $$$ you pay, and eventually there is a recall they will reimburse you... If they do have a recall in the future, not sure how they gonna feel about my cut up unit that is duct taped together... lol.

Yeah I'm hoping that since it was already at the dealer for that, and the dealer diagnosed it as a dead slu that I'll be ok. They were a little surprised when I told them I was going to come in and take the part and repair it.

Not that I expect the service advisors to understand the inner workings of the unit.

Akmofo wrote:

yes, the light is on, but the car starts perfectly fine. I was wondering if there is a way to get rid of this stupid light... as I am sure there will be questions when I am either selling the car or trading the car in which will become a headache...

The light will probably go out if the neg bat terminal is dis for a few minutes.
with ign off.
If not try a half hour.
First read the owner's manual on windows.
You'll also lose radio settings but all else will be AOK after a mile or two.

If the light does not go out there remains a problem.

Fritz

Baer 3883 wrote:
Hey Fritz This site has been very quiet since you have been gone don't come in here and start the "fuse" stuff again like you and that other guy did and all you guys did was confuse everybody if you want to help then help if you have any other agenda I suggest finding a new site.

What does one do with that? From willy waving nonsense on a good engines thread? ...to "shoulda coulda" posts? To hi-jacked ideas? Or 3000+ repetitions of the same English error? Does no-one dare tell? I understand why. Why bother?

Since I did all the R&D (without Baer 383 help, but his thanks actually posted) and my name occurs within the first four lines of at least 4 thread starters to acknowledge that R&D, methinks I'll post help and/or safety where it may be (but not necessarily is) ignored.

Full marks to akmofo for sorting out the mess of posts, mostly caused by "for real" when it was just an "alternative": good for many, but misleading, and not for Europe.

Got that, Mr B? "For real"? Good.

Fritz.

hey fritz- you have been very helpful in your posts especially the cut brown wire approach you introduced, along with how you took apart the steering lock (you were the first one) to figure out the fix per your other thread. :tup:
also followed by AWX Z34 and KORRUPT confirming this.

i think pulling the steering-lock fuse idea is also great. but without fritz figuring out that the car starts even with a broken steering-lock shut off in the unlock state, we probably would still be scratching our heads.

this has definitely been a team effort to resolve. personally, when my rev-c dies, im going to knock it around alittle bit to try to unlock it, then cut brown wire to disable it.

if that fails, i will use my working rev-b and disable it while cutting the brown wire. :)

Fritz, I appreciate your R&D and your willingness to share it with the forum.

It's great to have many options to get around this problem. There are enough threads on this forum for people to read and make the choice that suits them best.

Big shout out to DEpointfive0 for having his cell# out there for quick reference tonight! Thanks buddy! :tiphat:

Welp add me to the list of stricken '09 370's. Build date 01/09 6MT-RevB SLU. I've had the car a little over a year myself and it has right around 36k miles. Friday at lunch- 1pm No start. Ikey light has been intermittently acting up the past month or so. Dealer initially said that I just needed a new Keyfob battery-did so. I had the actual car battery replaced back in December too, it was dying as well apparently. I'm outside of warranty so just as a preemptive strike to the Ikey light I was reading a bit on the forums here about what was believed to be the primary cause.

I pulled my SLU out from the dash this evening after getting bored with banging on it via rubber mallet and mashing the Start repeatedly. By the time I peeked at the mounting bolts they were loose enough to just undo them by hand. :shakes head: When I got it free I was shocked to see my security bolt wasn't in the lock position like most of the affected but what appears to be fully retracted or so outward appearances would seem. I don't have the cohones or tools to crack the case YET! I haven't pulled any fuses or cut any wires...nor am I wanting to cut the original harness if at all possible!

Any random techniques or measures you guys want me to try besides the main ones from the DIY?

I'm still debating if I want to order another part- $549 locally and they say 2 day wait? From the sound of other peoples experience though that seems a bit fishy like salesman bs.

Some additional and possibly helpful weather information provided by our tax dollars?

CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
529 PM CST FRI JAN 25 2013

...THE OKLAHOMA CITY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR JANUARY 25 2013...
VALID TODAY AS OF 0500 PM LOCAL TIME.

WEATHER ITEM OBSERVED TIME RECORD YEAR NORMAL DEPARTURE LAST
VALUE (LST) VALUE TIME
.................................................. ................
TEMPERATURE (F)
TODAY
MAXIMUM 50 400 PM
MINIMUM 28 414 AM
AVERAGE 39

SKY COVER
AVERAGE SKY COVER 0.9

WEATHER CONDITIONS
THE FOLLOWING WEATHER WAS RECORDED TODAY.
FOG
HAZE

RELATIVE HUMIDITY (PERCENT)
HIGHEST 85 300 AM
LOWEST 42 300 PM
AVERAGE 64

.................................................. ........
(source-)

It seems to me, if it's not in the locked position, it's probably just not rotated down far enough to contact the two turquoise switches. You could drill a small enough hole to rotate the gear all the way into the downward position here. If you did this, you would want to cut the brown wire, or pull the fuse though to prevent the motor from rotating it again.

http://www.the370z.com/attachments/d...6-dsc_0092.jpg

Thinking about this even more... if you drilled the hole here (carefully, so you don't punch into the board) you would have access to the turquoise switches, and/or rotate the gear.

http://www.the370z.com/attachments/d...10s-image2.jpg

It's pouring down rain here today, not so sure I want to lift her skirt and be toying around with fuses at the moment. Do you know what the approximate board clearance there right after the sloped corner in the last picture is? What you used looks like it chewed through the casing rather easily, was that just a regular drill bit? I'm thinking I may give it a go with a grinder tip.

I used a dremel cutting wheel, and drilled into it with my drill, but what really chewed it up was trying to bend the frame to get it apart. Bending the holes I cut cause them to rip, which is why it looked so chewed up. The holes by themselves came out pretty clean before the bending.

You can see in Korrupt's picture here, the board is pretty close to the bottom of the casing.

http://www.the370z.com/attachments/d...ly-2010s-2.jpg

Also, notice the 6 solder points in a perfect line where the switches are. That should be your guide for where the hole needs to go.

If you do this, let us know. It would actually be a much simpler fix than ripping the whole thing apart. Let me know what size drill bit you use.

So I went back and re-removed the unit for further examination.
https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&i...153256960-1&zw

It almost seems like my piston is reverse locked. I pushed down ever so gently with a small wooden kebob stick to gain a measure for depth. There is a nice little audible click that comes from inside when I nudge that piston down approximately 1/2 inch from being flush at the top. When I release it there is another tiny audible click and it returns to the state in the picture above but never fully extends? Somethings catching it...I'm about to go re-harness it and mash the piston with my finger to see if it'll fire up! Be back soon with updates and the car in the driveway hopefully.

https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&i...593440768-1&zwhttps://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&i...593440768-2&zw

Afterthought just before leaving-it feels spring loaded but none of those pictures indicate anything pushing upwards? Only noticeable springs are the slide bolt that seems to "lock" it into the fully extended position like in your video??

I don't think the force will cause the gear to rotate enough for the bottom part of the lock to hit those switches. There is a spring in the lock thing. I'm not quite sure the purpose, but it does allow it to press in and pop back out a little. I'm not sure the purpose of it. I think you can see it in this picture.

http://www.the370z.com/attachments/d...6-dsc_0112.jpg

VRRRROOOOMMMM

Hey Nissan, nice security...I just fixed my car and bypassed your unit with my index finger. I'll be keeping my 1107.96 for myself thank you very much! :owned:

Ok, so back on track. I need to find a permanent solution for this now. I bought a little rotary tool set and a JB weld steelstick. JB takes at least an hour to cure- I don't have any sort of vice setup to clamp the bolt down either. May have to default to cutting the case open and dialing it back manually from the side. My main goal here is to keep as much outward appearance of normality though in case I want to resell it.

Suggestions at this stage? I'll see if I can upload a video from my phone of what I did tonight too.

Cover the hole you cut with a Nissan sticker.

yah, after you get the failed lock working, put the car in ACC and either cut the brown wire or pull the fuse. that is your permanent solution per other members.

i suppose you can use aluminum foil tape to put that dissassembled steering lock back together.

If you actually get inside the slu, pulling the motor is another permanent solution.

are there any risk of the gear moving out of position without the motor inside?

either case (brown wire cut or pull fuse) the motor is used as a locking mechanism. locks the gear from moving out of the unlocked state.

well you can just superglue the gear down, or like i did, use the locking pin to hold it in place.

I need to try the fuse/wire cut fix though. I still get the key light and its very annoying.

sounds good.

hummm... not sure why the keylight is still illuminated on yours.
when we cut the brown wire/full fuse, there is no error icon.

yes, I have not done the wire/fuse fix. I got the car to start, then pulled the steering lock fuse and my car would no start. so I ended up reinstalling the fuse and cutting the Steering Lock Mechanism and making it permanently unlocked. which worked, but now i have the annoying keylight on. I have to see if the fuse or the wire mod will fix that light from coming on.

doesnt really matter to me, but seems like an annoying question to answer when i sell the car in a few years.

If the light is lit, "that means the key is working"
If its not lit "that means the key is working"

Good thread! I was looking at it due to hearing lots about the issue. I have an 11' and thought I was in the clear. Apparently some 11's might have it. But after some research and looking the the steering wheel column looks like I might be okay?
On vin built date says 2/11 and under the steering lock the serial number is 48700 JF00D B1 01 . so looks like I will be okay right? lol . :p

Nope. Rev. D might be the most reliable lock, but you're still far from safe. I would still consider pulling the Fuse just to be on the safe side.

i haven't taken apart a revC and revD so i can't say for sure if the RevD is the sound solution or not.

i think best way is to disable it by fritz's brown wire cut, or baer's fuse pull before anything happens. that will for sure (from wat's been reported so far) completely eliminate the possiblity of a steering lock failure.

before one does anything BE SURE to read the instructions on how to do the above trick. the car MUST be in ACC (or ON) when the operation is done. gl! :)

You really need to put it in the on position so any thing that needs to be on when the fuse is pulled is on.