Do I have yet another steering lock failure?!?!

Portlis

Looking for some help!

I fear that I have encountered my second steering lock mechanism failure. Sigh. I'm so pissed off right now.

I went to turn on my 09' Z today and it won't start. Ignition button won't go past lock. Putting the fob in the fobgina doesn't help. I have the blinking red car icon with the key in it on the main dash console and intermittently I have the yellow key icon on the left console. My steering wheel feels locked. One thing that's interesting is that neither of my fobs works to lock or unlock my doors, which seems different from what other people are reporting. Is this normal?

I bought my 370z brand new in 2008. I first encountered a steering lock failure in around 2012 maybe? At that time, I hit it with a hammer, released it, and cut the brown wire. Worked perfectly. But that was before the Nissan recall. When I brought it in for an oil change after that, they insisted on "fixing" it per the recall, and so they did. And now 7 years later here I sit again. I should have never let the bastards "fix" it. Hitting it with a hammer/mallet this time didn't help. Yup, I should have just pulled the god damn fuse, but foolish me thought the problem was behind me after the recall. I never even came back to these forums to check and see that people were still having problems with new ones.

So, a few questions for you guys.

Do you think this is for sure a steering lock failure, or could it be something else? Particularly because my fobs don't work right now for even locking my doors. (I do still have manual control of interior lights and headlights of course, so electric is working fine)

I tried the pin into the pink wire socket and ground with a screwdriver method, but I can't get it to cycle at all. It doesn't seem to do anything. Maybe I'm doing something wrong? I'm doing it just like the youtube video shows.

I took a picture of the current replacement steering lock unit I have installed right now. Here are all of the numbers and letters listed on the sticker. What version do I have?

48700
JF00D-B1-01
T 471A2844
E07 M02
05.03.13

And lastly, if the hammer trick doesn't work, the pin/ground trick doesn't work, and I can't get my car into ACC mode at all, do I have any options? Would the $75ish dollar lock bypass ebay kit thing work for me do you think? Ugh, I'm so frustrated right now!

Quicksilvers

You are not going to want to hear this but your first mod you ever did on your 09 Z should have been pulling the steering lock fuse. The steering lock bypass kit from eBay does work I have seen people use this kit with success. You should search though this topic has been beat to a pulp. SouthArk370Z has a link to the TSB. If you can’t fix this yourself I recommend taking your Z to a Nissan dealership service department or shop you trust.

__________________
Mr. Clean

Portlis

You aren't wrong, but at this point it's too late so it's sort of a moot point. Stupid me for thinking my Z was fixed 7 years ago when the dealership themselves insisted on replacing the steering lock I guess? Heaven forbid I trust that the manufacturer has a clue what they are doing.

I've already searched through this topic thoroughly, believe me. That's why I had a few specific questions I was hoping to have answered by folks more knowledgeable than myself.

I'm definitely not taking my Z to a Nissan dealership unless it's a last resort. I'm not paying those bastards a single penny to fix this issue if I can help it. I'll write them a bad check before they get a penny out of me for their faulty ****. As for a 3rd party shop, I sure wish I had one that I trust but I don't. I've yet to find a mechanic that does good work and is also trustworthy and fair in my entire life. They're all crooks as far as I'm concerned.

And thus, that's why I'm researching every DIY option first. If the eBay bypass kit works and it's something I can install myself, then I'm happy with that. But I don't know how it works, if it works, if it works even if you are fully stock in lock mode, and if it's something I'd be capable of installing myself. I'm not a super blue collar type of guy.