Tachometer / RPM problem ???
 

I've a strange issue with my tachometer.
From time to time after starting the engine, the tachometer needle is dropping below the 0, it simply points downwards.
When I accelerate the needle raises correctly, but not to the correct value; engine idling = needle pointing downwards, real 2000 rpm = needle at 500 rpm, real 4000 rpm = needle at 2000 rpm.
So 2000 rpm are "missing" somehow.

Driving itself is completely ok, no problems so far.

Does anyone have had that issue? Any solutions welcome, thanks in advance.


Sorry for my English...!

I'd get to the dealer.

:iagree:

Definitely not normal. Seems like it should be an easy fix.

Take it to the dealer. That's not right. It probably needs to be calibrated.

BUT FIRST!

Go outside and disconnect the battery and leave it for a while. Come back and reconnect the battery. This will reset the ECU and possibly clear any random glitch that might be causing your tachometer problem.

If that doesn't work, take it in to the dealer and be sure to let them know that you disconnected the battery and it didn't help.

did you kill the car on the autobahn? man Id love to drive the Z on it and see what it can do for an extended period.

Thanks for the advice, will test that.
@m4a1mustang: All settings are lost after disconnecting the battery for a few minutes, right?

@steve: No, no Autobahn was involved, only a dark, deep, dirty garage... ;)

So how fast have you had her on the autobahn?

@steve: Sorry, I have the car just for 5 days, it's brandnew and so it's still in the break-in schedule. So, I just get it to app. a 140 km/h... Rather boring, I suppose.. ;)

Anyway, every further help, hint or tip is appreciated!!!

Yeah, I think you lose your radio settings and what not.

dealer it is man, only 5 days, dealership time. So do you get any fuss about not buying German? Like the Audi TTS or TTRS? Is the TTRS out there in Germany yet?

pffff audi.


The TT is ugly anyway

i thought TT was for girls... well, TTRS for richer girls.

Where can I find one of those rich girls with a TTRS? Id have to do whatever to get in her seat.:eek:

I have this issue but with the speedometer not the rpm gauge. Im taking her in this week to get it looked at. When I turn the car on if the gauge does not sweep it will act as you described. If I turn the car off and back on it fixes itself everytime. I've noticed that this issue only arises after the car has been sitting over night.

Interesting. Same behaviour with on/off and instant fix here. Do you have a garage or is it outside over night? How old is your car? Please keep me informed what the dealer said, ok?

2009 AT and no garage. I feel like it might be related to sitting outside in the cold over night but I have no way to confirm this as I just got the car in January and its only now just starting to warm up a bit here. I will def post back more info from the dealer when it comes.

@4r3s: I do have a garage (+7 degree C minimum) but the problem still exits. I made a clip with my phone today, alas no chance to post it here (I dont know how to *cough*).
When do you plan to take the car to the dealer?

what's the car like on the autobahn? I evny you so much, i'd love to take the z on the autobahn...

can you please take a video of yourself cruising on the autobahn so that we may live vicariously through you?

I second that motion!

Im taking it in this friday, first oil change! the car hasnt showed this issue all week so far so I have a feeling this may be a multiple trip to the dealer to get it fixed...

Well, I'm curious to see what the reason is/was. Mine did it again today... :mad:
Hopefully it's not a multiple trip for you (and me) to fix it! I'll keep my fingers crossed. :rolleyes:

yep just as I suspected. They couldnt recreate the problem and there were no error codes in the computer.

frankster - does your car only do this when it sits overnight and on the first start up of the morning?

Yes, only after a longer period of standing still. Last time it was after 8 hours standing on a parking lot. Use your phone-camera to make a short movieclip of the faulty behaviour of our diabolic needles :). I made 2 clips and I'm taking the car to the dealer tomorrow, so I can show them at last what the problem is - and I have an evidence.

Not good to hear that there are no errorcodes generated - it's difficult than to specify what exactly the problem is. ;-(

I wonder if our car has an electronical or a technical tachometer. That would be 2 completely different kind of problem.

Is your car new? (Don't remember if I asked that before...) Mine is, so I will push the dealer gently to a solution... :p

its a 2009 made in march so its a year old but I just got it in january 2010 and only have 2k miles on it so I think that qualifies as new.

sometimes if I start up and im in P the revs keep moving around the 1000 rpm mark just twitching up and down. it is weird

Yes, it'd call that new, too.

@vegitto: When the erratic behaviour occurs, it's like you describe, the needle is moving up and down instead of pointing to the exact value. Have an eye on it..!

Ok, I'm back from the dealer.

Like 4r3s they didn't get an errorcode. They tried and tested as provided in the TSB etc. No real progress.

ECM has been reflashed/updated. Formerly my brightness controls on the combi instrument didn't work correctly (I think), because only 2 steps of brightness were provided: brighter and darker. Now I have a ruler with which I can fine adjust the brightness in app. 10-15 steps. In addition, the navi has not only the dark and bright map for day and night, but an auto-adjust feature that I definately didn't had before. Depending on how much light is exposed to the navi-surface the screen brightness adjusts itself. Great thing! :rolleyes:

So, at least something HAS changed...

Ok, only time will tell if the original error is solved - I just need to test it a couple of days (or weeks). I keep contact with my dealer, he want's to know if the error has gone or if it still persists. A case is created therefore with Nissan Germany.

I'll keep you informed, too... :hello:

Well, a couple of days passed now and what can I say?

Problem has gone!!!

ECM reflash/update seems so have solved the problem completely! :happydance:

Ok, a couple of month later...and the problem is back again!

It really seems to be a weather-related problem, because it occurs only if the car has been on a parking lot outside, never if it has been in the garage over night.
A problem-ticket is opened at Nissan (global), so if anyone else has this problem, feel free to join the club! :p

If any news , I'll post them here...

News update!
Since I called Nissan customer support as well as activated my local Nissan dealer, I got a call from Nissan: my combination meter is about to get swapped to a new one... it's already ordered.

Later...

Combination meter has been swapped, everything 's fine since then...

The vehicle miles traveled can't be reprogrammed, so the reading will begin at 0 again. The values will be taken into the scheduled maintenance papers/documents belonging to the car.

I'll post changes.

Not at all trying to be an ***, but does it overheat on the autobahn, or do you have oil-coolers installed in Germany standard?

I say this because my Dad's 'vette (back in the 70's) would overheat if he drove it at a steady 120+ or so. Again, not a tongue-in-cheek attack as I am sure I will be accused of, I am curious if sustained speed causes problems for the OEM setup.

I realise most of the autobahn does have a speed limit, though. Specify what part you were on/speed you were at that it was okay/not okay?

That doesn't mean there isn't a problem. I had issues with my Trans Am that were electrical ground issues, intermittant, etc. and they never did find it. X-gf's dad found it. That guy was the bomb working on cars. Probably the best part of that relationship. Now I'm all wistful : (

Hope this fix sticks. I find it strange they couldn't roll the odometer to what it should be at but whatever. Thanks for the update Frank, I'll be taking my car in soon!

Import - Its kind of the exact opposite, this behavior only occurs when its near or below freezing outside.

@Import: Sorry, was absent long time... No, there are no factory installed oil coolers in Germany, we need to buy them, too.

@4r3s: Thanks for the rep point! :) Did you let your car fix yet? Mine works flawless since the swap... They can't reprogram the odometer because of security reasons (cheating milage etc).