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2,822 Posts
Dear All,
When I bought my Navara it in its defective state (rod through the block), the hazard lights never worked along with an intermittent fault on the central locking.
Looking through its full Nissan service history I kept seeing the recorded comments 'hazards lights not working' and ‘hazard light fuse replaced’.
So I knew this was a long-standing defect when I went to repair it.
As the flasher unit is common to, and used on both circuits I stripped out the front of the dashboard to get to it.
Having got there tested a few wires, connections and ‘fiddled’ about behind the dash, I replaced the fuse and although it all worked, however I wasn’t happy, because I had not really found a clear cause.
Having spent the last 3 months investigating the original cause, then strengthening my replacement engine to ensure it doesn't throw another rod, I finally got it on the road last Sunday.
4 days later suddenly the indicators stopped working but the hazards and central locking was OK, once again this latest problem led back to the flasher unit, so once again, off came the front of the dashboard.
As I was doing this I smelt burning, quickly off with the battery I reverted to my former life as an arson and fire investigator.
After disconnecting more items from the wiring I was able to pull it free and out of the dashboard to find (pictured below)
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i57/c ... 010417.jpg
An area of the loom that had burnt completely through, and was arcing out on the metal dash framing.
The right turn indicator wire had burnt right through, two other wires were 90% burnt through and another 3 had severe insulation damage.
Sorry for the bad photo.
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i57/c ... 010431.jpg
The loom had not been tampered with and was still held in place by the original Nissan cable ties that I had to cut to free it.
Once found it was a reasonably straightforward repair to cut away the damaged wires, solder in, and re-insulate the new and damaged ones.
I also re-routed the loom and increased the insulation where it has to touch metal, this repair has held good.
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i57/c ... 010441.jpg
The section of the dash loom involved controlled the following electrical items:
· Hazard lights
· Indicators - both ways
· Cigar lighter
· Drivers door central locking timer relay
· Three other doors central locking timer relay
· Entry system main control unit
So if you should suffer repeatedly blown fuses on, or non-working of these electrical items it may be yet another generic fault with Navara’s worth looking at first.
After the job my hands were cut to pieces, the edges of the sheet metal components behind the dash is ridiculously sharp, I suspect this was the original cause of the damage to the loom insulation.
Once again it shows a lack of professionalism by official Nissan workshops, true, fuses are a safety device but very rarely do they just blow, there is usually a cause, to repeatedly have the same circuit affected should have warranted an in depth inspection.
When I joined this group I was very aware of the passion Navara owners held for their cars, and went to great lengths to state that I was not slagging Nissans off, for fear of upsetting you, yet the more I understand the Nissan company attitude, and learn of the lamentable build quality, I am rapidly regretting leaving Lexus.
Sorry, but there it is,
Chris Vince
When I bought my Navara it in its defective state (rod through the block), the hazard lights never worked along with an intermittent fault on the central locking.
Looking through its full Nissan service history I kept seeing the recorded comments 'hazards lights not working' and ‘hazard light fuse replaced’.
So I knew this was a long-standing defect when I went to repair it.
As the flasher unit is common to, and used on both circuits I stripped out the front of the dashboard to get to it.
Having got there tested a few wires, connections and ‘fiddled’ about behind the dash, I replaced the fuse and although it all worked, however I wasn’t happy, because I had not really found a clear cause.
Having spent the last 3 months investigating the original cause, then strengthening my replacement engine to ensure it doesn't throw another rod, I finally got it on the road last Sunday.
4 days later suddenly the indicators stopped working but the hazards and central locking was OK, once again this latest problem led back to the flasher unit, so once again, off came the front of the dashboard.
As I was doing this I smelt burning, quickly off with the battery I reverted to my former life as an arson and fire investigator.
After disconnecting more items from the wiring I was able to pull it free and out of the dashboard to find (pictured below)
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i57/c ... 010417.jpg
An area of the loom that had burnt completely through, and was arcing out on the metal dash framing.
The right turn indicator wire had burnt right through, two other wires were 90% burnt through and another 3 had severe insulation damage.
Sorry for the bad photo.
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i57/c ... 010431.jpg
The loom had not been tampered with and was still held in place by the original Nissan cable ties that I had to cut to free it.
Once found it was a reasonably straightforward repair to cut away the damaged wires, solder in, and re-insulate the new and damaged ones.
I also re-routed the loom and increased the insulation where it has to touch metal, this repair has held good.
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i57/c ... 010441.jpg
The section of the dash loom involved controlled the following electrical items:
· Hazard lights
· Indicators - both ways
· Cigar lighter
· Drivers door central locking timer relay
· Three other doors central locking timer relay
· Entry system main control unit
So if you should suffer repeatedly blown fuses on, or non-working of these electrical items it may be yet another generic fault with Navara’s worth looking at first.
After the job my hands were cut to pieces, the edges of the sheet metal components behind the dash is ridiculously sharp, I suspect this was the original cause of the damage to the loom insulation.
Once again it shows a lack of professionalism by official Nissan workshops, true, fuses are a safety device but very rarely do they just blow, there is usually a cause, to repeatedly have the same circuit affected should have warranted an in depth inspection.
When I joined this group I was very aware of the passion Navara owners held for their cars, and went to great lengths to state that I was not slagging Nissans off, for fear of upsetting you, yet the more I understand the Nissan company attitude, and learn of the lamentable build quality, I am rapidly regretting leaving Lexus.
Sorry, but there it is,
Chris Vince
