help me please!
07-29-2005, 06:36 PM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 81
help me please!
hey guyz i got a problem with my electrical system that scares me!
when i apply my brakes while driving periodically the stereo cuts off when i release the brake it cuts back on also the climate control temp will flash a little at the same time
then tonight i went to my car and tried to crank it and nothing happened nothing at all no fire no dead battery sound like rur rur rur.....then i tried to cut mu lights on nothing cut em off and back on they turned on....then my car cranked i put my foot on the brake and the car died after i got it running i drove all the way home with no problems
now last week i bought a radar detector and had to install a 12v outlet cuz mine was gone the one i bought did not wire in correctly and there is to wires where the cigarette lighter went one had a 2 prong female outlet and the other wire had a one prong female outlet i plugged in both wires which i think was incorrect to the 12v source after doing so i started having probs but i unconnected that and im still having issues my dad seems to think that these issues are not related
im scard cuz the car seems to run electronically and i think electrical problems with this car could bve a nightmare...has anyone had these issues with there 300zx !
when i apply my brakes while driving periodically the stereo cuts off when i release the brake it cuts back on also the climate control temp will flash a little at the same time
then tonight i went to my car and tried to crank it and nothing happened nothing at all no fire no dead battery sound like rur rur rur.....then i tried to cut mu lights on nothing cut em off and back on they turned on....then my car cranked i put my foot on the brake and the car died after i got it running i drove all the way home with no problems
now last week i bought a radar detector and had to install a 12v outlet cuz mine was gone the one i bought did not wire in correctly and there is to wires where the cigarette lighter went one had a 2 prong female outlet and the other wire had a one prong female outlet i plugged in both wires which i think was incorrect to the 12v source after doing so i started having probs but i unconnected that and im still having issues my dad seems to think that these issues are not related
im scard cuz the car seems to run electronically and i think electrical problems with this car could bve a nightmare...has anyone had these issues with there 300zx !
07-29-2005, 08:32 PM
#3
Jack Of All Trades
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Acton, California
Posts: 2,296
electrical problems are hard to diagnose. You have a short or loose wire somewhere around your brakelight / stereo / AC / radar detector wiring.
So, maybe start by removing the panel where the stereo is and look back there for some loose / cut wires. Like around where the stereo / AC / radar detector wires are.
If nothing is obvious, remove any electrical component that was recently added.
Start with that ^^^^^^^^
Another possible way to find a short, is to be in the dark, and then do whatever it is that causes the problem, while at the same time looking around at the wiring ( in the dark). You'll see sparks or flashes where ever the short is.
lol........... speaking of using darkness to diagnose problems. It's a site to see when you have bad sparkplug wires and dizzy cap and open the hood. The spark trails are pretty neat.
So, maybe start by removing the panel where the stereo is and look back there for some loose / cut wires. Like around where the stereo / AC / radar detector wires are.
If nothing is obvious, remove any electrical component that was recently added.
Start with that ^^^^^^^^
Another possible way to find a short, is to be in the dark, and then do whatever it is that causes the problem, while at the same time looking around at the wiring ( in the dark). You'll see sparks or flashes where ever the short is.
lol........... speaking of using darkness to diagnose problems. It's a site to see when you have bad sparkplug wires and dizzy cap and open the hood. The spark trails are pretty neat.
Last edited by CanyonCarver; 07-29-2005 at 08:37 PM.
07-30-2005, 01:07 AM
#5
The Cake Is A Lie!
Join Date: May 2003
Location: WA
Posts: 5,690
possibly a bad ground. when i had the stereo put in my old blazer (it was a gift and the install was paid for already) they grounded it to my headlights, so whenever i turned on the lights, the stereo died. i took it back and the dumb kid was like "yeah, i thought that might have been the wrong one." f**cking dips**t . and they cracked the clear plastic piece over my guages and misaligned the dash, and forced it to fit, so i had to pull it off and fix it. never had anything installed by circuit city, or anyone else but me for that matter, again. so, excuse my rant, but something like that may be your gremlin.
. and they cracked the clear plastic piece over my guages and misaligned the dash, and forced it to fit, so i had to pull it off and fix it. never had anything installed by circuit city, or anyone else but me for that matter, again. so, excuse my rant, but something like that may be your gremlin.
07-30-2005, 05:21 AM
#6
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 81
thanx guyz i had put in a cigarette lighter cuz my car was missing one....like i said i think i wired it wrong same symptom i turned my lights on radar went off but then also mash the brakes and radio cut off not the radar now i have unconnected all of the wires to the radar detector and it still does it?
electrical problems scare me cuz i have heard about how many there are
thankz for your input anymore info would help!
electrical problems scare me cuz i have heard about how many there are
thankz for your input anymore info would help!
07-30-2005, 05:25 AM
#7
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 81
does anyone know what wires i hooked the radar up to.....where the lighter should have been there were 2 different plugs in the console when i bought the lighter it had a + and - but the wire in the console with 2 plug ins would not fit the lighter prperly so i used the other wire that was in there it started working so i thought it was ok.....i guess it wasnt any way anyone know what i wired up to?
07-30-2005, 05:50 AM
#8
Dan's the Man
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Peterborough, Ontario
Posts: 332
Can you by chance take a picture showing what/where you have hooked it up to?
I'm trying to think of what is located in that consle area besides the lighter. There is the ashtray courtesy light and the power mirror.
I'm trying to think of what is located in that consle area besides the lighter. There is the ashtray courtesy light and the power mirror.
07-30-2005, 06:11 AM
#9
Jack Of All Trades
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Acton, California
Posts: 2,296
Somewhere, where these wires come together is your problem. if you look closely enough, it'll usually be obvious. Look where wires aren't in what would appear to be factory location. You should buy a multimeter.
page 1: http://www.300zx.co.uk/cgi-bin/manua...ault&total=133
If you look here, connector m12 has the a/c wires and cig lighter wires. m11 also has a/c and exterior lamps. Note: per the diagram, all of the wire are color coded. you need to start tracing down the wires that relate to a/c and brake light. for the brake light, you can start at the switch that's connected to the brake pedal to get the wire color: http://www.300zx.co.uk/cgi-bin/manua...ault&total=133
cig lighter: http://www.300zx.co.uk/cgi-bin/manua...ault&total=133
Stop lamp switch wiring:http://www.300zx.co.uk/cgi-bin/manua...ault&total=133
Another thing to try is, just disconnect your brake light switch. if your problem goes away, you might try running a new wire for that circuit.
Keep us up to date........
page 1: http://www.300zx.co.uk/cgi-bin/manua...ault&total=133
If you look here, connector m12 has the a/c wires and cig lighter wires. m11 also has a/c and exterior lamps. Note: per the diagram, all of the wire are color coded. you need to start tracing down the wires that relate to a/c and brake light. for the brake light, you can start at the switch that's connected to the brake pedal to get the wire color: http://www.300zx.co.uk/cgi-bin/manua...ault&total=133
cig lighter: http://www.300zx.co.uk/cgi-bin/manua...ault&total=133
Stop lamp switch wiring:http://www.300zx.co.uk/cgi-bin/manua...ault&total=133
Another thing to try is, just disconnect your brake light switch. if your problem goes away, you might try running a new wire for that circuit.
Keep us up to date........
07-30-2005, 07:10 PM
#10
Southern Speedster
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 179
Couldn't quite tell if you think the problem started when you wired in your lighter (or radar detector...) but I seem to remember someone having a similar symptom when the battery had come loose and begun to arch against the frame when truning, stopping or accelerating. It's a reach, but something to consider.
08-02-2005, 09:18 AM
#12
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Thornton, CO
Posts: 57
Absolutely buy a voltmeter. It sounds like you have a short + possibly a low voltage problem. Disconnect the new lighter and check your voltage at the battery. It should be around 11v with everything off. If not put a charger on it. Regular car batteries lose half there capacity for holding a charge everytime they are completely discharged so you may need to replace the battery if this has happened a couple of times.
08-07-2005, 06:54 AM
#13
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 81
hey guys i think i have the problem solved but im not sure please help!....i work at a car dealership so i had one of the techs check my battery and alternator the battery was in need of charging and he said my alternator was going out!
so im thinking my stereo draws so much power that after awhile of running it at high volume it draws so much power that when i hit the brakes it shuts the radio off!.....Now when i first start the car after it has sat for a bit i warm it up and then when i tkae off it sputters for a few minutes runs horrible! then after a few minutes it runs ok i just hope like hell this is all just the alternator!
also what else should i do while changing the alternator i have the 120k service coming up in a few months so while i m doing the alternator is there anything else i could do within a day!... i only have one day off from work a week and i have only this one car so i need as much down time as possible!
so im thinking my stereo draws so much power that after awhile of running it at high volume it draws so much power that when i hit the brakes it shuts the radio off!.....Now when i first start the car after it has sat for a bit i warm it up and then when i tkae off it sputters for a few minutes runs horrible! then after a few minutes it runs ok i just hope like hell this is all just the alternator!
also what else should i do while changing the alternator i have the 120k service coming up in a few months so while i m doing the alternator is there anything else i could do within a day!... i only have one day off from work a week and i have only this one car so i need as much down time as possible!
08-07-2005, 12:57 PM
#16
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 81
hey guys please read post 13 and tell me if you think it is a good diagnosis? and what all i could to perform the 120k service while i have parts removed i guess i should replace the water pump, belt and do the timing all at the same time as changing the alternator. I am on a time constraint also i have only thursday and sundays off from work so i need my car running by the next day so i cant do alot at once.
i know very little about working on cars so all input helps even though its probably a little irritating if you have been asked the same ?'s 100 times!
i also want to know if the TT alternator will work because Z1 does not sell a N/a Alternator. where can i find info about replacing the alternator i find none on the TT tech pages.
i know very little about working on cars so all input helps even though its probably a little irritating if you have been asked the same ?'s 100 times!
i also want to know if the TT alternator will work because Z1 does not sell a N/a Alternator. where can i find info about replacing the alternator i find none on the TT tech pages.
08-07-2005, 03:41 PM
#17
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Gerber, CA
Posts: 3,672
I didn't know that a shop could tell you an alternator was 'going out'. I always thought that they were either working or they weren't.
It's more likely that the amps draw on the battery faster than the alternator can charge it. A simple solutions.....turn the volume down. Your car will draw enough attention without the added annoyance of noise polution and hearing loss.
Just for ***** and grins, how many watts do your amps put out (peak and RMS)? What is the combined max draw from your amps? I.E. add up the ratings on all of your fuses in your amps.
It's more likely that the amps draw on the battery faster than the alternator can charge it. A simple solutions.....turn the volume down. Your car will draw enough attention without the added annoyance of noise polution and hearing loss.
Just for ***** and grins, how many watts do your amps put out (peak and RMS)? What is the combined max draw from your amps? I.E. add up the ratings on all of your fuses in your amps.
