Nissan Quest 2004 - 2009: How to Check and Prevent ECM from Rusting

[SmooveLefty]

i figured it was the console. When i looked closer i sae that the seam on the casing was a little seperated.... check and see if thats the case with yours. If not it may be the console itself. Checked online and those things are about $250 a pop. GOOD LUCK!!!.

[SmooveLefty]

yes a little knock on wood. the console casing seperates a little. the seal all around the console should be closed and tight. Mine started to seperate a little in the left hand bottom corner. Thats what i think was creating the problem. I used some crazy glue and its been fine(knock on wood). Ran out of gas already because i couldnt see the gas mileage so be careful. Once i removed the console i played with the wires a bit and non of them seemed to have a short so.....



[SmooveLefty]

got a few tips from the forums... gonna try and remove the console and check the contacts....thanks again.

[SmooveLefty]

thanks for posting this video. i have a 2004 quest and my dash lights seem to be going. the digittal readout is fading a little. is this a BIG problem or is it just a matter of changing a few and or bulb in the console. any help would be appreciated. thanks

[dial2fast]

@SmooveLefty I thought the illumination is done by light bulbs on the back of the instrument cluster. Light bulbs don't fade, either on or burnt out. If it's fading you might have some electronic problems. Just my guess.

[lemay69er]

so did you have any luck fixing it. i think i got the same problem as u, my gas/heat gauge started to fade slowly now i see nothing i just took it apart its one com board no bulbs so i was hoping it was a loose or dirty connection but no luck anyone else have this problem with a fix

[acristobal808]

Do you know where the location of the ECM ground wires are? I found two ground wires on passenger side and drivers side inside the engine compartment front fender area near the battery and near the power steering reservoir

[dial2fast]

@acristobal808 That right bolt that holds the ECM bracket also holds a bunch of ground wires behind the bolt. Probably the bundle of wire also holds ground within. Since I never let my ECM rust to a point of failure, I don't know what those codes mean. You should just go ahead and follow my instructions and pull out the ECM to inspect for damage. If it did rust through, then the ECM is on it's way out and can possibly throw false codes. Yes, I did paint both the bracket and ECM.

[acristobal808]

I just wanted to confirm that besides painting the ECM bracket, you also painted the actual ECM unit? I thought I heard that in your video? I have been recently getting a U1000 ODB2 trouble code which a service bulletin says it could most likely be ECM groundwire cables that need cleaning on terminals and where it attaches to body on 2005 nissan quest or it could be the ECM itself. All I know it it has a semi hard time at time turning when you start the vehicle, and at times a clicking noise

[Taxminia0311]

Another question of mine is...do u still own the Mini Van and has the solution work great on the vehicle???

[dial2fast]

@Taxminia0311

I only did this ECM painting couple months ago. I am confident this preventative work will prevent the rusting. Make sure you use a decent paint that withstand high heat. I can tell you I plan on keeping this van for as long as I can. Mine is a 2004 and I have spent very little money to operate it. The only weakness is the factory brake rotors tend to warp after couple years. The powertrain has been problem free for me. I just do regular oil change to it.

[Taxminia0311]

I'm thinking of purchasing the same mini-van in a 2005, my question is did Nissan ever do a recall pertaining to this rusting issue on the ECM and if so how did they solved the matter. Thanks

[dial2fast]

@Taxminia0311

Nissan never did a recall or fix the problem. If it's within the bumper to bumper warranty, they will fix it on their dime. Some have been able to claim this repair under the emission warranty which is like 7 or 8 years. However it's not guaranteed your dealer will cover it under this because their argument is the warranty does not cover rust, only covers the components in the ECM.

[dial2fast]

@dial2fast

As to how they solve this, the answer is there is no solution. Just install a new ECM for about $3k and give it 5-6 years and wait for it to rust.