A/T CONT Fuse. HELP!!!!!!

Tan Frontier · Aug 22nd, 2004, 10:10 PM

I need as much input on this as i can get. This is the second time this year that I have had this problem. I have a 02 Frontier Crew Cab 4X2 3.3L V6 Non S/C LB with ~63K miles on it.

The problem is the A/T Cont Fuse in the fuse box in the cab is blowing. I will blow on the start of the engine. When it blows the check engine light comes on and the throtal acceleration is diminished severly. I replace the blown fuse and truck engine is normal. The other thing is if the fuse is blown and engine is not running and you try to start the engine it will not start. You can turn everything on in the world and still no start. I can hear the fuel pump and all other engine starting devices turn on or get ready other than the starter and of course the engine.

This is bothering me and I want to figure out why this fuse keeps blowing. The truck of course is out of warranty and so I have to figure this out on my own. I have not had the codes read yet but that is my plan for tomorrow evening. I would like to know if any one else has experianced this problem and what their solution was for this.

I think that there may be a short some where in the ingnition / engine starting sequence but I do not know where or have any clue as where to start looking other than at the fuse the keeps blowing. In the mean time I just have to keep a box load of 10 amp fuses on hand for when it blows.

Any and all help would be greatly appriciated on this on.

Tan Frontier.

1997XETruck · Aug 22nd, 2004, 11:09 PM

I don't know if this is the same fuse, but it may be worth checking... I found this in the TSBs at www.nissan-techinfo.com

fc9002887

Customer Symptom: Engine loses power. All gauges inoperative. Battery may be discharged. Incident Description: Same, #11 fuse blown, cause not apparent. Root Cause: Transmission harness leading from the 4WD switch to the transfer case chaffed and shorted to ground, causing the #11 fuse to blow. Service Procedure: Do not replace the instrument cluster. Click the View button on the right of the ASIST screen to view and print the repair information. Source: Jim Sokolowski, Nissan North America.

If you don't have the factory service manual, I would pay the $20 for the one day viewing subscription to get it. You can save it section by section as a .pdf file.

Heath

Tan Frontier · Aug 23rd, 2004, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1997XETruck

I don't know if this is the same fuse, but it may be worth checking... I found this in the TSBs at www.nissan-techinfo.com

fc9002887

Customer Symptom: Engine loses power. All gauges inoperative. Battery may be discharged. Incident Description: Same, #11 fuse blown, cause not apparent. Root Cause: Transmission harness leading from the 4WD switch to the transfer case chaffed and shorted to ground, causing the #11 fuse to blow. Service Procedure: Do not replace the instrument cluster. Click the View button on the right of the ASIST screen to view and print the repair information. Source: Jim Sokolowski, Nissan North America.

If you don't have the factory service manual, I would pay the $20 for the one day viewing subscription to get it. You can save it section by section as a .pdf file.

Heath

I do not have a 4WD. The engine only looses power when the fuse is blown. All my gages work like normal regardless of the engine running or not.

Thanks for the input. I'll wait around for some more help.

1997XETruck · Aug 23rd, 2004, 11:48 AM

I noticed that you weren't running a 4WD truck after I posted, but I thoght it still might suggest something for you to check.... I would definately check for chaffed wiring under there.

Heath

Tan Frontier · Aug 23rd, 2004, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1997XETruck

I noticed that you weren't running a 4WD truck after I posted, but I thoght it still might suggest something for you to check.... I would definately check for chaffed wiring under there.

Heath

If memory serves me right at the moment. It is Fuse #12 not 11. I have one of those books that you can get from Advance on your vehicle. I have looked at the wire diagram and nothing on the fuse in question points to a 4WD wire harness or anthing like that. What it mostly points to is the automatic transmission and the gear shift sensor. The thing is really beginning to piss me off. I have gone through three fuses on the way to work this morning.

1997XETruck · Aug 24th, 2004, 12:46 AM

Wow... Have you had any recent repairs or modifications to the truck (like audio systems, alarms, etc) I once took out a main engine fuse on the Q after adding a CD changer. It was a real pain too... did it 40 miles from home in BFE, while I was half airborne over an R/R track. Turned out that those "euro" terminal strips with the sunken set screws still need to be wrapped in electrical tape

Heath

Tan Frontier · Aug 24th, 2004, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1997XETruck

Wow... Have you had any recent repairs or modifications to the truck (like audio systems, alarms, etc) I once took out a main engine fuse on the Q after adding a CD changer. It was a real pain too... did it 40 miles from home in BFE, while I was half airborne over an R/R track. Turned out that those "euro" terminal strips with the sunken set screws still need to be wrapped in electrical tape

Heath

I have not done any upgrades on anything what so ever that is electrical.

Well I got the codes read and all it says is for the DTC codes

P0600 : Serial Com Link Malfuntion

P1605 Manfacurer Contrl. Auxiliary Inputs / Auxiliary Outputs.

These errors after looking them up all point to the A/T Control unit or circuit fault. I know what that means, the dam fuse blew.

duh....

Any way I have also noticed one other thing. The fuse only blows when I put the truck in reverse. So looking at the wire diagram I figure I need to start looking at some relay switches. My first one that I am going to look at is the Park / Neutral Position Switch then onto the Park / Neutral Position Relay.

By God I am going to figure this dag gum thing out.

jadcock · Aug 24th, 2004, 11:58 AM

To agree with Heath, this sure sounds like a wire grounding/shorting somewhere under the vehicle. Do you have a floor shifter or a column shifter?

Tan Frontier · Aug 24th, 2004, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jadcock

To agree with Heath, this sure sounds like a wire grounding/shorting somewhere under the vehicle. Do you have a floor shifter or a column shifter?

Floor shifter. After reading the Haynes Repair Manual and looking at the wire diagram it is still sounding like a short some where between the fuse and the PNP (Park/Nuetral Position) switch.

Tan Frontier · Aug 25th, 2004, 08:28 AM

Well the problem is fixed. It was a short in a wire but the short was no where near the shifting lever or the transmission. It was at.. Dah da dah!!!!!!!!!!

The rear back up light..................

I want to thank all for their replys and all the ideas.

Tan Frontier.

1997XETruck · Aug 25th, 2004, 10:46 AM

What was grounded? A wire, part of the socket? Just for completeness it's nice to know so that if another member six months from now has the same problem - and actually runs a search - it'll be there!

Heath

Tan Frontier · Aug 25th, 2004, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1997XETruck

What was grounded? A wire, part of the socket? Just for completeness it's nice to know so that if another member six months from now has the same problem - and actually runs a search - it'll be there!

Heath

A wire in the harness unit was rubbing the mounting bracket. Very anoying it was to find it there. I had to remove the bed cover, the bed liner and then the light and look into the harness. I noticed that my back-up lights did not come on when I put it in reverse also. I thought that it might be because of the fuse being blown but looked into it some more and that is when I found the wire being grounded out.

Kris.