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4WD  Slip & VDC off Lights? 03 Pathfinder LE Forums > > 4WD  Slip & VDC off Lights? 03 Pathfinder LE 4WD Slip & VDC off Lights? 03 Pathfinder LE
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  #1  
Old 09-09-2011, 11:54 AM
03pathfinder 03pathfinder is offline
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2003 Pathfinder
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 23
Default 4WD Slip & VDC off Lights? 03 Pathfinder LE

Hi Folks,

Have been have an issue with my 4WD system. This had happened occasionally but is now becoming a real problem..as it wasn't before!

Here's what happens...I start the vehicle and the "4WD" light remains on. Seconds after this I hear a quite "click" and the "SLIP" and "VDC OFF" illuminate. The wheel drive indicator on the speedometer panel is blank...No green lights on any wheel. The vehicle starts and runs fine, but there is no response to the gas pedal. Hmmmm.

A little history...About three years ago and many miles ago I had taken the Pathfinder in for an emissions test requiring the car to be put on machine having the rear wheels only drive to get the required readings. Not an "optional " test by the way..A provincial licensing requirement. I left the 4WD selector in "2WD" and on my return after the test it was now in the "AUTO" position. When started I got the "4WD" light on. Queried the shop and they said to just drive it and the light would go out...It didn't.

Returned to the shop and had a discussion if you can imagine. Finally sent me to his transmission guy. He told me that my suspicions were correct and they had indeed done the test with the 4WD in the AUTO position. He dug out a checlist from a manual and went through a procedure to "reset" the system. It worked and had been trouble free since recently.

I took a photo copy of this procedure at the time and it has successfully solved (or so I thought) mt recent problems for me...It cleared the warnings. The procedure involves manipulating the the 4WD selector, the AT gear shift and is intended to troubleshoot by reading the pattern of the flashing 4WD light.

This is happening more frequently (3 times 5 days) and now needs to be addressed. My photo copied procedure seems to have worked...but also just leaving for a few minutes and starting the vehicle did the trick. It has been down all day today and I did try removing power from the battery ...no luck.

Any ideas?

Thanks very much for working your way through this long post, and for any comments.

Cheers,

Rob

Rob
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  #2  
Old 09-09-2011, 12:03 PM
NissanTech's Avatar
NissanTech NissanTech is offline
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2004 Xterra
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: California
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I suggest checking for codes. If the light comes ON, it means that a code must be stored either in the Transfer Control Unit or Transmission Control Unit. Without a code we will be just guessing what the problem could be. The most common problem that I have seen is different size of tires.
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  #3  
Old 09-19-2011, 01:34 PM
03pathfinder 03pathfinder is offline
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Thanks for the reply, and my appologies for taking so long to get back.

The problem is still intermittent...and I have not got a code as of yet. Tires have not been changed recently, and they are all the size of the original factory tires.

I ran the vehicle through the "self diagnosis" procedure as I had mentioned above. This is a photo copied procdure I have from the transmission shop as I had mentioned. As I said it involves turning the ignition on and off...moving the electronic 4wd (LE) and A/T through different gears following the checklist. At the end of the checklist it tells you to read the flickering 4WD warning lamp.

I have 14 followed by 22, then 23 flashes. 14-22-23

Any ideas where I may be able to find this info? I'm thinking it must be relevant as this seems to be 4WD issue. I also have no doubt that I should get a code reader on it.

By the way the photo copied page I have is titled at the top of the page:

"2003 Nissan-Datsun Truck Pathfinder 4WD V6-3.5L (VQ35) ALLDATA 9.10 Page 1"

Thanks very much,

Rob

Last edited by 03pathfinder; 09-19-2011 at 02:02 PM.
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Old 04-05-2016, 07:18 PM
aston aston is offline
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2003 Pathfinder
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 1
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This all seems rather mysterious. I have the 4wd light come on followed by VDC Off, ABS. I run the 4wd reset using the ignition switch/4WD selector/shift selector...the light does its blink code and then goes off after turning the ignition switch off... then restarting. After about 30 sec of driving the VDC-Off and ABS lamps clear/go off. Then my ABS module activates on light braking. If I turn off the VDC, the ABS module stops prematurely activating. Then about 5 min later the whole issue starts over with the 4wd light coming back on... The Nissan dealer said the code sequence doesn't make sense... they clear the codes and tell me it should be okay... (NOT). I then went to a private mechanic...they checked all the wheel sensors and said the right front signal was missing. They changed the sensor and the same issue. The sensor has current going to it... no break in the line up to the ABS module... Reluctor ring in good shape and correct spacing to sensor.
It seems to come down to a game of "lets try replacing things". The code reading seems to misleading or a case of the tail wagging the dog... I've read everything from low brake fluid, to ECM faults, ABS module. I just dumped $1600+ into chasing an evaporative system leak...changed solenoids, canister, pipe, tank sender gasket.... Parts are stupidly expensive...($500 for a charcoal canister; $1800 for instrument cluster-bad gas gauge).
The engine runs great - 100% synthetic Euro oils from new. Rust sprayed every year so no rust whatsoever. But its time to scrap because of the lousy electrical crap on the vehicle and useless fault code system? Local Nissan dealer can"t figure it out ... Aston
PS: My old BMW was actually less of a headache because the fault isolation seemed a lot better and parts were certainly no more expensive than Nissan
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