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Is my IPDM going out again?

1K views 5 replies 3 participants last post by  GJStringert 
#1 ·
Hi all,

I am beginning to get really concerned here. I have an '04 Titan with 110,000 miles on it. I had the IPDM fix done quite a while ago, and it has run fine for over 70K miles. But, lately, when I remove the key to lock it down for the night, the little "Alarm" light will stay on (the small red icon, top right, looks like a car w/ a key across it) before I can lock it. Then, this morning, it stayed on for my entire drive to school, but was off on the way home.

When I removed my key tonight, I got different response: The stereo made a loud "thump" type noise (it was powered on when I turned the key off), and the needles on all of the gauges just started going nuts. They continued dancing around for a while, then stopped. When I shut the door and locked it with the remote, everything was normal again.

So, I came on here and did some searching around, and found that bad battery connections could be the problem. I went out and wire brushed the hell out of my terminals (to my surprise, there was all kinds of corrosion on the (+) terminal), and it has only gone downhill from here. My truck was still doing the gauge needle dance, and none of the lights would come on. I went back up front and jiggled the + terminal connection, and now it seems ok.

Can any of you help? I NEED this truck to get around, and, if I can help it, I really would like to avoid the dealer. Plus I'm putting my ARB bull bar on this weekend, so I really can't afford to loose this thing now!!! Please leave me any advice!

Thanks a lot,
Graham
 
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#2 ·
I had the dancing guages thing too. I thought it was the IPDM, but it turned out to be the battery. I replaced it and all was good. Make sure you use the anti corrosive spray when you replace the battery. That will prevent corrosion in the future. You shouldn't be able to jiggle the + terminal. It should be tight.

You can check the battery by either taking it to any auto parts store or just hook up a multi-meter to it. It should read (if I remember correctly) somewhere between 14 and 16 volts when running.
 
#3 ·
I thought it was the battery, but honestly, it's not even 6 months old, and it cranks the engine just fine, even in cold weather. I'm really worried my alarm system might be going out. I read in the manuel that there is a "Nissan Vehicle Immobilizer System" that goes through the ignition, to prevent the truck from being hijacked, and when it goes bad (or begins to go bad), the alarm light blinks (but mine's been staying solid, and at awkward times, like when it isn't even running, but I have the stereo on).

Here's the kicker, mine's an '04, and I'm almost positive that my keys don't use the chips in them like the newer ones. I am really, really confused. And I really, REALLY don't want to loose my baby to another electrical problem!

On a side note, is it true that if you use sealed AGM batteries, like the Optimas, that corrosion completely stops? I have heard that the reason corrosion happens is because of the hydrogen gas coming out of the vents, and being attracted back to the + terminal. I talk (type) like I know this kind of stuff, but I am really at a loss when it comes to the electrical system in our trucks.

I am willing to replace the IPDM again, if that is necessary. I'd rather pay $110 for a new module, and do it myself, than have the dealer rip me for $100 just to diagnose something. I just need to know if that will help anything.

Thanks for the post,
Graham
 
#4 ·
Okay, I think I have this figured out:

It wouldn't start on me again this morning (gave me the "dead battery" light on the dash), so I went back up front and gave the + a little swivel again, and it started right up.

With that I concluded that I wasn't getting good current flow through the terminal (perhaps too much corrosion?), so I went to work this afternoon with some baking soda and a wire brush. Then, I decided to rid myself of my problems, and make a heavy-duty solution: I picked up a 4 GA battery harness this afternoon from Checker Auto Parts (about $12), and bolted that to the + on the battery, then ran 15" of 4 GA to the fusible link/previous + terminal ring, so that stupid fuse block thingy is no longer in my way! Now it is completely isolated from the battery.

And I ordered my Optima D35 Yellowtop, which should help keep that corrosion away for good!

Anyway, I have started it 4 times since this little mod, and it hasn't even hesitated.

Thanks for the help!

Graham
 
#5 ·
I think what your problem may have been was the amount of corrosion. With enough corrosion going without attention for any amount of time, it can eat down under the top cover of the battery. What prob happened was that it corroded so bad under the cover that it was getting enough current because it ate so much away from the terminal post. I'm willing to bet if you hook up that new Optima the way the original wiring was, the problem will be gone. Just a new battery fix, that's all. Good luck.
 
#6 ·
Yep, all it was was corossion. It's been running fine now that I cleaned it up (what a relief, I was getting concerned!).

I always let that stuff get ahead of me! I've already had to replace that terminal ring twice. It just kept coroding away!

No matter, the D35 is in the mail, so that was an easy fix.

Thanks for the advice!

Regards,
Graham
 
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