The Nissan dealer couldn't help, maybe someone here can. I hope. My situation is, 9 times out of 10 I can only start my car by removing the EGI relay and inserting a piece of wire (see photo).

Here's the history, brief as I can do it: 1. In April, drove car to airport and parked. Came out 10 minutes later and car would not start. Had it towed to nearest gargage. They thought it was ECM problem and sent me to Nissan. This was while I stilled lived in Texas. Nissan dealer said, "hey, you're in luck, it's not ECM, it's EGI Relay and fusible link. I had the fusible link (part # 24370-89905) and relay assembly (25230-C9965) replaced. According to the work order, the link (24370-89905) was blown and the EGI relay (25230-C9965) was shorting out.2. About a month later, after moving to NJ, my battery went dead. Got a jump start and went and had battery replaced. Less than two weeks later, battery dead. Key got stuck in ignition. After charging battery, key came free but car would not start unless shifter was in Nuetral rather than Park. Bought a battery charger and started keeping track. Sure enough battery would drain and go dead in week to 10 days. Occasionally car would start in Park but most of time I had to use Neutral. Started doing that every time just to avoid the hassle.3. Took car to local shop. Their guy said the EGI Relay was staying on and draining the battery. He said I'd probably need to have the ECM fixed or replaced and said a Nissan place would have the proper diagnostic equipment and be able to help me out. Nice guy, said he never charged people if he couldn't fix their problem. He showed me how to use the wire to start the car. Said to remove it when not using the car to keep battery from draining. 4. I thought, why not just take the EGI Relay on and off rather than the piece of wire. I tried it and that worked fine. Figured I'd do that until I could get the car to a Nissan dealer.5. Took car to local Nissan dealer, giving them the info I've laid out here. I was going out of town, so they had the car for more than a week. They called me late in the week and said they couldn't find a problem. Said there was no draw. I said OK, I'll pick it up Monday after I get back. I was sure the car wouldn't start Monday morning, and I was right. Battery so dead the clock had the wrong time and the radio pre-sets were gone. I went back inside and asked for a jump. Got car started, took it home, recharged the battery.6. Following this, car would only start using the piece of wire. I thought maybe the Relay and Link got fried because Relay was on car the whole time it was at Nissan shop. I ordered new ones, but them on, now car would start with Relay on first time in the morning, but later in day it wouldn't and I had to go back to wire method. Also, when I'd put the Relay on and try to start car, car wouldn't start but I'd get a buzzing/humming noise. When I insert the wire, the noise goes away and the car starts right up.

Sorry, that's not very brief. I'd greatly appreciate anyone who can offer some insight. Anyone know of a Nissan tech who might be able to help me? I live in NJ near NYC and Newark, NJ. I'd be willing to drive somewhere on the East coast to get some competent help. I'd really like to get this fixed right, because otherwise the car runs fantastic with 163,000 miles on it. Also, if anyone can explain in simple terms what the EGI Relay and link do when I turn the key, I'd really like to understand what's going on here. What is being bypassed by the wire method? Any idea what that humming noise is?

I guess I'll look for another Nissan dealer. Since I'm new to this area, it's hard to know where to find good help. Again, thanks for any insight or suggestions.

I dont have time to read all the details, but if your brown fuse link blew, you had a short. Replacing the eccs relay(egi relay) did not seem to help.You also have a problem with battery draining which is consistent with a short. You also mentioned your eccs relay is buzzing which is consistent with inadequate voltage to the relay coil. The relay coil needs both positive and negative to energize. My first guess would be that either positive or negative wire to the relay coil is loose.

Your relay stops buzzing when you jumper the relay door because the door is now shut and current is flowing keeping door closed. The relay buzzes because it does not have the power to close door. Doesnt sound like a computer problem.

The diagram is blurry but it shows the ECCS relay(egi relay/injector relay).I'll explain the operation of the relay. The brown fuse link supplies constant 12v+(red) to one side of relay coil. Ground is supplied to other side of coil by computer. This is how computer opens and closes relay door. It supplies ground. When ground and 12v+ are supplied to coil it energizes and causes relay door to close and make the connection. You do the same thing when you jumper the relay. When relay door is shut, 12v+ goes to a bunch of places. 12v+ is supplied to the fuel injectors from brown fuse. this is constant 12v+. the ecu supplies ground to injectors when it wants to energize them.

This is convoluted so just try to understand the basic operation of the relay. postive and negative are supplied to relay coil which energized the coil . the thus energized coil causes the relay door to shut. so, the relay is just a switch that is remotely operated via the coil.

CONCLUSION: positive(red) from brown fuse link is continuous to relay coil ie hot when ignition off while the ground is only supplied when ecu is on, so i would guess the problem is the 12v+(red) wire to relay coil. It must be loose and touching ground causing battery drain and short. It also causes relay not to close. it only buzzes. 12v+ supply is compromised. ALso look for places where plastic coating on wire is scraped off.

Modified by vancouverbc at 11:12 PM 9/30/2006
Modified by vancouverbc at 11:19 PM 9/30/2006

Check these 2 connectors and see if there are any connection issue. Both these connectors feed the relay both the ecm ground and ecm power. E9 contains the ECM ground circuit and is the one I suspect having the connection issue.