Just had the car in for a recall two weeks ago (wiring harness on the drivers side near the floor), and today I get a CEL. 94,000 miles with no issues, and then....

I go to hook up my OBD scanner, an Actron CP9135 OBD ll AutoScanner and I keep getting a "Link Failed" message.

Strange that I get power to the scanner as soon as I hook it up with the car off (prior cars needed the car in ACC mode just to get power to turn the scanner on). With that said, I tried with the car off, with the start button pushed but car not running, and lastly with the car running. All 3 ways it says that the link failed.

I pulled off the scanner's connector and checked the pins (all straight). I used some compressed air to blow in the OBD port under the dash in case there was dust inside. Without putting a meter to the fuses on the left edge of the dashboard, I don't see any that are obviously blown.

I'm curious if it's possible that some scantools don't work with some cars????

I'm also wondering if there may be two fuses (one for power and one for reading the port) that need to be good, and that possibly one of mine is blown. I looked at the diagram for the fuses on the fuse cover but it's not obvious as to which fuses they would be. Also, one thing I saw online said to check fuse #30 (a 10A fuse), but no matter how I count the fuses (L to R, Top to Bottom, etc...) on the block there are no 10A fuse in what might be spot #30.

Any thoughts on this other than going to Nissan or Autozone?

Thanks in Advance,

Andy

Fuse #30 is in the cabin fusebox, see PG-64 here for the layout:
https://www.nicoclub.com/service-manual ... 5%2Fpg.pdf

There are actually two fuses that need to be good, #30 is just the Ignition fuse. Fuse #6 is battery and also needs to be good. See GI-54 here for the wiring diagram:
https://www.nicoclub.com/service-manual ... 5%2Fgi.pdf

Do yourself a favor and get a $5 bulb-type test lamp for checking fuses quickly and accurately. Neither visual inspection nor a voltmeter can tell you if the circuit can carry current. Bulbs do that because they need current. Using one is the only right tool for checking power circuits.

Thanks for the reply! You've helped me out a few times in the past.

6 and 30 are both good. Checked them by pulling and putting a meter set to ohms (continuity) across the terminals.

Replaced the 2 fuses back into position, but scanner still gives the "link failed" message.

Am I correct in that the scanner should only work with the ignition on, but engine not running (push start button without foot on the brakes)? That's the only accessory position I know of.

Depends what your scanner will read. The CAN Gateway, BCM, and IPDM are always alive. The ECM, TCM, SRS, and ABS are only alive with the ignition.

Couldn't get my scanner to link so I brought it to Autozone and they pulled the codes.

Within the last 2 weeks, the car was at the dealership to perform a recall (water possibly entering drivers side footwell kickpanel). Mine was supposedly so corroded that they needed to order and place a new wiring harness. Car has been driven over one hundred miles since this recall was performed.

With my Subaru, some codes were nowhere close to what the issue was. For example, an O2 sensor code was actually solved for many by tightening the gas cap
I'm curious if any of these codes might actually point to something different?

Oil Control Valve?

P0014 Exhaust Camshaft position timing was advanced beyond limits for a predetermined period of time?

U1002 Anti-lock brake system CAN Communication System (Judgement time 2-2)?

Any thoughts?

From the look of it, the U1002 probably is "past" and doesn't mean anything, try fixing the underlying engine problem and see if it will erase. The P0014 probably means a bad exhaust timing (EVT) solenoid, but can also mean low oil, an oil pressure problem in the front timing cover or exhaust phaser, or a failing (but not dead) exhaust cam sensor. The EVT solenoid is the most likely culprit, try that first.

Of the 3 solenoids, sitting somewhat in a row, that's the one closest to the front of the engine?

Can it be changed (from below perhaps, with an engagement long docket extension) without having to remove the motor mounts on the passenger side and jacking up the engine?

andygold wrote: ↑

Mon Dec 11, 2023 3:32 pm

Of the 3 solenoids, sitting somewhat in a row, that's the one closest to the front of the engine?

Can it be changed (from below perhaps, with an engagement long docket extension) without having to remove the motor mounts on the passenger side and jacking up the engine?

And BTW, the engine appears to be running fine. No misses, no power loss, no loss of MPG either, and sounds normal.

Typically you'll only get a minor loss of power from IVT/EVT problems. The QR25's have a position lock on the intake phaser, so when a P0011 or P0014 occurs, ECM simply stops trying to operate the faulty solenoid and you get fixed cam operation. More serious misbehavior generally only happens if the code is from oil pressure issues in the timing cover, then the phaser will often get stuck at full advance or full retard and the engine will run badly.

Yes to the position, the EVT is the frontmost of the three. The IVT is in the center, and the rear one is Intermediate Lock. The IVT and EVT are almost impossible to change from the top, but not too difficult from underneath using a long extension to reach the screw and a long hose pliers to pop the connector.

Thanks again for the info!
Just out of curiosity.... Are you familiar with the recall that was performed? Driver's side kick panel, near parking brake, connectors getting water on them. Mine was supposedly so corroded (even though I had no electrical issues) that they had to replace a harness.

Could these CELs be caused by some issue with the harness that was just replaced? The light came on about 100 miles after the repair.

No, the IVT/EVT wiring is pretty much all contained in the F (engine control) harness, so it's unlikely the recall would affect it. The recall doesn't actually replace the harness, just replaces the connectors on both sides of the interface (which is between the M and B (Main and Body) harnesses). Here's a link to the bulletin if you want to see the actual procedure:
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2022/R ... 4-7750.pdf

I brought the car in, and they said they couldn't fix it without putting in a new harness. I waited close to a month for that harness to arrive.

You must have had corrosion on multiple connectors, then. Nissan is very, very ticky about replacing whole harnesses. Even getting them authorized is a tooth-pulling exercise, so the month doesn't surprise me. Two weeks of it was probably spent fighting with PCC for an authorization.

Hopefully last question(s)....

I drove around for almost a week with the check engine light on. Probably went through a dozen or more engine heat up and cool down cycles, and the light remained lit.

I purchased a new ODB II scanner, which unlike my old one, this one actually linked to the vehicle. I cleared the P0014 code (exhaust valve timing).

I've now driven about 70 or 80 miles since resetting the CEL and the light has remained off.

If the solenoid problem still exists, should the light have instantly triggered (continuous monitor) after I reset it, or is this on one of the (Non-continuous monitors) where it takes a certain amount of miles/conditions before it will be at "readiness" to read? Hopefully that makes sense!!??!!

Yah, not instantly, but a P0014 would probably recur within twenty miles or so if there was still an issue.