hey guys,i just bought a 92 q45a. this thing is great, never had a v-8 in such a light car before. everything sabout the car is fine except a few cosmetic things in the interior and one thing with the mechanics.it has some kind of problem with the suspension. i will be driving down the road and everything will be fine and all of a sudden i will here this thud and the active suspension light comes on. the owners manual is absolutely no helpwith this problem. the only way i have found to get the light to go out is to turn the car off, wait for about thirty seconds and turn it back on.then it may be fine for a few hours but then it may only last a couple of miutes.
anybody have a clue what may be going on with this thing??
92 q45 a active suspension
Well, to be honest with you... I have a problem with my active suspension too! All I do is throw money at it and laugh though! LOL :pface
The active suspension is - as you may already have found out - an extremely complex system. Can you tell me if there are any other symptoms when you hear this thud? Does the car suddenly raise/lower? etc. I will give you a quick self-diagnostic you can perform. Once you have performed this test, tell me what the "error code" it comes up with is.
1) with the car shut down, transmission in P, turn the key to 'on' and do not crank. 2) within 10 sec of key ON, turn the N/H switch from N to H and back 10 times, stopping in N
First series are 10's, second series is 1's5 followed by 5 is "55" which means electricals are fine.
Full travel is 5" as new. If you push down heavily on each corner of the car, you can guesstimate how much travel is left in the nitrogen charged accumulators. They may need to be replaced.
If you were to send a message to a kind fellow by the name of Q45Tech/Dennis, I'm sure he'd be more than glad to give you better advice than I ever could. He ought to be one of the most knowledgable Infiniti owners I know of.
By the way, you wouldn't happen to be interested in a controller for your active suspension, would you? With the controller you can adjust ride height, as well as many other features. If you're interested, get back to me! :ylsuper
Corey
The active suspension is - as you may already have found out - an extremely complex system. Can you tell me if there are any other symptoms when you hear this thud? Does the car suddenly raise/lower? etc. I will give you a quick self-diagnostic you can perform. Once you have performed this test, tell me what the "error code" it comes up with is.
1) with the car shut down, transmission in P, turn the key to 'on' and do not crank. 2) within 10 sec of key ON, turn the N/H switch from N to H and back 10 times, stopping in N
First series are 10's, second series is 1's5 followed by 5 is "55" which means electricals are fine.
Full travel is 5" as new. If you push down heavily on each corner of the car, you can guesstimate how much travel is left in the nitrogen charged accumulators. They may need to be replaced.
If you were to send a message to a kind fellow by the name of Q45Tech/Dennis, I'm sure he'd be more than glad to give you better advice than I ever could. He ought to be one of the most knowledgable Infiniti owners I know of.
By the way, you wouldn't happen to be interested in a controller for your active suspension, would you? With the controller you can adjust ride height, as well as many other features. If you're interested, get back to me! :ylsuper
Corey
heretic, do you have the FSM for the car? Very important to read about the active suspension to understand how complex it is, get an idea of how it works, trouble shoot it and take a look for yourself under the car. The reason? Simple, it cost some major duckies to have someone do it for you and I do mean MAJOR DUCKIES. A few of us are working on ours so you're not alone. Do some searches and read up on past threads and testing will be explained. Once you get it working Wes will buy it from you.........LOL
red
red
My active self diagnosis returns a 45 error code, low fluid. The fluid is not low. I just did a LA/Vegas/LA run in my q45a and once I get a while to post some of the things that went on (actsus wise) I will. I kept having the front end drop dramatically but not failing, especially if I went through a dip in the road or around a turn with any type of G forces. Seems like some sensors are crossed or something. Sure would be nice if you could get some real diagnostics done without a dealer being involved. Seems like they just say "Its all screwed up...$8500!" Mine is a 95 and this thing is almost BER after 9 years with a price tag of 60K (No, I didn't spend 60K). I'll be back....
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Q45tech
- Moderator
- Posts: 14296
- Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2002 3:19 am
- Car: 1990 Q45 342,400 miles 22 years ownership with original engine
1995 G20t 5 speed 334,000 miles 16" 2002 wheels - 205/50/16 Sr20ve vvl
Maybe 150 techs got 2 day training and some thick binders beyond their comprehension to read.......Everybody in US has the FSM but they don't take a week to read it 2 dozen times and research what it all means.
Just like mosts attitude, if it's not leaking it must be ok.........unfortunately this carries over from conventional shocks.
Wrong with them wrong on an active.
Just like mosts attitude, if it's not leaking it must be ok.........unfortunately this carries over from conventional shocks.
Wrong with them wrong on an active.
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texasoil
- Posts: 875
- Joined: Mon Sep 02, 2002 3:18 pm
- Car: '92 Infiniti Q45A
'94 Infiniti Q45A
'94 Mercedes-Benz SL600
Active weirdness causes
Anytime the active system is 'erratic', it almost certainly means there is a loose /bad connection in the wiring harness to the flaky sensor/system. If the center console wiring has been man-handled to install after market electronics, quite possible the connector to the center G sensor is loose. Or, the main connector to the computers in the trunk--right under the parcel shelf.Othe rplace to look is on the main pressure control valve (left front) or the front pressure control valve (right front) since it seems to be the front that is acting up.
When the 'system' detects an uncomanded tilt( front or rear drops/rises, or it tilts side to side, the system 'locks' in a neutral position (deactivates the active, places each strut in center of range) and turns on the ACTSUS light. The loud 'thump' is the failsafe valve slamming closed.
It really sounds like the fore/aft G sensor/wiring to me.
These systems are very reliable and seldom have parts failures other than accumulators using up their charge. Over 90% of Dealer warranty repairs returned perfectly good parts.
When the 'system' detects an uncomanded tilt( front or rear drops/rises, or it tilts side to side, the system 'locks' in a neutral position (deactivates the active, places each strut in center of range) and turns on the ACTSUS light. The loud 'thump' is the failsafe valve slamming closed.
It really sounds like the fore/aft G sensor/wiring to me.
These systems are very reliable and seldom have parts failures other than accumulators using up their charge. Over 90% of Dealer warranty repairs returned perfectly good parts.
Thanks for the response, I can only hope. Long story short, I had an aftermarket warranty that actually covered many of the active parts. The dealer I took the car to took this as a "deep pockets" type of situation and tried to gaff the warranty company for about 7 grand. Pretty much everything except the multivalve unit and something else I forget. The warranty company sent their own rep out ,comfirmed nothing, and declined the repair. I tried it again a couple of weeks later and this time they (the dealer)squawked the multivalve unit and something else (the pump maybe?). These parts were not covered by the warranty. I know anyone reading this is probably thinking the warranty company might be the one who was lying, but get this. I received a panic call from the dealer the day before the warranty companies inspector was to inspect the car. They said I needed to replace my active fluid because it was contaminated and the inspector would reject the claim if they saw it. When I asked how they knew it was contaminated, the told me they could tell because it was "green!".
Did I say this was the short version?
Did I say this was the short version?
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texasoil
- Posts: 875
- Joined: Mon Sep 02, 2002 3:18 pm
- Car: '92 Infiniti Q45A
'94 Infiniti Q45A
'94 Mercedes-Benz SL600
active fluid color
well, I guess you know the new fluid is yellow with a green tint, and it gets more green with use.
I'm sorry, you're right. I was mistaken. It was $478.21. $109.20 for the fluid, $360 labor. I did get a free wash though. I think I might have gotten something else free, too. Cerritos Infiniti, California. I realize I am bellyaching a lot about my Q but the truth is, except for the active problems, I have never owned a car anything like this. It is at times truly awesome. I also knew service for this type of car was not going to be cheap, but I didn't think the service would be so incompetent and dishonest.
"to convert, or not to convert...that is the question"
"to convert, or not to convert...that is the question"
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texasoil
- Posts: 875
- Joined: Mon Sep 02, 2002 3:18 pm
- Car: '92 Infiniti Q45A
'94 Infiniti Q45A
'94 Mercedes-Benz SL600
Convert Active or not
Here is my experience with a 92 Q45a, purchased with 90K 4 years, 43K , ago, needing engine mounts and active accumulators. and not in cherry shape. Did all 9 accumulators( prototype set), engine mounts, drove 2 years with only fluid changes. Then changed driveshaft (center bearing support shot) and transmission mount, brake pads. Another year--did chains, plenum hoses, plugs, valve cover re-seal, belts, hoses, idler bearings steering rack boots and mounts, left front lower control arm and upper links, brakes - front rotors, pads all around, transmission flush, new radiator,transmission cooler. 2 batteries, 2 sets of tires-one Yokahoma's, other Michelin Pilot GTH, 235/50--much better tire, will make 25K miles.
Just this week I topped up the rear strut accumulators as left rear was getting low. Fronts still OK.
Needs driver seat bottom recover(leather cracked) and windshield (is developing ripply distortion), otherwise pretty much very very good condition.
Active system repairs=ZERO after initial accumulators. Other stuff = $4500+/- If I figured $3000 for 9 accumulators installed, the total is $7500 for 45K miles. purchase of $9500, ACV today= +/-$5K, so total , ex gas, ins = $12000 for 45k miles.That's about $0.28/mile for repairs and depreciation Add insurance& tags @$1000/yr=$4,000, fuel @15 mpg avg, $1.35 avg over the period = $4000. Grand total cost to own and drive = $20,000, or about $0.44/mile. So, of the total, repairs = 37%, insurance = 20%, depreciation = 22%, fuel= 20%. Active system repair was only 15% of total, and that was all initial refurbishing cost.
Just this week I topped up the rear strut accumulators as left rear was getting low. Fronts still OK.
Needs driver seat bottom recover(leather cracked) and windshield (is developing ripply distortion), otherwise pretty much very very good condition.
Active system repairs=ZERO after initial accumulators. Other stuff = $4500+/- If I figured $3000 for 9 accumulators installed, the total is $7500 for 45K miles. purchase of $9500, ACV today= +/-$5K, so total , ex gas, ins = $12000 for 45k miles.That's about $0.28/mile for repairs and depreciation Add insurance& tags @$1000/yr=$4,000, fuel @15 mpg avg, $1.35 avg over the period = $4000. Grand total cost to own and drive = $20,000, or about $0.44/mile. So, of the total, repairs = 37%, insurance = 20%, depreciation = 22%, fuel= 20%. Active system repair was only 15% of total, and that was all initial refurbishing cost.