Results from metacrawler search for 'HICAS' gave me the following URL. http://www.mred.demon.co.uk/mred/300zx/hicas.html
300ZX Info - Super HicasAll European 300ZX's are fitted with Super HICAS (High Capacity Actively Controlled Suspension), a 4 wheel steering system. It's dead clever and does things like introducing a twitch of counter-steer before settling with all wheels pointing the same way, like rally drivers. It only steers up to 1° so you forget it's there when driving.
It's less fun when it goes wrong though. Mine did and to say it made the car handle strangely is an under statement ( but not so bad as to loss any races !). When a warning light comes on it sets itself to straight steering and locks up so nothing bad can happen. Assuming you haven't got a Nissan Consult unit ( if you have you should know all this ) you can still diagnose the likely problem.
Putting HICAS into Diagnoses ModeThis next section is going to read like I'm pulling your leg, but it's TRUE ( but yes you do look an idiot doing it )! To try it without the whole car on axle stands it's best to find a large EMPTY carpark.
With the car in Neutral or "N" for auto's turn the Ignition on. Immediately start the engine. Turn the steering from left to right ( at least 20° ) 5 times or more and return to center. Press the foot brake 5 time or more. If you completed all the above in under 10 seconds the HICAS is now in self-diagnoses mode.
Next Depress and release the foot pedal. Turn the steering from left to right at least 20° and return to center. For Manual, press clutch and select any gear then go back to neutral. For Auto, Disengage and engage parking brake level, then select 1st then Park. You now move the car straight forward at least 3 meters at 1MPH minium The HICAS light should start flashing. Decoding the HICAS FlashesWell done for getting this far. Now, one of two things happen next.
The HICAS warning light flashes at 0.25 second intervals only. The HICAS warning light flashes with another sequence. With 1. the systems is saying there is currently no fault. This should be good ! Or, you've got an intermittent fault, bummer ! What about 2 ?
The sequence is coded in time. Here's the sequence.
From diagnoses start there's a 5 second period of 0.5 second flashes Then a 5 second gap with the HICAS L.E.D. off. The next 9 seconds store the fault data. A 0.1 second flash at the start of the second means no fault, else there's a 0.5 second flash ( it's easier to see than say ).
HICAS Fault Codes Second number Faulty Part 1 HICAS solenoid valve R.H. 2 HICAS solenoid valve L.H. 3 Fail-safe valve 4 Power Steering solenoid valve 5 Vehicle speed sensor 6 Steering angle sensor 7 Steering neutral position sensor 8 M/T : Clutch sensor A/T : Parking brake sensor 9 M/T : Neutral sensor A/T : Inhibitor sensor
The sequence then starts again. All this runs for 5 minutes or until you switch off the ignition or go over 20MPH. The car will then be out of self-diagnoses mode.
What else can I do ?Well, one quick check is as follows, but remember this is supposed to be done with all 4 wheels off the ground.
Put the HICAS into self-diagnostic mode. Turn the steering wheel about 10° from straight. The rear wheels should move left and right. .
A little information about HICAS everyone should know!
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wanabe240esx
- Posts: 114
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wickedpelf
- Posts: 750
- Joined: Mon Feb 24, 2003 11:08 am
- Car: 1991 240sx with super hicas
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whiterps13
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- Car: white LE hatch
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wickedpelf
- Posts: 750
- Joined: Mon Feb 24, 2003 11:08 am
- Car: 1991 240sx with super hicas
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aleph1
- Posts: 907
- Joined: Tue Jul 23, 2002 10:08 pm
- Car: 1990 240SX hatch MODS: class.
- Location: Fort Collins CO
I disabled mine (installed Nardi steering wheel with a hub for a non HICAS car) by taking out the steering angle sensor.
Anyway, when it did function...it was a mixed bag. Sometimes it lended a surprise hand and it made the turns feel like they went by quicker and sharper, others it would feel like my rear end was breaking lose and I would let off the throttle but it was fine...It really depends from corner to corner and steering inputs, but for the sake of simplicity and predictability-Im currently hunting around for the eliminator kit...
Anyway, when it did function...it was a mixed bag. Sometimes it lended a surprise hand and it made the turns feel like they went by quicker and sharper, others it would feel like my rear end was breaking lose and I would let off the throttle but it was fine...It really depends from corner to corner and steering inputs, but for the sake of simplicity and predictability-Im currently hunting around for the eliminator kit...
