Enter joystick on a 2003 M45

[Edubbz60]

Can the enter joystick be replaced on the 2003 M45 or will I need to replace the whole unit as the dealer advised?

[Edubbz60]

Can someone please help. This is the main control to navagate the different prompts.

[Double E]

I don't know much about a replacement, but I am interested in what is broken about it.

For example, is it split in two, did it pop out of it's mounting, does it move the same but just doesn't make the system react, is the tension on it gone or have there been any impacts/liquid to it that may have caused it to fail?

Sorry not to be of much help for the situation but many of us here would opt to pull the unit out, open it up and attempt to fix what's broke before ponying up what I guess is 600-1000 for that thing.

The only other solution I can thik of is looking at e-bay for a unit out of a Q. I think they have the same component as the M and it is configured slightly differently and may be a little off in color, but the joystick part is all you'd need from it and the rest cold go back on e-bay or be trashed.

[Edubbz60]

the ball is just all over the place it has no tension behind it. It just moves around freely.

[Double E]

As it moves around freely, is it still allowing navigation through menus?

I'm assuming your warranty is no longer applicable, right?

SO far, I'm of the opinion that the unit can be disassembled and repaired without requiring too much in skills. Download the service manual and see what it will take to remove the unit, then you'll know more about what you're up against.

Typically, with joystick type controls, there's a metal ring or an actual spring that applies tension around a flexible base (of plastic probably). In the effort to make it smaller, it's probably not actual springs, but a ring that can flex. Inside the base, there's the "ball" of the stick and I suspect the metal ring or other device that applies tension has either come loose or the flexible base has been damaged.

A junkyard is the next best option, however not very many M's were made and it will be a needle/haystack exercise at best.

In any case, this is the first I've heard of this happening in my short time here (@ Jan '08)

[szh]

Please also contact Joe Tsensky at http://www.everythinginfiniti.com ... his prices will be excellent if you end up getting the whole unit or even some parts to it.

Z

[RBote]

New member. Been reading for 2 months. Finally got my M45 2003, black on black, 1 month ago. It has the enter joystick problem as well. I have found that it still works but you have to align the joystick in a certain position to actually hit the enter button.

[CakeDaddy]

Can the enter joystick be replaced on the 2003 M45 or will I need to replace the whole unit as the dealer advised?

No. It is part of the entire assembly, so a new unit is in your future. $350-$450 good luck my man

[Edubbz60]

thanks my man not what i wanted to hear but thanks

[Double E]

Edubb, If you get the replacement unit, please send me the old one (I'll pay to ship).

I'll also promise to open it up and see what the issue is and then determine what can be done to fix it for others. This will potentially assist our community with a fix procedure. It might even keep you from buying yet, a third unit in the future.

[chicag]

I got similar problems with my car. Joystick is not working and when I press button, instead of "Enter", it randomly interprets as "Up", and "Down". So there is an obvious problem with joystick. I opened entire electronic board, and located joystick. There is little small electronic part, which can be replaced by soldering. Unfortunately there is no label whatsoever on board or on joystick, so I cannot figure out part number, or even manufacturer. Does anybody know where I can find electronic circuit diagram, or part number of joystick. If I can get new part, then it can soldered and replaced defect joystick.

[fullspeedahead]

I have the same joystick problem. It took less than 5 minutes to pop the cluster "c" lid out and disconnect the two wiring harnesses. Pull the cluster "c" lid straight out. I turned it face down on my living room table and used a phillips head screwdriver to remove the eight screws from the back. Once removed, the computer board/knobs all stay intact and separate cleanly from the cluster "c" lid.

The joystick on my unit has a cracked plastic "half-moon"-shaped piece that fits over the metal rod, which is what actually moves to control the heat/ac/radio/basically everything. I'm not crazy about having to spend $300-$500 for a new unit just because a half-cent piece of plastic broke, so i am attempting to superglue the broken piece of plastic back on. Not sure if it will work, but it can't get any more broken than it is now.

If it still doesn't work, then I'll start searching around the junk yards for the 10 cent joystick piece.

[chicag]

Opening board is easy part.
Next step, replacing joystick, is more difficult. Joystick itself would cost $1-2 in electronic part shops. Unfortunately I have not found any label, and cannot guess even manufacturer.

[seldomseen]

I remember past members who had the same issue with their Q45/M45 simply buying a used assembly on ebay for a fraction of the new parts price. However, attempting to fix ball on the joy stick seems like a better start.