Hello, everyone! First-time poster here. First of all, I would like to say what a great forum. Great information on such a great marque. I have been a proud owner of a 1993 Gold J30 for over 2 1/2 years. Bought the car with 88,000 miles and currently around 105,000 miles from a retired couple. Only expenses so far was a radio fix-up, oil filter and oil, brake tune-up and new interior door panels. My German Sheperd had her way with the interior, unfortunately.
I've been browsing the forum for a couple of days now to see if someone has already posted a similar problem but I went several months back and didn't see it. So now, I hope someone out there can help. Here is the problem:
1) Here is the situation: transmission in reverese ("R"), backing out of the driveway (driveway has a slight decline), car is backing-up, brake pedal depressed slightly, wheel is turned (either left or right) to go onto the street, all of a sudden, I feel my brake pedal drop, as if there was a sudden pressure loss but I still maintain brake control. This happens everytime. I've changed the brake pads and had the rotors turned and bled the lines about 6 mos. ago. This was happening even before the brake system tune-up. I have re-bled the lines to see if I missed an air pocket but no fix.
2) Not really a problem but is the passenger air bag dash cover prone to coming off on the edges. Mine looks like the glue is coming off and warping along the edges. Is this common?
Thanks for hearing me out.
Problem(?) with 93 J30
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Q451990
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I notice a difference in pedal feel during the self test... it seems to be related to the pitch of the driveway, with more noise and harshness on a steeper driveway.
The airbag problem is common. I don't have TSBs on that, but Carlos may at http://www.fuzzycats.com
Heath
The airbag problem is common. I don't have TSBs on that, but Carlos may at http://www.fuzzycats.com
Heath
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carlos_knology
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Actually, I don't have anything on the airbag cover on my website but my J30's passenger airbag cover is doing the same thing.
The corner edge seems to be coming undone. It's just something I haven't really worried about since I'm NOT replacing the airbag module for just that. Too $$$$.
I did, however, superglue the corner back down. Keep in mind, you want to make sure you leave that flap completely operational. Don't glue the thing down so much that it won't open in case of an accident.
On mine, it was the right-most corner (closest to the windshield). That's the area that would act as a hinge so I didn't think a drop of glue would affect it much. Just dont' get carried away and decide to glue the whole thing down. :-)
Carlos
The corner edge seems to be coming undone. It's just something I haven't really worried about since I'm NOT replacing the airbag module for just that. Too $$$$.
I did, however, superglue the corner back down. Keep in mind, you want to make sure you leave that flap completely operational. Don't glue the thing down so much that it won't open in case of an accident.
On mine, it was the right-most corner (closest to the windshield). That's the area that would act as a hinge so I didn't think a drop of glue would affect it much. Just dont' get carried away and decide to glue the whole thing down. :-)
Carlos
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cweberj30t
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- Car: 1993 J30t
2003 G35
2007 G35X
2011 G37X
With the extreme heat in the summer and the cold in the winter, the cover stretches and loosens and over time the corners will start to pop out. I have the same problem, however as Carlos said, too much $$$$ to make a cosmetic repair. As far as the brake problem, I would think the master cylinder might have something to do with the problem. Check the line going to the master cylinder, there might be a leak there. I haven't had that happen to me ever.
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TakDrift
- Posts: 9
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- Car: Gold 93 J30, White 1985/2 944,White 92 Honda SW(RIP)
Mike, Heath, Carlos, cweberj30t, Mitch95J, and elwesso thank you for your quick response.
I might have exagerrated by saying, "I feel my brake pedal drop...". It would only get mushy for about an inch accompanied by an hydraulic sound. Mike, if the car does an ABS self-test as you described then this might be the symptom I have been noticing. If you, Heath, Mitch95J, elwesso, notice the same thing I guess I don't have anything to worry about.
I only worried about it because when I had a 99 (P11) G20t I didn't notice any brake pedal difference when backing down the driveway. Is this common to earlier models? If so, how far back?
Carlos, great website. Very informative. I've got it bookmarked for future reference. Thanks for putting it up. Don't worry I won't superglue the whole thing (is that including the glove box). lol
cweberj30t, I checked the lines many times for leaks too and they are okay. I did the brake pedal test according to the manual too and everything checked right.
I'm glad the airbag problem is common. I worried about it from hearing stories of deployed airbags and only covered up and no airbag behind it. It does look cosmetically unappealing but I'll try Carlos' superglue fix. Mine is coming off on the upper left.
Thanks, again.
Greg
I might have exagerrated by saying, "I feel my brake pedal drop...". It would only get mushy for about an inch accompanied by an hydraulic sound. Mike, if the car does an ABS self-test as you described then this might be the symptom I have been noticing. If you, Heath, Mitch95J, elwesso, notice the same thing I guess I don't have anything to worry about.
I only worried about it because when I had a 99 (P11) G20t I didn't notice any brake pedal difference when backing down the driveway. Is this common to earlier models? If so, how far back?
Carlos, great website. Very informative. I've got it bookmarked for future reference. Thanks for putting it up. Don't worry I won't superglue the whole thing (is that including the glove box). lol
cweberj30t, I checked the lines many times for leaks too and they are okay. I did the brake pedal test according to the manual too and everything checked right.
I'm glad the airbag problem is common. I worried about it from hearing stories of deployed airbags and only covered up and no airbag behind it. It does look cosmetically unappealing but I'll try Carlos' superglue fix. Mine is coming off on the upper left.
Thanks, again.
Greg
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carlos_knology
- Posts: 438
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- Contact:
Ahhhhhh. Your brake hydraulic noise and pedal feel is definitely the ABS pump self test. It only happens at startup. Once you hit a certain speed, the abs pump does a self-test.
Nothing to worry about. I was picturing your brake pedal dropping a few inches and mine doesn't do that. I can, however, feel a slight 'bump' through the brake pedal when the abs test runs. It's always accompanied by that hydraulic hum that lasts about 2 seconds.
Carlos
Nothing to worry about. I was picturing your brake pedal dropping a few inches and mine doesn't do that. I can, however, feel a slight 'bump' through the brake pedal when the abs test runs. It's always accompanied by that hydraulic hum that lasts about 2 seconds.
Carlos
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TakDrift
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- Car: Gold 93 J30, White 1985/2 944,White 92 Honda SW(RIP)
Carlos, what is happening is exactly how you described it, right down to the 'bump' and accompanied hydraulic hum. Now I'm definitely relieved.
Thanks Heath but it's such a minor warp. More of a little nuisance really. I'm not bent out of shape over it. Not unlike when my shepherd literally tore up one of the rear passenger interior panels. OUCH!
Carlos, more KUDOS!! to your website. Your DIY page has some great weekend projects for me.
Greg
Thanks Heath but it's such a minor warp. More of a little nuisance really. I'm not bent out of shape over it. Not unlike when my shepherd literally tore up one of the rear passenger interior panels. OUCH!
Carlos, more KUDOS!! to your website. Your DIY page has some great weekend projects for me.
Greg
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TakDrift
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- Car: Gold 93 J30, White 1985/2 944,White 92 Honda SW(RIP)
Carlos, thought you might like to know. When I had my headlights going crazy it was the relay too. I noticed if I tapped the relay box the light would go on and off. So I took it off by just removing the "cruise control vacuum pump" and removed the relay. I opened the relay carefully. The relay top cover is snapped to the bottom cover. I then proceeded to troubleshoot and found one of the relay's solder had a hairline fracture. The fracture was just enough for the realy to have an erratic connedtion with the PCB. I re-soldered the fracture, re-assembled it and ever since I've had no problems with the headlights. Thought this might save some people a few $$.
Greg
Greg
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carlos_knology
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TakDrift
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Fri Dec 12, 2003 10:27 pm
- Car: Gold 93 J30, White 1985/2 944,White 92 Honda SW(RIP)
Thanks, Carlos! Thanks, Mike! I also have to tell you about my sunroof. I decided to tackle this last summer. I worked on it on and off during the summer.
The sunroof would open but sometimes would not close. I would have to physically push it with my hand while holding the close switch. Not too safe travelling down the freeway. First, I thoroughly studied the manual. The sunroof section wasn't really informative. I got bits and pieces by reading the diagram, I got the whole picture but not quite like looking at it in reality. I've lubed the sunroof guides thinking the problem was dried out lubrication. I even lubed the geared wire. But the problem stil presisted.
I then decided to take down the headliner. Not quite as extensively as the TSB on your website, Carlos, just enough to put it down and peer into the inner working of the sunroof. I did that and got a lot of information by seeing the sunroof system. It didn't look like there were any binding. Put the headliner back. Wow, it was a lot of work. Whew!
So, I was back to square one. No fix yet. Probably a few days or weeks passed since I tackeld it again. I now concentrated on the sunroof motor system. I took the control panel down. Unmounted the motor system from the ceiling and studied the system. Here's what I found:
1) The system has a limit switch only on the close position and not on the open position. Meaning, when you close the sunroof, the limit switch cuts power off to the motor when the sunroof is closed. When the sunroof is fully opened, the motor keeps on running until your finger releases the control switch.
2) There is a "slipper pad" system built into the gear train of the sunroof motor unit. As you open the sunroof and when it reaches it's fully retracted position the "slipper pad" system acts as a passive "limit switch".
After all my greasing, headliner work, hunting for the problem and close to just welding it shut (probably stiffen up the chassis lol) I found the solution. And it was so EASY! Here is the fix:
1) Take down your sunroof/overhead light switch control panel. You can pry it down with your fingers. Start from back, it hinges towards the front. Unhook the connection and set aside.
2) Unscrew the motor unit. There are three black screws that hold the motor unit up. A No. 2 Philipps screwdriver would be used. The connection for the motor unit is just barely out of reach inside the headliner. I just let the unit dangle while I work. The wiring harness seems to take the weight of the unit.
3) With the unit off, now you can see various gears on the system that is still attached on the ceiling. You will see a single nut that has a washer that is bent down on each side. The nut is, to my recollection, about 15mm. I tightened this nut until my sunroof opened and closed normally.
That was my fix. I wish I knew about it before I took down the headliner. It would've saved me from grief. The nut controls how much pressure the "slipper pads" have. Mine probably got loose or the pads might have been overworked that it needed tightening. Hope this is informative to all again.
The sunroof would open but sometimes would not close. I would have to physically push it with my hand while holding the close switch. Not too safe travelling down the freeway. First, I thoroughly studied the manual. The sunroof section wasn't really informative. I got bits and pieces by reading the diagram, I got the whole picture but not quite like looking at it in reality. I've lubed the sunroof guides thinking the problem was dried out lubrication. I even lubed the geared wire. But the problem stil presisted.
I then decided to take down the headliner. Not quite as extensively as the TSB on your website, Carlos, just enough to put it down and peer into the inner working of the sunroof. I did that and got a lot of information by seeing the sunroof system. It didn't look like there were any binding. Put the headliner back. Wow, it was a lot of work. Whew!
So, I was back to square one. No fix yet. Probably a few days or weeks passed since I tackeld it again. I now concentrated on the sunroof motor system. I took the control panel down. Unmounted the motor system from the ceiling and studied the system. Here's what I found:
1) The system has a limit switch only on the close position and not on the open position. Meaning, when you close the sunroof, the limit switch cuts power off to the motor when the sunroof is closed. When the sunroof is fully opened, the motor keeps on running until your finger releases the control switch.
2) There is a "slipper pad" system built into the gear train of the sunroof motor unit. As you open the sunroof and when it reaches it's fully retracted position the "slipper pad" system acts as a passive "limit switch".
After all my greasing, headliner work, hunting for the problem and close to just welding it shut (probably stiffen up the chassis lol) I found the solution. And it was so EASY! Here is the fix:
1) Take down your sunroof/overhead light switch control panel. You can pry it down with your fingers. Start from back, it hinges towards the front. Unhook the connection and set aside.
2) Unscrew the motor unit. There are three black screws that hold the motor unit up. A No. 2 Philipps screwdriver would be used. The connection for the motor unit is just barely out of reach inside the headliner. I just let the unit dangle while I work. The wiring harness seems to take the weight of the unit.
3) With the unit off, now you can see various gears on the system that is still attached on the ceiling. You will see a single nut that has a washer that is bent down on each side. The nut is, to my recollection, about 15mm. I tightened this nut until my sunroof opened and closed normally.
That was my fix. I wish I knew about it before I took down the headliner. It would've saved me from grief. The nut controls how much pressure the "slipper pads" have. Mine probably got loose or the pads might have been overworked that it needed tightening. Hope this is informative to all again.