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2000 Xterra ABS Light and Airbag lights flashing

13K views 13 replies 6 participants last post by  raybies69 
#1 ·
About a month ago, my Emergency Brake light and the battery light on the dash were on which typically means the alternator is bad. So I bought a new alternator (and battery) and replaced it. The X ran great for about a month. Then one day, after driving for about 20 mins, my ABS light would come on when I pressed the brakes. After about 10 mins of this, my ABS light, Airbag light, and seat belt light were all on and the car wasn't running right. It wasn't getting the necessary power.

So when I got home, I looked and found that the negative battery connector had a crack half through it and it wasn't very tight. So I replaced it and the X ran fine for another day or two. Then, two days later, the same problems start happening and the car dies at an intersection. I get the car home and find that the positive connector has a small crack in it as well. So I replaced this connector and had the battery tested. The battery was fine, just needed to be charged. So I charged the battery and the car ran fine for another week.

But now, a week later, the same 3 dash lights are coming on again. Sometimes, all three at the same time. Sometimes, it is just the ABS light. Does anyone have a clue what this could be?

Sorry for the long post, but this is driving me crazy.
 
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#2 ·
If I'm correct and according to my wife I never am, lol I don't believe a odb scanner will give you codes for abs or srs lights now I could be completely wrong about that and if I am someone please chime in and give the correct info. But you may need to take to a shop where they have an abs scanner and srs scanner to see if you are throwing any codes.
With that being said

Abs light flashing could be a corroded or bad wheel sensor and when you apply the brakes its not responding to the abs system. Also could be something as simple as low fluild.
Have you had you brakes changed recently?

As far as the srs light someone else is gonna have to chime in and help out with this one.

I have read where people will just reset the srs light and I saw some thing about it for a frontier although I don't know if its the same for our trucks.
None the less here's the link

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mkUFQLzWImI&desktop_uri=/watch?v=mkUFQLzWImI

Hope this helps
Cheers
 
#3 ·
I had the brakes changed two years ago and the bake fluid level is full.

What is weird to me is that it isn't just the lights flashing and being annoying. This is somehow related to my X shutting off. My ABS brakes are not engaging. These lights are somehow tied to an electrical issue.
 
#4 · (Edited)
All three of your indicator lights can be caused by low voltage (more accurately electrical gremlins). The "brake" light is controlled by two switches: One on the brake fluid reservoir to indicate low fluid, and one on the parking brake to let you know it's engaged. If you look at this diagram here (page EL-87):

http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/Xterra/2000/el.pdf

...you will notice that there is a diode between the "charge" indicator circuit and the "brake" indicator circuit (I believe it's in the alternator). If that diode goes out, it can cause the two lights to illuminate. We recently had a member who had both lights illuminated, and the "fix" was replacing that diode.

Your ABS light is yet another unrelated circuit. The troubleshooting for that fault is on page BR-56 of the factory manual:

http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/Xterra/2000/br.pdf

There are fault codes for the ABS system, but you can't get to them with a scan tool. The procedure for obtaining codes is on page BR-41 (you have to ground out one of the pins to get the ABS light to flash the code). The codes are listed on BR-48. Note that one of the fault codes (57) is for "power supply / low voltage".

EDIT: I'll just say right off the bat that you should check your brake fluid first. Even the ABS troubleshooting asks you to check it, and it couldn't hurt.
 
#5 ·
You should definitly see if it is throwing any codes. That will really help with diagnosing the issue. Most auto parts stores like AutoZone and Napa should have an obd2 scanner to pull the codes. You shouldn't have to go anywhere special for those codes because with a vehicle from after 1995 it is required to be srandardized so everyone can read the basic codes. Sorry jhill. That would have been true for pre 1995/obd 1 vehicles but they have changed it for both monitary and safety reasons.

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#6 · (Edited)
You should definitly see if it is throwing any codes. That will really help with diagnosing the issue. Most auto parts stores like AutoZone and Napa should have an obd2 scanner to pull the codes. You shouldn't have to go anywhere special for those codes because with a vehicle from after 1995 it is required to be srandardized so everyone can read the basic codes. Sorry jhill. That would have been true for pre 1995/obd 1 vehicles but they have changed it for both monitary and safety reasons.

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Absolutely true for "basic" engine related codes odb2 will read them only a odb2 / abs, srs can read all codes. Abs and Srs are completely un related to engine diagnostics. But I gotta trump you on this. Auto zone and advanced Napa can't read ABS codes I know this cause of my rover. What is infamously known as the 3amigos in the rover world "abs,tc, and hdc" lights on requires an abs code scanner in which auto zone and advanced nor napa have.

I keep calling it odb...lol I stand corrected it is my rover that is non existent to an obd2 scanner so auto zone or one of those places should be able to read it.
My apologies queen
 
#8 ·
Sure thing, what you need to do is go to an auto parts store, like advanced or auto one Napa etc... and ask one the clerks to run a code scanner on your truck. Tell them about your abs and srs lights being on. They will hook a scanner up to a port that is underneath your steering column turn your ignition on and search for any fault codes that your truck has recorded. Write down the code number and the code description and that will hopefully tell you exactly what needs to be fixed on your truck.
 
#9 ·
Sure thing, the codes are faults that your trucks computer have recorded when something is wrong. what you need to do is go to an auto parts store, like advanced or auto zone Napa etc... and ask one the clerks to run a code scanner on your truck. Tell them about your abs and srs lights being on. They will hook a scanner up to a port that is underneath your steering column turn your ignition on and search for any fault codes that your truck has recorded. Write down the code number and the code description and that will tell you exactly what needs to be fixed on your truck. They can also check your alternator and battery to make sure its not a voltage problem aswell.
 
#10 ·
My advice stop messing around with autoparts stores that hire non Nissan trained staff..These Autoparts store are like getting help at Wal-Mart ..there is a reason Autozone does not charge you to scan your Nissan or any vehicle for that matter.....Look at al the time that one wastes chasing codes when you try to diagnosis yourself......Time is money....I no longer screw around with Autozone....in the end with ABS codes you will end up at the Nissan Dealer
 
#11 ·
Update:

I took my car to a local mechanic and he told me that I had a bad battery. So I went from his shop to Autozone (where I bought the battery). They told me the battery was still good. That makes 2 separate places (Advanced and Autozone) telling me it is good and one bad. But here is the kicker - on the way to Autozone and back to the mechanic, the speedometer quick working. When I asked the mechanic about that, he said that was probably a completely different problem unrelated to the battery. That doesn't make sense to me.

I was talking to someone about this, and they said they had similar problems with their car and it ended up being the spark plugs. Doesn't really make sense to me, but I guess that is my next guess.
 
#12 ·
I think that it might be a good idea to take your X to a reliable mechanic. To be honest I think you should take it to a Nissan dealer because they will have more experience dealing with stange issues and it could mean your X get ting fixed faster and possibly cheaper. This definitely sounds like an electrical issue to me but there are so many things that could go wrong in the electrical system it can be hard to figure it out.

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#14 ·
I would like to personally Thank You for all the info you posted. I am having the same issues with my 2000 Xterra and will keep you posted on my progress, hopefully. Also my airbag light is on and I believe it's the factory one. Would you suggest just having it removed or replaced. Again thanx for the great info you posted.

Cheers, Raymond
 
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