JUANPCM

Hi guys, ive read this forums for a long time and i have found answers before, i see theres a lot people that know a lot about the car, i bought my 2008 G37S Coupe AT long time ago, when i bought the dashboard was all cracked, it always bothered me, and been thinking to replace the car, recently I decided that i like the car and better invest some money to fix it, been searching for years onces in a while on ebay for a dashboard, finally bought one, i think it was from a 2010 or 13... im not sure, anyways, it was almost like new and comparing what the dealer wanted to charge me for the part and installation was too expensive, so i bought it.. a guy wanted to charge 1000 to install it.. so i decided to do it my self.. it wasnt easy but i managed to do it..

I searched the forums but i didnt find anything, after everything was done, i pressed the button to go to ACC or ON, no lights on the cluster, disconnected the battery, connected it again, lights were on now, i tried to start the car, but it looked like the battery was low because it tried to start but it didnt, after jump started it, the gauges werent moving, its lighting up, bunch of lights on, vcd, slip abs.. the car wont turn off, i found if i keep the button pushed it will turn off after a few seconds, if i press it once, all lights go off and after a couple of seconds they light up again.. same thing on ACC or ON without the car running, if i press it once, all lights off, then a few seconds later all on, the AC is not working, all the buttons in that lower row wont do anything, the radio works, screen, headlights and everything else looks normal..

I was very careful with everything, didnt drop or hit anything, yesterday checked all cables again to make sure everything was plugged in, behind the instrumental cluster, under glove box and the ones under the steering wheel, havent checked the ones behind the radio because i dont think anything over there could cause that.. until later last night, i was thinking what could it be, the new dashboard came with a little module, with a cable that goes to the radio, i think its the GPS antenna, i thought i would leave since it was newer, also the airbags are form the new dashboard, it came with those things so i left them there instead of swapping them for the ones of my car.

So if anyone has an idea that could be causing this, any help would be much appreciated.. the GPS antenna? the airbag? the low battery, although ive had problems with the battery before and it didnt do this... do i have to reset something? i dont think i broke anything, sorry for the long post, i wanted to be as specific as possible.

Thanks, Juan

BULL

Hey Juan, it's difficult to diagnose something someone has done without know their capabilities.
on dash swaps it's extremely important to keep as many of the original systems as possible.
Though connectors might connect it doesnt gaurantee they'll work. GPS systems changed from 08 to 2013.

More than likely you left something disconnected, hopefully you dont have to remove the dash but most likely you'll have to. For peace of mind swap the GPS antenna and airbag.

You can recoup a bit of money by selling the bag. A 13 bag should sell faster than an 08.​​​​​

JUANPCM

Thanks Bull for you reply, I was thinking this morning, i could just take out the radio, disconnect the new one and just plug the old one without have to take the dash out, just to test it, maybe i can do the same with the airbags.. will try that once i get home, that will help reduce the variables..

ILM-NC G37S

iTrader: (3)

What all besides the dash did you replace?

To add to what BULL suggested, I would first make sure that all of the connectors ARE IN THEIR RIGHT PLACE! It is very easy to mix up the connectors for the AV headunit and the AC Amp (the little white, rectangular plastic box mounted on the headunit). This plastic box is what controls 99% of your gauge cluster as well as most of the other symptoms you are describing.

There should be two white wiring connectors wrapped with a yellow tape. Make sure these are plugged into the AC Amp!

The GPS antenna would not cause your issues.

JUANPCM

Thanks ILM, nothing, just the dash, but it came with the antenna( like you said i dont think is the problem, but im going to try) and the airbags, besides that i didnt change anything.. hmm interesting, i never thought the problem could come from the radio side.. i can try that too when i get home, i was careful, and it looked like in a computer, things will only fit in a place, maybe i messed up something there, i can easily take it out and see, so it can be that some of those things fit in more than one place? i had no idea that the AV headunit and the AC Amp controls 99% of the gauges, i feel some relief knowing that, the cluster only has 2 cables and i was going crazy thinking how could i mess it up.. so im not expert and im not sure what the (the little white, rectangular plastic box mounted on the headunit) but im going to take everything out, and see if i can locate what you are talking about..

"There should be two white wiring connectors wrapped with a yellow tape. Make sure these are plugged into the AC Amp!" gonna try to find that too, thank you so much for your time, now i have a couple of things to check when i get home, because last night i didnt know what else too do..

ILM-NC G37S

iTrader: (3)

To clarify, the "Unified Meter/ AC Amp​​​" is what controls most of the gauge cluster. This pic shows what to look for:


Please keep us updated!

JUANPCM

I see it now, thanks! i took the whole thing together, so that must have come with the whole radio, i will leave soon from work and will go to check that, i will let you know, thanks again for your time! hopefully thats the problem!

JUANPCM

So everything was apparently properly connected.. it keeps doing the same even if the antenna is disconnected…

ILM-NC G37S

iTrader: (3)

Did you do all of this work with the battery connected?

Did you make sure everything is plugged in tight? A connector is loose in your pic...

Something either in that center stack or behind the dash is not connected properly.

Double check your fuses (left footwell area).

JUANPCM

No, i had the battery disconnected, had been connecting it to check.. are you able to see with those small fuses if they are bad?

JUANPCM

Yes, everything is tight, those were from the radio, just took the picture befure putting everything back together.. disconnected everything and put everything back again making sure everything was properly connected, do all the radio cables have to be connected to work? I tried if it was working just with the 2 cables that you told me

ILM-NC G37S

iTrader: (3)

Disconnect the battery and pull the fuses one by one. Specifically check the fuses marked:
ELEC PARTS (IGN);
ELEC PARTS (BAT); and
AUDIO/ MIRROR

If the fuses are good, and everything is connected correctly, then I'm out of ideas...

JUANPCM

Thanks! Im going to try that tight now…

ILM-NC G37S

iTrader: (3)

Just to make sure, everything there is OEM to YOUR car, correct? You didn't replace anything else- just the dash pad?

JUANPCM

Yes, only that, i had my screen replaced but that was a couple of months ago but everything was working finé until i replaced the dash, well, it also has the airbags of the other car.. i tried the antenna, nothing happened..without, with the new one, with the old one.. will have to try to change the airbags or maybe try to at least connect it, i think i might be able to take it off or change it without taking the dash.. i replaced the fuses yout told me, it was getting dark so i left the car with the battery disconnected, idk if that could do something, ill try to see if that did something…

Edit: would the car work normally with the radio or the airbags disconnected?? Or that could cause the problem? Although i did check those cable i could give it another try..