QuestionI have a used '99 nissan maxima - however its new to me (only had it 2wks). It drives great but has several electrical issues (3 things) which i'm hoping is fuse related and i can fix myself.
1) My biggest issue is my lighter socket / outlet doesn't work (need to be able to charge my cellphn, its my life line and is always dieing) - i'm hoping its just a fuse, but dont know which fuse to purchase or which fusebox to look for or where to find it. i know there are two fuse boxes under the hood by the engine, one on the left side & one on the right side (closer to driver)-- neither one of these do i see lighter socket fuse -- am i looking for the right thing??
Secondly - the car has powerlocks ... but i dont have the alarm for the car (purchased from a wholeseller without it) anyway, when i open the car with the key on driver side, though it makes the sound (sometimes) that its opened all the doors - it hasn't. then there are times when i use the lock/unlock button on the door itself - again sometimes it will make the sound as if it opened all doors but it doesn't and i'm forced to lean over and manually open each door as though i don't have power locks... is this a fuse issue also, that i can replace -- or do i have to go to mechanic to get remote alarm replaced and have electrician look at it?
And lastly all my lights in the car work except my gear shift lights ... at night the headlights and dash board lights work, but not the lights for the gear shift -- it is an automatic which helps so i know the gears are in order -- but fact is at night its pitch black, and i dont want to keep guessing which gear i'm in before i press the gas. Dont want to be in a situation where i have to act fast, and i throw the car in reverse when i'm really trying to be in drive (or vice versa) by mistake and have an accident. Is this also a fuse issue that's related to the top two issue or is each independent of its own??
can i deal with these issues all myself inexpensively or do i need a mechanic/electrician??
please let me know. (sorry so lengthy) :)
AnswerHi Leigha -
Thanks for the descriptive. It is better to be lengthy than short, as it is hard to diagnose cars sight unseen.
OK, for your first issue -
It is probably the fuse, however sometimes it is connected to another circuit, such as the dome light. This fuse it probably located under dash, drivers side of the car. If you can't find it, then you can pull each fuse out one by one and inspect it. If the metal strip is broken, then the fuse is blown. If you replace it and the fuse blows right away, then you will need to replace the lighter socket assembly.
The door locks - Looks like the solenoid is firing, but the linkage needs adjustment to unlock the doors. This requires opening the door panels and adjusting the linkage rods that drive the door lock mechanisms.
It appears that the bulb that lights your gear indicator is blown. The center console needs to be removed to get to this bulb, which is under the gear indicator housing.
All items above can be repaired by any competent mechanic, and the cost should be minimal.
Hope this helps -
aloha
calvin
