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Starting issue in cold weather

12K views 20 replies 6 participants last post by  Daveoc17  
#1 ·
Hi all, my 2009 LE has been acting weird for the past month, it will not start when the weather is cold near freezing temperatures so I have to jump it with my other vehicle. After doing some research in the forum I tried the swapping relays method but didn't work. My mechanic kept it in his garage for 2 weeks and replaced the fuse relay box part # 284b6-zE03EB which didn't fix the problem , after spending $322 for the relay box he then told me that the cause of the problem is a computer part #23710-2w03a , problem is that he called 5 different dealers and got the same answer from every Nissan dealer : the part has been discontinued and they don't know when they'll get it back in inventory. I just called one of my local Nissan dealers today and the parts guy told me that it looks like only one dealer has it in stock and is located in Arkansas . Before I spend an extra $1500 to get it fixed I'd love to hear some of your opinions and perhaps a cheaper option. TIA Dave
 
#16 ·
Please don’t be offended, but find a new mechanic. If I wasn’t on call for the clinic today, I would’ve charged you a full tank of gas and a venti vanilla cream cold brew iced coffee to swap that out. Lol.

The part you labeled “IPDM???” is NOT the IPDM; that is the ECM.
The IPDM is located in the fuse box closest to the firewall.
But didn’t your mechanic swap this out already?
 
#18 ·
My mechanic replaced the part I labeled relay box in the pics, he wants to replace the one I labeled IPDM??? with a new one but can't find it anywhere. Nissan discontinued it! Sorry for the late reply. I've been crazy busy at work.
 
#7 ·
hey rsotot80, thanks for the reply, that was exactly what they told me when I went to pepboys and left it there for the day, the "tech" asked me how old was my battery and I said it just about 3 years old so he said "time for a new one" so I went and got me a new battery, unfortunately that didn' t solve the issue. I forgot to mention I also replaced the fuel pump thinking that was the issue SMH. I was about to call it quits but then my mechanic said "broh she only has 110 thousand miles on it , the tranny and engine are in great shape, why get rid of it just because of an electrical issue?
 
#11 ·
Start with the basics and check the battery terminals. Make sure contact is good, solid and have no play. If you’ve got a multimeter, check the battery first thing in the am before starting it up; it should be at least 12.2V-up.
Another thing to look into would be the engine coolant temp sensor. They don’t always trigger a DTC but a
failing ECT sensor can cause cold start issues too. If your mechanic or someone you know has a scan tool that can read live data, use that to check and monitor the engine temp. I don’t have the specific values for the WA60 but search online for the OE Nissan service manuals.
 
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#3 · (Edited by Moderator)
Excellent catch spta97 ! My mistake ,sorry, that was actually a z and not the number 2 lol, anyhow thanks so much for the link, I'll call them tomorrow, they're are only 30 minutes away from me which is great! I'll keep you posted
 
#4 ·
No problem- I’m in LI as well and saw the 516 number ;)

Before you buy, do a search here and on Titantalk for IPDM. Not sure if that is part of the issue but I seem to recall some replaceable parts rather than the entire module. I could be remembering wrong but that seems to be a common issue.
 
#5 ·
I'll definitely do more research as soon as I get home from work . My mechanic told me that his programer guy said that he has seen this issue before with the armadas which is the reason why he came out with the IPDM been tbe problem. I hope I can find a different cheaper solution. Thanks brother

Ok ,so , after doing some research it looks like few people have decided to replace the IPDM, which has caused some of the issues I'm experiencing with mine . I'm ready to place my order but before I do just got few more questions: how difficult it is to replace it? and where is it exactly located? I couldn't find any YouTube videos or instructions on here . I was able to find step by step instructions on the Nissan Titan forum but I'm not sure if that's the same part , that "IPDM" had all the fuses and relays attached and the one on the website I'm about to order seems different without any fuses and relays . My mechanic already replaced the ECM I believe is called or "fuse box" which has a whole bunch of fuses and relays. I'm a bit confused , I know the ECM and IPDM are totally different components and the IPDM needs to be programmed at some point

 
#8 ·
Ok ,so , after doing some research it looks like few people have decided to replace the IPDM, which has caused some of the issues I'm experiencing with mine . I'm ready to place my order but before I do just got few more questions: how difficult it is to replace it? and where is it exactly located? I couldn't find any YouTube videos or instructions on here . I was able to find step by step instructions on the Nissan Titan forum but I'm not sure if that's the same part , that "IPDM" had all the fuses and relays attached and the one on the website I'm about to order seems different without any fuses and relays . My mechanic already replaced the ECM I believe is called or "fuse box" which has a whole bunch of fuses and relays. I'm a bit confused , I know the ECM and IPDM are totally different components and the IPDM needs to be programmed at some point

Can you provide a link to what you are going to purchase? According to the vid below, the IPDM is the part which contains the fuses/relays (which includes the ECM). He also stated the older white ones are prone to failure but he has not seen a failure on the newer black ones.

When I searched for the part on the thread you linked it comes up as discontinued (yikes) but there are some options on eBay for ~$250 with shipping.

Aaron is my YouTube go to (pretty much all of his Titan vids are the same for Armadas). The IPDM is near the passenger side firewall behind the fuse box.


In the description of his video Aaron states:

In this video I show the steps and procedures I use to properly diagnose a bad IPDM And a bad engine relay. IPDM Stands for intelligent power distribution module. And Nissan uses them and all of their vehicles to control all the electric functions of the vehicle including the ECM. The ECM or engine relay or sometimes referred to as ignition relay is located in the IPDM. A bad engine really can give you a no start condition. As well as low power condition, also a stalling condition where the engine turns off unexpectedly. A bad eye PDM can give you issues with your wipers, headlights, AC compressor, condenser fan, and various other electronica components in the vehicle. When you purchase a intelligent power distribution module from Nissan it will come with a brand new AC relay and all the fuses already installed for you. I hope this helps some of you out. if you have any questions or comments feel free to leave something In the comment section and make sure to check the links in the description for the parts and tools are used during this video. Thank you for watching"

Another helpful vid:

strange, it looks like your mechanic already replaced the IPDM. What part are you looking to purchase now?



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#9 ·
Sounds like the mechanic is the typical parts changer. If the truck is starting when jumped and running normally, there is nothing wrong with the ECM and likely, there was nothing wrong with the original IPDM either.
 
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#10 ·
strange, it looks like your mechanic already replaced the IPDM. What part are you looking to purchase now?



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I’m trying to purchase the part from the link you shared earlier in the discussion but Im not 100% sure , that was the module my mechanic was trying to get from 5 different dealerships and no one had it in stock due to the part been discontinued. The fuse box he replaced and charged me over $300 was 284B6-ZE03B. He wrote the part number on the receipt. He kept my armada until his garage for 2 weeks and after doing all kinds of tests he said the IPDM is the problem. The fuse box was actually in good condition but he replaced it anyway and of course charged me for it SMH
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I’m trying to purchase the part from the link you shared earlier in the discussion but Im not 100% sure , that was the module my mechanic was trying to get from 5 different dealerships and no one had it in stock due to the part been discontinued. The fuse box he replaced and charged me over $300 was 284B6-ZE03B. He wrote the part number on the receipt. He kept my armada until his garage for 2 weeks and after doing all kinds of tests he said the IPDM is the problem. The fuse box was actually in good condition but he replaced it anyway and of course charged me for it SMH
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This is the fuse box he replaced band later told me it wasn’t the problem

This is the new computer my truck needs according to my mechanic
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I’m trying to purchase the part from the link you shared earlier in the discussion but Im not 100% sure , that was the module my mechanic was trying to get from 5 different dealerships and no one had it in stock due to the part been discontinued. The fuse box he replaced and charged me over $300 was 284B6-ZE03B. He wrote the part number on the receipt. He kept my armada until his garage for 2 weeks and after doing all kinds of tests he said the IPDM is the problem. The fuse box was actually in good condition but he replaced it anyway and of course charged me for it SMH
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Sounds like the mechanic is the typical parts changer. If the truck is starting when jumped and running normally, there is nothing wrong with the ECM and likely, there was nothing wrong with the original IPDM either.
I apologize if I'm making this discussion confusing. I'm not very good with my phone lol

Today I drove her for around 5 hours going to different places on the island with my 10 year old boy , after she starts she runs like new , no issues at all , no loss of power or anything like that, the problem happens early morning when temperatures are below 50 degrees, she won't start and I have to use my wife's car to jump it . Last week we had one day with beautiful weather , the mercury reached 65 degrees, she started right away without even a jump . I'm clueless...
 

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#12 ·
Part number 284B6-ZE03B is listed as the IPDM and could also be considered a "fuse box" so that sounds like it was already replaced.

The link you provided with instructions was for the IPDM. The ECM, it seems, is two things now: 1) the relay in the IPDM and 2) a separate computer module part number 23710-zw03a.

I'm thoroughly confused. o_O

Maybe people are using the wrong term for the relay in the IPDM?
 
#13 ·
The ECM (engine control module) is NOT a relay, an ignition relay or any relay of any sort. It is the electrical brain/computer on just about every modern car to date. On the WA60 armada, the ECM is located on the passenger side inner fender, next to the IPDM. You can tell by the huge electrical connectors that route to the ECM and locks into place. The ECM does have a relay inside the IPDM. That relay was known to fail prematurely on the 04-07s and a temporary fix was to swap the fog relay if needed.
 
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#15 ·
I couldn’t find instructions on how to replace the IPDM, I’m going to try to do it myself , the lady on the phone said “it’s plug and play” but when I asked her for instructions she said there are no instructions, it comes fully programmed from their shop. My mechanic was going to charge me around $500 including programming
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#17 ·
Have you tried starting the engine with the shift lever in Neutral? You just have to depress the brake, put the ignition in Run, shift to Neutral, then engage the starter. Starting it this way bypasses circuits. No, you're right; it fixes nothing. Intermittent problems are tough and expensive to fix; you're just shotgunning parts without really knowing if it's fixed. A workaround (like this) might help until the faulty component completely fails; then, you'll be able to identify the failure a bit more easily.
 
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