[Mosi]

While driving back from a short weekend trip today, the DIFF LOCK light turned on and the VDC OFF illuminated. Strange since I haven't even tested to see if there truly is a locker installed. Immediate panic set in hoping that I didn't get a malfunction that actually engaged it sending us to our doom on the next bend in the road. Then the Diff lock light flickered like there was a short and went dark, turning off the VDC light as well. I thought that was pretty strange and just figured I would mention it to the service dept. as soon as possible. About an hour later, the lights came back on again and this time we were doing 75mph on the highway... flicker flicker flicker... on... flicker flicker. It seemed to flicker when I would change lanes and run over the lane bumps.
We stopped about an hour later to fuel up and as we were slowing down to the gas station, the ABS and Slip light decided to join the party. I had hoped that turning of the ignition would fix it as I would have occasional quirks with the traction control system in the Rover which would fix itself after a restart.... no luck! This time however, the ABS, VDC, and Slip lights were the only ones on and the diff lock was not.

We got it home just fine and I started checking fuses and all seem to be good for the ABS, Diff lock and ETC system. I restart the truck and now the diff lock light and VDC lights are the only ones on. Ummm, okay? I flip the locker switch and the ABS light and slip light comes on (just sitting in 2hi park). I turn it off and the diff light goes off but the other lights are still on. Then I take a slooooow test drive around the block... go from 2 hi to 4hi.. this is working. Drop into LO and it's working as well. Then stopped to turn the locker on and NO LIGHT! I left it on and rounded a corner and neither felt nor heard and tires chirping as they should when locked on pavement. Turned the locker off and went back into 2hi and parked it. Restarted it and now the only 2 lights on are the diff lock and VDC lights... UGG!
We have had our Infiniti G35X (awd) for 3 years now and never had a problem with the ETC which is very similar.

Anyone have similar poltergeists?

 

[kokopop]

These lights are completely random. I was missing a lower shock bolt in the rear and mine went off. I installed a new bolt and no issue's since.

 

[Old Navy]

Several of us had the same problem and here is the history on them all;

http://thenewx.org/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=1099&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

As you read, you'll find out what corrected my problem and to date it hasn't come back and/or occured again.
KNOCK-ON-WOOD!

 

[Mosi]

Dang.

 

[Mrcole]

Having the exact same problem now, well, almost exact. I was driving home today and noticed the VDC off light came on and at the same time the diff lock light was flickering. This sent me into a panic since I was going 75mph on the highway. The lights/flickering lasted for 5 seconds then stopped. I noticed it happening two more times while driving and it did it once when I was at a stop light, completely stopped. I guess I'll check out the thread mentioned above for a solution.

Mosi,

did yours ever quit? Everything in my vehicle seems solid and feels like it is running normally.

 

[Mrcole]

Old Navy,

your thread goes to something like this: "Nissan's Smyrna Plant Reaches Major Milestone in Tennessee - Earthtimes (press releas "

with one post and it's a dead link?

 

[rm975]

I had the flickering diff lock light. Metal in the rear diff oil caused my diff lock position switch to bridge, indicating to the DLCU that the locker was engaged out of parameter (4lo / below 4 mph) when it really wasn't. This caused the computer to shut down the other systems ie: vdc, abls. I pulled the diff cover, as the drain hole was so covered in metal sludge on the magnetic chip collector that the diff would not drain. I flushed the diff, inspected the wear pattern on the R&P, resealed, and serviced. No problems since. There have been other cases on this board of excessive wear metals in the diff.

 

[Mrcole]

Hmm,

I hope there isn't that much build up in my diff. I changed the oil less than 10k ago with amsoil. I guess I will get it up on the slides and check the cap to see how much metal gunk has piled up.

 

[X-earth05]

The rear diff has both a locker engage switch and a locker detection sensor. It sounds like your detection sensor is inaccurate. After you check the metal shavings check the fluid level too. It is also possible that the sensor is bad or somewhere on the wire there is a short.

Obviously if the diff locks when you don't want it to its gonna be bad. If you think it maybe more than just a sensor issue I would pull the locker fuse or relay until you can look into it or take it into a shop.

 

[rm975]

Schematic

 

[dark_knight]

Mine was the IPDM module IIRC.

 

[Mrcole]

Mine was the IPDM module IIRC.

How much was that fix?

I took my truck home, engaged the diff lock and drove a big. It locked and unlocked fine. Didn't see it happen again today but will keep and eye out for sure.