Ok, so the previous owner rewired the tail lights to a button because he claimed that he was quoted at $1000 dollars at the dealership to have it fixed. I have read around and found out that it is most likely a fuse (Keep in that the tail lights work with only an aftermarket button and any of the a/c control lights and the clock light doesn't work.) Though I still assume its either the IPDM or a fuse. Now... I haven't looked at the wiring but how ****ed am I on hooking it all back up to the OEM light switch? Any tips/DIY's? Also any pics of OEM wiring for tail lights would be appreciated...

I will take it apart and post pics later, My phone is broken ATM.

 

Your electrical system is funked up.

 

You didnt say what year G you have. But here is a link to 2005 G35 service manual. There you can find all the electrical wiring diagrams.

http://www.sfplayers.com/serviceManuals/

 

Its 04 thanks anyone else wanna pitch in? I really wanna wire it back up and make it Oem...

 

Go to google.com
Type in 2004 G35 Service Manual
Download and use electrical diagrams

 

You need to find out where the problem is. The light switch is on a communication bus wit the BCM. The BCM then would control the taillights (I'm not sure they go through the IPDM, but they could, if the do there is a CAN bus between the BCM and IPDM).

Chances are the BCM is blown or the IPDM if the dealership quoted that high. If you can find the output to the taillight circuit you could apply power and see if all the other lights work. Chances are, though, that the outputs are on different circuits connected only by logic in the BCM. I say this because you say the switch only turns the tail lights on, but doesn't change the other interior lighting.

Unfortunately the lighting system on these cars is overly complicated.

Does anything happen when you use the switch? Do the headlights work properly? Is anything else not working?

 

When I use the rewired button, only the tail lights turn on and off... and my headlights are more than fine with the OEM ****. I am debating weather or not to take it to an independent shop and see if they have input of their own.

Sorry it took so long to reply... Been bustin my *** this winter.

Edit: also, ive heard that this might be just a fuse and maybe the dealership was wrong. But to change the fuse I need to remove the battery, am I correct?

 

http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/G35/Coupe/2004/lt.pdf

You didn't say if you had a coupe or a sedan. The above is for a coupe. Tail light wiring is on page 142. There is a 10A fuse in the IPDM (fuse 71) that you could check. You are correct, to get to the IPDM fuses you must take the battery out. The fuse then feeds a relay in the IPDM that controls the tail lights and the front markers.

Page 186 shows how that same circuit feeds the entire rest of of the illumination circuit. I would have thought that the interior lights would have been controlled by the BCM but they are not. They are all fed off of the tail light relay. The big concern for me is how exactly did they connect the switch and why does it not power all the lights? Maybe they cut the tail light wires and only powered them because there is a short in the system that kept blowing fuses? By cutting the tail light wires they have them isolated so if there is a short somewhere in the circuit it now won't kill the tail lights?

 

Make sure there is an actual problem with the tail light wiring first. It is pretty common to rewire the tail lights to a button in the illegal street racing scene so if the cops are chasing you they can't follow your tail lights when you are racing at night, but so you can still use your headlights. Sorry i can't give you any technical hints though.

 

This is generally done by cutting power to only the taillights, not cutting power to the entire illumination system and then only applying power back to the tail lights.

 

Will do the fuse first to see if everything lights up (Mabe...)... then follow up by taking the panel off tomorrow and following the wires. (Will take pics of this mess for you guys) I hope its not new wiring all the way through.. Not sure how g35s are set up... And thanks KPirson, will check wiring asap.

 

Sorry I didnt have time to do the wiring pictures... a new problem arose... so as I was drifting around my power steering started cutting out at certain angles, fluid is fine no leaks, and we bled the system too. Now, I washed my car with a pressure washer, and the problem dissapeared, and when I went drifting it reappeared again. and so on. Keep in mind this wasn't on snow.