Alright, so I'm hoping you guys can help me diagnose this problem because I've about had it... A little background: It's a 2003 g35 sedan, auto trans, with 85k purchased from a dealer two years ago. I only drive the car about 100mi a month, it's just my play car but I noticed some minor electrical quirks when I purchased it. Horn doesnt work, lights on clock were burned out, lights on the heated seat controls work at random etc.. About a year and a half ago I started having issues with the radio/temp controls working intermittently. After about 6 months of it working and not working day to day, it seemed the radio/temp controls stopped working for good so I replaced the stock radio with a Pioneer double din and got the JDM temp controls. Installed it properly with all of the requirements for the stock amp, steering wheel controls etc. Temp controls and radio worked flawlessly for the last 6 months or so with no hints of the previously described issues.

Now for the current problem. Car worked fine, temperature was about 60* today and sunny. I drove to the store without a single hint of an issue. Parked the car, go in the store, come out, and the car starts right up. Go to put the car in reverse, and it won't go. Car is stuck in park. Start looking for an answer, and notice that the display that shows my temperature controls is dark. Click the buttons to change the temperature settings, and nothing. Radio works fine. Checked the brake switch seemed fine, depressed the brakes and the brake lights are turning on as normal. Put parking brake on, still wouldnt go into gear. Took the shift **** off thinking maybe the button wasn't being depressed properly, did it by hand, and still wont go past park. Obviously since the car was stuck in park I couldn't put in neutral in order to remove the console to check the linkage. Long story somewhat short, I had to jam the key in the shift lock, and it immediately released and I was able to put it in neutral and start the car to drive it home. Get home, temp controls are still dark and not functioning, and shifter is again stuck in park. Browsed fuses briefly, all appeared to be okay. Checked some wires behind the radio and nothing seemed out of place but I didn't get too deep into all of the connections.

What the hell is going on with this thing? I bought this car to be a fun DD, and I've spent probably 40+ hours working on fixing these electrical issues in the past year. Any ideas what would cause the temp controls AND the shifter to lock and leave everything else in tact?

 

Did you check all the fuses? There's two fuse boxes around the battery, not just the one up front that most people see.

Do you know your car's history? That many electronic gremlins usually indicate something bad, like water damage or some loose wiring bouncing around.

 

I don't know the car's history unfortunately. I bought it from a lexus dealer in the area. Carfax only showed one previous owner before me, and the only history on it was routine service at the dealership, no salvage or accident history.

Where are the other two fuse boxes? Kick panels?

 

Battery, not radio. Mistyped there.
One in the driver's kick panel, and two in with the battery, one in front, one sorta behind.