I got sick and tired of always leaning over and feeling around for the VDC switch, so I moved it today! I eventually plan on configuring it to always be OFF at startup instead of ON. There was a post on how to do that already. I printed it for my records, but I can't relocate the link, sorry. Also, I'm looking into the VDC switch in more detail because there is a small dial on the side and I want to find out what it does.

EDIT: Here's the link on FA on how to have VDC turn OFF instead of ON when you start your car: <a href=http://forums.freshalloy.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB25&Number=67218954&fpar t=1&PHPSESSID=>VDC Off at Startup</a>

Here's what I did:

- Removed center finisher console, panel under steering wheel, cig lighter panel, and then pulled the VDC switch from the original location.

- Found a good area on the console to mount the switch, measured twice and cut once. I couldn't use the area that was pre-marked for a JDM switch because it was on the curved part of the console. That was too bad because the plastic was thinner there. A little careful cutting with a Dremel tool did the job well. Also I double checked to make sure the mounting location would not interfere with anything under the console.

- I created the new cable using CAT-5 network wire. I cut the connector from the original VDC location, leaving enough wire to be able to strip the wires and shrink wrap.

- After adding the new wire to the connector, I reinstalled everything. I routed the new cable behind the cig lighter panel then over to the original VDC switch location. Then I connected the new cable to the original VDC wires, put back all the panels, reconnected the battery, and done!

- Took about three hours, and was very easy to do. The only thing that took a long time was finding a new location, measuring, and cutting to make sure everything looked OEM.


A couple notes about mounting:

- The console plastic is thinner than the original mounting location plastic. I had to make the new opening tight, and I had to add two small pieces of plastic under the console opening so that the clips on the switch had something to grab on to.

- There are only a few places to choose from for a new location because of stuff that would be in your way under the console, so triple check before cutting!

Here are the pics:

<img border="0" src="http://constjs.home.insightbb.com/images/g35/vdc_mounted1.JPG"></img>

<img border="0" src="http://constjs.home.insightbb.com/images/g35/vdc_mounted2.JPG"></img>

<img border="0" src="http://constjs.home.insightbb.com/images/g35/console_assembly1.JPG"></img>

<img border="0" src="http://constjs.home.insightbb.com/images/g35/console_assembly2.JPG"></img>

<img border="0" src="http://constjs.home.insightbb.com/images/g35/console_assembly3.JPG"></img>

Regards,

JC

<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small"><EM>Edited by constjs on 06/21/03 09:22 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

Great Idea! Great Job!

Robert

G35 Coupe 5AT, DP, Tire and Wheel Pkg., Aluminum Pedals, Clear Corners, missing turbo

 

wow great job on the install!

looks perfect!

2003.5 6MT Coupe || Black/Graphite || Premium || Aero || Tint || Al. Pedals

 

yah but the only bad thing is you have a hole where the vdc switch use to be

 

Nope. I'm getting the same type of blank found in the unused location (middle switch). I do not have a 3.5 sedan so the middle location is empty. My dealer told me that they have a few laying around, so he'll give it to me for free!

 

That looks great! You got some skills there dude! That's where it should have been mounted in the first place.... send a few pics in to Infiniti, maybe they'll invite you to join their design team!


03 G35
02 Sequoia

 

Very nice job! Now only if that damn switch stayed off until you flipped it back on. I guess we'll have to research if that can be done.

2003.5 - G35 6spd - Diamond Graphite/Graphite leather, prem, aero package/kit

 

Yup, it can be. There was a thread on FreshAlloy that talked about it. A guy added a special relay to turn it off soon after the car started. I saved the text in the thread:

(these are not my words, and I haven't done this yet)

Have VDC turn off instead of on when starting your car:

GOAL: INSTALL A RELAY THAT WILL MAKE “VDC OFF” AT ENGINE STARTUP, WHILE RETAINING THE ABILITY TO TURN VDC ON OR OFF AGAIN USING THE USUAL SWITCH.

Parts list
Time delay relay (Amperite model 12DP.1-60CI, see http://www.amperite.com/ciseries.htm#Solving)
$53.74 at Newark Electronics (www.Newark.com),
part #95F1590

Radioshack non-insulated butt connectors
size 16-14 (contained in part #64-3036 ; $1.69)

four 1-foot long wires (24-gauge works well);
(I used 4-conductor Radioshack Rainbow Wire: Part
#2780858; $3.89)

miniblade type auto fuse (any amperage)
Radioshack part #270-1093; $1.59



ATTACH WIRES TO THE RELAY.
You have to attach 4 wires to the relay. Each needs to be about 12 inches long. For clarity I will refer to each wire as a separate color (red, black, white green), but of course any color/type of wire would be fine.
1. Attach one end of each wire to the butt connectors (little hollow cylinders that will slip over the thick pins on the relay itself). I shoved the stripped wire inside one end, soldered it, and then put electrical tape over the entire exposed metal part (connector and all) to insulate.
2. Using the butt connectors, connect two wires to the +/- pins on the relay. Red wire to + (pin 2), black wire to - (pin 7). These are the wires that will be hooked up to the 12V power source to drive the relay. Connect other two wires to pin 3 and pin 1. These two will be hooked up to the VDC switch. You can look at the diagram on the web site if you have questions about the wiring.
3. You are going to hook the other end of the Red wire directly to the fuse box. The fuse box uses miniblade fuses. Take one of the fuses you bought, cut in half to separate the two insertable flat blades, break off the plastic and you should have a little metal piece that you can solder the red wire, with a protruding piece that will be pushed into one of the open slots in the fuse box.
4. Cover all the unused pins with electrical tape to make sure they don’t accidentally connect with something.

GET THE VDC SWITCH WHERE YOU CAN REACH WIRES ON ITS CONNECTOR.
This is the hardest part, because the wires on the VDC switch are short. Also PLEASE be careful not to scratch the soft plastic on the dash during these procedures.
1. Use a small flat-blade screwdriver to pull the VDC switch out of the dash. It will only come out about an inch before you use up all the slack on the wires. Use that same screwdriver to disconnect the switch from the wire connector.
2. Directly beneath the VDC switch is a black hole cover: directly to the right of the hood release. Reach behind and push out the black hole cover.
3. Using your contortionist skills, push the wire connector down behind the dash until it comes out the hole you just made by removing the black piece. The wires should be just long enough for you to see the back of the wire connector. You should see 4 wires grouped together on one side of the connector. The two outermost wires nearest the edge of the connector are the ones you want

CONNECTING THE RELAY IN A 2003 G35 COUPE.
All work is going to be done from the inside of the car, on the driver’s side. All “front” “right” and other directions are from the orientation of someone sitting in the driver seat facing the front of the car. I will not go into details how where to run the wires, but make sure you think about avoiding areas with moving parts, and making a clean install.
1. Move the driver’s seat all the way back. Take out the driver’s floor mat.
2. Use a large flat blade screwdriver to loosen the two screws on the plastic dead pedal and remove it.
3. Take off the fuse door cover that had been partially blocked by the dead pedal.
4. You are going to remove the plastic trim piece (A) that the fuse door cover was just removed from. Use your fingers to loosen and remove the black plastic nut that was under the dead pedal. To remove the rear end of A, first pry up the second trim piece that is at the door jam to clear the edges of A. You can then loosen the rear end of A, and remove A completely, by pulling to the right.
5. Look at the back of the fuse door cover for info about the fuses already installed. There are two rows. On the bottom row (starting from the left) there are three 10amp and then two 15 amp fuses with an open space between the two 15 amp fuses. That open space is the one you want. There are two slots for inserting the fuse in this open space. The top slot should have 12V ONLY when the ignition is in the ON position. Use a multimeter to confirm this in your coupe. Plug the flat blade attached to the end of your red wire into this slot.
6. Attach the black wire to any convenient ground (such as the sheet metal screw/bolt that holds the entire fuse box to the body of the car: directly above the fuse box).
7. Attach the white and green wires to the outermost two wires on the VDC switch connector (either wire on either spot is fine). I did this by bending the ends of the stripped wires and simply jamming them into the correct spots in the connector: they hold quite firmly.
8. The relay has a dial with 10 spots marked. Set it at 1. Start your engine and see what happens. If VDC OFF lights transiently but does not stay on, see if the VDC switch still works to turn VDC OFF. If it does, raise the dial setting slightly. If VDC switch does not work, your setting is so long that the computer has locked out the VDC switch circuit: so lower the dial setting. In either case, turn off the engine and try again. If the VDC OFF light lights transiently and then stays on, you are done. Use a magic marker to mark the setting on your dial before proceeding further.

MOUNTING THE RELAY.
This is personal preference. I shoveD the relay up into the dash just to the rear of the fuse box, with the dial facing down. Make sure wires are routed well away from moving parts. When the trim pieces are remounted, the **** is just barely peeking out with the rest of the relay above and forwards. Reinstall all the trim pieces by reversing procedures.

GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY DRIVING!!!

 

i was thinking of moving mine to the unused seat heater button and making off defualt.
you amke me want to do it more.

-moooooo

 

What did you use to make the cut? What type of tool(s)?

Thanks..

GREAT idea!!!!

I do not necessarily care about it being on at start, but the convenience of having it right there, makes all the difference in the world, you almost forget the dammed thing exists, & I think that is why they put it where they do in the first place!

SoCalMMR

 

The small dial you refer to is the dash lights dimmer wheel.

God I love this car!

 

Beautiful job[img]/w3timages/icons/smile.gif[/img] That looks as if the factory wanted it there-hint!

03.5 Sedan/B. Silver/Prem/Winter/Aero/Tint/Rims
69 Chevelle Hard Top BB/4.11's/Posi

 

Nope, that I'm sure of. As I said "Also, I'm looking into the VDC switch in more detail because there is a small dial on the side..."

The "dial" is on the side of the VDC switch. The dimmer is more of a wheel-type switch and totally separate. If you take the VDC switch out, which comes out through the front of the dash, you'll notice the dial, or what ever it is.

One note about the "dial" thing. You can only see it after the switch is pulled because it faces to the outside of the car away from your view, so just pulling down the lower dash won't do it.

Got a pic of it, look further down this thread.<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small"><EM>Edited by constjs on 06/22/03 11:43 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

I used a Dremel tool with an emery cutoff wheel at the lowest speed possible. You want it slow so that it keeps the melting plastic to a minimum. Tiny passes not very deep will get the job done with no melting plastic.

 

I couldn't stand not having a pic of that dial, so I took everything apart again. Pic of the dial I'm talking about:

<img border="0" src="http://constjs.home.insightbb.com/images/g35/vdc_dial.JPG"></img>

<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small"><EM>Edited by constjs on 06/22/03 11:38 AM.</EM></FONT></P>