after dinner this evening. Took me about 3.5 hours, but I had my mac on in the carport with me, to read threads and view pics of others' work. If my wife didn't have the digital cam with her at her mom's, I'd have taken some pics to clarify things like where press snaps are, how to remove certain panels, etc.. I was able to divine it from Caribe's pics (and thank you for your contributions to the forum on that - it was mucho helpful!), but I spent alot of time figuring out things that were "undocumented" (might have helped if I had a service manual)..

Anyhow, with the PDF instructions from Infiniti, Caribe's pics and some discussion re: how to get past the shifter dress panel, I got it done. I'll say this, though - I have alot of experience restoring, working on and installing stereos in cars. This isn't for novices - not that it requires particularly sophisticated tools (I think I used 2 screwdrivers, a socket wrench, a pair of cutters and a flashlight) . Nothing got broken, but you have to have a nose for details or you can easily break something.

If you decide to do it and you can't figure something out, I'm on here a pretty good bit and Caribe seems to be as well. Ask and I'm sure someone who's done this can help.

-- mike

2003 G35C 6MT Leather, BS, Prem

 

Glad to be helpful.

I've mainly been on FreshAlloy, but am doing the split forums now.

I've pumped in a ton on my stereo mods before the xm came out, so I was already set to pull panels and get to work.

Just take it slow and nothing will get broken.

Hank

 

I installed mine last night too...took me about 2.5-3 hours, not counting an hour break for dinner. All-in-all, I give it a 6 on a scale of 1-10, but like you, I've had some experience with removing and installing stuff in cars.

A quick question that I posted in Fresh Alloy that I'll post here too...

When I was installing the actual plugs in the back of the stereo, I unplugged a harness to gain more room to work. I can't remember 100% if I plugged that harness back in or not. Now, after completely reassembling the dash, my steering wheel controls don't work. Do you know by chance if the steering wheel controls are on their own harness or if they are part of the pig-tail, indicating a faulty harness or bad connection there?

G35 Coupe, 6MT, DG, Prem.

 

The wire your talking about sat a little higher up in the console unit, right? But buy removing it you were able to get the whole console much further out, correct.

Im sure its the one I pulled also, the problem I experenced was the plug also controlled the trunk release on the dash (by the VDC button). I had to use my remote to open the trunk while working on the car.

That plug goes into the NAV, at least so I believe, I could understand thats how the NAV screen displays door (or in this case trunk ajar).

I would put money on it that there was an additional plug that you undid that controls the steering wheel buttons, absolutely.

Check to see if your trunk release button works, if not its the upper connection thats not pluged in.
If it does work, theres a lower connection you didnt reconnect.

Hank

 

Yeah, that's the wire. But I had the trunk issue too...that's not what caused the trunk issue believe it or not. The trunk issue is caused by removing the glove box I think. The left-most switch in the glove box is the Valet switch. If you disconnect that switch, the trunk switch doesn't work. I don't know about the VDC though, but I'm 90% sure that the trunk issue is caused by the switch on the glove box, because I had the same issue.

I'm guessing though that the problem I'm having is from not reconnecting that harness. I guess that's what I get for getting excited about finishing and putting everything back together too fast!

G35 Coupe, 6MT, DG, Prem.

 

I ran into the trunk/valet switch, too - scared the crap outta me, then I figured it must be that the switch is not made, so the trunk won't open with the dash switch. After I got the glovebox back in, I made sure I was right (whew!). On the other harness, I didn't unplug it - I sort of rotated the center of the dash to where the top was over toward the driver's footwell and laid it on its face to work on it. That worked quite well and I was able to keep all the wires in place.

My steering wheel controls work fine, so I'm assuming you must have left yours unplugged.

-- mike

2003 G35C 6MT Leather, BS, Prem

 

I had the entire dash out before I realized the trunk wouldnt open. Yea, it could have been the glove box switch, it was all good when I got it back together though, wheew!

Hank

 

Oh well...I guess I'll be an old pro at this by the time I'm done. It's really not that hard if you just take your time. That 1 very simple mistake of leaving that wire undone will cost me another 45 minutes or so in the 100% humidity. I had to drape towels all in the car so I didn't sweat too much on the seats.

G35 Coupe, 6MT, DG, Prem.

 

I'm with you - here in ATL we have that tropical storm moving through, so the humidity is about 2000%; combined with the 80 deg. temps in my carport last night, I sweated all over everything. I went back today (I'm off this week) and cleaned the bejeebers out of my interior, made sure I'd fitted everything correctly, etc.

I remember last night, as I was cleaning up, thinking "I could do that job in about an hour, now that I know how things fit and what to look for". I'd rather not, but I guess I could.. :-)

The receiver install should be a piece of cake...

-- mike

2003 G35C 6MT Leather, BS, Prem

 

Glad I wasn't alone in my misery. You're way farther South, so I bet you were even hotter than I was. I'm praying that all I did was leave that harness unplugged. I'm going to time myself again and see how long it takes to access the back. I agree though, having done it once, I bet I could do it again in an hour or so.

G35 Coupe, 6MT, DG, Prem.

 

Well, it was an unhooked harness...it wasn't the one I expected though. I had rehooked the one I was thinking I forgot to rehook, and instead left the plug in the lower left (below the SAT harness pig-tail wire) unplugged. So FYI to anyone doing wierd stuff to their stereo, that's the harness that comes from the wheel mounted controls. It took me probably 45 minutes to strip her down and plug that wire in. Not bad IMO. I did sustain 1 more significant cut as the stereo housing's steel frame on the back has edges that are quite sharp. Add that to the chunk I took out of my pinkie, the small cut on my middle finger pad, and the scrape on one of my nuckles, and I'd call it a job well done!

G35 Coupe, 6MT, DG, Prem.

 

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>

Add that to the chunk I took out of my pinkie, the small cut on my middle finger pad, and the scrape on one of my nuckles, and I'd call it a job well done!

<hr></blockquote>

LOL - I cut the back ot the middle finger on my right hand so bad it needed 3 stitches. Now I dont feel so bad. Sorry nas.

I got myself while routing the wire from the glovebox area to the radio. Just jammed my hand in there to feed the wire through a small spot and bing! I kept working till I got it all back together.

Blead like a biotch!


Hank

 

That metal is hella-sharp. You'd think they'd atleast round it -a little-. I think you win though...stitches takes the cake. I keep saying that I'm going to buy a pair of those "Mechanix" gloves, the neoprene ones with the grippy palms, but I never remember to get them when I'm out.

My pinkie chunking bled like crazy too. I think it was because I was so hot and sweaty that sweat kept busting up the clot. My shirt I wore for that job looked like a lineman's jersey. I kept wiping it for fear of getting blood on the G.

G35 Coupe, 6MT, DG, Prem.

 

I knew I cut myself, but kept feeding the wire through (sweating my *** off), and I feel sweat running down my wrist and forearm. Look at it, Blood!
It was all over my arm and as I looked at the floor, was like wheew! none on the carpet. But I held it over the seat. Of, course, it was all over the seat, tracked it through the house before I could get to the sink.

Oh well, it all cleaned up just fine. Actually it didnt hurt that much.

Hank

 

Wow.. Sounds like it's time to do a cost/benefit analysis.. What's human flesh go for per pound?

Now, my minor scrapes don't sound so bad..

On to better things - has either of you got/installed sat yet? Which did you go with (assuming you have)?

-- mike

2003 G35C 6MT Leather, BS, Prem