Used Car Guy Special: Nissan Frontier Battery Draw

In this video we look at one of my used car guys fresh auction special. It is a 2007 Nissan Frontier with the big 4.0 liter in it. His complaint is that the battery dies overnight and also the MIL is coming on. Let's have a look! -Enjoy!
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Disclaimer:
Due to factors beyond the control of South Main Auto Repair, it cannot guarantee against unauthorized modifications of this information, or improper use of this information. South Main Auto Repair assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. South Main Auto Repair recommends safe practices when working with power tools, automotive lifts, lifting tools, jack stands, electrical equipment, blunt instruments, chemicals, lubricants, or any other tools or equipment seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of South Main Auto Repair, no information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained.

[@atrahasis3899]

Things to put on customer's receipt: parasitic draw: electronic parts. "Which parts?" "The electronic parts"

[@AdamB12]

That's as good as: Customer states, vehicle makes noise.

[@gregbarnett3141]

Repair: found loose nut behind wheel

[@hommie789]

@@gregbarnett3141 Ah yes, the ever popular "seat to steering wheel interface issue" it is the most common of all problems.

[@1977jelliott]

Customer states: "Whine from pasenger side of vehicle" Mechanic responds: "Please leave your wife at home next time"

[@malware_in_tn9008]

We use 2 acronyms for this: ID-10-T PLBSAW (Problem Lies Between Seat and Wheel)

[@dewaynek8591]

I literally laughed out loud when you read “electronic parts”

[@tlstanbro3193]

Ya replace all your electronic parts 😂

[@Gmacrone]

My newbie son chased down a bad coil pack this weekend after I told him how to swap them out to see if the problem followed the coil pack. Something you showed me how to do.

[@rickcoleman8903]

Bless you for taking care of those strays and fixing other people's headaches.

[@richardthomas1743]

It is always a pleasure to see Mrs O , I hope that her health is okay now .

[@wyattoneable]

The elevator music while waiting for the marker lights to go out made me laugh. That was a cool find.

[@lawrencetickle2706]

It's mostly the dad jokes that keep bringing me back.

[@MrWolfSnack]

He is a dad after all.

[@walterbordett2023]

Sherlock Ohms strikes again. Great vid.

[@jack002tuber]

Resistance to electric puns is futile!

[@Fix_It_Again_Tony]

I see watt you did there.

[@jonesuff]

You guys oughta charge for these jokes

[@jack002tuber]

I find rechargable batteries to be revolting

[@josen1320]

Eric has once again fused theory, observation, and experience in order to relay a teachable moment to his viewers.

[@gillgetter3004]

Never know what’s your gonna find. Years ago I was a locksmith at a little shop in Detroit. There was a auto auction nearby and people would buy cars and bring them over to repair locks etc. one guy bought an old valiant no trunk key. I opened it and there was two in the box oxy acetylene welding kits tanks and all. I asked how much was the car he said 75.00 dollars!

[@larrycroft470]

Have not seen your wonderful children in a while Eric. And it is always a special treat seeing Mrs. O. I know most watch for your amazing analytical skills. You lose me on those...I enjoy your personality and the shop life in general with appearances by your family most. A great American family small business. The life blood of our country.

[@lordjaashin]

American small family are lifeblood of this country?! somewhere some annoying SJW, Starbucks slurping, purple dyed hair, vegan blew a head gasket

[@SimpleLife1971]

@@lordjaashin "somewhere some annoying SJW, Starbucks slurping, purple dyed hair, vegan blew a head gasket" You took the words right out of my mouth!!

[@LAactor]

@@lordjaashin these g0ddamned purple hairs are ruining our country. More of us than there are of them. Just because they're the loudest doesn't mean their numbers are the biggest.

[@LAactor]

@@SimpleLife1971 somehow we need to stop these communists. And take back America.

[@X340n]

@@LAactor what are you on about?

[@glenncerny8403]

Thank you for giving a stray cat a loving home.

[@themechanic6117]

The type of person that punches a hole in a relay and doesn't care ... that's how you know they're doing quality work !

[@psdaengr911]

"Quality" always needs an adjective.

[@jack002tuber]

I'm sure he thought he was adding ventilation

[@-DC-]

Visual internal inspection 😎

[@markfx12]

Stray cat rescues are the best and she will love you forever. Thanks!

[@DeweyCheatumNHoweLLC]

Miss Penelope agrees

[@ferrumignis]

Trying to rescue one at the moment, feed her (we think it's a her) every day and she's getting more trusting and less nervous but still won't get closer than a few yards from us.

[@DeweyCheatumNHoweLLC]

@@ferrumignis took a couple months of feeding Miss Penelope. By then she was knocked up, so I got 2 boys put of the deal, too.

[@notsureigaf]

My mom has taken in a few over the years and they all ended up being the friendliest cats on the planet. Greet, play, "talk," even tolerate belly rubs. Basically they turn into tiny dogs.

[@jamesp7623]

What great fans you have!! We will even sit there and watch a timer run. We, or at least I, need a life. LOL

[@christopherweise438]

James P - What do you mean? This IS my life. I at least know this is going to turn out fine.

[@thomasfletcher4765]

Me too 🤣🤣🤣

[@jack002tuber]

So the time was 10:01, did we ever learn why that was important?

[@thomasfletcher4765]

@@jack002tuber 🤔🤷‍♂️

[@ahmadghosheh3104]

@@jack002tuber nope, and the guy wasn't paying for him to chase it

[@derrickquintal]

I'm officially addicted to your channel, thanks Eric!

[@BucketList22]

Derrick - “Hi my name is Derrick, and I am addicted to high quality automotive repair videos”. Everyone who came before - “ Welcome Derrick!”

[@dgdynasty2149]

Welcome aboard

[@tvguy12346]

@@BucketList22 can confirm. Hi Derrick and welcome to the party!

[@MechanicalMikesRoadsideRepair]

Same

[@brianburns7211]

I have been for several years now. My partner at work is too.

[@mdorf61]

It's amazing how much you have progressed at doing your videos over the years if you go back to your earlier ones you're more like a professor teaching a class from a script and now you're so fluid and laid back and you and Mrs O are so much more comfortable in front of the camera it's a real pleasure to watch you guys. Let alone the fact that your videos are always very informative and interesting You guys are the real show. Thanks for all you guys do I really appreciate your channel very much

[@CPlusPlusFreak]

I love your videos because it lets me be nostalgic about when I was a technician without me actually having to do it.

[@LadyAnuB]

Vicarious technician: your new job title. 😀

[@jack002tuber]

I used to work on my own car and would cuss at it just like Eric, now I just watch these and let him cuss it himself.

[@mondragon9282]

I learn so much from this channel. Things I will never take on my own. But holy mother is it fun to listen and learn!

[@SteelheadTed]

I’ve been surprised what watching this channel has allowed me to do what I wouldn’t have attempted before. Daughters car had a misfire, used Eric’s process for tracking it down and found a shorted wire. There’s your problem lady!

[@billc7211]

I needed this one. “It’s because we love ya” to Luna just made my day 😊

[@Sigsupporter]

As a mechanic myself sorry “technician” 20 plus years it’s very refreshing to sit on the patio with my gummy bears and “SMA” and watch and have my brain refreshed thanks for your insight

[@stevebot]

Vodka-infused gummis?

[@69uremum]

The Red and Green show was the best! Good memories watching Red and Green with the old man:)

[@jack002tuber]

They have a channel on youtube, you can keep watching them here

[@69uremum]

@@jack002tuber That pretty awesome, gonna have to check that out.

[@jamesbruno5896]

Mrs O is SO naturally pretty! Nice video too, thanks Mr O!

[@Lone-Wolf87]

Thanks to who ever did that to the relay you are making dinero. You need to be very grateful to those people. They are keeping you in business.

[@cgmoog]

Fuel level sensor? Did it start working? Inquiring minds want to know.

[@brianjohnson5144]

Ya what he said

[@fisqual]

Came down here to ask the same thing.

[@KI4HOK]

Fuel level? Asking for a friend!

[@mylt1z28]

No, sending unit is a different issue. Had an 05 with the sending unit issue.

[@Vincent_Sullivan]

If you look at 3:50 you will see that the fuel gauge is working perfectly. It shows a bit less than a half tank. How did it get fixed? Eric is keeping that a secret I guess...

[@JT-lq4yd]

Great job Detective! That "Electronic Parts" fuse label had me smiling. I had a manager ask me to write a procedure as vague as possible, if it wasn't for the fact that it was around the same time this truck was designed, I would think it was my manager was working at Nissan.

[@andygirke846]

@Eric. I just bought my first Jeep. A 1986 Jeep CJ-7. Nothing to do with this cool vid, but, now I feel the need to buy a Jeep Hat. Thanks 🤜⚡🤛

[@SouthMainAuto]

Yes.... yes you may haha

[@JeffWinter1]

@@SouthMainAuto And now he can buy some tools and use your videos to fix his Jeep...😁

[@Troy_Built]

Careful, those Jeeps can be pretty addicting.

[@SchulzChris]

The music during the timer made me want to get up and dance. A new suggestive alternative in SMA video's.

[@jorgecastellanos4274]

Wow I've never seen or thought of a possibility by of a manually stuck relay. Something else learned from SMA, thank you for being such a great teacher to all!

[@motionman007]

Mrs O. looks exceptionally fetching today! Way to go, Mrs. O! Classing up the place full of grease monkeys!

[@dgk42]

And then she started putting relays back in just like a greasemonkey :)

[@misterhat5823]

Doesn't she always?

[@brianhill3603]

I clean forgot about the relay when Mrs O got hold of it 💖

[@itsdavex2]

"When I pulled it out the first time...I've never been good at that, right Mrs. O?" Nice fix.

[@jhtownsend1]

Mrs. O adds something special to these videos

[@craiggoodwin9704]

If other people didn't mess around with their cars you'd be out of business Mr. O.. Think about that! Love your philosophical quotes. Thanks for sharing!

[@michaelferrando4122]

Thanks for teaching how to chase a parasitic draw.... Appreciate your insight. I fixed a 2005 Dodge Durango ( Memory module drivers seat...and rear window wiper stuck in intermittent... ) U R A lifesaver. Prayers.

[@robertgray6512]

A South Main success story with a Little Journeys or Elbert Hubbard reference as a bonus! Thank you Professor.

[@Roycroftcopper]

And the Roycroft isn’t too far from Avoca up in East Aurora ;)

[@robertgray6512]

@@Roycroftcopper I need to visit that campus. I have an old Roycroft Little Journeys bookshelf that I absolutely love.

[@john2737]

Your electrical diagnostic videos are the best. They're your expertise and bread and butter. Always chasing down issues that others give up on. Love them.

[@canceraxe1447]

Im addicted to your electrical problem videos only.

[@45AMT]

Tracking down parasitic draws has to be my favorite videos I must admit I've learned a lot from them. Thanks Eric.

[@paulcochran1721]

Those Kiwi plyers are great, I got a set after seeing them on your previous video. They need to make a pair with a slip joint, then it would be perfect for relays... Great job!

[@drawbridge611]

0:47 The only man on the planet who can sing a perfect sine wave.

[@speedy_pit_stop]

Peppered with humor makes the videos more fun to watch.

[@tdevinetampa]

Eric O turns a stray cat into a two hundred dollar cat.

[@SmittySmithsonite]

Mine turned into a $1,000 cat. Welcome to MA, where kitty care is more expensive than human care ...

[@markcaldwell1245]

That was too funny you had the exact tool and the markings were identical, busted. Great job

[@Joshoptimus]

Luna's been rescued she's feelin the love

[@davidwalle5025]

Mrs o is the brains and beauty of the operation.

[@jimpantherdrivervickers5439]

Loved Mrs O's look after Eric O's grrrr. That fuse should have just said " something that needs a fuse"

[@ferrumignis]

😁 "Fused circuit"

[@michaelsmutnick]

whenever i go to the u- pull it i grab relays and fuses, I make sure i grab those custom relays that are brand specific after i get enough regular ones

[@jack002tuber]

years ago I bought a fuse puller for the glass fuses, then they stopped making them. :-/

[@michaelsmutnick]

@@jack002tuber I have a collection of fuses I will never use since they are now obsolete( a pile of BOSCH style for 80's Mercedes)! Seems like every 15 years they make em smaller Mini and now Micro2 and Micro3 fuses!

[@AntonioClaudioMichael]

Nice find with the damaged relays Eric O there's your problem lady lol 😂😂🤣 @19:22 @SouthMainAutoRepairLLC

[@nsaglian]

3:20 Great opportunity to get some ice cream, while getting the drive cycle completed!

[@scroberts9316]

Yep, I've done the "poke holes in the relay" dance by using the wrong plyers, lol. Last time was a $40 mistake (Autozone). Really cool diagnosis and repair Mr. Eric O. Thanks for the video 😁

[@MrOnemanop]

If a $40.00 mistake is the worst you've done in the garage, count yourself lucky, you're ahead of me.

[@chrisfreemesser5707]

3:20 you drove past the ice cream stand without stopping? I don't know you anymore Eric... :D

[@SouthMainAuto]

😢

[@Gavintyler21]

I worked for a company that held a few car auction a year. We have had people damage or remove relays so the car wouldn’t start so they could get a better price at during the auction.

[@snoopy5736]

Hell yea

[@jimschnars2866]

Only an alien unexposed to kryptonite would have found this ! Great video!

[@NickMyers1]

“ electronic parts”. That’s funny. Love Nissan. They might as well have just put that in large print across all fuse numbers haha Nice to turn an auction reject into a front line quick sale. Excellent work as usual sir! Your television show idea could really put Avoca on the map.

[@jwboilermaker]

SMA on a Monday with double cameo appearance by Mrs. O!

[@XGamesJ6]

If anyone is curious that Relay is the Ignition Relay. One of the things it powers is the Electronic Throttle Body, which was most likely the high pitched noise Mr. O heard. Looks like it also powers multiple modules, transmission, wipers, airbags... to name a few.

[@cardguys]

Hey there viewers and welcome back to the self made auto channel 😀

[@SirDeanosity]

Relay good troubleshooting there Eric!

[@notsoserious0944]

Ah, Nissan, the Chrysler of the Japanese brands.

[@buckhorncortez]

Hmmm...really the Renault of Japanese cars...

[@midwestapprentice1904]

are they really that bad? ive known 3 family members 2 titans and one frontier and no major issues.. or is it the burger king of the car world with shitty nuggets (cars) and good chicken fries) trucks because neither makes any sense

[@scottgordon1821]

Nah, Nissan is not good.

[@Ausscratchie]

Nissan = junk

[@thomasmiddlebrooke1012]

Mitsubishi?

[@Scott_6666]

Mrs. O looks especially stunning today.

[@jonathanjay2594]

I like watching your videos, I learn something new all the time. You've taught me everything I know about parasitic draw. Your a great teacher

[@2-old-Forthischet]

I really like watching your videos because of your troubleshooting methods. I've had a Datsun and a Nissan in the past. The Datsun was rock solid and did what you expect of a car, and more. The Nissan on the other hand, was a genuine PITA. I was fortunate in that the Toyota dealer took it off my hand as a trade in.

[@Cheepchipsable]

Ever since the merger with Renault.

[@jack002tuber]

I had an 86 nissan for 14 years, no problems other than the radio was crap. Engine was super.

[@footballseasonishere1314]

And now I know who Elbert Hubbard was and about his artisan community. Read his famous quotes. You think you just come for the expertise of Eric O's car repairs but apparently he's a well read scholar also, who knew

[@mikeguiggey2586]

Eric O`s filming and editing skills are like his diagnostic ability...top notch !

[@TexasRaiser]

I just gotta say that was impressive. Electrical problems make my brain tired. Nice work.

[@stoneblue1795]

That was all quite enjoyable. Great mystery, great ending plus all the bits in between.

[@markmichlewicz5141]

This is the most exciting part of my evening.thanks

[@frankthomas2231]

Great diagnosis. When you found the draw on the TCM fuse, first thing I thought was UH-OH check cooling system for pink death. Nissan trucks from 2005-2010 were known for the trans cooler inside the radiator to leak and get a coolant/trans fluid cross contamination in radiator and trans, and the TCM is inside the transmission. I`ve seen it on several Xterras, but it is known in all of the Nissan trucks from the Armada and Titan all the way down to the Frontier.

[@FortyTwoAnswerToEverything]

Gosh, Mrs. O absolutely freakin' stunning. You are one lucky human, Eric

[@hkfan4596]

This channel should have at least 2M subscribers. It's insane how great a channel this is.

[@jack002tuber]

Anyone who has ever tried to DO the things he's doing appreciate it most, I think

[@jondinnel5270]

Absolutely love your videos have learned alot

[@rickh6963]

That is a great methodology for troubleshooting parasitic draws.

[@oldhvacguy8427]

If Eric O. can't fix it.... IT IS NOT BROKE! Good job Doc.

[@reynoldscs]

I "LOVE" My vantage, such a great tool! Nice job !

[@jessj3010]

Was this episode made while J was on vacation and the kids went back to school? 😉😉 "Several hours passed, don't know where the time went" Mrs. O must have cooked up something special and served some ice cream! Great video though.

[@mleindek]

SMA is the only channel where I hit "like" before watching the video, and it never dissapoints.

[@ozzykrahn806]

oh ya, coffee, and a sma video before i shower and leave for work

[@madog1]

Reminds me of a parasitic draw problem on late '70's early '80's GM cars. It would happen when the car was parked overnight. Turned out to be the analog, mechanical dash clock. It would wind up the spring with a motor. The winding mechanism would get stuck and cause the draw.

[@Paul1958R]

Eric, Great video as always - thank you! SMA#1 Paul (in MA)

[@doomprophet]

We all know Mrs O is the real star of this show!

[@hillbillyrigrepairs1814]

Reminds me of the Orange County choppers “reality show”. “We need to get this bike done by Thursday BUT we still don’t have the gas tank painted”

[@kylefergus8722]

Hey man as a Canadian I love that you referenced Red Green. Hilarious. Great diag too man

[@jaymzx0]

Red Green is the reason why I chose to become handy. The 'handsome' thing wasn't workin' out.

[@Andreas_D-Greek]

LOL When he first showed the relay I was wondering why he didn't say anything about the hole in the side of the relay.

[@kens97sto171]

Yep I saw it too. Unfortunately actually he did put the dent in the second relay. If you go back and you follow very closely when he first pulled it out there was no mark on it, he then put it in to the relay spot where the one with the hole was it showed no draw that prove that it was the relay. He then took it back out and shoved it back in its original spot. That's the point in which it got the dent put in it you can clearly see he then pulls it back out hands it to Mrs oh and the dent is right where his pliers were. I'm wondering if at some point the vehicle had some cheap aftermarket relays put in and the plastic housings are just super thin.

[@Andreas_D-Greek]

@@kens97sto171 Probably all the heat cycles in the engine bay made the plastic brittle. One of my old BMW's uses the same crappy plastic in the cooling system. Constant failures every 3-5 years.

[@kens97sto171]

@@Andreas_D-Greek Absolutely. I don't really fault him at all. We get a completely different view than he sees while he's doing the work. But if you go back and watch the video you can clearly see when the dent appeared. Totally agree with you I'm sure it's heat cycling and just age. I've heard BMWs are kind of known for crappy plastics under the hood. But you run into it with any make and model if they get old enough.

[@ernestrollins383]

My first thought when seeing the hole was someone made a a hole for diagnostic purposes, then I realized it was just the result of letting a 500 pound gorilla use tools. 😂

[@mrlister2000]

You definitely should have a section of the video called "What's Mrs O wearing today?" Ratings winner!!!! Great fix on the car too! Wish every fix was that simple!

[@jimmyb1451]

must be a Nissan Relay thing! About a year ago I had a late model V6 Nissan Patrol with ignition problems, duel fuel. After I'd fixed the issue (no start on LPG) it came back a week later with no start on Petrol. Crawled all over it for a day, ended up biting the bullet, pulled the fuel tank, tested the pump.... worked fine. Took me another 2 hrs to put the tank and the fuel back into it, then a further two hours to remember. While pulling the relays out, one of them, the case came off the relay as I was trying to remove it... Had a look and sure enough, when the case came off it also dislodged the contact arm in the relay. A slight little flick to one side and BOOM! That was the problem lady! Replaced it and kicked myself all afternoon for not checking it sooner.

[@chiphaverstick3913]

Great job Eric. One thing still bugs me a bit and I think you touched on it right at the end. Gota wonder what was wrong that somebody was pulling out relays in the first place. Hopefully it is fixed though. Keep up the great videos.

[@mattj630]

Faulty ipdms, known issue (the white assembly). Solution is to replace the whole assembly with relays.

[@kolby2270]

"electric parts" is the equivalent of calling it a thing... What broke it? That thing! Huh? The electric parts! 🤣🤣

[@psdaengr911]

My Favorite Mechanic. Unlike some on KZbin, he has his own real commercial repair garage and shows us him working in it to make a living. IMO One Eric O >= 100 SKs

[@don.sittingbull2049]

An additional line to the Elbert Hubbard quote (for the previous mechanic) might be, "But he may just break more stuff."

[@baxrok2.]

Very cool find on the relay. Thanks Dr. O!

[@jack002tuber]

As I watched it I was thinking to myself, yeah, I could have found those fuses like he did, but then to put them in and yank the relays? No, I was never gonna try that. What a guy, he knows his stuff.

[@richardthomas1743]

Hello Eric and thumbs UP to you !

[@zr1sparky1]

Great video! The world will forever be akilter until you have millions of subs

[@cullenmiller8170]

Nice catch on that relay. My neighbors Durango killed the battery the other day over night. After charging it on nuclear I heard something making noise. It ended up being one of the seat motors. The seat cover had slipped up and was holding the switch on to raise the front of the seat.

[@darkdelta]

Another good catch!

[@malware_in_tn9008]

Relays are a pain in the hoo-haa. I just replaced my A/C compressor and condenser just to later learn it was the compressor clutch relay that was slowly dying. I ripped it open and I see that the little resistor in the relay had blown off its insulation on one end. Parts cannons are the most expensive kinds of cannons, and the least fun.

[@lordjaashin]

you didn't even bothered to at least test your compressor? firing parts cannon without even testing the expensive lart is definitely going to burn a hole in your wallet

[@malware_in_tn9008]

@@lordjaashin It was almost 5 years old and the clutch was acting really weird, which was making it seem like it was dying, so I figured it had lived a good life. That's what part cannons are good at, right? Ready, fire aim!

[@lordjaashin]

@@malware_in_tn9008 what is the car manufacturers name? most modern cars, at least in honda, you can replace ac clutch without replacing the compressor. ac clutch is very very cheap compared to whole compressor assembly.

[@malware_in_tn9008]

@@lordjaashin 2006 honda civic, but again, with the clutch acting funky and therefore the compressor not engaging properly (leading to the lack of sufficient cold air), with the age of it, I just assumed bad and replaced.

[@jimgetz2898]

Watch out wizard, Mrs. O was making googly eyes at you. As the old song says, oh what a lucky man he was.

[@johnlee8231]

Real nice blend with this video. Got the suspense of the hunt for the electrical gemlin and Mrs O in a dress with a smile. Cant go wrong

[@christophermatthews6972]

One time I flew on a third-world airline, I saw that an emergency light had been taped to the plane ceiling and the tape had been painted to match the ceiling. Another 'temporary' repair.

[@robertheinkel6225]

You and Mrs O still act like newlyweds. Keep doing what you are doing.

[@aussiefirestorm]

I like how you take he time to show us the full repair methodology. The toot around town is always a great bonus, like ice cream on a cool day...

[@scott192]

Thats something ive never been good at right Ms.O I just about spit out my coffee laughing!!