Hi Guys,
I’m writing this as more of a reference piece rather than asking for help. Hopefully it'll help somebody else in the future and save them some time.
The Vehicle
2002 Nissan Patrol Y61 - Automatic - ZD30DDTI
The Problem:
Driving back from Birmingham to High Wycombe towing a heavy load - vehicle started to splutter and went WAY down on power (wouldn't pull up inclines). Managed to limp up to the motorway and pull into a services on the M6. Before I turned off the engine I put a circuit tester across the alternator and it was reading 10v's (too low)
Once I turned the vehicle off it wouldn't start up again. NATS light was constantly on.
Vehicle would catch if you sprayed brake cleaner/quick start into the inlet
No fuel was getting to the engine.
Diagnosis
No fuel was getting to the engine. NATS had immobilised the car
The NATS II System on the Y61 Patrol
The Nissan Anti Theft System Version 2 (N.A.T.S II) on the Y61 Patrol works by using the following items (for the purpose of this document):
- Transponder Coded Key
- Ignition Barrel Receiver
- Nats ECU unit
- Dash Mounted Light
- Diesel Pump Control Unit
The key is read by a receiver that's mounted around the ignition barrel. When a correctly coded key enters the ignition barrel, the receiver sends a signal to the NATS control ECU. The ECU then sends 2 signals 1) a pulse coded electrical signal to the diesel pump control unit (mounted on the back of the pump) allowing the fuel pump to turn on & 2) a signal to turn out the dash light. The vehicle is then able to start when turned over.
The vehicle will turn-over irrespective of whether the NATS system has activated or disabled the diesel pump. (But it obviously won't start without the pulsed signal)
Possible Solutions
If the NATS light* is illuminated when the key is in the ignition and the ignition is on then there could be two problems:
- The NATS Control Unit has lost its code (very unlikely)
- The NATS CU is defective (fubar)
The NATS CU
New Nats Control unit - £32 from Nissan UK. Make sure you get the one that controls the immobiliser NOT the one that controls the keyless entry.
If the NATS CU is fubar, replacement is either extremely time consuming and laborious or surprisingly easy. It took me about 30 mins start to finish. The CU is bolted to the firewall and located behind the air-conditioning unit. Start by removing the glove box assembly (in a UK RHD vehicle) Once removed you should be able to undo/unplug the aircon unit and wiggle it down far enough to get your hand in above it. The CU is bolted to the firewall, inside a black metal shield that's held on by sheer security bolts.
The proper way to do this is to remove the heater matrix, undo the aircon unit inside the engine bay, remove the aircon unit, drill out the sheer bolts with a backwards threaded drill bit and then extract the CU.
I stuck my hand in, bent the metal shield back till the wire was tightish and then managed to bend/snap the mounting bracket of the CU which allowed me to unclip it and remove. It doesn't damage the CU but it does mean that you can't securely mount the new unit inside the shield.
Plug in the new control unit, place back in shield and bush back against the bulkhead. Then jimmy the aircon unit back into place and refit the glove box.
Reprogramming
The only people who can program a blank box are Nissan UK. They will code your keys to your new box and should only charge you an hour’s labour.
*(NATS light is located behind the steering wheel right by the windscreen)
It is also possible to bipass the Nats system all together - but it involves removing the diesel pump from the car and i wouldn't feel comfortable posting it on an open forum. Hopefully this will help somebody, somewhere!
I’m writing this as more of a reference piece rather than asking for help. Hopefully it'll help somebody else in the future and save them some time.
The Vehicle
2002 Nissan Patrol Y61 - Automatic - ZD30DDTI
The Problem:
Driving back from Birmingham to High Wycombe towing a heavy load - vehicle started to splutter and went WAY down on power (wouldn't pull up inclines). Managed to limp up to the motorway and pull into a services on the M6. Before I turned off the engine I put a circuit tester across the alternator and it was reading 10v's (too low)
Once I turned the vehicle off it wouldn't start up again. NATS light was constantly on.
Vehicle would catch if you sprayed brake cleaner/quick start into the inlet
No fuel was getting to the engine.
Diagnosis
No fuel was getting to the engine. NATS had immobilised the car
The NATS II System on the Y61 Patrol
The Nissan Anti Theft System Version 2 (N.A.T.S II) on the Y61 Patrol works by using the following items (for the purpose of this document):
- Transponder Coded Key
- Ignition Barrel Receiver
- Nats ECU unit
- Dash Mounted Light
- Diesel Pump Control Unit
The key is read by a receiver that's mounted around the ignition barrel. When a correctly coded key enters the ignition barrel, the receiver sends a signal to the NATS control ECU. The ECU then sends 2 signals 1) a pulse coded electrical signal to the diesel pump control unit (mounted on the back of the pump) allowing the fuel pump to turn on & 2) a signal to turn out the dash light. The vehicle is then able to start when turned over.
The vehicle will turn-over irrespective of whether the NATS system has activated or disabled the diesel pump. (But it obviously won't start without the pulsed signal)
Possible Solutions
If the NATS light* is illuminated when the key is in the ignition and the ignition is on then there could be two problems:
- The NATS Control Unit has lost its code (very unlikely)
- The NATS CU is defective (fubar)
The NATS CU
New Nats Control unit - £32 from Nissan UK. Make sure you get the one that controls the immobiliser NOT the one that controls the keyless entry.
If the NATS CU is fubar, replacement is either extremely time consuming and laborious or surprisingly easy. It took me about 30 mins start to finish. The CU is bolted to the firewall and located behind the air-conditioning unit. Start by removing the glove box assembly (in a UK RHD vehicle) Once removed you should be able to undo/unplug the aircon unit and wiggle it down far enough to get your hand in above it. The CU is bolted to the firewall, inside a black metal shield that's held on by sheer security bolts.
The proper way to do this is to remove the heater matrix, undo the aircon unit inside the engine bay, remove the aircon unit, drill out the sheer bolts with a backwards threaded drill bit and then extract the CU.
I stuck my hand in, bent the metal shield back till the wire was tightish and then managed to bend/snap the mounting bracket of the CU which allowed me to unclip it and remove. It doesn't damage the CU but it does mean that you can't securely mount the new unit inside the shield.
Plug in the new control unit, place back in shield and bush back against the bulkhead. Then jimmy the aircon unit back into place and refit the glove box.
Reprogramming
The only people who can program a blank box are Nissan UK. They will code your keys to your new box and should only charge you an hour’s labour.
*(NATS light is located behind the steering wheel right by the windscreen)
It is also possible to bipass the Nats system all together - but it involves removing the diesel pump from the car and i wouldn't feel comfortable posting it on an open forum. Hopefully this will help somebody, somewhere!
