Where did my HICAS go?

Hi all - just quickly I have a 94 r33 gts-4 auto; and im unsure what's up with my hicas. Apparently i do have it b/c i have the silver box under the parcel shelf and the 20A fuse. Can anybody confirm I do indeed have it. I tried pulling out the fuse but saw no light in the instrument cluster light up. I have the standard nissan steering wheel with airbag. Is it just that the light in the instrument cluster has blown? Which light position does it normally occupy? Any annotations to the 3 pics would be much appreciated - are the 2 wires that are seen in the last pic related to hicas?

Im a bit concerned that the hicas was playing up (flashing light) and the previous owner disconnected the bulb in the instrument cluster prior to selling the car. I've done the other diagnostics and all seem ok except for the sunlight sensor (which im not too fussed about)....

I miss my hicas :( (and would like to do a hicas diagnostic)

http://members.unite.com.au/~u8914a/hicas.jpg

Aint that the Amp for the stereo?!!

audio amplifier?! - the silver box in the top photo?! - nah it's not an audio amplifier. The factory head units usually have an IC based amplifier contained in the headunit (usually 4x30W) - but i don't think that's RMS - RMS more closer to 6W!!!

hicas light on my 33 gts is between speedo and rpm gauge

here's an old post off SDU
cheers


ER, i presume that the process is the same as the R32 GTST which goes thus:

Turn off the ignition. And put car in Neutral Or (park if it is an auto, not many gtr autos though aye?)
Turn ignition on & Start the car.
Turn the steering wheel 20deg (or there abouts) left then right 5 times (so thats left, right, left, right, left). U have to start this proces within a couple of secs of starting the car.
Pump brake 5 times
Put your foot on the break again ( the hicas light on the dash should light up )
put the car in gear.
Drive forward or back about 5 metres.
The Hicas light should start flashing fast now.(normal)
Or flashing an error code which will be a series of short and long flashes which make up a 2 digit code. (ie. 2 short flashes and three long = 2 3).
Can't remember what all the error codes mean There are a few.

if u get out and look at the back wheels u will see they intermitantly move. Power steering seems to turn off or something as well.

I found some times u have to do the process a couple times to get things correct. Or the system gives a false fault. If u say don't drive far enough forward or turn the wheel to much while driving forward.

The diognostics mode will turn off after 5 mins, when u turn off the ignition, or if u go over 20 km.


To get into HICAS diags:
1) Switch ingition off, transmission in neutral or auto in Park.
2) Start engine
3) Very quickly (with a couple of seconds), turn the steering wheel left and right about 20 degrees from centre five times, and then pump the brakes five times, then press the brake pedal once more - this will enter diagnostic mode.
4) Drive forwards or backwards about 5 metres at a speed less than 10k/ph, this will enter full diagnostic mode.
5) The HICAS light in the instrument cluster will be flashing quickly (for normal) or will flash a code indicating any problems. Long flash = first digit, short flash = second digit. Diagnostics will return to normal after five minutes, or any speed over 10k/ph, or ingnition is turned off.



Result codes:
11 HICAS control unit
12 HICAS motor power supply not present
13 HICAS motor output not present
21 Vehicle speed sensor not present
22 Steering angle sensor not present
23 Steering angle sensor neutral or not present
24 Rear main sensor input not present
25 Rear sub sensor input not present
31 Parking brake sensor input not present
32 (Auto) Inhibititor switch input not present
(Manual) Neutral switch input not present
33 Engine speed signal not present

Make sure you do it a couple of timess to ensure that you are getting a consistant set of codes.

Arithon

The box in the boot is not the audio amp....But yes, Just about all Skylines have a amp under the rear tray, But it is round on the sides with some small fins on one side. It powers the rear spks only.
I'm guess'n the box you have is a bypass thingy for the Hicas.....So the Comp doesn't get any errors, etc

I read on an old post (SDU i think) that if the R33 had a silver box under the parcel tray then the car had HICAS - the box *was* the HICAS unit itself. It's a bit hard to see but there is a whole bunch of wires taped together running downwards from the hicas box - looks stock to me.

The reason why im wondering why my car has HICAS is because i've never seen the hicas light in the instrument cluster light up (between the speedo and rpm gauge)- and if my car is equipped with hicas I *don't* want to disable it!

My hunch is when the previous owner had the car - it was lighting up indicating a fault and just prior to selling the car he pulled out the instrument cluster globe....

Sub Boy - does your R32 have a silver box under the parcel shelf?

When I first bought the car I did that hicas test but nothing lit up in the instrument panel so i assumed i didn't have hicas. It was only recently I read about the silver box being hicas...i'd try the test now in the carpark but can't as my work collegue nicked off early (4.5 hours early and im manning the whole help desk by myself ;) )

Wow - your diff looks very different to mine. I've brightened your picture and it looks like a non-hicas diff. See the picture of a R33 HICAS diff below.

http://www.overflow.250x.com/_framed/250x/overflow/R33hicas.jpg

yeah that is kinda weird - well I don't have hicas that's for sure :(

I guess that siver box must control something else....there must be 10-15 wires running from it!

...oh well - at least I got a free 20A yellow hicas fuse :P

heh

I am pretty sure we dont get hicas in GTS-4...
well I asked my self many times but no go .

and the silver box I think it's ECU (electronic control Unit) basically it is the brain of car.

Ermmm... interesting... I have access to another R33 GTS4. I'll have a look soon. But I am sure they comes with HICAS.

It seems your previous owner taken the HICAS off the car.

Zapf

Originally posted by Pva_Glue
and the silver box I think it's ECU (electronic control Unit) basically it is the brain of car.


Ahhh, unless the R33 GTS4 is different, the ECU is in behind the passenger kick panel.

The GTS4 rear diff pic above shows nil HICAS :(

GTS-4 have ECU at passager side kick panel...

and I am still not sure silver box in da boot!

I think silver box is 4WD Atessa.!

cuz I saw in GTR it had two silver box

1.HICAS
2.Atessa 4WD

plus ECU in da passanger side kick panel...

I hope this helps :)

I know this is an old post but...I am facing a similar issue.
I don't know what that box is, but it isn't HICAS.
If you have HICAS a HICAS light goes on everytime you start the car.
I suspect that box may be the ECU for the Active-LSD which you car definitely has because those two lights - "Slip" and "ALSD" in your rev counter refer to the A-LSD.
Congratulations - your car has the same diff as the GT-R V-spec. A-LSD was an expensive factory option I believe (about $10000 extra).


Edit: PS it ain't ATTESA because my car is a 96 GTSt which is RWD and it has the same box (along with the larger HICAS box that normally sits above this smaller one).
BTW I thought A-LSD was only an option on one specific version of type M (and the v-spec of course) but I guess not.

HICAS is the devil. Just say "no!" to HICAS!