If you have this issue, this thread is for you and should fix your problem (or lead you onto the path to get it fixed).
A very common issue I've noticed on this forum, and on reddit; as well as something I experienced myself over a year and a half ago-- is the center screen in these Pathfinders failing.
That failure mode typically presents itself with these symptoms, or variations of them:
Nissan charges in excess of $4000 for the part alone, when in reality the only thing that's failed is a $12 Micro SD card. That was enough to annoy me into fixing it myself, but what triggered me to write this post (and the blogs that go along with it), was seeing just how many people are having this issue.
I'll easily run into post size limits for this guide (It's about 2600 words and dozens of photos), so instead I'll say if you have this issue, you can find the fix for it available entirely free on my blog here: DCU Fix (DIY Free Version) (Version 0.2)
EDIT: I also now sell the SD cards pre made, for the Pathfinder, the Armada, and the Q50/Q60. You can find these here.
I will also be going into the specifics of how and why the fix works on my blog; as well as a guide on how to confirm your diagnosis, which I'll link here when that's complete.
It's free and available for everyone, you can screenshot it, download it, share it etc. I only ask that you credit me as I've put a lot of work into this (and I plan on creating some video guides to go along with the written ones).
I've tried to make the guide as approachable to everyone as possible, and I'll be updating it in the coming days/weeks with more screenshots and videos so it's easier for those that don't have a background in IT/fixing their own car like myself to tackle--and I'm also working the logistics of cutting out the software part and offering the MicroSD Card for purchase; for those that want it. (This is done) This seems to be a very common issue plaguing not only Nissan but Infiniti and possibly others that use this same style of DCU.
I also hope to be opening a repo where people who perform the fix can upload their repaired image, so others can download and use those in their vehicles. I've not encountered a scenario where my image doesn't work on someone else's hardware, but there's a lot of pathfinders out there and it's possible. I think having a large library for people to download and share to is a good thing. When this repo is complete, I'll start it by offering mine (which has been uploaded to quite a few pathfinders already).
EDIT: I did have an article for this, but I had to remove it as several people reported that they were missing fonts/textures when flashing with Balena Etcher or Rufus in windows. I will try to bring this article back in the same approachable way when I can. For now, use Linux for DIY.
Finally, write to your local representative about right to repair. This is exactly the kind of thing right to repair aims to protect. It shouldn't take some guy on the internet to write up a blog after reverse engineering a fix for a design flaw in a car that costs $40,000 new, Nissan should have this documentation available. You'll see in my detailed write up that the fix is only possible because Nissan put in a backup of the OS partition, which means they know this fix is possible, and they'd rather take your thousands of dollars to install a new DCU and throw the other one in a landfill. That disgusts me.
I hope this helps the people posting about DCU issues.
A very common issue I've noticed on this forum, and on reddit; as well as something I experienced myself over a year and a half ago-- is the center screen in these Pathfinders failing.
That failure mode typically presents itself with these symptoms, or variations of them:
- Center screen not working (black, but backlight on)
- Center screen showing only Nissan (Infiniti) logo
- Center screen going in a loop (shows logo/tries to start etc and then restarts)
- Any of these symptoms or more AND, and backup camera still works.
Nissan charges in excess of $4000 for the part alone, when in reality the only thing that's failed is a $12 Micro SD card. That was enough to annoy me into fixing it myself, but what triggered me to write this post (and the blogs that go along with it), was seeing just how many people are having this issue.
I'll easily run into post size limits for this guide (It's about 2600 words and dozens of photos), so instead I'll say if you have this issue, you can find the fix for it available entirely free on my blog here: DCU Fix (DIY Free Version) (Version 0.2)
EDIT: I also now sell the SD cards pre made, for the Pathfinder, the Armada, and the Q50/Q60. You can find these here.
I will also be going into the specifics of how and why the fix works on my blog; as well as a guide on how to confirm your diagnosis, which I'll link here when that's complete.
It's free and available for everyone, you can screenshot it, download it, share it etc. I only ask that you credit me as I've put a lot of work into this (and I plan on creating some video guides to go along with the written ones).
I've tried to make the guide as approachable to everyone as possible, and I'll be updating it in the coming days/weeks with more screenshots and videos so it's easier for those that don't have a background in IT/fixing their own car like myself to tackle--
I also hope to be opening a repo where people who perform the fix can upload their repaired image, so others can download and use those in their vehicles. I've not encountered a scenario where my image doesn't work on someone else's hardware, but there's a lot of pathfinders out there and it's possible. I think having a large library for people to download and share to is a good thing. When this repo is complete, I'll start it by offering mine (which has been uploaded to quite a few pathfinders already).
EDIT: I did have an article for this, but I had to remove it as several people reported that they were missing fonts/textures when flashing with Balena Etcher or Rufus in windows. I will try to bring this article back in the same approachable way when I can. For now, use Linux for DIY.
Finally, write to your local representative about right to repair. This is exactly the kind of thing right to repair aims to protect. It shouldn't take some guy on the internet to write up a blog after reverse engineering a fix for a design flaw in a car that costs $40,000 new, Nissan should have this documentation available. You'll see in my detailed write up that the fix is only possible because Nissan put in a backup of the OS partition, which means they know this fix is possible, and they'd rather take your thousands of dollars to install a new DCU and throw the other one in a landfill. That disgusts me.
I hope this helps the people posting about DCU issues.
