fyi, car is a 2002 model year.... battery connections are all tight and clean. pulled clock fuse- did not work..... after pulling and re-inserting the fuse my check engine light is on. EPS light is still on and no power assist. Will get an OBD2 scanner on it later today. I find it impossible to believe that my disconnecting the battery to put on the tender quick release adapter didn't cause this.....way too coincidental. A few quick questions please (and thank you!):
1) should I be pulling the clock fuse when the car is running?
2) all the mention of error codes... are we talking codes taken from the OBD2 port or codes taken directly from the EPS controller?
3) is it OK to drive the car without EPS?
With a little searching on Prime you will find a link to a .pdf version of the 1997-2005 service manual. You will find the procedure for retrieving error codes using a scanner and using something called the service check connector. The service manual does not call for pulling the clock fuse while the engine is running to reset the codes so I would not do that.
When you pulled the clock fuse you erased all stored error codes. You may (or may not) have to wait a bit for the error codes to re appear depending on what causes the error codes.
The NSX is a pre CAN bus car. The various control modules are loosely integrated which means that the OBDII port only reports on OBDII required codes and some specific manufacturer codes ( some transmission problems if you have an automatic). The other modules such as ABS, EPS, TCS and SRS which have 'status indicator lights' on the dash have there own internal error checking and reporting schemes. In order to access the error codes from these systems you need to short the service check connector ( as described in the service manual) and then count the blink sequence on the indicator light for the affected system. The service check indicator will also trigger the ECU to start reporting ECU (OBDII) error codes via blinking the CEL. If other modules have stored error codes (they don't always result in the lights coming on right away) these devices will also start reporting their error codes - everything can start blinking.
Counting the blinks can be confusing. You need to consult the service manual in order to interpret the blinks to determine the code, particularly if there are multiple stored codes. The ECU codes can be read from the CEL without the use of an OBDII reader; but, the code numbers are larger and more of a hassle to read. An OBDII scanner is much easier; but, you have no choice but to count the blinks for the EPS. The service check connector is tucked up in the passenger side footwell, sometimes hidden behind the top edge of the carpet. You may need to remove the cover under the glove box to find it. There is a recent thread on Prime asking specifically about EPS codes which covers the mystery of finding the SC connector. Sometimes the SC is right out in the open and easy to find.
Others have reported no problem with driving the car with a failed EPS other than requiring a lot of steering effort.
Once you are able to retrieve the stored codes you will get a better handle on what the potential problems are.
There are 'fuses' for the EPS system including a big-ass 50 or 60 amp rack motor fuse. Its unlikely that fuse will have blown. The section of the service manual on the EPS has a diagram with all the fuses.
I find it impossible to believe that my disconnecting the battery to put on the tender quick release adapter didn't cause this
I tend to agree. What is the quick release adapter? Is it permanently installed on the battery? If so, I would remove it an re try with the original battery clamps on the posts. Double check your battery post connections. On my 2000 the clamps and posts looked just fine; however, I discovered that even with the clamp bolts tightened to the max I could easily twist the clamps on the battery post. The OEM clamps are 'minimalist' and heavy handed mechanics can deform the clamp rendering it useless and requiring replacement of the clamps on the cables.
I don't drive my car in the winter and it rains infrequently here so corrosion has not been an issue for me. However, if your car was winter driven or exposed to a lot of moisture the ground connections including the battery - cable can become compromised. Checking those ground connections could be on a potential check list. You can get a fairly good idea as to the condition of the battery and the wiring / connections by measuring the voltage during cranking. Don't rely on the dash voltmeter because it won't indicate problems with the wiring. An old school 'meter' style voltmeter is best or a digital voltmeter with a fast update time (budget multi meters generally won't cut it). Connect the voltmeter to the jump start terminal in the engine fuse box. Pre start voltage should be around 12.2 volts. While you crank the motor have somebody watch the voltmeter and record the lowest voltage during cranking - just before the motor actually starts. If the voltage is above 10 volts your major cables and the battery are likely OK. If less, then you likely have an aged battery or compromised wiring. Note that the major cables can be OK; but, you can still have a problem on the direct wiring to the EPS controller (although less likely).
