Black box in the trunk

[palmermd]

How many miles are on this orphan? Was it a manufacturer test car? VIN might help identify this also. Vin's started at 700 or so I think, so if you have a very low VIN and some mile accumulated it could explain how the car has this "test equipment" installed.

 

[turbo2ltr]

VINs started in the 150s. His profile says 2399.

 

[reeler]

Two words: FLUX CAPACITOR

 

[EVDrive]

I want one a dem darn things in that there trunk of yers. I paid full price but didn't get me one a them. If it's bad for yer range, I dont really need it though.

Push that there big grey button and report back please! :lol:

 

[Spies]

Wow, this reminds me of the numerous FBI tracking stories like this one: http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/10/fbi-tracking-device/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[defiancecp]

If the trunk material was CUT to make room for it, I'd be BEYOND ticked...

 

[TEG]

Don't push the button!
It is for emergency use only!

You will release the trunk monkey!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCUBxgdKZ_Y[/youtube]

 

[Brightonuk]

Check Carfax if the previous owner was named Achmed??

 

[garygid]

Does it tick?

 

[Seahorse]

What a great group you are! Many thanks for the clever and original responses! My black box is more unusual than I thought. So I opened it up...

and inside the black box was a white box...


and inside the white box was this...


I've posted a 2MB image at Imageshack showing all the data ports. Click through this image to see it.

 

[mwalsh]

But what is it? We gotta find out. And also find out how it got into a customer car. Would your dealer maybe tell you anything about how it came to be orphaned?

 

[haykinson]

Well, looks like it's got a VGA port. So I'd plug in a monitor and see what's displayed!

 

[Spies]

Wow it has a Nissan part number and everything! Now I am jealous. It certainly appears to be a mini pc of some sort. I can hardly wait to find out more.

 

[garygid]

Was anything at all connected to it?

Is there any indication of where the connection wires would have come from?

Finding a good "test/logging" port near the rear of the LEAF might be very useful to us.

So, apparently it is a left-over Data Recorder from a test-vehicle, perhaps a production model that was used for some testing.

 

[mwalsh]

Well, looks like it's got a VGA port. So I'd plug in a monitor and see what's displayed!

My guess would be a anime!

 

[TEG]

Does it say the following on top?

NISSAN Part No. : EJprb-12000
Unit ID: ejprb12110
Software version: 1.5.3
Electrical version: 1.1
Date of production 13/04/2011 (April 13, 2011)

I tried looking up "EJprb-12000" in a Nissan parts system but came up empty.
Perhaps it is an "unlisted" part.

 

[Smidge204]

General Googling doesn't turn up much either, except for the name "Elbex" which produces digital recording equipment (among other things). I don't know if it's a valid connection but it's not a stretch to say it's a data recorder of some kind.

=Smidge=

 

[garygid]

How many miles did your LEAF have on it when you bought it?

It was sold to you as "new", right?

 

[HighDesertDriver]

Was anything at all connected to it?

Is there any indication of where the connection wires would have come from?

Finding a good "test/logging" port near the rear of the LEAF might be very useful to us.

So, apparently it is a left-over Data Recorder from a test-vehicle, perhaps a production model that was used for some testing.

Concur with the data recorder theory. Just imagine the engineers in Japan ( ) now trying to account for some missing test equipment! :lol: In the military test community, at least you could follow the orange insulation used exclusively for non-production wiring. If all the connecting wiring has been removed, as it appears it has, perhaps there will be telltale splices or repairs in the OEM harnesses if you can follow the clues of the test routing.

Still waiting to hear back on the mileage when delivered, but I suspect they have the means to have reset everything before putting it back in the delivery queue. Boxes in the trunk, however? -- out of sight, out of mind. . .

 

[Stoaty]

Concur with the data recorder theory. Just imagine the engineers in Japan ( ) now trying to account for some missing test equipment! :lol:

Looks like an older model than the recent data recorder put in by Nissan and shown in this thread: http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=5850&start=10" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;