Body Control Module (BCM) melted

[KidZoom]

Thanks in advance.

 

Here is my problem.

 

2018 Nissan NV3500 VIN  5BZAF0AA2JN851375

 

Let's start at the end. 

 

The BCM is melted.  See attached images.

The Main Harness plug into the BCM is melted.

 

The whole harness may need replaced but I am willing to rewire and repin the plug if I can get the correct wiring pattern. 

 

Came to car and found a golf ball size chunk of melted plastic on the floor mat under the steering column. Looked in the dash. found the melted parts. I disconnected the battery.

 

I pulled the instrument cluster to find the catastrophe. Murphy's Law, $3,000 part will sacrifice itself to save a 10 cent fuse.

 

Here is my current situation. I will get it fixed. Here are the details.

the BCM part number 284B11PA3C is currently unavailable nationwide from Nissan. But I found a couple on ebay and the internet.

 

Main Harness

240109JJ8A 

 

My major concerns are:

 

that I cannot find the workable parts.

 

can you get the color codes for the plug into the BCM, I found plugs I can repin or splice.

 

that I replace all the parts, and the thing melts again.

 

that I will have issues reprogramming the BCM. Will it need to be reprogrammed?

 

Edited April 29 by KidZoom
correct information

[crusty]

Full coverage insurance?  This is a fire claim.  Did that to a Dodge many years ago.

[KidZoom]

WOW. What a great idea. I will try that. Thanks.

[radin2son]

How did this turn out with your insurance company? Will they go with an eBay (Nissan?) part to fix your main harness or total your van over a nationwide, unavailable “$3000” part?

 

 

Edited April 18 by radin2son

[KidZoom]

2 hours ago, radin2son said:

How did this turn out with your insurance company? Will they go with an eBay (Nissan?) part to fix your main harness or total your van over a nationwide, unavailable “$3000” part?

 

 

I spoke with my long-time agent. He said he had similar personally and it took a bit of wrangling, but he got it covered. I spoke with Nissan, they will do the repair and use outside parts, even ebay because the part is out of stock nationally. Interestingly, the local Nissan that will do the repair, their price on the main harness is $1,220. However, at their website the same part was $731. They told me they use a third-party vendor for their website part orders. Their service department assures me that they will warrantee the work and parts from Nissan. I'm not so sure how they will handle warrantee on the ebay part, so I bought the insurance on the part through Allstate on ebay.

 

I got the Nissan factory parts today. The ebay vendor shipped the wrong part, so I just bought from another ebay vendor.

 

Next step is to file the auto insurance claim and see where that goes.

 

I'll update as this progresses.

 

[KidZoom]

How much programming will be involved with the replacement BCM?

 

[Local Apparent Friday]

The dealer will just be able to program it right to your vin, which will make it so your keys work and the van runs.  Pretty sure that covers the immobilizer and that's it.  The actual engine/trans tuning stuff is a different module.  

[KidZoom]

On 4/18/2025 at 10:52 PM, Local Apparent Friday said:

The dealer will just be able to program it right to your vin, which will make it so your keys work and the van runs.  Pretty sure that covers the immobilizer and that's it.  The actual engine/trans tuning stuff is a different module.  

Thanks so much. 

I'll keep everyone posted.

[KidZoom]

Update. The van is running after about a month of way too much work.

 

Progressive paid for the tow to the dealership. Their adjuster determined the Main Harness overheated and destroyed the BCM and they would pay for the replacement of the BCM. Parts, labor, and reprogramming. They paid $1,350. However, the cost to replace the Main Harness was over $6,000. The insurance adjuster assured that if we chose to repair the harness instead of replacing it, and it caused further damage, they would evaluate the subsequent damage for further claim. Therefore, we decided to repair the 13 wires on the connecter that burned. The repair of the harness, replacement and reprogramming, and the tows cost right at $1,350. We did not do the replacement of main harness.

 

It was a huge undertaking. The BCM is on back order in North America Nissan. I only found one on Ebay or in salvage yards that had the exact part number ending 3C. The salvage yards said the other incorrect part numbers ending 2C would work. So, I bought three just in case. Lots of research indicated that reprogramming an "other than factory fresh" BCM could be impossible and brick the van. I called multiple Nissan parts departments around the country. One has an NV on the lot with a BCM on order with a fulfillment date after August.

 

A guy in Miami was willing to provide the connector with pigtails to repair the harness, God bless him.

 

The plan was to use the self-soldering shrink connectors. They did not work. The good old-fashioned crimp shrink wraps solved the problem. The dealership had stored the van on their back lot under a shade tree. That is where I did the repair. We had to pay for a tow truck to move it five hundred feet to their shop.

 

Before this post about this possibly an insurance claim, I had purchased the main wiring harness from Nissan of Bradenton with their online ordering for $780 plus $70 shipping. This was a better price than the Nissan of Bradenton parts counter at $1,220. But they actually shipped it to Nissan of Bradenton and paid a local driver to deliver it to my house. I still have the new harness because it is not returnable and may install it later.

 

Shout out to Nissan of Bradenton for their great service department. A special shout out to Nissan of Bradenton online parts. They have the best prices on all Nissan parts. You must order from the Website.

 

Thanks to everyone here that helped. God Bless you all.

[KidZoom]

On 4/11/2025 at 8:28 PM, crusty said:

Full coverage insurance?  This is a fire claim.  Did that to a Dodge many years ago.

THANKS so much. God Bless you.

 

The amount they paid covered the actual cost of the repair. They chose to "determine" the harness was a mechanical failure that burned the BCM. The cost to repair and replace the BCM was about $1,400. The cost to replace the main harness was over $6,000.

 

Thanks again.

[KidZoom]

On 4/18/2025 at 12:23 PM, radin2son said:

How did this turn out with your insurance company? Will they go with an eBay (Nissan?) part to fix your main harness or total your van over a nationwide, unavailable “$3000” part?

 

 

They paid the full Nissan part cost for the Ebay part. They did not pay some other costs. It all came out as a wash. I thought they were fair. Other than somehow determining the main harness was a mechanical failure that damaged the BCM. Therefore, they would pay $1,300 to replace the BCM but not $6,000 to replace the main harness. The van works with a repair of the harness and the Ebay BCM. So I am happy.