Browse over 9,000 car reviews

The gearbox in my 1998 Nissan Patrol TD45 only selects second and third gear

Nissan Nissan Advice Nissan Patrol Nissan Patrol Advice Nissan Patrol 1998
...

The auto gearbox in my 1998 Nissan Patrol TD45 only selects second and third gear. Also, it can be started in Reverse gear.

You could be looking at something internally wrong with the transmission, but the clue that this might be something simpler is in the way the engine will start in Reverse which, of course, it shouldn’t (for safety reasons). The suspicion would be that the relationship between the selector (inside the cabin) and the actual gearbox is somehow out of synch. So when the selector is telling you the car is in Reverse, it’s actually in Park or Neutral, which is why the engine will start.

That might also explain why the car won’t select fourth gear; the position that actually coincides with Drive (or fourth gear) looks – from inside the cabin – to be the Neutral position. So, to check this, put the car in what looks like Neutral and, in a safe place, see if it moves when you give it some throttle.

Failing that, you’ve got two separate problems. The first is the inability to select fourth gear (which could be a hundred things) and a failure of the safety switch which is allowing the engine to start in Reverse.

Disclaimer: You acknowledge and agree that all answers are provided as a general guide only and should not be relied upon as bespoke advice. Carsguide is not liable for the accuracy of any information provided in the answers.

Comments

Have a new question for the CarsGuide team?
More than 9,000 questions asked and answered.
Complete guide to Nissan Patrol 1998
Complete guide to Nissan Patrol 1998 CarsGuide Logo
Reviews, price, specs and more