Nissan Reviews

You need to be strategic with problems like this one, and not just throw new parts at the car which may or may not fix it.

That means the first thing to do is electronically scan the car to see if the on-board computer knows what’s wrong. Hopefully this information will lead you to either the ignition or fuel system and, from there, you can home in on the fault.

Ignition-wise, you may have a computer, wiring, spark plug issue or about a thousand other things on a modern, electronically-controlled car like this one. If the fuel system's at fault, you need to check things like the filter and fuel pump delivery pressure and volume and even the age of the fuel. Modern fuel doesn’t like to sit around for any length of time, and many’s the car that has been sidelined through petrol that has lost its mojo.

While the G35 Skyline is not a common car on Australian roads, its driveline is pretty well understood. Even so, finding a workshop that specialises in this make and model would be a good idea.

This mightn’t be too hard to figure out as the GU Patrol used a purely mechanical engagement system for the transfer case and four-wheel-drive system. Unlike newer designs with rotary knobs and electronic control, there’s really not to much to go wrong with the Patrol’s setup assuming it’s a selector problem. Make sure the selector rods are all connected properly and that they’re not binding or loose under the car.

However, if the lever is engaging and the front drive-shaft is not turning the front wheels, then you may have a hub problem. Free-wheeling hubs are great for saving fuel, but when they go wrong, it can often mean the drive doesn’t reach the front wheels. At that point, you have a bigger job on your hands. The same symptoms could also be a result of a broken front differential which is not sending the drive out to the front wheels. Finally, the transfer-case itself may be at fault. If it’s not sending the drive forward, there’s no way the vehicle will achieve four-wheel-drive.

Also, to maximise your chances of engaging four-wheel-drive, make sure the vehicle is stationary at the time and the transmission is in neutral. In fact, this is essential for moving between two and four-wheel-drive in many types of off-roader.

If the problem occurred immediately after you replaced the carpet and seats, I’d say there’s a very good chance you’ve unclipped a wiring plug or connector to remove the interior, and failed to reconnect it afterwards. A lot of modern cars have airbags in the actual seat (the side airbag usually) and the wiring often runs under the seat.

The best move would be to remove the seats again and check for loose wiring or wiring or connectors that have been damaged of misplaced in the process of the interior’s removal. But before you touch anything under there, disconnect the car’s battery. That ensures you won’t have an accidental airbag deployment that could injure you while you’re working in that space.