Are you having problems with your Nissan Dualis? Let our team of motoring experts keep you up to date with all of the latest Nissan Dualis issues & faults. We have gathered all of the most frequently asked questions and problems relating to the Nissan Dualis in one spot to help you decide if it's a smart buy.
More than 8000 Nissan X-Trails and 2700 Nissan Dualis and Dualis 2+ models are being reeled in to fix, respectively, potential fire risk from a loose engine-bay insulation and possible steering breakage. Nissan Australia says no incidents have been reported by Australian owners. "In the case of the Dualis, it's only an inspection of the steering wheel boss,'' says Nissan Australia spokesman Peter Fadeyev. "Of the 48,000 Dualis (also called Qashqai) recalls around the world, only 600 had to be repaired, so in terms of the numbers, it's relatively minor. But it's still important,'' he says. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commissions (ACCC) published an official recall notice stating that the 2712 J10 Nissan Dualis models built between February 27, 2012 and May 16, 2012, "are at risk of losing their steering as a result of having the steering wheel boss - which connects to the steering column - separate from the steering column because of not having the appropriate strength.'' Mr Fadeyev says owners are being contacted to arrange inspection of the steering wheel boss. "The batch number on the casting will be inspected to confirm if replacement is required,'' he says. The X-Trail recall, also spelled out by the ACCC, involves potential warping of the engine bay's firewall insulator in 8136 T31 X-Trails built between December 21, 2006 and April 27, 2012. The insulator could warp and come into contact with the engine's turbocharger and potentially lead to a fire. It affects only the diesel version of the X-Trail. "This recall means all the affected vehicles will need a modification,'' Mr Fadeyev says. "It will mean having a bracket fixed to the firewall to hold the insulation in place and prevent it from warping and touching the turbocharger.'' Nissan Australia says X-Trail owners are being contacted and Dualis owners are recommended to contact their nearest Nissan dealer to arrange an inspection of the steering wheel boss, where a batch number located on the casting will confirm if replacement is required.
For starters, make sure the oil used in the service was the correct Nissan recommended oil. Even if it was have the oil changed again. The spare wheel is a full-sized one, being a normal 16-inch wheel, but because it isn't the same size as the road wheels, which are 18-inch, it is speed limited.
Nissan can’t simply throw its hands up and say there’s nothing it can do about it, it has produced a defective product and it must correct it. Keep the pressure up on the dealer and company, consult a radio expert, and consider going to VCAT.
Unfortunately, the most likely thing that has happened is that the tyre sidewall has been fractured through hitting a kerb and it’s the rubber outer casing that is bubbling. It’s a relatively common failure. The best thing to do is to strip the tyre from the rim and have a tyre expert inspect it. Once you do that I would expect to see the fracture on the inner sidewall.
Clutches seem to be a particular problem with Nissans; you’re not the only one who has come to us for advice. The response you received from Nissan is the one most owners get when complaining about the life of the clutches in their cars. You could pressure Nissan in the hope they will relent and examine the clutch, but even if they did I’m sure you would find that the clutch is worn out. I doubt very much if you would get Nissan to come to the party and cover the cost of a replacement; the best course of action is to install a heavy-duty replacement clutch and a solid flywheel. I would urge you not to install a standard Nissan clutch and dual-mass flywheel, as you are likely to have the same issue all over again in another 40,000 km or so.
The dealer’s advice to drive “carefully” is appalling. If there is a risk of the airbags not working they should have offered you a replacement car until yours if repaired. The part required is probably coming from overseas, but Nissan could airfreight it here and have it available within a day or two. That the dealer has had your car for nine weeks is, again, appalling. The best thing to do is to get on the phone to Nissan headquarters and express your disappointment with the treatment you have received. If you were unfortunate enough to have a crash you would be liable, I doubt that Nissan could be held accountable, but you would need to get legal advice on that.
It would seem you have a number of valid concerns about the car. Write a letter to your dealer detailing the problems you have experienced with the car and your disappointment, and request a meeting with them and a Nissan representative so you can express your concerns face to face and thrash out a program of work to fix the car.
Take a close look to see if you can determine why it is wearing out so fast. Do you sit close to the wheel and brush against the seat back as you get in and out of the car? A simple thing like rolling the seat back before you get out can avoid rubbing against the seat. Of course you then have to reset the seat when you get back in, and that's inconvenient, but it might be a solution. By all means tackle Nissan over it; the seat shouldn't be wearing as rapidly as it seems to be.
Nissan told us that the clutch in your car showed normal, even wear, but the issue of clutch wear is a tricky one. Clutches are not covered by the warranty, which is fair enough given that they do wear out, but I think owners are entitled to expect the clutch to last a reasonable time and distance before requiring replacement. Having worn out in 38,000 km of normal driving without any towing is unacceptable in my view, and something Nissan, and every other carmaker, should be addressing. In this case it's Nissan that is affected, but it happens with other makes and models. Perhaps, given the overwhelming popularity of automatic transmissions, and the diminishing demand for manuals, they simply don't care. Think about having a heavy-duty clutch installed, that way you should get a decent run out of it before you next need to replace the clutch.
For some reason it’s going into ‘limp home’ mode and the reason for it doing that needs to be found and fixed. You have clearly had the runaround from the dealer and Nissan, and you would appear to have been extremely patient, but it’s time you got nasty. You need to take control of the situation and demand that the car be fixed. Ask for a meeting with the dealer and a Nissan rep and request a plan of action they will undertake to fix the problem. If that fails use the powers you have under the new national consumer law to pursue Nissan. Don’t worry that Nissan’s warranty might have expired, because the company is still responsible for the product under the consumer law if it has sold you a car that is unfit for purpose or they have failed to fix a problem with it. I think you have a very good case against the company under the provisions of that law. Phone the ACCC on 1300 302 502 or go to www.accc.gov.au for more information on the law.
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