Nissan Patrol Diesel Problems

NISSAN is coy about the problems with the 3.0-litre turbo-diesel in the Patrol, but it is clear there is a problem. A change was made to the dipstick to increase the oil level in the engine, and there are reports of work having been done on the cooling jets that deliver oil to the pistons. From the evidence we've seen it seems there is a problem with the lubrication of the pistons. The best course of action, seeing your's hasn't had a problem, is to keep the oil level up to the top mark on the dipstick. We approached Nissan and though they wouldn't admit there was a problem a spokesperson said the company would look after any owner who had one. Read into that what you will.

I CAN'T give you a definitive answer, but I can tell you Nissan is so concerned about all the negative publicity it has received over the 3.0-litre turbodiesel engine that it has agreed to sit down with Carsguide and give us a rundown on the problem so we can, hopefully, give you the answer you want. Stay tuned.

NISSAN assures me the problem was fixed when it changed the sump and dipstick, but I have had some reports it wasn't totally fixed. I've been unable to verify those claims and can only take its assurance at face value. I wouldn't worry. If it does occur, you'd have very strong grounds to make a claim against Nissan.

YOU could tow your outfit with a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel, but I couldn't recommend the 3.0-litre turbo-diesel GU Patrol because there are too many reports of engine problems. They seem to have problems running at high loads on the highway. See this week's used cars report.

THE 3.0-litre turbo diesel engine had problems early on that Nissan claims were fixed by the revised dipstick and extra oil fill. Yours should have had that fix, but it's worth checking that with your dealer. The problem seems to be worse when highway driving, and becomes worse still when towing or at high temperatures. It was thought to be a piston-cooling problem, and the extra oil fixed that. But there are reports of failures of the mass airflow sensor, which seems to tell the engine computer to run the engine lean.

THE 4.2-litre would be my suggestion. According to Nissan specialist Jerry Newman, the only criticism is a lack of performance, but they give good fuel economy and are ultra-reliable.

THE 3.0-litre turbodiesel engine had problems when it was launched. The main one was a lack of oil capacity, which resulted in piston meltdown. It tended to occur when the Patrol was driven on the highway at high speed. The problem was traced to insufficient oil in the engine, which affected the cooling of the pistons. Nissan claims to have fixed the problem by increasing the oil fill by about two litres, simply by replacing the oil dipstick with one that has markings farther up the stick. The change was supposed to be carried out by dealers as the cars came in for servicing. Your GUII would have had the new dipstick from new, so you should have no problem.

THE meeting didn't happen, but Nissan corporate affairs manager Jeff Fisher sent me a letter that may ease your mind. I quote: "We acknowledge that we have received the occasional call relating to ZD30 diesel engines and that each received prompt attention from our customer service representatives in conjunction with the Nissan dealer network. "In each identified instance, where we have seen some form of product defect, Nissan has worked to resolve the issue to the satisfaction of the owner according to the terms of the Nissan new car warranty (three years, 100,000km). "In that context, Nissan also maintains a pro-active support to owners of vehicles during ownership periods beyond the standard factory warranty. "The circumstances surrounding product comments, (such as those made by your readers) in our experience, usually involve older vehicles (often second and third owners, out of warranty and often with high mileage and unknown usage patterns). "We encourage owners to maintain their vehicle in partnership with manufacturer's guidelines and its dealer network. "This is especially in the knowledge that advanced diesel engine technology can be vulnerable to failure should it be subject to misuse or neglect. "Alternatively, we are quite prepared to discuss technical and operational details directly with customers, owning either new or older Nissan products, before and during their period of ownership. "Our national Customer Service Centre number is 1800 035 035. "I hope this has illustrated how we deliver prompt and results-based outcomes with our customers in attending to specific product matters as they may arise.'' Unfortunately the letter doesn't indicate that the problem, which has been acknowledged in the letter as existing in older models, has been fixed. If you have any doubts, take up the offer to phone Nissan.

THE 3.0-litre turbodiesel is notorious for burning pistons. It usually happens to No.4 piston first, but you seem to have all at the same time. It is not acceptable and Nissan hasn't handled the problem well at all. The best thing to do is approach Nissan and ask for compensation. The most likely offer you will get is to cover the cost of parts to rebuild your engine, leaving you to pay for labour.

THERE were problems with the GU Patrol when it was first launched, but Nissan claims to have fixed them by using a new dipstick and an increased oil fill. Any that failed were fixed by Nissan, as you say, and there are still occasionally reports about problems. But the Patrol is now probably at an age and mileage when those that were going to fail have, and they have been rebuilt. For more information, contact the Nissan Customer Assistance people.