Nissan Problems

There are literally dozens of things that can make a check-engine light illuminate, Kathleen. A faulty sensor, dud component, bad or dirty fuel, a vacuum leak, you name it, even the smallest glitch can cause the dreaded check-engine light to ruin your day.

The best advice is to take the car back to the workshop that serviced it and ask if, perhaps, the mechanic forgot to tighten or reset something properly. An interrogation by the workshop’s computer should throw up any fault codes present and from there, the workshop should be able to figure out the actual problem. It could be a coincidence, but, equally, it could be a simple thing the workshop has overlooked or forgotten to reset during the service.

On the surface, it sounds like you have a hydraulic issue, either with the clutch’s master or slave cylinder. Bleeding the hydraulics for the clutch and removing any air from the system would be the first step in diagnosing this problem and may fix it. Often, though, a problem like this is a constant one, not one that crops up 30 minutes into a drive. Is the clutch pedal returning to its proper position after you’ve taken your foot off it? Is there any evidence of a leak around the clutch’s hydraulic plumbing?

Perhaps it’s the clutch itself - X-Trails are known to be a bit flimsy in this department - and a worn clutch could conceivably work fine when it’s cold and not so well when it’s hot. Perhaps it’s the throw-out bearing that’s jamming and needs greasing. Does the pedal go hard and require more pressure when the problem starts?

By the way, many owners remove the standard dual-mass flywheel and fit a more durable and reliable single-mass flywheel when they replace the clutch. It seems to be a more robust set-up than the stock Nissan system.

Nissan Terrano II problems are often related to poor running or rough idling. This can usually be traced back to the MAF (Mass Air Flow) sensor which `reads’ the amount of air going into the engine and passes that information on to the engine’s computer. Some poor running or difficult starting is also often blamed on the fuel pump or injector pump problems, but is often the fault of the fuel lines which can leak and allow air to enter the fuel system.

Difficulty in selecting gears in the manual gearbox version often means a worn out transmission, while a humming or whining noise at speed can point to worn wheel bearings. The turbocharger on the Terrano II is also a wearing part and poor performance or a whistling noise under load suggest wear in this area.

This is sounding like one for Consumer Affairs, to be honest. Clearly, the vehicle is not safe to be driven in its current condition (for a variety of reasons) so I think Nissan should come to the party and at least offer you a replacement vehicle until your is fixed. And if your vehicle can’t be fixed, I don’t think the option of a replacement vehicle or a full refund should be out of the question.

The factory warranty is there to protect you, but in cases like this where the problems can’t be resolved in a timely manner, the warranty isn’t worth much at all.

Check out consumer.vic.gov.au and follow the links to the section on cars. It would also be worth informing your dealership that you’re about to get serious; it might make things happen a bit faster.

By the way, PO226 is a generic fault code (not specific to Nissan or this model Navara) and relates to a fault in the range or operation of the throttle-pedal position switch. But your other problems including the Bluetooth and reversing camera failure all point to a bigger electrical problem. Has the vehicle’s body computer been checked?

The vast majority of Nissan Patrols from 2006 have covered a lot more than 172,000km, so that’s definitely one thing in the vehicle’s favour. These seem to be a pretty good thing over time and kilometres as well, but there are still a few things to be wary of. The first of those is how the vehicle has actually been used in the past. Has it been used extensively off-road? Climb underneath and check for damage caused by rocks and try to gauge how hard a life the Patrol has had.

The other thing to bear in mind is that there were two diesel engines offered in this model. The biggest, a 4.2-litre turbo-diesel is a pretty good thing and tough enough to survive. The smaller unit, though, a three-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel doesn’t enjoy the same reputation for reliability and longevity. In fact, the smaller diesel is notorious for suffering an incorrect air-fuel mixture and/or turbo-boost spikes which can smash the pistons to bits. At which point the whole engine is junk. Should this happen, you might find that the cost of repairs is more than the actual value of the whole vehicle.

So that’s the bottom line: If the engine is a six-cylinder, it’s probably worth a punt if it’s cheap enough. If the engine is a four-cylinder, you might be wise to look for an expert on these engines to examine it and give a recommendation in person.

This model Patrol was also entangled in the Takata air-bag fiasco, so make sure the air-bags have been checked and replaced if necessary before driving it anywhere.

Sending you a USB stick in the mail with the updated mapping sounds like a great way for the dealership to make its problem your problem. Why not ask for the update to be done when your new car gets its first service? Dealerships have policies to cope with Covid-19 safely and protect you and their employees. A trip to the dealership to get the sat-nav (which you’ve paid for) working properly isn’t too much of a stretch.

Also, accepting a USB stick in the mail and a set of instructions leaves you open to claims that you’ve done something wrong when the system still doesn’t work properly. Under Australian consumer law and Nissan’s own factory warranty, it’s Nissan’s problem. Don’t let the dealer sidestep you or create an environment where you could be held responsible for a bungle.

Changing a clutch in any car is a big job and can easily cost the sort of money you’ve been quoted. And when that car is a front-wheel-drive vehicle, there are a lot of things to remove (like the driveshafts) before the gearbox can be removed and the new clutch fitted.

While I agree that the symptoms you’re reporting do sound like a worn out clutch, I’d like to know what else the mechanic thinks will be wrong. He or she may, for example, be budgeting for the removal and machining of the flywheel as part of the clutch replacement, That can easily add a couple of hundred to the bill. Also, where is the mechanic sourcing the new clutch? You may have found a replacement kit online for the $500 you’re quoting, but is it a quality part from a reputable brand or a no-name piece of rubbish from an internet clearing house?

If the gearbox won’t shift gears, then the vehicle won’t be able to accelerate any further once the engine has reached its maximum speed in the gear in which it’s stuck. That’s probably (I’m guessing) why the car feels like it won’t go any faster.

There are any number of reasons for an automatic gearbox to remain in one gear and refuse to shift. They start with low transmission fluid and go all the way up to a major internal failure or even a computer-related problem. There’s no real way to diagnose these possibilities remotely, so you really need to get the vehicle to somebody who specialises in automatic transmissions and get them to take a close look and diagnose the problem.

If it’s a major problem with the gearbox, your decision then becomes one of whether the vehicle itself is in good enough condition to warrant spending the money. A major job such as a new transmission and the labour to fit it could easily wind up costing more than the car is worth. Sometimes you’re better off scrapping the vehicle, cutting your losses and moving on to something newer and safer.

A car with a little extra ground clearance is great for camping as it often allows you to get a little farther away from the masses in their caravans who tend to huddle around the shower block at bush campsites.

The Subaru Outback is a good, solid choice and if you can find an independent workshop to service it, you’ll avoid the cost of dealership prices. And you’re right, the all-wheel-drive would be great for gravel roads. Another vehicle to look at would be a late-model Ford territory diesel which is big and clever inside and has the option of all-wheel-drive. The diesel engine is a plus on the bush where that fuel is more readily available (in really remote areas) and gives you more range for big holidays in the mulga.

Don’t rule out things like the Mitsubishi Pajero, either, which won’t be as around-town friendly, but is a proven quantity and is absolutely tremendous off-road. The same goes for a Toyota Prado or Nissan Pathfinder prior to the current model (which is a bit less hard-core adventure).

Are you sitting comfortably? Good, because this gets complex, with the manufacturer listing a huge range of variations of its 2020 Nissan Frontier towing capacity, depending on the body style, engine and transmission fitted. It breaks down like this:

Frontier S: King Cab manual – 1724kg; King Cab auto – 1719kg; Crew Cab 4X2 manual – 3012kg; Crew Cab 4X2 auto – 3003kg; Crew Cab 4X4 – 2889kg.

Frontier SV: King Cab 4-cyl manual – 1728kg; King Cab 4-cyl auto – 1719kg; King Cab V6 2WD – 3048kg; King Cab V6 4X4 – 2952kg; Crew Cab 4X2 – 3012kg; Crew Cab long-bed 4X2 – 2948kg; Crew Cab long-bed 4X4 – 2835kg.

Frontier Desert Runner: King Cab – 3035kg; Crew Cab – 3003kg.

Frontier Pro-4X: Crew Cab manual – 2867kg; Crew Cab auto – 2853; King Cab – 2926kg.

Frontier SL: Crew Cab 4X2 – 2939kg; Crew Cab 4X4 – 2830kg.