Nissan Problems

Randomly occurring problems are the most difficult to trace because they never happen when you want them to. You could have an auto electrician take a look at it for you; they might be better skilled to tackle the problem than a regular mechanic.

It sounds like it is going into ‘limp home’ mode, which cuts the performance of the car but still lets you drive it at a much reduced pace to get it fixed. But it appears to happen at random, which makes it hard for mechanics to trace and fix. It is most likely a problem with the electronics, so if it continues to occur I would suggest you sit down with the dealer and work out a plan of action to hopefully find the cause and fix it.

It could well be a fuse, and that’s the first thing to check.

You’ve possibly drowned something. I doubt it’s the coil, because it seems for your description that the starter is not working. Dry everything in the engine bay that could have been affected by water and see if that cures the problem. You could also try jump-starting it.

My first thought is that it is a problem with the fuel supply, possibly the fuel pump.

I suspect that it’s the battery, that there’s not enough charge to crank the engine and provide the spark to fire it. Have the battery checked.

It wouldn’t be a straight forward take one out and put another in sort of job, it would fiddly, but I’m sure it could be done. Look around for a specialist in that area.

The Navara seems to be the forgotten one when it comes to the ute market. The Toyota HiLux is the perennial favourite of ute buyers, with the Ford Ranger a tough rival. The Nissan is refined, comfortable, and a willing worker. A Silverline SE with 99,000 km for $19,000 sounds like a bargain.

The Nissan CVT can have problems. A whirring or grinding noise is a common issue, and it’s usually a bearing failure in the transmission. If you have such a noise in your car you should contact Nissan (1800 035 035) to discuss repairs.

A better option for someone with a tribe to transport would be a peoplemover, such as the Kia Carnival, Hyundai iMax, or VW Transporter. They’re made for that purpose and much more practical than an SUV.