Nissan Problems

Our Nissan specialist Jerry Newman services a dozen or more turbo diesel Pathfinders and he hasn’t seen any with overheating problems. The only issues he has seen are related to the variable build quality coming out of the plant in Spain, and they’re usually rattles and squeaks etc.

Nissan’s recommendation is to use 95-octane fuel, and it says it is suitable to run on E10.

It’s obviously frustrating and of course will affect the resale value when you come to move it on. There’s not much you can do about it; perhaps you could consult the consumer affairs people to get their opinion on whether Nissan should provide some compensation for what would seem to be an issue with their cars. One way of reducing the wear on seats is to slide the seat back before getting out, that way you won’t rub the seat as you exit. It’s the same when you get in, if the seat has already been slid back you won’t rub across the bolster as you enter, and of course you then have to slide the seat forward to your normal driving position.

You’re buying a high mileage car so be careful to check the condition of the engine and driveline and walk away if there’s any suspicion they’re close to worn out. There’s little difference between the Landcruiser and the Patrol, but avoid the 3.0-litre turbo diesel Patrol as it has engine issues.

I wouldn’t spend the money; you’re being sold up to something you don’t need. The best way to look after the paint on your car is to clean it regularly with plain old water and chamois it dry. Do it at least weekly and you shouldn’t have any trouble, the Nissan paint finish won’t give you any trouble.

It should tow your trailer without a problem, as long as the trailer is braked, and you are sure it weighs less than 1000 kg when loaded with all of your gear. In addition to the cars you are looking at there are plenty of other cars that could also tow your camper, like the Hyundai Santa Fe, Nissan X-Trail, Honda CR-V etc.

The door locks are a known problem on the Maxima and you might be able to get that fixed free by Nissan if you go to a Nissan dealer. The company has a service alert out on the problem and has been fixing cars free of charge. Otherwise the Maxima is a reliable, sturdy car with no serious mechanical issues.

First, establish clearly if the problem is associated with running on LPG. You say it went away when you ran on diesel, so run some LPG through it again and see if the noise returns. If it does head back to the LPG installer, or the Eco Shot people, and have them do a thorough check on the system. It could be that it's getting too much LPG. I am very wary of these systems, because they work by substituting LPG for diesel, and increase the power output of the engine. The idea is then that you lift off the throttle and use less fuel, so reducing your running costs, but many people don't and make use of the extra power instead. As a result some run into engine problems, as is possible with your Patrol.

First, establish clearly if the problem is associated with running on LPG. You say it went away when you ran on diesel, so run some LPG through it again and see if the noise returns. If it does head back to the LPG installer, or the Eco Shot people, and have them do a thorough check on the system. It could be that it's getting too much LPG. I am very wary of these systems, because they work by substituting LPG for diesel, and increase the power output of the engine. The idea is then that you lift off the throttle and use less fuel, so reducing your running costs, but many people don't and make use of the extra power instead. As a result some run into engine problems, as is possible with your Patrol.