Nissan Problems

We phoned around and the price you were quoted was very close to the prices we were quoted, it was actually lower than one. Few of us look beyond the purchase price when we buy a new car, but it’s a good idea to check the ongoing costs we will face after we’ve bought it. You experience is a good example; by buying the Navara you face higher servicing costs.

Yes, get it fixed. You are driving around in a car with dodgy airbags, ones that probably wouldn't deploy if you have a crash. It's unsafe. It's only three years old so it is possibly still under warranty, if not it is only just out of warranty, so I would think you shouldn't have to pay anything to have Nissan fix it.

I reckon you would have good reason to ask Nissan to supply new hub assemblies free of charge, leaving you to pay for the labour. The best place to start is with your dealer, and you should show him the failed parts and a report from your mechanic.

Like you, I reckon the Nissan diffs aren't up to the job; we have had a number of readers contact us after having problems. The diff failure is one thing, but it's sometimes compounded by the dealer simply seeking to replace the failed diff with another factory one, instead of having it rebuilt as your dealer did. Replacement diffs obviously take time to procure, which leaves the owner out of wheels while waiting for it to arrive and be fitted.

Clutches are not normally covered by warranty, but that assumes they wear out normally over a fairly long period of time and use. Yours, however, hasn’t done that, which suggests there is something wrong, something that is not normal. I would think you have a justifiable claim against Nissan to cover the replacement, but first you need to establish the cause of the problem. To do that the dealer has to remove the clutch to inspect it, which should determine that has gone wrong. There two possible scenarios at such a low mileage are a manufacturing fault, in which case Nissan should replace the clutch, or abuse, in which case you would have to cover the cost. If you’re not satisfied you could consult the consumer affairs people.

I’ve been told the problems don’t affect the later models, but I can’t categorically say they don’t because I haven’t been able to confirm it with any confidence.

I would expect a carmaker to have a new diff on hand to replace a broken one in a matter of a day or two at most; to have to wait more than a month is unacceptable and I can understand your frustration. I suspect that Nissan has cut back on parts inventory because of the global financial meltdown, but that doesn't in any way excuse them for what is clearly the shabby treatment you received.

I wouldn’t recommend doing it, as I doubt it would function the way it should. Airbags are configured for each vehicle and work in tandem with the body structure, so moving an airbag from one type of car to another quite different car with a different body structure wouldn’t be successful.

I would be tempted in your case because you do a lot of kays, and because of the issues with the D40 diffs. I probably would take it up.

They can give trouble as you have been told, but it’s not possible to say if yours is likely to blow up. Have a mechanic with knowledge of Patrols check it over before you go, you should have it serviced in any case before a long trip as you plan and a check on the engine would be worthwhile.