Nissan X-TRAIL Problems

Stick with the respected brands and models like the Suzuki Grand Vitara or Nissan X-Trail. With your budget you should be able get into a 2008/2009 model.

I would always approach a car’s manufacturer in a case like this, if only because 90,000km is not, in my estimation, an acceptable distance for a transmission to last before it needs total replacement. That said, I wouldn’t hold my breath in this case because the vehicle is well and truly out of warranty.

The other people I’d be talking to would be the RACV. The club will be very concerned to hear that a car it inspected has had such a major malfunction and may have some consumer advice of its own. Then again, if the inspection was a full 18 months ago, then again, I don’t like your chances. But it’s got to be worth a shot.

The other thing that bothers me is that the vehicle is an ex-fleet car, probably a rental car, so despite a full service history, that has to rate as a chequered past. The other part of the problem is that the mechanical layout of the X-Trail makes some repairs very time-consuming, and that’s a great way to jack up the price of any repair work. If it does turn out that you’re on your own, a second-hand gearbox from a wrecked X-Trail might be a better bet than a brand-new one.

The Hilux 4WD would give you better offroad ability and more load carrying capacity, and shouldn’t suffer on the fuel consumption or power fronts, but your budget would dictate an earlier model in the region of 2014.

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.

It’s possible water has got into something in the engine bay when you were cleaning it, and I doubt it would come good just by driving it. Get it to a dealer or mechanic to have it checked.

If it’s got a manual transmission the towing capacity is 2000 kg and the GVM is 2155 kg; if it’s an auto the towing capacity is 1650 kg.

Yes, you can, providing of course it’s the petrol engine and not the diesel.

It sounds like a characteristic of the CVT rather than a tuning issue.

If your car was built between August 6 and October 30, 2010, Wayne, then it was the subject of a Nissan recall that was announced in November 2011. Apparently, the power-steering’s assistance could simply stop working, meaning that the steering would still work, but would require a lot more muscle input form the driver. Check the dashboard for a power-steering warning light that is the other clue that this is what’s happening.

The fact that your car’s problem is intermittent is a bit confusing, but given its recall history, I reckon a visit to a Nissan dealership to see whether the car was one of the affected ones is worth the effort. The other possibility is that the car needs a wheel-alignment as the wheels are not pointing where they should be when you’re turning right.

There’s not much between them, but the Honda is regarded as being a little better than the Nissan overall. It’s well-equipped, good value, and practical. Another to consider is the Mazda CX-5.