- Report: #47526
Complaint Review: NISSAN MOTOR COMPANY LIMITED - CHUO-KU, TOKYO Other
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NISSAN MOTOR COMPANY LIMITED
17-1 Ginza 6-chome CHUO-KU, TOKYO, 104-8023 Other, Japan
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NISSAN MOTOR COMPANY ripoff TOKYO JAPAN
*Author of original report: LETTER OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FROM NISSAN MOTOR CO. JAPAN
*Author of original report: EFFICIENT NISSAN DEALER FINALLY DETERMINES MAJOR FAULTY PARTS TO BE REPLACED
*Author of original report: THIRD UPDATE - POSSIBLE FIX AT THIS STAGE
*UPDATE Employee: Quote for Nissan Spare Parts ..Services has been established in Afghanistan
*Consumer Comment: what a coincidence
*Consumer Comment: what a coincidence
NISSAN MOTOR COMPANY LIMITED THEY TOLD ME TO DRIVE MY FOUR-WHEEL-DRIVE TILL IT GETS WORSE BEFORE THEY WILL FIX IT CHUO-KU, .....
SUBJECT:
NISSAN Four Wheel Drive
Model: Patrol ZDAC
S.U.O.: 1195071
Engine: 063394
VIN: JN1TESY61A0307379
Year of Manufacture: 4/01
Reg. Number: RGC 167
Purchased: October 2001.
OUTLINE:
I am writing to you seeking help and advice, because I have some problems with my four-wheel drive Nissan Patrol wagon, which I have owned for just over one year. I have tried to explain to you what these problems are, as I see them, below.
I feel that some NISSAN staff I talk with in general perhaps cannot help me, despite their willingness, due to what may be NISSAN Australias policy, where it does seem that the customer is not really the reason for their being, but rather a means to simply make money.
It seems plain to me that some NISSAN staff cannot, or do not want to, either admit to or solve the problems with my vehicle. As it is most unlikely that my vehicle is the only one with these problems, I cannot understand why NISSAN staff have claimed that they have never heard of or experienced such things.
To his credit, the Service Manager at my Nissan Dealer, Yarra Valley Group, in Croydon, MELBOURNE, Australia, has tried to sort out these matters, but nothing has permanently solved the problems.
I properly believe these matters are faults, and that they should be corrected under warranty.
ONE: The first worry is a strange clunk which comes from under my vehicle when I stop, or start off, and sometimes even when I just take my foot from the accelerator pedal and then put it back on again after stopping.
This peculiar clunk effect first became noticeable to me when the vehicle was just 6,000 kilometres old. Unfortunately, this matter has been going on since then, and no-one at Nissan here in Australia, at this stage, seems to want to properly find the cause, and then fix it.
TWO: The second matter is to do with the automatic gearbox. Sometimes it will not change gears. Once again, this problem was first really noticed when the vehicle had done about 10,000 kilometres.
DETAILS - ONE:
I bought the vehicle from Yarra Valley Nissan when it had done about 9,000 kilometres. It had been a demonstration vehicle, was as new, and had been driven by the Sales Manager.
I drove it first when it had just 6,000 kilometres on the odometer. On return from my test-drive I then asked the Service Manager whether all Nissans had such a sort of clunk in their
suspension. He was unable to answer my question.
Some months later I bought this same vehicle, intending to use it to tow my caravan. As this clunk was still present I again asked the Service Manager to investigate it and fix the problem, obviously under NISSAN Warranty. Now it is fifteen months later and the same problem still exists.
This clunk may or may not occur when I put the brakes on, or when I take my foot off the brake pedal, or when I take off after being stationary.
Sometimes just the one clunk will happen, sometimes none, sometimes all three. At high speed I can sometimes make the clunk happen by taking my foot sharply off the accelerator and then putting it sharply back on again.
The same clunk or clunks happen whether or not I am towing my caravan.
One thing that I have noticed about these clunks is that whilst they will still happen when the vehicle is first driven and is cold, they do not have quite the same sort of sharpness until the vehicle has travelled a few kilometres, and is properly warmed up. Sometimes these clunks are so harsh the
vehicle will shudder. They can be felt through the drivers seat, and through the floor and steering wheel, and I believe they would be most damaging to other parts from shock-load.
A senior Nissan mechanic advised me he believed that similar clunks in other vehicles had been fixed by tightening up, very tightly apparently, some or all of the flexible joints in the suspension and axle linkage or location arms. I believe my vehicle was checked for this possibility, but I am not certain.
One diagnosis was that the tailshaft was faulty. Unfortunately, after a wait of several months, I was told such a spare part did not exist in either Australia or Japan. Thus, another tailshaft was adapted and fitted. There is no doubt that replacement of a tailshaft does, for some time, reduce these clunks.
There was a noticable improvement in behaviour after the first change, although the clunk was still slightly there. However, after less than 20,000 kms the clunk was back again, and as bad as before. Ultimately the Service Manager fitted a third tailshaft, and at now 66,000 kms this one now is again quite bad.
The Service Manager has driven the vehicle several times, and has done driving comparisons with other similar vehicles. He agrees with me, and with many of my passengers, that there is definitely a most peculiar clunk in my vehicle. I must point out that this does not happen all the time, and this is part of why it is so annoying and frustrating.
After the first tailshaft replacement, when the clunk had returned as bad as before, the Service Manager arranged finally for a specialist engineer from NISSAN Australia Head Office in Dandenong to test drive my vehicle. He drove it for only ten minutes, and not in the conditions I asked for, and he then admitted that there was some sort of clunk there.
Then he made a point of saying that it was not sufficient for him to be sure, and that he wanted me to continue to drive the vehicle until it became much worse, then he could be more certain what the problem was!
Recently I was advised by the Yarra Valley NISSAN Service Manager that, as I was travelling around Australia and towing my caravan, I should attend the NISSAN Dealer in BUNDABERG, Queensland, where I was staying at the time.
I did this, but a number of reasons were given as to why the Queensland specialist engineer could not test-drive my vehicle, and also why the NISSAN Dealer in BUNDABERG could not help with my vehicle. The Yarra Valley Service Manager said to me that all details about my vehicle were entered on the NISSAN Computer Network, and therefore the BUNDABERG NISSAN Service Manager would be able to read the details and history on my vehicle. The BUNDABERG Service Manager said that this was not the case at all. There would seem to clearly be some lack of consistency
in NISSAN Service Workshop reporting.
I was really disappointed with this sort of casual cant help attitude. Once again I have been simply ignored. Thus, the clunks, and other problems, remain.
DETAILS TWO:
At about 20,000 kms, during a trip I drove my vehicle over Mt. Koszciusko. I believe this Australias tallest mountain. For at least twenty kilometres during this climb to, and along, the top my vehicle simply slowed down. It had absolutely no power, and it would not change gears. It seemed to me as though it was stuck in second gear. I estimate the steady speed over this time to have been about 25 kilometres per hour, maximum.
Nothing I did would make it improve, or alter its condition. I was particularly unhappy about this matter, and immediately reported it in detail to my Service Manager when I could, by phone. On our arrival home the vehicle was test-driven but the problem did not re-occur. The air-mass sensor was changed by the Service Manager when he test-drove the vehicle again, but as I have not repeated this trip over the mountain I do not know whether this replacement cured that particular problem or not.
However, this problem of not changing gears still occurs. Sometimes this is in unfortunate places. It can happen on straight flat road, after going around a roundabout and accelerating normally, then not getting any gearchange upwards, despite whatever acceleration attempts are made. This may go on for several hundred metres, or just fifty metres. Taking my foot off the accelerator to force the gearbox to change up does not always work.
It also happens, for example, occasionally on a sharp turn at an intersection, from a flat road around onto an uphill. As I make the turn the gearchange downwards might occur on slowing prior to or at the turn, but then it may refuse to change gears upwards, until sometimes 100 metres around the turn and well up the hill, despite the accelerator position. The reverse sometimes also occurs. That is, on slowing down the gearbox does not seem to change down, and therefore when the climb begins the engine cannot cope with the vehicle load. Sometimes I have had the accelerator pedal flat to the floor and still the gearbox will not change down, as it ought to do through the detent button.
I believe it is important to note that the problems of gearchanging have also occurred since I first bought the vehicle, and are no different now than in the beginning. The matter of the gearbox ceasing to function properly on Moonbi Hill, a warranty claim referred to next, has had no bearing on this particular problem.
GEARBOX FAULT WARRANTY CLAIM:
I believe a NISSAN Australia file exists on this matter. This was a serious occurrence, and could have been a major problem. It caused all involved a lot of lost time, effort and money, and it made me definitely wonder whether I should have bought this NISSAN. This is a sad situation, as I have owned nine Datsun or Nissan sedans, and now this four-wheel-drive. All of them
have been totally and completely reliable and given me much pleasure all, except this four-wheel-drive.
When I bought this vehicle I paid almost $1000.00 to have the proper NISSAN Extended Warranty [5 years/150,000 kms]for my vehicle, as I intended to keep it for some years.
Unfortunately, for the first time in my life, I was forced to claim on this warranty in early October 2002, when the automatic gearbox ceased to function on a most dangerous hill.
NISSAN Care had to be used, and some potentially very unpleasant matters were smoothed over when I was ultimately assisted by the NISSAN National Customer Service Manager. My experience showed me that the company acting for NISSAN to provide the
Roadside Breakdown Assistance has need to improve its Customer Relations systems. I have submitted a report to them, but I am not hopeful of any proper result, as they have not replied to me as yet.
I know that the Yarra Valley Nissan Service Manager has been often in contact with NISSAN Australia Head Office staff over ongoing problems with my vehicle, and I am assured that he has logged these matters on his computer system since I first
reported them to him. I believe NISSAAN Australia would therefore also have knowledge of these other problems with my vehicle.
CONCLUSION:
It seems I have so far achieved very little, and nothing satisfactory or permanently correct, in my efforts to have my vehicle made good.
I am really disappointed that such a good vehicle should have these faults, especially when considering my previous experiences with NISSAN. NISSAN Patrols. My father has a 2002, Series 3 diesel model GU Patrol, and my son also has a 1997 GQ diesel Patrol, and his father-in-law is driving his third GQ petrol wagon. Theirs are all better than my particular one.
Thus - I am now seeking your advice, and support, to enable me to get my four-wheel-drive fixed, and made properly into the vehicle it could be.
John
KILSYTH, MELBOURNE
Australia
Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Nissan
SUBJECT:
NISSAN Four Wheel Drive
Model: Patrol ZDAC
S.U.O.: 1195071
Engine: 063394
VIN: JN1TESY61A0307379
Year of Manufacture: 4/01
Reg. Number: RGC 167
Purchased: October 2001.
OUTLINE:
I am writing to you seeking help and advice, because I have some problems with my four-wheel drive Nissan Patrol wagon, which I have owned for just over one year. I have tried to explain to you what these problems are, as I see them, below.
I feel that some NISSAN staff I talk with in general perhaps cannot help me, despite their willingness, due to what may be NISSAN Australias policy, where it does seem that the customer is not really the reason for their being, but rather a means to simply make money.
It seems plain to me that some NISSAN staff cannot, or do not want to, either admit to or solve the problems with my vehicle. As it is most unlikely that my vehicle is the only one with these problems, I cannot understand why NISSAN staff have claimed that they have never heard of or experienced such things.
To his credit, the Service Manager at my Nissan Dealer, Yarra Valley Group, in Croydon, MELBOURNE, Australia, has tried to sort out these matters, but nothing has permanently solved the problems.
I properly believe these matters are faults, and that they should be corrected under warranty.
ONE: The first worry is a strange clunk which comes from under my vehicle when I stop, or start off, and sometimes even when I just take my foot from the accelerator pedal and then put it back on again after stopping.
This peculiar clunk effect first became noticeable to me when the vehicle was just 6,000 kilometres old. Unfortunately, this matter has been going on since then, and no-one at Nissan here in Australia, at this stage, seems to want to properly find the cause, and then fix it.
TWO: The second matter is to do with the automatic gearbox. Sometimes it will not change gears. Once again, this problem was first really noticed when the vehicle had done about 10,000 kilometres.
DETAILS - ONE:
I bought the vehicle from Yarra Valley Nissan when it had done about 9,000 kilometres. It had been a demonstration vehicle, was as new, and had been driven by the Sales Manager.
I drove it first when it had just 6,000 kilometres on the odometer. On return from my test-drive I then asked the Service Manager whether all Nissans had such a sort of clunk in their
suspension. He was unable to answer my question.
Some months later I bought this same vehicle, intending to use it to tow my caravan. As this clunk was still present I again asked the Service Manager to investigate it and fix the problem, obviously under NISSAN Warranty. Now it is fifteen months later and the same problem still exists.
This clunk may or may not occur when I put the brakes on, or when I take my foot off the brake pedal, or when I take off after being stationary.
Sometimes just the one clunk will happen, sometimes none, sometimes all three. At high speed I can sometimes make the clunk happen by taking my foot sharply off the accelerator and then putting it sharply back on again.
The same clunk or clunks happen whether or not I am towing my caravan.
One thing that I have noticed about these clunks is that whilst they will still happen when the vehicle is first driven and is cold, they do not have quite the same sort of sharpness until the vehicle has travelled a few kilometres, and is properly warmed up. Sometimes these clunks are so harsh the
vehicle will shudder. They can be felt through the drivers seat, and through the floor and steering wheel, and I believe they would be most damaging to other parts from shock-load.
A senior Nissan mechanic advised me he believed that similar clunks in other vehicles had been fixed by tightening up, very tightly apparently, some or all of the flexible joints in the suspension and axle linkage or location arms. I believe my vehicle was checked for this possibility, but I am not certain.
One diagnosis was that the tailshaft was faulty. Unfortunately, after a wait of several months, I was told such a spare part did not exist in either Australia or Japan. Thus, another tailshaft was adapted and fitted. There is no doubt that replacement of a tailshaft does, for some time, reduce these clunks.
There was a noticable improvement in behaviour after the first change, although the clunk was still slightly there. However, after less than 20,000 kms the clunk was back again, and as bad as before. Ultimately the Service Manager fitted a third tailshaft, and at now 66,000 kms this one now is again quite bad.
The Service Manager has driven the vehicle several times, and has done driving comparisons with other similar vehicles. He agrees with me, and with many of my passengers, that there is definitely a most peculiar clunk in my vehicle. I must point out that this does not happen all the time, and this is part of why it is so annoying and frustrating.
After the first tailshaft replacement, when the clunk had returned as bad as before, the Service Manager arranged finally for a specialist engineer from NISSAN Australia Head Office in Dandenong to test drive my vehicle. He drove it for only ten minutes, and not in the conditions I asked for, and he then admitted that there was some sort of clunk there.
Then he made a point of saying that it was not sufficient for him to be sure, and that he wanted me to continue to drive the vehicle until it became much worse, then he could be more certain what the problem was!
Recently I was advised by the Yarra Valley NISSAN Service Manager that, as I was travelling around Australia and towing my caravan, I should attend the NISSAN Dealer in BUNDABERG, Queensland, where I was staying at the time.
I did this, but a number of reasons were given as to why the Queensland specialist engineer could not test-drive my vehicle, and also why the NISSAN Dealer in BUNDABERG could not help with my vehicle. The Yarra Valley Service Manager said to me that all details about my vehicle were entered on the NISSAN Computer Network, and therefore the BUNDABERG NISSAN Service Manager would be able to read the details and history on my vehicle. The BUNDABERG Service Manager said that this was not the case at all. There would seem to clearly be some lack of consistency
in NISSAN Service Workshop reporting.
I was really disappointed with this sort of casual cant help attitude. Once again I have been simply ignored. Thus, the clunks, and other problems, remain.
DETAILS TWO:
At about 20,000 kms, during a trip I drove my vehicle over Mt. Koszciusko. I believe this Australias tallest mountain. For at least twenty kilometres during this climb to, and along, the top my vehicle simply slowed down. It had absolutely no power, and it would not change gears. It seemed to me as though it was stuck in second gear. I estimate the steady speed over this time to have been about 25 kilometres per hour, maximum.
Nothing I did would make it improve, or alter its condition. I was particularly unhappy about this matter, and immediately reported it in detail to my Service Manager when I could, by phone. On our arrival home the vehicle was test-driven but the problem did not re-occur. The air-mass sensor was changed by the Service Manager when he test-drove the vehicle again, but as I have not repeated this trip over the mountain I do not know whether this replacement cured that particular problem or not.
However, this problem of not changing gears still occurs. Sometimes this is in unfortunate places. It can happen on straight flat road, after going around a roundabout and accelerating normally, then not getting any gearchange upwards, despite whatever acceleration attempts are made. This may go on for several hundred metres, or just fifty metres. Taking my foot off the accelerator to force the gearbox to change up does not always work.
It also happens, for example, occasionally on a sharp turn at an intersection, from a flat road around onto an uphill. As I make the turn the gearchange downwards might occur on slowing prior to or at the turn, but then it may refuse to change gears upwards, until sometimes 100 metres around the turn and well up the hill, despite the accelerator position. The reverse sometimes also occurs. That is, on slowing down the gearbox does not seem to change down, and therefore when the climb begins the engine cannot cope with the vehicle load. Sometimes I have had the accelerator pedal flat to the floor and still the gearbox will not change down, as it ought to do through the detent button.
I believe it is important to note that the problems of gearchanging have also occurred since I first bought the vehicle, and are no different now than in the beginning. The matter of the gearbox ceasing to function properly on Moonbi Hill, a warranty claim referred to next, has had no bearing on this particular problem.
GEARBOX FAULT WARRANTY CLAIM:
I believe a NISSAN Australia file exists on this matter. This was a serious occurrence, and could have been a major problem. It caused all involved a lot of lost time, effort and money, and it made me definitely wonder whether I should have bought this NISSAN. This is a sad situation, as I have owned nine Datsun or Nissan sedans, and now this four-wheel-drive. All of them
have been totally and completely reliable and given me much pleasure all, except this four-wheel-drive.
When I bought this vehicle I paid almost $1000.00 to have the proper NISSAN Extended Warranty [5 years/150,000 kms]for my vehicle, as I intended to keep it for some years.
Unfortunately, for the first time in my life, I was forced to claim on this warranty in early October 2002, when the automatic gearbox ceased to function on a most dangerous hill.
NISSAN Care had to be used, and some potentially very unpleasant matters were smoothed over when I was ultimately assisted by the NISSAN National Customer Service Manager. My experience showed me that the company acting for NISSAN to provide the
Roadside Breakdown Assistance has need to improve its Customer Relations systems. I have submitted a report to them, but I am not hopeful of any proper result, as they have not replied to me as yet.
I know that the Yarra Valley Nissan Service Manager has been often in contact with NISSAN Australia Head Office staff over ongoing problems with my vehicle, and I am assured that he has logged these matters on his computer system since I first
reported them to him. I believe NISSAAN Australia would therefore also have knowledge of these other problems with my vehicle.
CONCLUSION:
It seems I have so far achieved very little, and nothing satisfactory or permanently correct, in my efforts to have my vehicle made good.
I am really disappointed that such a good vehicle should have these faults, especially when considering my previous experiences with NISSAN. NISSAN Patrols. My father has a 2002, Series 3 diesel model GU Patrol, and my son also has a 1997 GQ diesel Patrol, and his father-in-law is driving his third GQ petrol wagon. Theirs are all better than my particular one.
Thus - I am now seeking your advice, and support, to enable me to get my four-wheel-drive fixed, and made properly into the vehicle it could be.
John
KILSYTH, MELBOURNE
Australia
Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Nissan
6 Updates & Rebuttals
Jaiprakash
Sutherland,Australia,
Australia
what a coincidence
#2Consumer Comment
Sun, December 05, 2004
I too bought Nissan GU patrol 3.1 manual st t/dsl on 09/ October /2001 What a coincidence? by story is the same ... NISSAN Four Wheel Drive Model: Patrol ZDACST S.U.O.: 1195071 Engine: ZD30073077A VIN: JN1TESY61A0308441 Year of Manufacture: 07/01 Reg. Number: XPQ666 Purchased: October 2001 From McGrath Nissan Sutherland Ist service Km 1337 on 31/10/01 by McGrath Sutherland...they did not pick of whisle sound. 2nd service Km 2411 on 23/1/2002 by McGrath Had added interior cabinets, extra electrical points for fridge and lights, raised the car by 3in and we have rancho's shocks.... on 08/03/2002 we took to McGrath with the compalin of foul smell and clutch getting stuck ...they checked and said no fault found 3rd serivice Km 12332 on 3/4/04 by McGrath problem whirring noise like siren when we drove the car ...The McGrath Sutherland from whom we purchased the care the mechanic said it is Turbo noise and will settle down ..but it did not and finally they fixed it in 02/05/2002. 4th Service Km 17668 on 01/07/2002 by McGrath ON 12/11/2002 the clutch had burnt when it had done only 12000km and it was changed fully and they I was charged $1569AUD and they did not cover it under warranty stating it is driver overloading clutch system, raising the vehicle and carring full load during 4wd trip thus drivers operation error thus the moral of the story was I have driven off road and made modifications and should have drive without load overrides warranty .....I took it to the company customer service in Vic and Val Davis the Manager Customer Relation replied and all I got is letter of sorry we cannot help as there was no evidence of manufacturing defect warranty. I finally gave up as it would take lot of my eneryg and time to persue the matter for that small amount....I finally realised that mechanics in Nissan had no idea what a 4WD was far and the comments they made we so funny...I give my 4WD for regularly service to specialist shop now. The 5th Service Km 27055 on 09/10/2002 by The 4WD Service Centre,6th Service Km 27055 on 09/10/2002 by The 4WD Service Centre 7th Service Km 34286 on 24/2/2003 by The 4WD Service Centre,8th Service Km 42311 on 7/7/2003 by The 4WD Service Centre,9th Service Km 44500 on 22/9/2003 by The 4WD Service Centre,10th Service Km 54051 on 24/12/2004 by The 4WD Service Centre and the last was 11th Service Km 59795 on 12/5/2004 by The 4WD Service Centre. This is just to illustrate that I take proper care of my 4WD hoping it will last me long and all the hard earned money I have invested will give me lost cost maintanance car in the long run. Now the warranty just expired in Oct and since 27th Nov the engine is making a funny "Clank" sound when I start and after that it is okay ...I took it to 4WD service Centre in Taren Point who does services, he was not able to identify the problem but suspect some major problem and need to open the engine apart to make, he also found that when the oil cap is removed there is excess pressure/steam escaping and when idle it was not ? steady.....He said in Nissan this is common after 180000KM but never seen this early at 62000KM. I think that particular batch on Oct delivery must have some defect. I will take this inspiration and pursue further. Thanks for the inspiration. Jai Gupta Sutherland Australia.
Jaiprakash
Sutherland,Australia,
Australia
what a coincidence
#3Consumer Comment
Sun, December 05, 2004
I too bought Nissan GU patrol 3.1 manual st t/dsl on 09/ October /2001 What a coincidence? by story is the same ... NISSAN Four Wheel Drive Model: Patrol ZDACST S.U.O.: 1195071 Engine: ZD30073077A VIN: JN1TESY61A0308441 Year of Manufacture: 07/01 Reg. Number: XPQ666 Purchased: October 2001 From McGrath Nissan Sutherland Ist service Km 1337 on 31/10/01 by McGrath Sutherland...they did not pick of whisle sound. 2nd service Km 2411 on 23/1/2002 by McGrath Had added interior cabinets, extra electrical points for fridge and lights, raised the car by 3in and we have rancho's shocks.... on 08/03/2002 we took to McGrath with the compalin of foul smell and clutch getting stuck ...they checked and said no fault found 3rd serivice Km 12332 on 3/4/04 by McGrath problem whirring noise like siren when we drove the car ...The McGrath Sutherland from whom we purchased the care the mechanic said it is Turbo noise and will settle down ..but it did not and finally they fixed it in 02/05/2002. 4th Service Km 17668 on 01/07/2002 by McGrath ON 12/11/2002 the clutch had burnt when it had done only 12000km and it was changed fully and they I was charged $1569AUD and they did not cover it under warranty stating it is driver overloading clutch system, raising the vehicle and carring full load during 4wd trip thus drivers operation error thus the moral of the story was I have driven off road and made modifications and should have drive without load overrides warranty .....I took it to the company customer service in Vic and Val Davis replied and all I got is letter of sorry we cannot help as there was no evidence of manufacturing defect warranty. I finally gave up as it would take lot of my eneryg and time to persue the matter for that small amount....I finally realised that mechanics in Nissan had no idea what a 4WD was far and the comments they made we so stupid...I get my car regularly servied from a specialist shop now. The 5th Service Km 27055 on 09/10/2002 by The 4WD Service Centre,6th Service Km 27055 on 09/10/2002 by The 4WD Service Centre 7th Service Km 34286 on 24/2/2003 by The 4WD Service Centre,8th Service Km 42311 on 7/7/2003 by The 4WD Service Centre,9th Service Km 44500 on 22/9/2003 by The 4WD Service Centre,10th Service Km 54051 on 24/12/2004 by The 4WD Service Centre and the last was 11th Service Km 59795 on 12/5/2004 by The 4WD Service Centre. This is just to illustrate that I take proper care of my 4WD hoping it will last me long and all the hard earned money I have invested will give me lost cost maintanance car in the long run. Now the warranty just expired in Oct and since 27th Nov the engine is making a funny "Clank" sound when I start and after that it is okay ...I took it to 4WD service Centre in Taren Point who does services, he was not able to identify the problem but suspect some major problem and need to open the engine apart to make, he also found that when the oil cap is removed there is excess pressure/steam escaping and when idle it was not ? steady.....He said in Nissan this is common after 180000KM but never seen this early at 62000KM. I think that particular batch on Oct delivery must have some defect. I will take this inspiration and pursue further. Thanks for the inspiration. Jai Gupta Sutherland Australia.
Musa
Kabul,Alabama,
Afghanistan
Quote for Nissan Spare Parts ..Services has been established in Afghanistan
#4UPDATE Employee
Thu, July 22, 2004
Norwegian Development Supplies & Services has been established in Afghanistan for over a year providing a variety of goods and services to a wide range of International organizations, Embassies and Army personnel, such as ISAF, the American Embassy, the US Army (Bagram, Kabul), the armies of Turkey, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and many others. With offices in the UAE and warehouses in the Dubai Free Zone and in Kabul we are capable of providing logistical services with specialized teams of personnel available, for all servicing, maintenance and repairs. Yours faithfully, Musa Nasseh Sales Manager NDSS Kabul Afghanistan
John
KILSYTH, MELBOURNE,Other,
Australia
THIRD UPDATE - POSSIBLE FIX AT THIS STAGE
#5Author of original report
Thu, April 03, 2003
After almost 3,000kms ot towing, including some hard climbs up a steep range shown as a number of 10% gradients, it seems that the replacement automatic transmission may have solved some of the problems with my Nissan Patrol four-wheel-drive. Townsville Nissan dealer Parry Nissan also changed the engine management module and the gearbox control module after some strong words, when the first changes of gearbox, torque converter and gearbox mounts didn't make a great deal of difference. Towing along some steep mountainous ranges for about 1500kms has perhaps settled the gearbox in, and I feel it is working much better than the previous gearbox. Gear changes are much faster and it is more responsive to load. Fuel figurea are down, but this can be due to harder towing, so after a few months I will update this report finally, when I am sure of my details. However THE CLUNK IS STILL THERE. Nissan claim this is due to the gearbox not fully changing down to first gear until it senss a load on it, when about to move off again. Thy claim some gearboxes do it, and some don't. MINE DOES, AND IT SHOULD NOT!! Keep watching this space, as in a few months I'll write my final report. In thE meantime DO NOT GIVE UP if you have ben ripped off - I HAVE HAD A FAIR KIND OF WIN - KEEP THE BASTARDS HONEST!
John
KILSYTH, MELBOURNE,Other,
Australia
EFFICIENT NISSAN DEALER FINALLY DETERMINES MAJOR FAULTY PARTS TO BE REPLACED
#6Author of original report
Fri, March 07, 2003
*** SECOND UPDATE - After considerable investigation and test driving, Townsville [QLD] Nissan dealer PARRY NISSAN service staff have determined that the primary faulty part in my Nissan Patrol 4WD is the automatic gearbox. Despite careful checking and adjustment of suspension, brake and steering components, no improvement was made in reducing the "clunk" which occurs when the vehicle is driven. Due to this helpful dealer's support, the shimmy which had occurred since new in the front end was removed. Their experience showed it was caused by incorrect shims in the steering [kingpin] pivot points. Since their removal my vehicle is almost a pleasure to drive, especially on smoother roads where the shimmy was very evident. I understand I will not be reimbursed the several hundred dollars I have already spent to try and get the front end alignment and balance correct. The Service Manager drove my vehicle himself for more than 100kms, over two nights. [This is what I wanted the NISSAN engineers to do, back about the 20,000km point, but they would not do so]. In conjunction with other experienced Parry Nissan service personnel, the concensus was that a major gearshift problem was occurring in the gearbox, and that the only way to remove the "clunk" was to remove and replace the gearbox itself. At this stage information available claims that the on-board computer circuit-board does not require replacement, when a gearbox is replaced. I have since discovered that when the gearbox was removed for service and checking, due to its drive failure at about 50,000kms, the torque converter itself was not removed. Thus, it has now been determined by Parry Nissan, and approved by Nissan Australia Customer Relations, that replacement will entail: torque converter, gearbox, both gearbox mounts. At this stage the tailshaft will not be replaced, as they feel it is well within tolerances. With good fortune, all necessary parts have been found at Nissan Parts HQ. Due to size and weight, parts will have to be delivered via road freight, estimated at five days from order. I have already been enormously inconvenienced by NISSAN in various ways, and by choice I would have left this city almost a week back. Now I must remain here till my four-wheel-drive is fixed. That itself will be a great pleasure; the enforced waiting is not. As my truck is admittedly faulty, and it will not be driveable whilst in the service workshop, I fairly believe I am entitled to Roadside Asistance insurance. In addition, as it seems Nissan Public Relations will not authorise my claim to have my accommodation and a rent-a-car paid by NISSAN Roadside Assistance, I will be adding this fact when I make a report to the Nissan Japan HQ Public Relations Manager. As things progress I will make a final report on this widely-read web-site. *** If you have problems with your vehicle, take heart - you may be lucky enough to find a dealer who actually listens to you, and also is smart and fair enough to really try to fix your vehicle's problems. It only took me 70,000 kilometres to [hopefully] find one! WATCH THIS SPACE!
John
KILSYTH, MELBOURNE,Other,
Australia
LETTER OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FROM NISSAN MOTOR CO. JAPAN
#7Author of original report
Tue, March 04, 2003
As at 04.March.2003 I now have a letter of acknowledgement of my complaints from Nissan Motor Company Japan. It is signed by the most senior Customer Service Manager for the NISSAN Company. In it he says that he regrets this ongoing issue, and that the matter has been forwarded to Nissan Australia for them to fix the problem. Their letter is dated 17.2.03, but as yet I have not been contacted by Nissan Australia's Customer Service Manager. To be proper and fair, I must make a good comment on behalf of the Townsville [QLD} Nissan dealer, PARRY NISSAN. I recently took my vehicle there for its routine 70,000km service. I spoke with their Service Department staff about these problems, and entirely of their own accord they offered to inspect, check and adjust my vehicle, if I was prepared to leave it with them for a day. I happily did this, and I believe the complete rear end suspension and axle location system was adjusted as required by their mechanics. Sadly, the clunk is still there, which I reported back to their Service Department. For them to continue their good actions I will again leave it with them for overnight tonight and a full day tomorrow. The Service Manager will test-drive it, and then have the entire front end suspension and axle linkages checked and adjusted. In addition to this, they advised me that the front-end shimmy I have had a lot of trouble with, and spent several hundred dollars in trying to fix, with wheel balances and front-end alignments, has been found to be caused by shims in the front-axle pivots. They will correct this at the same time. I must state that PARRY NISSAN had no knowledge in any way at all of the letter from Japan, at the time their Service Department offered to see if they could help fix these ongoing problems. It may be that my vehicle will need to be in their service workshop for a few days, in which case I intend to claim on my Nissan Roadside Assistance. I am expecting some resistance to this claim, maybe even despite the supporting letter from NISSAN Japan Public Relations, and I will update this report as things progress.
