3L Nissan Patrols..........

[Smirke]

Thanks guys. I've never owned a car with clutch problems, and neither have my parents. (Who happened to tow both caravans and boats, plus the odd broken down car or pulled out a bogged one.)
Hoping they find something, but aren't holding our breath. They've already said that it is most likely driver abuse. (Funny as I don't ride the clutch - it's been the best treated/driven car I have had and it's mainly used for transporting kids to school, and me to work). Obviously the patrol is not a car for buying if you want to tow anything. No wonder it struggled with the swan! It certainly has made up our mind on our next car.......certainly not a patrol.
Nissan always seem to try and find a reason not to claim under warranty yet ford go straight to warranty . At least that's what we've found.

 

[Smirke]

So it's not designed for towing?
Sorry to hear about this. I hope you can resolve it. Unless there's something I'm missing, I'd be threatening fair trading/consumer affairs /ACCC . Seems dodgy to me

We sent a list to nissan with the faults over a year ago. They just ignore it. Not a company who cares about their customers.

 

[Smirke]

Just had an update. Apparently I've been driving around with a stuffed clutch for ever!!!!! The fly wheel is completely stuffed.
I have no idea how, as there were no symptoms at all, only the latest surge in revs which happened late last week. They also said its my fault and nissan won't cover it.
I took it in to them for a service before our trip and mentioned how the gear stick gets hot. They said "all good", it's normal. The clutch feels like it always has, and I've mentioned to them how it's smoother to change gears after a service, and then it goes back all clunky (that was to magic nissan).
Any time something is wrong I have taken it to the car yard, to the point of being anal about it.
What type of symptoms should I have noticed?

 

[relgate]

What? have you had it serviced regularly? Did the dealer do the servicing?

 

[Smirke]

Yes to all of the above @relgate . In fact it's gone to the dealers a few more times too for other things. Once our main battery was not charging 2nd one but we didn't know that. All we heard was clicking noises so I rang them and took it in. Been like that with everything

 

[bigcol]

not much I can advise you apart from :-

speak to the Service Manager (no one else) and explain that you have been taking it to them for servicing since new
you have previously reported a problem with it, and have been told nothing wrong
you are not prepared to be lied to and stolen from the Dealer anymore

as you had previously reported a problem, and they "looked" at it, and said "all good" - then they are also at fault for not checking it properly, or not checking it at all..................
so they owe you at least 50% for the new fly wheel, also that it is a bad design

 

[bigcol]

also, the dual mass fly wheel used by Nissan is crap
it works fine untill it dies
no warning no nothing, so dont "panic"
unfortunately you just didnt get the usuall 200K kms out of yours before it went

 

[Smirke]

Almost at caryard now. We only talk to the service manager at Giants (not the mechanic, but I spoke to him about it and took him for a drive yesterday to show him the surge.)

 

[Soaring]

Give Nissan Customer Service a call. I assume Nissan has a central customer service line.
Explain the situation, including @bigcol s points above, and that you are prepared to take legal action.
I'm sure they will see the light.

 

[Moto Mech]

And dont get another duall mass flywheel fitted. Can buy complete kits including solid flywheels

 

[Smirke]

Got told to call them tomorrow morning and see what they say. Hopefully it will go good. (Got to try n think positive here). Just amazed nothing happened on our trip.

 

[Smirke]

Just spoke to my brother who wanted to know the reason behind it. All we have been told is the "driver abuse" line.
(Sorry, that's my words not his. I have no Idea about any of this)
I'm assuming the solid fly wheel is better. Are they cheaper? Must say, the part I saw doesn't justify the cost for it. I expected more.

 

[Jaybird]

I've got a 2005 ZD30 Navara, had it for 10 years now, Never had a problem with it and it has only cost me for tyres and services and a few mods. I have towed a 2.2T boat and discovery caravan up and the coast from Cooktown to Gippsland Lakes a number of times. I have fitted snorkel, a catch can, an intercooler and blocked the EGR. it gets about 13/14 /100klm. Its just a basic farm truck and dosent like hills but once down a gear will pull up anything. Slow on hills but who cares I'm retired and on holiday. The alternative spend 50K/60K. I'll cross that bridge if it ever blows which may never happen, why worry.

 

[Crusty181]

Just spoke to my brother who wanted to know the reason behind it. All we have been told is the "driver abuse" line.
(Sorry, that's my words not his. I have no Idea about any of this)
I'm assuming the solid fly wheel is better. Are they cheaper? Must say, the part I saw doesn't justify the cost for it. I expected more.

All Nissan parts cost more unfortunately. The SMF should be less, depending on who doing the conversion, but you'll need a new clutch with the SMF. Given the crappy situation you find yourself in with the need to replace the DMF, if the cost is compatible get the SMF conversion

The DMF absorbs a lot of the vibration through the drive train, and some pundits suggest that the balancing of the drive train at design/manufacture is not as carefully undertaken because the DMF "hides" any vibration issues, which can become destructively or annoyingly obvious removing the DMF. My advice was if you decide to replace the DMF with a SMF, just ensure that the mechanic is well versed in dual mass/solid conversions and understands the flow on effects, and the best SMF for your vehicle to replace it with.

 

[Smirke]

Have made the call to nissan in melbourne to see if they can offer anything. The guy had our list of concerns that we have made since picking up the car on his screen during the convo. Just a waiting game now. Not wanting another clutch that can cark it at any minute like our last one, but feel we need to go thru the dealership, as it's already apart there and up on the hoist. I guess it will get the flywheel that they decide on.
Took me til the end of your post @Crusty181 to realize what a SMF and DMF was. (Ha ha ha)
Must say, concerned about taking the van anywhere, or even just the car when we eventually get it back. The thought of a trip back over east along the top next year is now out of the question. Certainly puts a dampener on the new van.

 

[Crusty181]

Its all elementary until Nissan show their hand. The dealership would do a SMF conversion job on request anyway, so you only need to wait to see if its warranty or not. Then youll just need to negotiate how much everyone contributes ... obviously if they reject the warranty youll be contributing 100%.

If we all do a collective fingers crossed ....... should help

 

[b1900c]

Smirke
Keep at Nissan customer service. They just replaced my clutch in my 2012 Patrol under " Goodwill", as i had it serviced at nissan and mentioned the clutch had issues. Nissan said all was fine, then two days later it died! Its a $4000 job so keep at them, especially if you have all your servicing completed through them. Mine had just 60000k on the clock.

 

[Smirke]

Smirke
Keep at Nissan customer service. They just replaced my clutch in my 2012 Patrol under " Goodwill", as i had it serviced at nissan and mentioned the clutch had issues. Nissan said all was fine, then two days later it died! Its a $4000 job so keep at them, especially if you have all your servicing completed through them. Mine had just 60000k on the clock.

Wow @b1900c . $4000. I want to go where you took your car. We aren't getting enough change out of $6000 to buy an ice-cream!
How did you know your clutch had issues? What symptoms was your car displaying? We , or I should say I as hubby only drove the car a handful of times, never noticed anything with gear changes. we just had a really strong burning smell 2 weeks ago, like electrical burn, and took it the next day to the car yard. They said the 2nd battery earth strap failed and that was the smell. Disconnected it until it could be fixed and said "all was good, see you later". then last saturday, the car kept revving after changing gears. Not too much, just a bit. As it was a saturday, they aren't open so had to wait until tuesday when i had it booked in for a service to let them know. Took a 20 min drive with head mechanic to show him what it was doing. He didn't indicate anything too bad at the time. Just said it s more than likely the clutch starting to slip. Then we find out its cactus.
Im struggling to see how I could have driven over east and all around town with a stuffed clutch, as they said its been stuffed for a while.
We swapped nissan dealerships for our servicing, as the one we got the car from said our rear diff was shot as water had gotten in thru the breather hose and they had stripped it to check so they needed to replace it.......all not under warrantee and when car wasn't even a year old! (our read diff lock light comes on when you go over bumps all by itself, but car does not engage the rear diff lock though.) Took it straight to these guys who said it hadn't been touched and all was good.
We asked for the goodwill yesterday and are waiting their reply. Really need the big car back, as with 4 kids , the pulsar sedan just isn't big enough.
Sorry to hear yours went as well. I can imagine how annoyed, angry, etc you were from it. Got our fingers crossed they say yes.

 

[b1900c]

@Smirke . 6G!!!! Tell them you don't want a gold plated one! I absolutely roasted my clutch on our 3 month trip away in the Gold Coast.
I knew i had .... never reverse up a hill with the van on the back without being in low range! Anyway we managed to get back to Adelaide with more of a horrible shudder, which meant i had more than likely wrecked the pressure plate. These are more likely to go before the clutch plate as it overheats the springs on them. I knew i was starting to feel the clutch slip when i hooked on my trailer, and as you drive (especially in 4th) you will see the revs increase approx 500rpm with no power increase. This is a pic of the flywheel
You can see the burn marks on it. That should be nice and shiney.

The clutch plate isn't actually too bad, but the whole lot gets replaced.

What bugs me is, believe or not, it is almost identical to what goes in a Porsche Boxter (similar performance i know!)
All they do is replace the clutch plate and pressure plate and just scruff up the flywheel with a bit of wet and dry sandpaper.
All this for $2000. Why Nissan have to replace everything is beyond me and everyone else. I hope you have success with their customer service department. I think they would be very surprised you have been quoted $6000.

 

[b1900c]

@Smirke . The Diff Lock.
Well believe it or not mine stopped working too. Trying to get up Big Red and prove to a couple of Hilux owners that Datto's could do anything ... Oh dear. All i had was flashing lights that it would not engage. When i first spoke to my dealer about it his was was ..........wait for it.....
" Patrols don't have a diff lock , they have never come out with them. It must be an after market product and not our responsibility." This instilled all the confidence in the world. I asked if he had a GU8 on the lot, he said yes. Trying not to wet myself laughing i asked him politely to go and have a look at that little switch just to left of the steering wheel. Low and behold a diff lock was found. This was the service MANAGER by the way.
Anyway, they said they couldn't fault it, till i drove it and said it shouldn't do that. He didn't know how it worked so they just replaced it. $1700 bucks worth.