Nissan Navara Problems

This cost of this will depend on a few things, Anthony, including which workshop you choose to carry out the work and what that workshop’s hourly labour rate is. That said, budget for around $2000 for the clutch kit and the time to fit it and you should be okay.

The other thing to consider is whether this is a good time to replace the sometimes troublesome dual-mass flywheel with a simpler, more robust singe-mass unit. The cost should be about the same, but the single-mass replacement will be a stronger, more reliable unit over time. It’s the first modification a switched-on Navara owner will make if they intend to tow heavy loads with the vehicle.

The simple answer, Andrew, is that the 2.5-litre turbo-diesel engine in your Navara has a timing chain rather than a timing belt. However, it’s not that simple, as the engine uses two chains, rather than a longer, single timing chain.

The primary timing chain on your engine is a single-row chain while the secondary chain is a duplex (or double-row) chain. The secondary chain doesn’t seem to give too many problems, but many owners have found that the lower, single-row chain seems a bit underdone and has been known to stretch in service. When that happens (if the stretching is enough) the pistons and valves inside the engine can collide with fairly devastating results. The chain guides can also show signs of premature wear in these engines.

The trade recommends that the primary timing chain in these engines is changed every 80,000km or so and inspected for wear and stretching every 40,000km. Which pretty neatly sidesteps all the advantages of a timing chain over a timing belt.

This model Navara was known for a couple of faults that could cause it to enter limp-home mode (which sounds like what’s happened given the engine is no longer making full power). The first was a batch of dud exhaust-gas temperature sensors which had a habit of dying young. If that happened, the engine would go into limp-home mode to avoid overheating (and damaging) the turbocharger, even though there was no actual problem beyond the sensor itself.

The other problem with the 2.5-litre turbo-diesel was that the primary timing chain was a single-row item that was, frankly, underdone and could stretch before the vehicle had covered even 80,000km. If that happened, the camshaft-position sensor would become confused and could trigger a limp-home condition. There’s a replacement timing chain that is actually double-row (stronger) that many owners fit as a solution.

The very fact that you’re looking at two vehicles that fit into your budget but have travelled such vastly different distances should tell you all you need to know about the Nissan. Frankly, the Navara D22 and D40 don’t age well. In fact, many owners have found out the hard way that a Navara just can’t match the Toyota HiLux of this vintage for longevity and the ability to cop punishment over time.

I’m certainly not saying that the HiLux was perfect, but compared with the Navara’s litany of faults and problems that covered everything from rattling timing chains to coolant leaks and odd design elements such as the bottom of the radiator being lower than the lowest part of the chassis cross-member (not good for off-road work) the Toyota was much better. Granted the Navara you’re considering has very low mileage, so it should be okay for a while…just about till you hand it over to your son to break.

For a few years from 2005, Nissan sold two types of Navaras in Australia - the all-new big D40 series and the old D22 that dated back from the latter 1990s. 

If you want an inexpensive, compact and hard-wearing truck that's reliable but not very refined nor comfortable, the old D22 is it. Its 3.0L turbo-diesel has proven strong and reliable in this application and the Nissan has a reputation for being as tough as nails.

The larger and newer D40, meanwhile, is the much better choice if space, safety and refinement are priorities, and remained a class-leading proposition right up until the current-generation Ford Ranger, Mazda BT-50 and Volkswagen Amarok all moved the pick-up truck game on in 2011. The Spanish-built ST-X is the choice grade, especially in turbo-diesel and 4x4 guise.

The Navara is considered a reliable and dependable truck, but many are also workhorses that lead tough lives and are often neglected or mistreated. If you're after one, please consider having it checked out first by an experienced mechanic.

Known issues include fuel-injection failure, roof rust, premature clutch wear in manual  models, electronics issues, turbo-charger failures and sagging rear springs.

Such problems can apply to any similar truck, so don't be too put off by the D40 Navara. It's a firm used-truck favourite for good reason.

There are literally dozens of things that can make a check-engine light illuminate, Kathleen. A faulty sensor, dud component, bad or dirty fuel, a vacuum leak, you name it, even the smallest glitch can cause the dreaded check-engine light to ruin your day.

The best advice is to take the car back to the workshop that serviced it and ask if, perhaps, the mechanic forgot to tighten or reset something properly. An interrogation by the workshop’s computer should throw up any fault codes present and from there, the workshop should be able to figure out the actual problem. It could be a coincidence, but, equally, it could be a simple thing the workshop has overlooked or forgotten to reset during the service.

This is sounding like one for Consumer Affairs, to be honest. Clearly, the vehicle is not safe to be driven in its current condition (for a variety of reasons) so I think Nissan should come to the party and at least offer you a replacement vehicle until your is fixed. And if your vehicle can’t be fixed, I don’t think the option of a replacement vehicle or a full refund should be out of the question.

The factory warranty is there to protect you, but in cases like this where the problems can’t be resolved in a timely manner, the warranty isn’t worth much at all.

Check out consumer.vic.gov.au and follow the links to the section on cars. It would also be worth informing your dealership that you’re about to get serious; it might make things happen a bit faster.

By the way, PO226 is a generic fault code (not specific to Nissan or this model Navara) and relates to a fault in the range or operation of the throttle-pedal position switch. But your other problems including the Bluetooth and reversing camera failure all point to a bigger electrical problem. Has the vehicle’s body computer been checked?

As with any other problems like this one, Terry, the best advice is to have the car plugged in to a scanner and have a diagnostic mechanic read the fault codes which will hopefully give an idea of the cause of the limp-home mode and unresponsive throttle pedal. It could be something simple, it may be something really intrinsic, but without a scan, you’re flying blind.

The oil in the intercooler, meanwhile, is a potentially big problem. A little oil inside the intercooler piping is actually quite normal and is usually the result of oil mist from the crankcase ventilation system condensing and leaving a little oily residue. But a large amount of oil in the intercooler suggests a turbocharger with leaking seals and/or bearings. If the seals are leaking, boost pressure from the turbocharger can force oil from the turbo’s bearing into the intercooler. If that’s the case, you’re looking at a rebuilt or new turbocharger unit. A blown turbo could also be enough to prompt the limp-home mode you’re experiencing.

Opening the bonnet is a two-step process, Chris. First you need to locate the bonnet release catch which, on a 2008 Navara is located on the lower edge of the dashboard, just to the right of the steering column. It should be just under the button that controls the VDC (stability-control) program. It should be a little plastic catch that you pull towards you. When you do, you should feel the catch `give’ and see the bonnet spring up a few millimetres.

Step two is to go around to the front of the car, and run your hand along in the space between the bonnet and the grille until you find the secondary catch which has to be pushed to one side to allow the bonnet to be lifted open. Be careful, though: Don’t let the bonnet fall on to your fingers and don’t shove your hand too far under the bonnet as there are hot components like the radiator in there as well. This second, safety catch is there in case the interior release gets bumped while the car is being driven. At which point the bonnet could fly open with interesting consequences.

From memory, that model Navara also used a manual bonnet stay rather than gas struts to hold it open. So you’ll need to hold the bonnet open and manually put the stay in place to prevent the bonnet from falling on your head.

Nissan made a big song and dance about the new infotainment system on its 2019 Navara, and rightly so, because the vehicle had been off the pace in this regard compared with its major competitors. The changes included the inclusion of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but also included full smart-phone mirroring.

None of which is much use to you, Dom, because if the system won’t connect to your phone without dropping out, it’s a moot point, yes? I’d be straight back to the dealer to have it sorted out. The computer that controls the infotainment might need a re-boot or maybe there’s a more fundamental problem. Either way, Nissan’s factory warranty should cover this.

But before you do that, try one thing: Pair the car with a different phone just to rule out the possibility that it’s your phone that the upgraded system doesn’t like.