Nissan Patrol Gearbox & Transmission Problems

You could be looking at something internally wrong with the transmission, but the clue that this might be something simpler is in the way the engine will start in Reverse which, of course, it shouldn’t (for safety reasons). The suspicion would be that the relationship between the selector (inside the cabin) and the actual gearbox is somehow out of synch. So when the selector is telling you the car is in Reverse, it’s actually in Park or Neutral, which is why the engine will start.

That might also explain why the car won’t select fourth gear; the position that actually coincides with Drive (or fourth gear) looks – from inside the cabin – to be the Neutral position. So, to check this, put the car in what looks like Neutral and, in a safe place, see if it moves when you give it some throttle.

Failing that, you’ve got two separate problems. The first is the inability to select fourth gear (which could be a hundred things) and a failure of the safety switch which is allowing the engine to start in Reverse.

You could be dealing with either a worn transmission itself (where wear inside the gearsets, shafts or torque converter has made something sloppy) or there’s something else in the driveline (such as a differential or universal joint) that has likewise allowed some looseness or play to enter the equation. In either of those cases, a thump or clunk during shifts can be a symptom. It feels worse under acceleration, as that’s when the maximum stress is on all those moving, meshing parts.

Sometimes, a transmission can be serviced and adjusted to get rid of thumping or banging during shifts. Take the car to a transmission specialist who will be familiar with this transmission and may be able to return it to civility.

Without knowing the cost of labour in Qatar the cost seems about right if you’re going to replace the transmission.

Nissan spokesman, Peter Fadeyev, replies: "Nissan replaced the diff-lock solenoid and diff-lock actuator on Mr Antoney's vehicle under its New Vehicle Warranty. More than 18 months later the customer sought a replacement differential but the problem was not due to a manufacturing fault so it was not repaired or replaced by Nissan. As the original differential problem was not repairable under the terms of his car's warranty, and the replacement differential was a second-hand unit and not replaced by an authorised Nissan workshop, Nissan is unable to reimburse Mr Antoney for its cost".

Towing in overdrive really loads up the transmission, so you have to think about how you use it. Generally it is ok to engage overdrive on flat terrain, where the load is not as high, but it's important to disengage it when facing hills. The key is to always be in the correct gear for the situation, rather than leave it in overdrive and forget about it.

Carmakers, and it appears Nissan in particular, choose to hide behind their warranties, which exclude wear and tear items. But I believe you could argue that the extremely short clutch life that many people are experiencing with vehicles fitted with dual-mass flywheels makes them unfit for purpose under our consumer laws. Something needs to be done. Perhaps you could get other owners to join you in an approach to Nissan on the problem.

Loss of fifth gear was a problem that did occur with some Patrols, and Nissan was covering at least part of the cost to repair some of them when they were newer. Yours is now coming up for 13 years old and I doubt you would have any chance of getting the company to cover the cost of repairing it, even though you have done relatively few kilometers. If you feel you want to pursue it you might be able to get part compensation for the cost of repairs.

You would expect it to be revving harder with the extra load of the trailer on the back, so that’s normal. I would engage overdrive when conditions suit, like on the flat, and run at the lower speed, but disengage it when the engine starts to labour, such as climbing hills or pushing into a head wind etc.

Sounds like your clutch is slipping, possibly from being asked to start off in a higher gear for the past five years.

WE RECEIVED quite a few emails from readers who have experienced the problem or know of it. Nissan released a service fix for it that appears to do the job.