Jim Hall

My Xtrail goes very well solo but when towing a 1.2 tonne caravan seems to lack power. I change down as appropriate but the engine doesn't want to pick up, almost as if it's governed. Whereas my previous towcar ( 2.0 Mondeo diesel ) responded quickly to a down-change the Xtrail doesn't until I drop at least two more gears. I read that these vehicles are prone to intercooler leaks and this seems to be the case with mine. Feel under the front left side of the intercooler and if you find oil you almost certainly have a leak. The early factory-made examples were very poor and were only crimped : look online and you can find a welded version with two-year warranty for around £ 145 which is good value given that genuine replacements cost up to £ 650. I intend to replace mine soon and hope for a result.

I've never heard of any type of 'patch' that goes over a windscreen joint, almost all screens these days are bonded. You will need to contact such as Autoglass and see what they can do. Presumably your screen was silicone because of a leak in which case it would have to be removed and re-fitted anyway which of course would end the unsightly mess which you have now. As for the Redex treatment, I have never tried this in a diesel. Have you noticed an improvement ? I'll catch up with you later as we are going to Cornwall tomorrow and will be offline. 'See you' on Friday evening, have fun !!

Hi Rick, welcome ! I'm a comparative newcomer myself, having bought an X-trail in late July. I was reluctant to buy Japanese, partly on principle and partly because despite what the press says Jap vehicles are not always as reliable as proclaimed. I have to admit though that I love mine and thoroughly enjoy driving it although in the short time since buying it I've replaced both front dampers and now it sounds as if the rears are on their way out too. Fortunately they are fairly inexpensive to buy online and not difficult to fit. Beware of problems with your timing-chain ; apparently models of your year are prone to serious wear and even failure and replacement is expensive , especially if you don't have the equipment and premises needed for removal of the engine. I would strongly advise regular oil and filter changes with good-quality oil. Prepare for some minor electrical niggles too but from what I can gather these are not usually serious or very costly.....................but obviously there are exceptions to every rule ! However, don't let my somewhat negative comments discourage you, you've got a vehicle that is nice to drive and one which does all that it says on the tin. Good luck and have fun ! Cheers, Jim Hall.

Thanks Trevor, I'll take a look.

Yes, that's what I was thinking. The problem is that I don't have a ramp or a pit and obviously when I jacked the vehicle up to work on the brakes the suspension dropped which would have the effect of tightening any slack joints. I work part - time at a place where there is a pit and will ask the resident mechanic if he can find anything, At my time of life I'm too old to put the car on stands and grovel on my back underneath, wielding a pry-bar so someone else can have the pleasure ! I'll keep you informed. Incidentally, how do I gain access to the brake cable adjusting-nut ? I assume that it's under the centre console but there is a shroud around the lever which is too rigid to move to one side. I'm sorry to appear dumb : I was a full-time mechanic years ago but long before the advent of the X-trail............I'm fully cured now, by the way. Many thanks, will be in touch, Jim Hall.

Another question for you X-trail experts. I have a 2005 model, 2.2 CVE which has an annoying knock from the front ( I think ) o/s suspension. The anti-roll bar bushes appear slightly worn and to eliminate this possibility I removed both links so the roll-bar in effect no longer exists. The knocking is still there, as loud as ever but there doesn't seem to any obvious wear or play in any of the suspension parts. Can anyone suggest a possible reason ? ( tomorrow I intend to check the rear brakes and will examine the rear suspension while I am there but I remain convinced that the cause is at the front ). Any suggestions are welcome ! Thank you in advance.

Many thanks Trevor. At the moment the engine seems quite but I still have a niggling doubt. I am, or rather was, a mechanic but my large workshop is full of woodworking equipment so if the engine has problems I would have to take the car to a garage as I believe that to replace the chains requires the engine to be removed. I look forwards to getting the car tomorrow and feel that it will be a great vehicle so am prepared to cross any bridges when I come to them.....................hopefully a long time down the road ! Thanks also for the link to timing-chain kits, most helpful, Cheers !

Hello everyone, I'm a newbie so not familiar with anyone yet. However, maybe someone out there can give me some advice / feedback about the Nissan Xtrail. I have never been a great fan of Japanese vehicles but my wife wants an Xtrail so yesterday we went to look at one and after a test drive, decided to go for it. The vehicle is a 05 - reg. SVE 2.2 dCi in excellent condition and with only 96k on the clock. I must admit to being very impressed but what concerns me is the number of horror-stories relating to timing-chain problems. I believe that the turbos can give trouble too but the chain is what worries me. I have also heard that the problems were addressed in 2004 ; can anyone give me the actual facts about this situation. Many thanks in anticipation, Jim H.