Nissan Qashqai 2.0 Noise/Vibration/Harshness
Discussion
Mrs.NCoT's 2008 Qashqai has always been a touch agricultural but has been getting worse of late - lots of NVH, whole car shakes at idle and it feels like a diesel transit as you drive it. It runs OK though and doesn't feel like like it's misfiring, just rough. It's the 2.0 petrol (MR20DE)
Anyway,I got sick of it so I have put it into my local garage.
They've swapped out the coil packs. changed the plugs, checked the injectors, checked for air leaks, and all seems to check out. The next thing on the list is the timing chain - they reckon if it has stretched the timing will be off and could account for it. Downside is that to check this is a large amount of labour as lots needs to come out. Now I have no problem with this in theory, but I don't want to be several hundred quid down still with a rough running car if it is not the problem.
Does this sound likely, and is it a "thing" with Qashqais?
Anyway,I got sick of it so I have put it into my local garage.
They've swapped out the coil packs. changed the plugs, checked the injectors, checked for air leaks, and all seems to check out. The next thing on the list is the timing chain - they reckon if it has stretched the timing will be off and could account for it. Downside is that to check this is a large amount of labour as lots needs to come out. Now I have no problem with this in theory, but I don't want to be several hundred quid down still with a rough running car if it is not the problem.
Does this sound likely, and is it a "thing" with Qashqais?
Edited by NiceCupOfTea on Thursday 21st December 22:49
Edited by NiceCupOfTea on Thursday 21st December 22:49
The Wifes car has that engine in it, and its one of smoothest petrol engines we've had in a car. You can barely even tell the car is running at idle.
So if you think yours has always felt a bit rough, it could be that it's a long standing fault thats continued to get worse over time. A stretched timing chain is certainly one possibility but then again so could be a simple air leak somewhere.
Mind you, these are VVT engines so presumably have a variable pulley on the intake crank (bit like the dephaser pulleys on older Renault engines). Wonder if that's on its way out.
So if you think yours has always felt a bit rough, it could be that it's a long standing fault thats continued to get worse over time. A stretched timing chain is certainly one possibility but then again so could be a simple air leak somewhere.
Mind you, these are VVT engines so presumably have a variable pulley on the intake crank (bit like the dephaser pulleys on older Renault engines). Wonder if that's on its way out.
An update to this:
It's been in with a local garage and had them stumped for a bit but it is back and a lot smoother. Combination of two problems - firstly, poor compression on cylinders 3 & 4, down to it being really coked up. Head has been cleaned and valves reground. Second problem was the centre bearing on the dmf had failed and the flywheel was hitting the bellhousing.
So it is much smoother and much better on nvh now.
However - a new issue is present. Idle speed - it starts at about 2000 rpm and settles down to 1500 after a few seconds, eventually dropping to 1200 when warm. It does make it a bit odd to drive, you can feel the engine fighting the brakes on low speed braking and need to pop the clutch in earlier.
Additionally, there is a stutter about a second after you come off the gas.
My first thoughts were a vacuum leak or idle speed reset. I have just had a look under the bonnet and the first thing I found was a vacuum hose unplugged. Unfortunately, no obvious place to plug it in. I had a couple of old pics of the engine bay but all I can see is that there is no hose in that vicinity!! So now I am worried there is some mis-plumbing going on.
Is there anybody (little basher?) with an old shape 2.0 petrol QQ who would mind spending 15 mins taking a few pics of the engine bay for me?? The specific pipe in question seems to come from a breather on top of the gearbox and is juts hooked over a pipe on the Rh side of the engine. In my original photo there is some kind of hose clip there instead but that is long gone I think...
It's been in with a local garage and had them stumped for a bit but it is back and a lot smoother. Combination of two problems - firstly, poor compression on cylinders 3 & 4, down to it being really coked up. Head has been cleaned and valves reground. Second problem was the centre bearing on the dmf had failed and the flywheel was hitting the bellhousing.
So it is much smoother and much better on nvh now.
However - a new issue is present. Idle speed - it starts at about 2000 rpm and settles down to 1500 after a few seconds, eventually dropping to 1200 when warm. It does make it a bit odd to drive, you can feel the engine fighting the brakes on low speed braking and need to pop the clutch in earlier.
Additionally, there is a stutter about a second after you come off the gas.
My first thoughts were a vacuum leak or idle speed reset. I have just had a look under the bonnet and the first thing I found was a vacuum hose unplugged. Unfortunately, no obvious place to plug it in. I had a couple of old pics of the engine bay but all I can see is that there is no hose in that vicinity!! So now I am worried there is some mis-plumbing going on.
Is there anybody (little basher?) with an old shape 2.0 petrol QQ who would mind spending 15 mins taking a few pics of the engine bay for me?? The specific pipe in question seems to come from a breather on top of the gearbox and is juts hooked over a pipe on the Rh side of the engine. In my original photo there is some kind of hose clip there instead but that is long gone I think...
Edited by NiceCupOfTea on Saturday 24th February 16:19
OK, thread resurrection here, so was there any resolution?
I have a similar issue with my MR20 engine in a J10 Qashqai. High rpm when cold and insists on keepin the revs too high between shifts. It also fights against the brakes at slow speed, in fact it will quite happily shunt along at 30mph with no input from the pedal.
There is a noticeable surge when slowing down, around the 1200 rpm mark, when it seems to get a second wind and you have to brake more or dip the clutch, resulting in high revs that slowly drop. Even with the clutch dipped and only when its less than 15mph do the revs actually settle down to idle.
The engine is lumpy, more so on light throttle, regardless of rpm.
The engine has always whined a lot, especially when cold. Its not ancilliaries, as I've taken the belt off and it still whines.
Couple of garages have no idea, "they all do that" is the best I've had. Plugs replaced, old ones looked fine. One of the coils had a small amount of oil on it. The plug itself was clean.
I'd like to get the engine running nice as it would counter the god awful ride quality.
I have a similar issue with my MR20 engine in a J10 Qashqai. High rpm when cold and insists on keepin the revs too high between shifts. It also fights against the brakes at slow speed, in fact it will quite happily shunt along at 30mph with no input from the pedal.
There is a noticeable surge when slowing down, around the 1200 rpm mark, when it seems to get a second wind and you have to brake more or dip the clutch, resulting in high revs that slowly drop. Even with the clutch dipped and only when its less than 15mph do the revs actually settle down to idle.
The engine is lumpy, more so on light throttle, regardless of rpm.
The engine has always whined a lot, especially when cold. Its not ancilliaries, as I've taken the belt off and it still whines.
Couple of garages have no idea, "they all do that" is the best I've had. Plugs replaced, old ones looked fine. One of the coils had a small amount of oil on it. The plug itself was clean.
I'd like to get the engine running nice as it would counter the god awful ride quality.
Edited by TM on Monday 31st December 11:25
Edited by TM on Monday 31st December 18:25
Sorry I never updated this!
The original garage were all out of ideas, so I ended up taking it to a Nissan dealer. If you can believe what the service manager said, they basically "updated the software"
Whatever, but it came back with the idle much better, so problem solved (although under the bonnet is a bit of a mess with cables/pipes routed differently and nice shiny bolts on the engine cover rather than the original black ones, etc.).
Only annoyance is a high sympathetic whine that varies with revs - could be a belt or bearings in something but frankly it runs fine so I'm not worried.
Are the brakes ridiculously snatchy on everybody else's?
The original garage were all out of ideas, so I ended up taking it to a Nissan dealer. If you can believe what the service manager said, they basically "updated the software"
Whatever, but it came back with the idle much better, so problem solved (although under the bonnet is a bit of a mess with cables/pipes routed differently and nice shiny bolts on the engine cover rather than the original black ones, etc.).Only annoyance is a high sympathetic whine that varies with revs - could be a belt or bearings in something but frankly it runs fine so I'm not worried.
Are the brakes ridiculously snatchy on everybody else's?
Thanks for the update.
Mine has the whine too. Its not belt related, so must be a gearing or similar, but quite annoying as its at a very audible pitch.
Interesting that a software update fixed your problem but most cars these days are mobile computers, so shouldnt be surprised. You can do an idle speed reset by following a series of 'key on/key off' moves, but it doesn't do much and it returns after a short time.
Why are all the cables and pipes routed differently?
The brakes are OK, but not as progressive as my previous cars. In general, I get the feeling that these cars were built as an idea and when they sold well, they updated them with the facelift version in 2010, which had suspension changes as well as cosmetic ones. The QQ Mk1 was a 'beta' version of a crossover vehicle for Nissan ( Renault).
Mine has the whine too. Its not belt related, so must be a gearing or similar, but quite annoying as its at a very audible pitch.
Interesting that a software update fixed your problem but most cars these days are mobile computers, so shouldnt be surprised. You can do an idle speed reset by following a series of 'key on/key off' moves, but it doesn't do much and it returns after a short time.
Why are all the cables and pipes routed differently?
The brakes are OK, but not as progressive as my previous cars. In general, I get the feeling that these cars were built as an idea and when they sold well, they updated them with the facelift version in 2010, which had suspension changes as well as cosmetic ones. The QQ Mk1 was a 'beta' version of a crossover vehicle for Nissan ( Renault).
Edited by TM on Tuesday 1st January 16:07
Edited by TM on Tuesday 1st January 16:08
Edited by TM on Tuesday 1st January 16:11
NiceCupOfTea said:
Are the brakes ridiculously snatchy on everybody else's?
I drove one which seemed to do an automatic 'panic stop' unless I moved the brake pedal extremely slowly. It made ordinary driving very awkward especially slow speed maneuvering. I guess it's supposed to be some sort of safety thing.Gassing Station | Engines & Drivetrain | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff