Navara D40 - Check your chassis

Phil M · 29 November 2016, 12:41

I thought I might share the issues we've had with our Navara D40 in the hope that people will check their chassis and potentially avoid catastrophic failure.

Our Navara is a 55 plate outlaw. Its done about 60k and has spent most of its life doing the short daily commute to work (at a school). It occasionally tows the boat and sometimes a horse box, but no more than 10 trips a year. I've never had to dunk it to launch or recover. It has done about 4 hours off road in its life and has always been serviced at Nissan, when scheduled.

Last year it failed its MOT on the front and rear suspension mounts due to rust. We also had to have a plate welded on the chassis by the fuel tank as the old had vanished, as had one of the fuel tank straps. In August we noticed that the passenger side front mount for the rear spring was also disappearing so booked it in to be welded again. Before we got that far, we noticed a hole in the chassis member, just in front of the front left bed mount. A quick poke with a finger revealed that the hole was actually quite large and a crack had formed down to the bottom of the chassis section. The underside had a 5cm by 1cm section missing in the same location. A piece of 3mm thick "metal" that fell out of the hole could be snapped easily by hand. The long and short of it is that our chassis is rusted to hell, from the inside out, and is no longer roadworthy. It could be plated I guess but I have no confidence that the surrounding metal is any better.

By chance we had heard of other issues and found a facebook group devoted to the issue as this is not an isolated case. We contacted Nissan, who now have a team set up specifically to deal with rusty Navaras, and they sent somebody to inspect. Sure enough, it has been condemned and Nissan are in the process of buying it back from us, at actually a good market rate. We have been offered a reasonable discount on a new Navara instead but have declined as we just don't like it.

So, if you have a D40, please please check the chassis for rust, particularly around the suspension mounts and bed mounts. I don't know which years were affected (although 55 plate is) but if you have any concerns, contact Nissan and they will inspect it.

Now all we are waiting for is VW to release the Amarok V6 price list and we can get it replaced.

Phil M

jeffstevens763@g · 29 November 2016, 13:27

sounds like a lucky escape Phil it could have failed on you big style hope you get sorted with the VW

bedajim · 29 November 2016, 15:23

I know it doesn't help, but well documented on Nissan-navara.net

beerbelly · 29 November 2016, 19:10

I was in a local dismantlers recently buying a fiesta door and they had about 30 navaras lined up they buy them direct from nissans insurance.interestingly they said there starting to get pathfinders for the same chassis issue too

Rib Martin · 29 November 2016, 20:43

https://www.facebook.com/groups/505526562959686/ go here... I have a Navara luckily mine is ok... Nissan inspected it... other owners are not as lucky...[emoji51]

Last Tango · 29 November 2016, 22:40

Had a 56 Plate Merc ML320....not as bad as that but definitely going the same way

Phil M · 30 November 2016, 13:26

The Amarok price list finally came out this or last week. Only the auto available at the moment. The missus wanted the manual but should be easily convinced. Not cheap but a gorgeous vehicle. We'll be checking and possibly upgrading the under body seal when it arrives.

Phil M

beerbelly · 30 November 2016, 20:52

is that with the asthmatic twin turbo 2.0 tdi iv a friend bought one and he seriously regrets it wishes he bought a ranger

Phil M · 30 November 2016, 20:58

No its a 224hp 3 litre V6. I had a toureg as a courtesy car with the same engine for a week or so a while back and it was really quite impressive. The 2l twin turbo is not being continued.

Phil M

beerbelly · 30 November 2016, 21:42

that's good iv also had a 3.0 tdi touareg and the v6 is superb

Xk59D · 30 November 2016, 21:47

Interesting someone says pathfinders are showing up, Google has very little about pathfinders and chassis problems so not sure what to think of that.

I'm having issues with my xc90 ( been at dealers over a week now but it is all annoying little things, but problems none the less) and may need to get something else, will likely be a pathfinder. Would love a touareg but too small inside for my needs unfortunately.

69cmw · 06 February 2017, 18:36

A write up in today's Sun about Nissan Navara and Pathfinders rotten chassis ....

Xk59D · 06 February 2017, 20:25

Last I heard nissan were buying them back so anyone impacted should be looked after.

Did the paper mention that?

69cmw · 06 February 2017, 21:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xk59D

Last I heard nissan were buying them back so anyone impacted should be looked after.

Did the paper mention that?

Aye they said some had been bought back

Xk59D · 06 February 2017, 21:38

Still not ideal for owners to say the least.

Wonder if the later pathfinder and navara were fixed by nissan.

If the pathfinder was not 500 quid road tax I would be in one right now, bullet dodged.

Phil M · 06 February 2017, 21:53

Ours was bought back by Nissan for a little over £8k. It was 10 years old with 60k on the clock. Mint condition apart from the chassis, rear bumper and odd spots of bodywork rust.

Still waiting on a build date for the Amarok though.

Phil M

twigg · 09 February 2017, 19:01

my mate has a navara beware his chassis broke in half just passed a mot chassis looked good but rotted from the inside when tapped with a spike hammer went through so beware he spent 2k on repairs over 18000 cases in uk now due to suns exposure hes contacted Nissan who are sending out an inspector as although repaired who would by it and will insurance companies insure them when they are breaking in half if you have a 05/10 plate ditch it quick

Rib Martin · 09 February 2017, 19:10

Hi have a Navara it was checked by Nissan all ok.. in a nut she'll all the Navara and Pathfinder chassis made in Spain from 05-08 were of two batches of steel.. one will rust however protected from the inside .. the other is OK .. I'm a member of this group,have a look..... https://www.facebook.com/groups/505526562959686/

twigg · 09 February 2017, 19:50

cheers martin my mates on that we also had a shock when we removed the spare wheel as the cross member above had virtualy gone

georgeirl · 22 February 2017, 21:04

Nissan bought back my Pathfinder and gave me a good deal on a new one.

There was a problem, the addressed it, I have no complaints!