2014 D40 Vibration

[user 1279]

Hi Guys,

Have seen a few posts about this but no solutions/outcomes.

I bought a new ST in March, and after the dealer changed my rims the car has developed a severe vibration usually at 80km/hr +.

Naturally I expected wheel balance. I had them replace the rims (long story for another day) and with another set of 'balanced' rims it's still occurring.

This is my third Navara (have owned an 06 d22 and 10' d40). This is the worst ride I've experienced, I hate driving it at the moment (and do about 150km per day).

When braking the car shudders and lots of 'feedback' / vibration through the peddle, steering wheel and car.

Surely after 2 sets of balanced wheels this would rule out wheel balance?

The car has done 5000km.

Love to get your opinion?

 

[miner-matt]

Hi Guys,

Have seen a few posts about this but no solutions/outcomes.

I bought a new ST in March, and after the dealer changed my rims the car has developed a severe vibration usually at 80km/hr +.

Naturally I expected wheel balance. I had them replace the rims (long story for another day) and with another set of 'balanced' rims it's still occurring.

This is my third Navara (have owned an 06 d22 and 10' d40). This is the worst ride I've experienced, I hate driving it at the moment (and do about 150km per day).

When braking the car shudders and lots of 'feedback' / vibration through the peddle, steering wheel and car.

Surely after 2 sets of balanced wheels this would rule out wheel balance?

The car has done 5000km.

Love to get your opinion?

Do you know anyone with another D40? Swap the front tyres and rims and go for a drive, even hit the dealer up to swap them with one of there stock just to rule it in or out

 

[Kranzy]

I had a similar issue when braking in a different car. Turned out to be wheel bearings. Never had the issue moving forwards though.

 

[Old.Tony]

I'd suspect a drive shaft - maybe there's a faulty uni, or maybe something has actually damaged the drive shaft. What's the chances of an apprentice using a trolley jack under a drive shaft and causing the problem themselves?

At 80km/h your engine should be doing 1500rpm+. Could you take it for a drive and do 1600rpm in 4th gear and see how it reacts? Same level of vibration, worse or better? If it's the same we need to look at the motor (particularly the cooling fan).

If it's strictly related to driving speed then it's gearbox output and onwards. The gearboxes are pretty good, transfer cases generally won't cause a vibration except for the output bearing. Here's a test: keep it in 4th gear and accelerate past 80km/h - does the vibration still occur? Put it in neutral while the vibration is occurring. Is it still there, does it go away?

Don't laugh about jacking it up on the drive shaft. Unskilled people (and the photo was on this forum at one point) have put brake shoes in backwards.

 

[miner-matt]

I'd suspect a drive shaft - maybe there's a faulty uni, or maybe something has actually damaged the drive shaft. What's the chances of an apprentice using a trolley jack under a drive shaft and causing the problem themselves?

At 80km/h your engine should be doing 1500rpm+. Could you take it for a drive and do 1600rpm in 4th gear and see how it reacts? Same level of vibration, worse or better? If it's the same we need to look at the motor (particularly the cooling fan).

If it's strictly related to driving speed then it's gearbox output and onwards. The gearboxes are pretty good, transfer cases generally won't cause a vibration except for the output bearing. Here's a test: keep it in 4th gear and accelerate past 80km/h - does the vibration still occur? Put it in neutral while the vibration is occurring. Is it still there, does it go away?

Don't laugh about jacking it up on the drive shaft. Unskilled people (and the photo was on this forum at one point) have put brake shoes in backwards.

Your comment about the brake shoe in backwards jogged my memory about something like that happening to me. I had a FalconBF RTV ute at the time. Just had its 40k service, picked it up. Thendrove a 600klm round trip out to the mine site. I did notice the brakes felt a bit doey, and luckily for me no heavy braking was needed as when i got home the week after i parked it up in the shed and when i turned around to go back to get my bag out the back i noticed something sitting on the rear leaf spring. And yep, there it was the right rear brake caliper sitting nicely wedged on the spring...... Drove it straight to ford, got the head mechanic out and asked him if he noticed anything out of the ordinary. Lets just say I got out of paying for that service.....

 

[user 1279]

Thanks old Tony, appreciate your advice. I'll give those tests ago on the way to work tomorrow morning. Heaven forbid that Nissan sort it out!

 

[Simsy]

Given that you say you can feel it in your brake peddle I suggest that you get the disc,s looked at it could be a warped disc

 

[redman]

Is the wheels the only thing you have changed over?? Have you done anything else at all to the car??

I ran an airline from the back axle up through to the cab and the slightest touch of anything on the driveshaft causes severe vibrations and bad driving experience... In my case right up near the gearbox, one small hose was *just* touching... Tightened up the zip tie and fixed..

 

[user 1279]

I haven't made any changes other than providing rims to Nissan to change over. I'm thinking of getting a wheel alignment done by a tyre shop and see if that resolves it.

Old Tony, the vibration is still there at speed whether it's in hear or not.

The inside of the car really is vibrating / shaking. Can physically see the seats rattling side to side and the numbers on the speedo going blury due to vibration. I almost can't drive it long distance to work.

 

[kernels]

This is crazy, if the problem is that bad and that easy to demonstrate it should be left with Nissan until it's perfect, like a brand new car should be.

You should not be going to a shop and paying for balance / alignment.

If that A-hole tells you the old 'all Navaras do it' line, punch him in the head.

 

[user 1279]

Part of the problem is I don't have the time to keep returning the car, they've had it twice now. If a tyre mob fixes it, I'll be giving him the bill to refund me! The service guy has been pretty good in that he will fix the car, the issue is the incompetent mechanic that keeps returning it with the problem, but telling service mgr it's fixed. Next time I won't be taking it until he's come for a drive with me and I confirm it's gone.

 

[Aaron walker]

Hey guys. A bit off topic.. But I've got a loud sqeak coming from my rear driver side wheel. Only seems to happen when not accelerating, and doesn't happen when braking. Any ideas?

 

[Old.Tony]

When accelerating or braking, the dynamic rotational forces are changing, but when coasting they're not - so if it's not the brake shoes lightly rubbing the drum (consider totally worn brake shoes as a possibility too - how's your brake fluid level?) then it's possibly the bearings.

 

[Tom16]

Can tell you now, it's bulls**t if he tells you they all do it. I bought mine last month and it's fine. My tip would be that when the fitted the rims, something has gone wrong.

 

[user 1279]

So to close this out:
Got the car back on Monday. They had changed back to my original rims that they were repairing (because they damaged them in the first place). Apparently another wheel balance and skimming the rotors fixed the issue. I am unsure why a car of 7000k needed rotor skim and why it took 3 x wheel balances to get it right but it seems to be fixed.

 

[Darren J]

I had a similar issue.... very long story, but never fixed. Chased the problem for over 2 years from 10k service and gave up after 50k service. Probably spent close to 10 separate occasions under review, counting standard service inspections. Te dealer was good, but clearly were not supported by Nissan Australia.

As it happened...
Changed wheels at about 3000klm old to 17" aftermarket with cooper AT3 (these were to be included on the new car but were not ready when leased). Developed a fairly severe vibration, felt like a badly out of balance rear wheel. started at 80 and got worse, all gears, clutch in/out etc.... 6 wheel balances later, still could not resolve. Wheel fitter suggested driveline... Dealer started looking elsewhere, after they verified nothing wrong with wheel balance. Nissan technical rep drove the vehicle and acknowledged the problem.
It was reproduced with stock wheels/tires but, the AT3's seems to amplify it more and to an unacceptable level. However they accepted it was there with stock wheels so continued to pure the problem. Nissan Au technical also got involved and (if I believe them) the issue also went back to Japan for further support. My car was not the only one....

Prior to this I had a D40 STX 2.5 and also another 10 in the same company over the years (D40, manuals, autos, 550's) all without the problem.

The dealer acknowledged this problem ion another vehicle (550) they sold and ended up taking it back at a few thousand alms old as they could not diagnose. Nissan Aust did not support them in this, all attempt to source the problem was at their cost!.

Nissan tried fixes on mine like fixing a vibration problem with heater hoses under the dash (the Nissan tech rep said waste of time but they did it to satisfy Nissan Australia). In the end they refused to do anything until Nissan Japan gave them a fix for the is problem. On a number of cases from dealer, Nissan tech rep (ti the dealer) and the Nissan clowns on the phone reading form the file report they acknowledged a known problem on "some" D40's that they could not diagnose.

I talked about trialling options but without Nissan au agreeing to pay, the dealer would not. The dealer did tell me they tried numerous variables over a few months on another D40 550 with no success. They talked of numerous parts replaced, running with rear diff disconnected (driven through font wheels via 4WD I think they said) even loosening tray fixings and adjusting etc. with no success.

Based on my prolonged experience with Nissan, you did well to get a fix!.
I still think the issue I have would be simply fixed with something in the driveline, but they are not keen other than to advise all is in spec.

I also have a weird clunk developed over about the last 30k. A repeated clunk when cornering, first/second gear with moderate load, and inner rear wheel traction skipping) coming from the rear driveline. Say if you were going around a bumpy tight roundabout, turning from a set of lights to cross an intersection etc. Nissan are claiming suspension issue (car has an ARB 2" lift from new). ARB have inspected recently, and are sure it is driveline.....

Will see what happens as that issue is ongoing now.

I have chased on the forum here before with no luck but if anyone has any ideas I will consider anything!.......

Cheers.

 

[Bigreg]

I hate to say it but you had a 2010 d40 and that wasnt enough to put you off buying another one. I am still suffering with mine. Are all the bushes and tie rod ends ok? I dont think it will be your wheels. Good luck with nissan, they never could fix the issues with my 1 week old D40, had to sort it out my self.

 

[Darren J]

I had a 2008 first, with no problems to 80k.

The current one is a 2010 delivered in 2011. It has the issues.....
Aside from these, it has otherwise performed the tasks I needed well, towing a large boat to 3t, which it does well for a dual cab, when most insist you need a Patrol or Landcruiser.

I will look at the bushes and rod ends. We buy new cars to have warranties for the "experts" to sort these things. Like always, some things are best done yourself.....

 

[Old.Tony]

The issue with the vehicle turning tight corners is more likely going to be an LSD not working properly. For the cost of a couple of litres of diff oil I'd drop the stuff and examine it for fragments just in case.

If the same vibration occurs on different sets of wheels then it's definitely not wheels. Some people have had problems with their drive shafts - one guy hit a rock with his and bent it slightly, which caused this exact problem. A couple of people only noticed their issue in 4WD, turned out to be an out-of-balance front drive shaft.

 

[user 1279]

Thanks for the replies. The issue seems to be slowly coming back so seems it wasn't resolved :-( Darren, appreciate the detail! Seems very similar.