Computer Patch / Upgrade - Car "Stuck in 4th"

[thebundychick]

So, I just got my 2012 Navara D40 Automatic back from the Nissan Service dept. I've been experiencing an issue with the car over the last three weeks.

(I've had the car for about 9 months and done 23,000km on it)

Basically, what happens is - I'll be driving uphill, I get into about 3/4th gear, car is showing 2100 revs, and speed somewhere around 80km/h, I put my foot down, and nothing happens.

I can hear the engine responding to the pedal, but there is no increase in power, and no increase in revs. If I take my foot off the accelerator, to try to get the car to fall back into 3rd gear, and then reapply the accelerator, I get the same response, except now the car is only doing 60km/h and I still can't get over 2100 revs. I put the car into "manual" and it doesn't help.

Previously, the advice I was given from Nissan was to pull over, turn the car off and restart, until i could get the car booked in

Anyway - I finally got the service done today. Apparently its a very common glitch in this model? They ran a few diagnostics on the car, and upgraded the software on it. I picked up the car this afternoon, and the gear changes are amazing!

Something that struck me as odd, was the service guy said that they don't actually upgrade the software, or check that it needs upgrading as part of the service. Why would this be? I can't understand why you wouldn't be "servicing" the computer system that runs the car? I found out that my car had the factory installed software on it, no patches or upgrades since it was made. How are we supposed to know if there is an upgrade in software that might benefit us?

Has anyone else had this issue?

 

[Dion]

If it's working fine without the patch, upgrading just means there's every possibility of it not working after the upgrade. If it's not broken, don't try to fix it and break it in the process.

 

[thebundychick]

But mine wasn't working, thats what I'm saying - and just driving the car today, there is a massive difference in the timing of the gear changes. The car has always been a pleasure to drive, but this afternoon, the gear changes were snappier, much better timed. Previously, ALL my gear changes done whilst going uphill were done to early. The car would change gear and the revs would be to low - something I'd actually bought up with Nissan not long after I bought the car, and they had said was "a known issue", but never offered me a software upgrade. Its only in the last few weeks, that that the glitch worsened into capping the revs, and leaving me crawling up a hill in what felt like 5th gear on 2000 revs. It quite literally limped up hill.

Looking back, I don't think the car has been operating as efficiently as it could, but being my first diesel, first new car, first navara - I had no point of reference. I just know that as of this afternoon I'm practically driving a new car again.

 

[Old.Tony]

I'm glad it's sorted out, but it leaves me wondering why they were reluctant to do it. I wonder if Lee only just got the update in?

It's something to watch out for when people come a-visitin' and asking about it. Hopefully more dealers will know about it. Shame we don't have the internal bulletin number.

 

[JPMC]

Have you managed to do any hill runs in it yet?
Just wondering if you coast down a hill and then accelerate before getting to the bottom if it kicks down a gear instead off holding the current gear and pulling away?
My 2012 does this and it pisses me off.

Wonder if this software upgrade will fix this?

 

[mgermasi]

Very sadly I have to agree with Dion.
I'm a field service technician and I must admit that the way business it's going worldwide makes me wonder if there is any ethic and pride left in what we do.
It's just about making as much money as you possibly can and run.... And with our cars they took they money all right but when it comes to service this is an example of what happens.
Sad, very sad!

 

[Hatchy]

Nissan have shit diagnostics takes 10 mins just to open up. We check codes when 1 customer complains 2 we find it on the test drive 3 on a major service we do a pump leant clear injector clean and software check/update. Different dealers different methods. Tsbs are handy when they actually send em.

 

[LLadnar]

Who ever's writing the programs for the new autos at Nissan needs to have their degree shredded and taken to the middle of the pacific and dumped with the rest of the trash floating in the ocean.

 

[thebundychick]

Have you managed to do any hill runs in it yet?
Just wondering if you coast down a hill and then accelerate before getting to the bottom if it kicks down a gear instead off holding the current gear and pulling away?
My 2012 does this and it pisses me off.

Wonder if this software upgrade will fix this?

Hmmm,

Off the top of my head, I'd say that it would hold the gear and pull away. But, you've got my thinking - I've got just the hill in mind, and I'll test it on the way home from work

Its the driving UPHILL that drives me to despair. I tow a double horse float with two horses, thats a good 2 tonnes, and I was starting to think that I wouldn't be towing as long as this glitch existed, because i can't be pulling over every 10 minutes to reset the computer.

However - That said:

I will say that I'm as chuffed as a pig in mud with how the car is running since the upgrade.

driving uphill the car now holds its gear, and if I slow down, it actually drops a gear to keep my revs up, as opposed to holding, causing me to have to manually change the gear.

The car is driving better today, than the day I bought it!

I just can't get my head around the fact that a CPU upgrade isn't part of the service.

 

[thebundychick]

If it's working fine without the patch, upgrading just means there's every possibility of it not working after the upgrade. If it's not broken, don't try to fix it and break it in the process.

I completely missed the intent of your reply. I took it far too literal. Apologies

 

[killerdriver]

This happened to me the other day, I thought it was a faulty fuel fail, so I swapped that out instead, I might book my car in as it only had a service the day before this occurred

 

[thebundychick]

Ok. One thing I have noticed since I picked the car up.

The warning lights on the LHS of my dash don't come on anymore on startup... My glow plugs light doesn't even come on in the morning. :/

Please tell me its a just a fuse.

 

[Old.Tony]

If the lights never come on at all it's possibly the earth for the cluster - have you had the audio unit worked on recently? I guess it could be a fuse - check the radio fuse - if that's the guy, then attach an earth wire from the stereo to the vehicle body.

 

[Hatchy]

Should all be on the one earth for the cluster.

 

[Carchania]

I've actually been wondering about whether to get the updated software from nissan. Mines an 07 and I was thinking the new software may have improvements over older version. We have done that to a couple of our previous cars before and we end up with generally better mileage and better gear changes as u have stated. If anyone else has done it what did nissan charge and did they notice improvements on their d40?