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Before you buy a used Nissan Qashqai (J11).

2014–2021 · Petrol / Diesel · 6 engines

Taken only from Testigo's sourced sheets. Use it to question the seller and on the test drive: it does not confirm that any particular car is affected.

The essentials.

Typical faults by engine

The period and mileage are those mentioned by each sheet's sources. They are not a maintenance interval and do not predict that any particular car will fail.

All versions

Sheets the catalogue links to all 6 of its engines.

1.2 DIG-T · 1.3 DIG-T · 1.6 DIG-T · 1.5 dCi

1.2 DIG-T (Petrol) · 1.3 DIG-T (Petrol) · 1.6 DIG-T (Petrol) · 1.5 dCi (Diesel)

We have no faults specific to this engine, only those common to every version.

1.6 dCi · 1.7 dCi

Diesel

Which engine has the fewest documented faults?

Documented faults and recalls by engine for the Nissan Qashqai (J11)
EngineDocumented faultsRecalls
1.2 DIG-TPetrolFewest documented22 with conditions6
1.3 DIG-TPetrolFewest documented22 with conditions6
1.6 DIG-TPetrolFewest documented22 with conditions6
1.5 dCiDieselFewest documented22 with conditions6
1.6 dCiDiesel33 with conditions6
1.7 dCiDiesel33 with conditions6

According to the data we have, the engines with the fewest documented faults are: 1.2 DIG-T (Petrol), 1.3 DIG-T (Petrol), 1.6 DIG-T (Petrol), 1.5 dCi (Diesel).

By fuel type, the one with the fewest documented faults is: Petrol.

We only count the sourced sheets we have. An engine with fewer is not guaranteed to be more reliable: it may have been studied less or sold in smaller numbers.

Official recalls: ask before you pay

A recall existing does not mean this car is affected or that it is still outstanding: it depends on the chassis number, the market and the production date.

  1. Ask the seller for the chassis number (VIN): it has 17 characters, appears in the car's documents and can usually also be seen at the base of the windscreen.
  2. Ask an official Nissan dealer, or the brand's official website if it lets you check by chassis number, whether each recall has been done or is still outstanding for that VIN.
  3. Manufacturer recalls are normally carried out free of charge by the official service network. If one is outstanding, ask for it to be done before you close the sale.
Rear door child lock that may not work (Qashqai J11 and Juke F15 of 2015–2018, recall PS0C1)Bodywork

How to check it: With the child lock on, try opening each rear door from inside: it must not open. If it does, do not carry children in the back until it is fixed. Ask a Nissan dealer, with the VIN, whether the recall is outstanding on your car.

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Rear oxygen sensor that fails without lighting the engine warning light (Qashqai J11, Juke F15 and X-Trail T32 of 2014–2016)Exhaust and emissions

How to check it: Ask a Nissan dealer, with the VIN, whether the recall is outstanding on your car.

View full entry
Rear right wheel-arch liner that rubs the brake hose and may make it leak fluid (Qashqai J11 of 2013–2016)Brakes

How to check it: Check the brake fluid level and look for stains near the rear right wheel. Ask a Nissan dealer, with the VIN, whether the recall is outstanding on your car. The dealer reworks the liner and, if needed, replaces the hose.

View full entry
Radiator fan that may stop because of a capacitor in its controller, making the engine overheat and lose torque (Qashqai J11 of 2018)Cooling

How to check it: If the engine temperature rises or it loses power, stop somewhere safe and switch it off. Ask a Nissan dealer, with the VIN, whether the recall is outstanding on your car. The fix is a new fan assembly.

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Failed indicator with no dashboard warning because of the body control module software (Qashqai J11 of 2017–2018)Lighting

How to check it: Switch the indicators on with the car stationary and walk round it to check they all light up. Ask a Nissan dealer, with the VIN, whether the recall is outstanding on your car.

View full entry
Door mirror indicator that does not work with the heated rear screen on (Qashqai J11 of June 2017)Lighting

How to check it: Switch on the heated rear screen and the indicators with the car stationary and check that the mirror indicators light up. Ask a Nissan dealer, with the VIN, whether the recall is outstanding on your car.

View full entry

On the test drive: what to look and listen for

Taken from each sheet's symptoms and checks. You can tick off what you have already looked at: it is saved only in this browser.

0 of 3 checked

Known weak points

  • Look out for: Wind noise at the doors; rarely, chipped paint. The source describes no other symptoms: the rest are defects found by the German roadworthiness test.

    Ask them to check: Before the MOT or periodic inspection, and when buying one second-hand, look underneath: suspension joints, brake discs and exhaust; check all the lights too. If the car is slow to start, have the battery tested.

Climate control

  • Look out for: No air comes out of any of the vents; there may be snow in and around the blower motor air inlet, behind the scuttle panel.

    Ask them to check: Clear snow from the base of the windscreen before setting off. If there is still no air, the bulletin says to clean snow, water and debris from the blower inlet, clean or replace the blower motor, replace its resistor if it does not work at every speed and fit the filters if the car does not have them.

Transmission

  • Look out for: Vibration or judder from the rear of the car when turning, on dry roads and at low speed (below about 65 km/h, 40 mph).

    Ask them to check: Tell the garage when it happens (turning, slowly, on dry roads). Following the bulletin, they check whether the vibration stops with the rear coupling disconnected before replacing parts.

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from these Testigo sheets and their original sources. Sources are not checked in real time.

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