What are the common problems with the Nissan Qashqai?
4 Answers
Common problems with the Nissan Qashqai are as follows: Transmission slipping. During driving, when accelerating, there is a sound of the engine revving without an increase in speed, and the car feels sluggish. This phenomenon is mostly caused by worn or burnt clutch plates. Excessive tire noise: The specially designed soundproofing strips are not sufficiently tight. The use of thinner materials such as sound-absorbing cotton, damping glue, and special wheel arch liners results in poor sound insulation. Vehicle soundproofing can be divided into door soundproofing, chassis soundproofing, trunk soundproofing, and hood soundproofing. Tire issues: Tires age relatively quickly.
I've been driving the Qashqai for four years now, and overall it's quite practical, but there are several common issues worth mentioning. The most frustrating is the CVT transmission, which has noticeable jerking in traffic jams and sometimes makes strange noises during sudden acceleration—reportedly due to belt wear issues. The electronics aren't reliable either: the navigation screen often freezes, the window buttons occasionally malfunction, and false tire pressure warnings are frequent. A trip to the dealership fixes these, but it's time-consuming. The interior wears out quickly—the seat fabric started fraying in less than two years, and the steering wheel's patina looks cheap. Suspension noise is another annoyance, with loud creaks over speed bumps, likely due to aging bushings or torn dust covers. The A/C airflow is uneven, and cooling is painfully slow in summer—I recommend checking refrigerant and filters regularly from new. Fuel consumption is much higher than expected, often exceeding 10L/100km in city driving; it's better on highways but still uneconomical. These small issues add up, affecting daily comfort, so I stick to 5,000-km maintenance intervals and have the transmission and electronics checked to prevent major repairs.
As a Qashqai modification enthusiast, I'm particularly sensitive to its performance shortcomings. The factory CVT has noticeable jerking during initial acceleration, limiting power response. Even ECU tuning doesn't help much, as the fuel pump's insufficient supply causes high-RPM struggles. The suspension is too soft with obvious body roll during sharp turns - installing coilovers risks increased bushing wear and abnormal noises. The brake system responds sluggishly, with factory calipers having poor heat dissipation leading to quick fade during continuous braking, requiring upgrades for spirited driving. Electronic configurations have multiple issues: the reversing camera sometimes blurs, ABS sensor false alarms cause instrument cluster flickering, creating uncertainty. The wiper motor occasionally stutters, making rainy season driving nerve-wracking. These design flaws require extra caution during modifications. I recommend first upgrading the intake system and reinforcing suspension bushings, while avoiding reckless electronic modifications to prevent system crashes. The Qashqai's strengths lie in space and handling stability, but extracting performance requires significant effort and investment.
I've driven the Qashqai for over five years, and the accumulated issues have been quite frustrating. The CVT transmission has severe jerking during cold starts in winter, and it struggles uphill like a tractor—changing the transmission fluid later alleviated this. The electronic systems are plagued by minor glitches: the wipers occasionally fail, and the infotainment screen freezing and rebooting is a common occurrence. After two years of driving, the suspension developed frequent squeaks, especially on bumpy roads, with inspections revealing premature wear of the ball joint bushings. The interior leather seats cracked early, showing wear and deformation in less than three years, affecting overall aesthetics. Air conditioning issues are also common—insufficient cooling in summer or delayed warm air, with refrigerant refills providing no lasting improvement. These minor faults aren’t fatal but significantly reduce driving pleasure, and repair costs add up. In short, the Qashqai’s durability falls short of expectations; long-term owners should prepare for frequent garage visits and not overlook routine checks.
