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Nissan Murano Bad Head Gaskets

bseeleybseeley Member Posts: 3
in Nissan
I have a 2009 Morano SL with the new at that time aluminum 6cyl engine. I have just been told that my headgaskets are shot. Since I am 6k miles over the 60,000 mile warranty Nissans says too bad. What kind of company does not warrant a non moving part on a new engine for more then 2 years? Beware!!!!!!
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    whitestar16whitestar16 Member Posts: 53
    Hi. How much did they quote you for the repair? 60,000 miles is a lot of miles for a 2009, and I do know that I agree with you that the head gaskets are vulnerable to heat stress conditions brought on by towing for instance.

    The redesigned part became available as a replacement part in February 2010 as an FYI, but I do not know when Nissan began installing the new design head gaskets in their cars/SUVs off the line; obviously before February 2010.

    It is important to check for head gasket leaks and tail pipe emissions problems so that the problem can be caught early.
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    smarty666smarty666 Member Posts: 1,503
    Unfortunately you are on the short end of the stick. It works that way with any car company. I had stuff like that happen with multiple GM products time and time again.

    The powertrain warranty is 5yrs/60k miles (WHICH EVER COMES FIRST!!)

    60K miles is definitely an unusually high amount of miles to have on a vehicle in just 2 years so you reached the 60k miles first before the 5 years.

    You could try calling NCA's and try pleading your case to them that your only a little bit over the warranty miles and see if they could at least meet you half way but I seriously doubt it.
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    bseeleybseeley Member Posts: 3
    I am not sure what replacement part you are talking about. Why would there be a need for a replacment part if they were not having problems. The car had high mileage because we have family in Jacksonville and we live in New Smyrna Beach. Most of the mileage was highway driving and the car has never been towed or had an overheating problems. The head gasket is a non moving part and the engine as I understand it was a new design in 2009. Nissan's estimate was approximately $4500.00 .They have not finshed with it and the labor estimate chart did not go that high. 22 to 25 hours. They were not sure at this time and I am waiting for them to complete it.
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    whitestar16whitestar16 Member Posts: 53
    The head gasket was redesigned and the new head gasket became the standard replacement part in February of 2010. Head gaskets are pretty critical in keeping oil and coolant separated as well as oil out of the wrong engine parts. if the channels become clogged or cracked, or the integrity compromised in the areas where the pistons move up and down, oil and coolant can get into the wrong places, with any number of problems resulting involving the engine, oil levels, catalytic converter etc.

    I looked at this issue closely, and came to the conclusion that heat stress either deformed the aluminum associated engine areas causing the head gasket to lose functionality and place it under unusual physical stress or the head gasket itself underwent heat deformation. There are known instances of engine and coolant additives clogging the head gasket channels as well.

    Although the problem is known, particularly in the 2009 Muranos, it really is a small percentage overall, and less frequent than transfer case/seal problems in the AWD versions of the Murano. Together , these two issues comprise the vast majority of serious problems that affect Muranos in general. Remaining issues tend to cluster around electronics problems in the LE series of Muranos.
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    marathon10marathon10 Member Posts: 1
    I also have a 2009 Murano SL and the head gasket on mine cracked at 29,000 miles. It was covered under the warranty but I'm going to get rid of the car anyway. Since then, I've noticed that it does not accelerate like it used to and when I took it in, they said an air filter was not put on correctly and dust got on the sensor. I was told it was fixed, however, it just hasn't been the same since the head gasket issue. And when I took it in today to get an oil change, I was told that the transmission is now leaking...at 34,000 miles. I like the car and how it rides, but I don't want to wait to find out what will happen when it turns 60,001.... :sick:
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    whitestar16whitestar16 Member Posts: 53
    Do you have an AWD version of the SL or the front wheel drive version?
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    omniohlomniohl Member Posts: 2
    We own a 2009 Nissan Murano SL bought new and the head gasket cracked leaking fluids and emitting a strong smell of coolant. We have had a few unpleasant repairs, new brakes at 30,000, new tires at 32,000 and now at only 57,000 miles cracked head gaskets. We have had all the recommend services performed. Had we waited we just would need to get use to the smell of coolant. It was covered under the warranty. Both the Nissan dealer and an independent shop confirmed the need to replace both head gaskets. The engine needs to be dropped in order to complete the repair. We have been waiting a week for the completion of the repairs. Many reports show that their Murano just was not the same after the head gasket issue and we don't want to have another failure and find out what will happen when it our Nissan turns 60,001....Our concern is the number of Murano’s that this known defect affects. Nissan has yet to release this proprietary information.
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    makhamakha Member Posts: 1
    I have an 04 Murano and have had issues from day one. Gas cap door repair x2, burning oil issues, head gasket nightmares, over heating problems. I should have sold it long ago but like a dummy kept investing money. Now the head gaskets are gone again and the costs to repair and replace are more than getting a new engine. Everyone that has had these issues please call Nissan of NA and voice your concerns. It is horrible and I pray the government steps in and puts them through another Toyota like experience. Write your congressmen and senators. It will take many voices but it can be done.
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    kazvolinskykazvolinsky Member Posts: 12
    32.000 miles, 2.5 years old car-gaskets blown, coolant smell in the cabin was present almost from the beginning.NO RECALL for a known problem.I am trading it in.Question is-would I go for a Nissan again?
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    bseeleybseeley Member Posts: 3
    They knew about the problem because they changed the design of the engine after 6 months. They put the headers too close to the block and kept overheating the gasket. I'm in the market for a new car and wont even consider a Nissan. Years ago I had problems with the transission just past the warranty and they as much as told me to go to hell. They are a bad company pass the word.
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    mkh142mkh142 Member Posts: 1
    Overall, Nissan's reliability hasn't been the same since Renault took over. The vq engine, once a bulletproof engine, has so many cost cutting components that it's reliability problems are more reminiscent of a Renault than a Nissan. Since Renault's reliability history is so bad, it's no suprise to see that Consumer Reports has ranked the Nissan Murano's Engine as worse than average. Interestingly, every Murano that Consumer Reports has reccomended eventually ends up on the Used Cars To Avoid list in 3-5 years, due to reliability issues. I'd trade it in, and shop a make that has consistently proven reliable year after year; and preferably one that isn't owned by Renault or another unreliable brand.
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    johngietjohngiet Member Posts: 1

    Took the 2010 Murano in today for the service due at ~64K. Was told that the head gaskets appeared to be leaking. Since I bought the extended warrentee I will pay nothing except for 3 to 4 days without the car - do get a free rental though. Nice to win on this kind of a thing for once. When this sort of thing starts, for unexplainable reasons (usually), nothing ever seems quite the same and the problem rate seems to increase - this is irregardless of make/model. Needless to say this thread does not make me fell very good. I am going to check the warrentee and if I can get another 2 years out of the vehicle I'll do that. Our mileage will go down drastically by the end of this this year so I may be able to do that. We bought Nissan at the recommendation of the mechanic we use once vehicles go out of warrentee, and the fact that one time years back I had a Datsun PU for 11 years with few problems. Didn't know about the Renault link - sounds reasonable...

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