X Trail MOT - premature track rod end failure

Feb 13, 2022
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X Trail got through the MOT for another year. However, rather dismayed that offside trackrod end was absolutely shot. "Do not drive" failure. It was only replaced last year when MOT picked up "slight play". Any ideas what would cause this? Was I just unlucky and got a duff part? The garage just replaced it without even calling, which is fair enough. I need the car and I think under the new rules they aren't allowed to let me drive it with a fault like that. £156 all in with the MOT.

I knew the front brakes were getting on the thin side and discs looking a bit knackered. Garage has told me all four corners want discs and pads! So that's my weekend sorted. Front and rear discs / pads ordered, that all came to £228, all Bosch kit. That's what I like about doing my own jobs, I know what parts are going on and I can afford to buy better parts with the saving on the labour. Going to be be getting mucky this weekend and dodging showers no doubt. Fun fun fun! It's been an expensive week with car repairs and a vet bill. :(
 
Jun 16, 2010
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X Trail got through the MOT for another year. However, rather dismayed that offside trackrod end was absolutely shot. "Do not drive" failure. It was only replaced last year when MOT picked up "slight play". Any ideas what would cause this? Was I just unlucky and got a duff part? The garage just replaced it without even calling, which is fair enough. I need the car and I think under the new rules they aren't allowed to let me drive it with a fault like that. £156 all in with the MOT.

I knew the front brakes were getting on the thin side and discs looking a bit knackered. Garage has told me all four corners want discs and pads! So that's my weekend sorted. Front and rear discs / pads ordered, that all came to £228, all Bosch kit. That's what I like about doing my own jobs, I know what parts are going on and I can afford to buy better parts with the saving on the labour. Going to be be getting mucky this weekend and dodging showers no doubt. Fun fun fun! It's been an expensive week with car repairs and a vet bill. :(

When you had it replaced last year, it was probably a cheap aftermarket part. Lots of them about and in my experience only last from MOT to MOT.

Does it have an electronic parking brake? You may struggle to replace the rear pads / discs unless you can put the rear brakes into service mode.
 
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When you had it replaced last year, it was probably a cheap aftermarket part. Lots of them about and in my experience only last from MOT to MOT.

Does it have an electronic parking brake? You may struggle to replace the rear pads / discs unless you can put the rear brakes into service mode.
Thankfully no electronic handbrake. I've watched a Youtube video of the job on my car and it's fairly straightforward. Aftermarket parts vary a lot. Some stuff is pretty good, some utterly shoddy. Classic "pay cheap, pay twice" was when I put a cheap nasty thermostat on my Passat. Messed around for ages replacing sensors trying to find other causes of car not getting up to temperature. Replaced stat again with a Meyle part instead of the miscellanous Ebay one, hey presto, problem solved! Upside is that the second time round the job took a fraction of the time after my practice run... I buy aftermarket parts all the time, but now I don't just go for something because it's the cheapest.
 
Jun 16, 2010
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Thankfully no electronic handbrake. I've watched a Youtube video of the job on my car and it's fairly straightforward. Aftermarket parts vary a lot. Some stuff is pretty good, some utterly shoddy. Classic "pay cheap, pay twice" was when I put a cheap nasty thermostat on my Passat. Messed around for ages replacing sensors trying to find other causes of car not getting up to temperature. Replaced stat again with a Meyle part instead of the miscellanous Ebay one, hey presto, problem solved! Upside is that the second time round the job took a fraction of the time after my practice run... I buy aftermarket parts all the time, but now I don't just go for something because it's the cheapest.

I find a call to the main dealers parts counter can yield some good results for OEM parts. For instance, on my daughters car the Citroen dealer sold a set of discs / pads that were the same price as Euro Car Parts Eicher grot
 
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I find a call to the main dealers parts counter can yield some good results for OEM parts. For instance, on my daughters car the Citroen dealer sold a set of discs / pads that were the same price as Euro Car Parts Eicher grot

I found VW OEM parts were either surprisingly cheap or surprisingly expensive. I always bought my oil and filters from them as they were cheaper than Castrol etc. Then they wanted some astronomical price for a timing belt tensioner. Went for a Febi Bilstein one at a fraction of the price. Sensors were usually quite reasonable. My car had an Audi engine and quite often picked up parts from Audi, in fact going to Audi for engine parts was much easier to get the right part.

Unfortunately, for the Nissan the prices tend to fall mostly into the ridiculously expensive category.

Couldn't find an aftermarket windscreen wiper motor any where, despite many for the Qashqai. Managed to get a Nissan OE one online on Ebay for the "bargain" price of £300. Would have been £450 direct from Nissan! Scandalous.
 
Jun 16, 2010
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I found VW OEM parts were either surprisingly cheap or surprisingly expensive. I always bought my oil and filters from them as they were cheaper than Castrol etc. Then they wanted some astronomical price for a timing belt tensioner. Went for a Febi Bilstein one at a fraction of the price. Sensors were usually quite reasonable. My car had an Audi engine and quite often picked up parts from Audi, in fact going to Audi for engine parts was much easier to get the right part.

Unfortunately, for the Nissan the prices tend to fall mostly into the ridiculously expensive category.

Couldn't find an aftermarket windscreen wiper motor any where, despite many for the Qashqai. Managed to get a Nissan OE one online on Ebay for the "bargain" price of £300. Would have been £450 direct from Nissan! Scandalous.

Interestingly, when i had my 2018 Renault Koleos, i found buying Nissan parts for it was cheaper than the Renault equivalents - even though they were the same parts !
 
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Interestingly, when i had my 2018 Renault Koleos, i found buying Nissan parts for it was cheaper than the Renault equivalents - even though they were the same parts !
Some parts you just can't find for my car, but there are a lot of the same parts on the Qashqai and at more sensible prices. Eg. dust shields for brakes.
 
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Ours failed on a broken suspension link, lucky it was not expensive and it was fixed the same day, There are a number of warnings though so the cars long term fate has yet to be decided. Still at six years old it has not done badly.
I do agree with Milkfloat in that the track rod end should not fail within twelve months and I would take it up with them, although given the state of our roads it may be that.
I do remember with a company car the garage said a shock absorber was faulty and relaced it. Due to the mileage I covered it went back for its next service within the year and they said the same shock absorber was leaking. I pointed out its age and the twelve month guarantee. It suddenly became the mechanic who had mistaken some water picked up on the road for a leak. Make your own mind up on that one but I know what I think.
 
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Jan 20, 2023
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I'd have gone mad at them for replacing parts without asking me first

I always tell the garage not to do anything without phoning me first as a lot of stuff I'll do myself, but folks nowadays just don't seem to take any interest in their car and blindly trust the garage to do whatever is necessary.
 
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Re the track rod end.......

My Suspicion would be that they replaced the wrong one last year so what was shot last year was really shot this year as that sort of component should last much longer than12 months, cheappo or not!
 
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Re the track rod end.......

My Suspicion would be that they replaced the wrong one last year so what was shot last year was really shot this year as that sort of component should last much longer than12 months, cheappo or not!
I never thought of that . Sounds plausible!

I hope they don’t move to two year tests. If I hadn’t had to test, Id still be driving round with it.
 
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Mechanic in pub reckons could also be windy gun used on TRE with no weight on top and ball joint spun. He said he regularly has to correct his apprentices on that.
Don’t think there is much I can do re claiming back. Did MOT a bit later this year and part prob only has a year warranty. Can’t really prove one way or another and don’t want to spoil the generally good relationship I have with the garage which is very conveniently close to my work. Never had any issue with their work before.
 
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I bet you pay more attention next time they do some work though.
Yep!
I prefer doing jobs myself where possible. But some simple jobs such as a TRE can quickly turn into a nightmare if stuff is seized etc. i needed the job done quick last year as I was due to go and pick up my first, new to me caravan and wanted the car in tip top condition.

Will be doing brakes tomorrow. Hopefully nothing cruel and horrible happens like caliper carrier bolts sheering. 😱
 
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The track rod end on my Santa Fe failed on last year MOT about £80 to buy and replaced myself, not a problem but then had to take it to Quick fit next day for retracking, another £130 so really you got away lightly on cost.
I have a set of rear discs and brake sitting in the garage waiting for better weather, bought them at 60% discount. So happy bunny.
 
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Grrr! Did the o/s front pads and disc in about 45 minute, easy peasy. I thought "at this rate, I might do the backs today as well". Alas! Nearside wasn't to be so easy. Bottom caliper carrier bolt was excruiciatingly difficult to wind out, every single turn. Finally got out. I think someone before might have been a bit over enthusiastic with the Loctite. Then discovered one of the slide pins was seized. Getting it out involved a stilson and a big hammer. Now awaiting my dad to bring some pipe cleaners over so I can clean the holes out. Now having a hard earned coffee, bacon sandwich and peruse of PC. Hopefully all done soon. The rears can wait until another day!
 
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All done. Car stops when I tell it to. Debating whether to do the backs tomorrow but don’t like the look of that North Easterly wind forecast . I’ll see how I feel. Backs can be eeked out a bit longer. Got rid of the horrible brake squeal I had. :)
 
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