# Xtrail power loss



## speedo6 (Oct 21, 2009)

I have a 2001 GT Xtrail petrol which has done 90,000km. This has the SR20VET engine with turbo and intercooler 280hp. It has an intermittent power loss usually at low revs around 40 to 60 km/h. I don't seem to ever get this problem at high speed. Pressing accelerator during this problem, engine does not respond. The turbo starts to wind up (sort of rumble roller bearing sound) but no power and speed remains same. Eventually picks up and then drives normally. Not using any oil or water and car is not overheating. Car starts fine. Suspect sensor or fly by wire system sensor fault. Any ideas would be appreciated.


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## tbk (Dec 29, 2008)

bad wires or plugs? Had a ford escort that behaved like that once. One bad plug killed a cylinder resulting in no power. But at high revs, the problem went away.


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## aussietrail (Sep 24, 2004)

Check the TPS (Throttle Position Sensor) and Accelerator Pedal Position Sensor, both of these sensor can go bust with time. If you're not getting any check engine light warnings you may need to physically measure the voltage output of both sensors to make sure they're still working. Voltage settings can be found in the ESM (electronic service manual)


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## speedo6 (Oct 21, 2009)

Thanks for the replies. We have checked car on Nissan diagnostic system which shows no fault codes but has low voltage 1.8v on air flow sensor. Should be above 2.2v. We are going to change this first along with spark plugs. We will check throttle setting and turbo boost and see whether that shows anything. The exhaust emissions on this car is very 0.03 CO. Are these vehicles subject to Catalytic converter blockages?


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## mgfiest (Sep 13, 2009)

from what I have read on other forums.... the cat is known to deteriorate over time....


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## speedo6 (Oct 21, 2009)

Thanks for the input on the Xtrail power loss problem. Mechanic has now established that the turbo boost pressure intermittently drops to 7 psi cause by the waste gate coming open. This is causing the intermittent loss of power. Unable to determine why the waste gate is malfunctioning. So far have changed air flow sensor, oxygen sensor with no improvement. There are no fault codes when the car has been tested. Any ideas of what to change or test please?


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## speedo6 (Oct 21, 2009)

Finally sorted this problem out. The mechanical linkage arm on the turbo had stretched causing the waste gate to become floppy and open at 4 psi resulting in complete loss of power. Adjusted the length of the linkage arm with four washers and tested back to correct setting with waste gate opening at 15 psi. Performance was still poor after re-fitting the turbo. The timing had been seriously advanced on the car presumably due to the turbo giving no power. It had been advanced from 15 to 3 deg TDC. Adjusted back to 15 deg TDC. Car back to normal with full power. Thanks for the input.


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## brian applegate (Mar 19, 2010)

*no acceleration ?*

hi i have a 2004 extrail diesel ! sport x , and ive never had a problem with it untill now ! as i drove it to work this morning no problems ! parked it up and 6 hours later finnished work started car and now has no acceleration ! any help would be greatly appreciated


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## speedo6 (Oct 21, 2009)

*No acceleration*

If it came on suddenly I would change the fuel filter as a starting point in case it is blocked. The diesel version can have turbo problems as well. Is the check engine light on?


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## brian applegate (Mar 19, 2010)

No there are no warning lights on at all , and i started it this morning just to move it to my garage and it accelerated fine , i will try to get a new fuel filter today just in case your right and its a bit blocked !


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## speedo6 (Oct 21, 2009)

You might need to get your turbo adjusted like mine. It is a common fault with linkage arm to the waste gate stretching and effects both diesel and petrol turbo models. This causes the waste gate to open at low boost pressure causing intermittent loss of power. This is a very easy adjustment to make. Just stretch the brackets or add washers and check turbo on bench to make sure that the waste gate opens at the correct pressure.


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## brian applegate (Mar 19, 2010)

cheers man !! i will try and have a look myself later on sunday and if its too complicated for me then i take to garage lol! bless you bro for the help as i would have never have guessed the problem , i will let ya know how i get on ! thanks again speedo6 !!!!!!!


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## xtrailgt (Oct 14, 2010)

My X-Trail GT seems to have developed this same problem. When cold, the turbo works fine but after driving for a while it loses all boost. It even seems to slow the car down as the engine struggles to pick up from low revs. Took it to the garage who couldn't find a problem (they only drove it when the engine was cold). Sounds to me like the wastegate is sticking open.

As I am not mechanically minded, I wouldn't know how to fix it myself. Is this something any reputable turbo servicing garage could do? Or will they try to hit me up for a new turbo?


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## speedo6 (Oct 21, 2009)

This can be quite a tricky fault to fix. Is your car a GT model with the 280 hp motor? Your car sounds like it is going into limp mode. This is easy to establish as all you need to do when you get the fault is switch the engine off and start up again. If you get full power back then the car was in limp mode. The problem with the GT model is there is not many Nissan specialists who can fix this fault as it is not a common model. This could be an air leak in the system, air flow sensor fault, turbo fault, oxygen sensors fault, gearbox sensor or throttle sensors faults. Most likely it is a throttle sensor fault or air leaks in the system. It is a total nightmare to fix as there is usually no specific fault code. I am in NZ as well give me a call on 021654446 and I can give you a more detailed info on this fault.


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## xtrailgt (Oct 14, 2010)

Thanks for the quick reply, you're living up to your speedy name 

Yes, I have the GT model and it was going great when I bought it but the fault has been getting progressively more common over time.

I will try turning it off and on again but I don't think it is limp mode as the engine still revs freely upto 7000rpm (I tried flooring it to see if the turbo would kick in).

It seems to start off ok, then after about 15 minutes it becomes intermittent then in another 15 minutes it doesn't work at all. When not working at all, the engine seems to labour and doesn't accelerate freely.

It is under warranty from the dealer I bought it from but they know little about turbos and even less about this particular engine. They flushed the hoses out and couldn't find a problem.

I will have another drive of it tonight and will probably call you tomorrow to discuss.

Thanks,

Ben (xtrailgt)


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## speedo6 (Oct 21, 2009)

Yes do the switch off and restart test. The engine will usually fault when warm when accelerating under load (going up hill). The engine has VCT (variable cam timing) the loss of power is due to the engine retarding timing from the normal 15 degrees BTDC to 3 degrees BTDC as it has detected a fault. This causes the loss in engine performance. The switching off and restarting will temporarily reset the engine back to normal settings but will not fix the fault. It is likely one of the the throttle sensors is damaged giving a wrong electronic signal that cause the engine to go into retarded mode to protect the engine against damage. The throttle body assembly has to be replaced if it can't be repaired. The car is dangerous when driving in retarded mode. I nearly got wiped out by a bus as lost power at a critical moment when merging. You are fortunate as the car is still under warranty. Hand it back to the dealer and ask them to fix it or you are entitled to your money back under NZ consumer laws.


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## xtrailgt (Oct 14, 2010)

On my trips to and from work it doesn't get to the point where it stops completely although the turbo does only partially function by the time I get home. I will need to go for a longer run this weekend to see if the switch off and back on makes a difference.

You're not in Chch by any chance? Woud be useful for you to drive it a bit and see if it has the same problem as yours did.


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## speedo6 (Oct 21, 2009)

xtrailgt said:


> On my trips to and from work it doesn't get to the point where it stops completely although the turbo does only partially function by the time I get home. I will need to go for a longer run this weekend to see if the switch off and back on makes a difference.
> 
> You're not in Chch by any chance? Woud be useful for you to drive it a bit and see if it has the same problem as yours did.


I am based in Auckland. You say the turbo is not working- do you have a boost gauge fitted? It is a very complicated engine system the car has three ECU's, fly by wire system, turbo and variable engine timing plus a host of other sensors. You will have a problem finding anyone who can fix it as not many cars of this type around. I spent nearly $6000 on mine. I would give it back to the dealer and get them to sort it out. You only have three months for a dealer liability in NZ.


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## xtrailgt (Oct 14, 2010)

My X-Trail GT was running well for a few months but is again playing up. I love the car when it is working and really want to get it fixed. I am planning on taking it in to the garage next week so they can have a look at it. I'd appreciate your input on areas they should be focusing on.

*Problem summary:*
- does not accelerate like it used to
- power dies off at certain spots (around 40km/h and 70km/h). I have to boot the accelerator just to keep going 
- is not free revving / feels laboured
- engine note sounds duller
- turbo works some of the time
- is not in safe mode (turning it off and on again makes no difference)
- runs better on 95 RON fuel than 98

My initial thought was it is the turbo wastegate sticking but I now think this is not the case as the turbo works when you get enough exhaust pressure built up.

Getting exhaust pressure is the problem. I think this may be caused by either a faulty fuel sensor or a problem with the Variable Valve controller.

Do my thoughts make sense? Any other ideas?

All comments appreciated.


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## speedo6 (Oct 21, 2009)

xtrailgt said:


> My X-Trail GT was running well for a few months but is again playing up. I love the car when it is working and really want to get it fixed. I am planning on taking it in to the garage next week so they can have a look at it. I'd appreciate your input on areas they should be focusing on.
> 
> *Problem summary:*
> - does not accelerate like it used to
> ...


You need to first check the timing on the vehicle. The engine tone change sound like the timing is being retarded. The vehicle timing has to be adjusted electronically which the Nissan dealer can do. If the timing is changing the this may give you a clue as to the actual root cause of the problem. This is a very difficult problem to fix and you will need to work progressively through the system.


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## xtrailgt (Oct 14, 2010)

What should the standard timing be? Is it 3 degrees BTDC as you mentioned above? How can I find this out?


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## aussietrail (Sep 24, 2004)

xtrailgt said:


> What should the standard timing be? Is it 3 degrees BTDC as you mentioned above? How can I find this out?


Standard timing is between 15-16 BTDC.

You need to ask the dealer or any mechanic that has a diagnostic tool that plugs into the ECU to give you a print out of the readings and it will have the timing reading there as well.


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## Soarer92 (Mar 2, 2012)

*Knock Sensor*

It is either the knock sensor or the overboost signal putting the timing into limp mode.There is no ECU error codes for these it seems. I had same issue will post more details shortly.


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## futr0 (Feb 17, 2012)

Did anyone find solution for this problem? I am struggling with exactly the same symptoms. Slightly above 3k rpm it looses most of the power. But that's not a norm and doesn't happen all the time. I already replaced MAF (no joy) and checked engine with NDS2 but there are no errors in ECU. My only hope resolving this issue is contact official Nissan dealer/service but I am worried they won't help me with such rare car/engine (it wasn't ever officially sold here in EU). Any hints, comments or suggestions highly appreciated.


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## Soarer92 (Mar 2, 2012)

*Sequence of events...*

So this is what happened to me with this car. I have owned for 3 years and done 80,000k's in it. It progressively got worse and worse. At around 140,000 k I decided to try and sort out what was wrong. 

1. Found that there was a leak in exhaust manifold. I fixed this and there was more power but kept dropping into some sort of limp mode. I then took it to a specialised diagnostics mechanic. They will need Nissan Consult it is not ODB 2 compliant.
2. Decided that the catalyctic converter was blocked. Removed this (it was) and replaced with straight pipe. (There is no sensor after the cat in my 2001 model). This made it go a little crazy and dropped into limp mode straight away. See post below.
3. Found there was a leak in the wastegate diaphragm. Replaced this, this improved things slightly but was still dropping into limp mode.
4. Inspected knock sensor and it was ok so decided to trick the ECU by bypassing it by wiring constant voltage to the ecu port. This immediately stopped it going into limp mode, however we could visibly hear the knock. 
5. Retarded the timing by 3-4 degrees (standard 15). This was done within the consult tool.
6. Filled it with 98 octane gas (i tended to run on 95 previously).

I have had it running for 3,000k like this and have had no issues except once on a very hot day when it went a little strange, not sure what happened and it has not been that hot since.

I had a specialised local diagnotics guy do most of the work. We spent mega time on it trying to put it all together.

I am not sure what happens first but I think they get run on bad gas and the knock sensor is very sensative. I think running it in the limp mode then affects all the other issues. i.e. manifold, cat, wastegate....it just dumps fuel when in the limp mode.

There is no error code when in the limp mode. It just retards the hell out of the timing. There may have been some pre ignition when it was under heavy load or on hot days and it may still exist but without the knock sensor it does not throw it into limp mode and it seems ok. 

I only used to notice it on hills and longer trips. It resets with turning the ignition off but if you did not leave it for 10 minutes to cool down (to avoid pre ignition) it would just go straight back into limp.

So I am reasonably happy with result but there seems to be some fundamental issues with this engine and the ECU. I should have sold it earlier but I thought it was fixable....My advice is if you are having problems dump it. I know that some seem to be ok but there are lots with issues here in NZ.

It has constant power now and no audible knock. I have left the knock sensor out. It may be a little dangerous not to have one but the car is not worth much these days so I do not care.

I supect it is still a little down on power but it still goes extremely well. It gets an extra 50k to a tank now but still chews plenty of gas. About 11.5 per 100k on open road. About 13 around town.

I will add a link to the Japanese manuals and wiring diagrams which can help but unless you can do it yourself or you can get a reasonably priced diagnotics guy you could end up spending a fortune on it.

Any questions I will attempt to answer. I am no expert but am happy to help if possible. Happy hunting....


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## Soarer92 (Mar 2, 2012)

Wiring diagram and full manual..

http://www.sr20forum.com/sr20ve-sr16ve/271671-wiring-diagram-sr-motors-ve-de-vet.html


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## Soarer92 (Mar 2, 2012)

Also I forgot, I replaced MAF earlier on and did not fix anything. I recommend you put the original one back in if the replacement is not genuine..


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## Soarer92 (Mar 2, 2012)

Also forgot to say when we took out the Cat and with the leaking diaphragm it was boosting at around 19 psi. This is why it went crazy as it was overboosting and triggering the overboost sensor. Fixing the wastegate solved this. Standard boost is around 12-14 we think. He also replaced the spring in wastegate to operate at around 12 psi which may be slightly lower than normal.


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## futr0 (Feb 17, 2012)

*limp mode here too*

Thanks for all the info you provided. 
It looks like I've got exactly the same problem as you. Here is my summary:
I bought my X-trail GT (2001) 5 years ago. it had 160k km - now it has almost 200k km. For first year it was running just fine, lots of fun - no issues.
Then suddenly without any reason it started to go into limp mode. It was often happening during heavy acceleration or going uphill. I had similar problem in my previous car so I decided to replace the MAF and surprisingly it was temporary solved. 
After 3rd year I noticed it doesn't accelerate as freely as it suppose to. I found the leak / cracks on exhaust manifold. Initially I fixed it / someone welded the cracks but after a while I ended up with damaged turbo. ;-(
I replaced the manifold with new one and got used turbo from Japan which gave me a little joy for couple of months.
Also, because of the rattling noise coming from the timing chain I replaced it with new chain, guides and tensioner which removed the noise for few weeks.
Unfortunately, after replacing the chain set car started to go into limp mode as it happened before (after 1st year) so I decided to get another MAF. This time it didn't fix the problem and I am struggling resolving similar to yours currently.
I've got couple of questions in regards to it:

1. I've got ODB2 cable and NDS2 based on which I setup the timing. Is it possible that the readings from NDS2 are inaccurate and I need genuine Consult to setup it correctly? Is there any chance because the timing in my car is wrongly setup and it's the ultimate reason for going into limp mode?
2. After I replaced the manifold and the turbo I wanted to check the general condition of the engine and it's performance. I went to the garage with dyno and checked the engine. I was told it is in good condition but the catalyst looks to be blocked - 238KM instead of factory ~272KM. Moreover I found the lambda sensor location is before the catalyst and I wanted to remove it but my mechanic told me it will be very difficult to get rid of the catalyst. Do you have any hints how to do it? Any risk removing the cat? how to check if the diaphragm is faulty?
3. It seams the reason for your issue was the knock sensor. Can you give me more details how you overcame this? Also does it mean the engine is not performing well if the sensor detects the knock? Is there any relation to the timing and maybe the petrol? I cannot use 98 petrol only 95.

Thanks for your help one more time.


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## Soarer92 (Mar 2, 2012)

So I think your timing is correct on setup. Mine was also. But we still retarded it slightly as there was knock.

The cat can be removed with no ill effect just double check there is no down stream sensor, leave the upstream one. Just get your exhaust guy to unbolt from turbo, cut a hole in housing and knock it out. Then weld up the hole in housing. Not sure if you have emission testing but we do not here it just needs a visible cat and that is what it still looks like.

It will definitely be the knock sensor putting it into limp mode. I am not exactly sure what my guy did but based on wiring diagram wire the required voltage into ECU by splitting one of the other sensor wires with the same voltage. Nasty but it works fine. You will not go into limp then. Best to have a boost gauge though so you know what is going on. With no knock sensor you could blow the engine if you get too much pre ignition..bang. Like I said running on 98 and retarding the timing about 4 degrees got rid of my audible knock but I have not tried wiring the sensor back in. I cannot be bothered. If it blows up I will have had enough!!!

The only other possibility is it is overboosting due to a problem with wastegate. If you put a boost guage on then you should be able to tell. It should boost to around 14psi. mine was boosting to 19psi once we removed cat and before fixing wastegate so it triggered the overboost sensor (this retards timing also). Note you can also disconnect this sensor with no issues. Just pull the tube off that goes from the intercooler to the boost sensor on air box. Then see if you still go into limp mode. It is one way and does not affect the ECU unless it detects overboost. 

You can connect boost gauge to return tube that goes from throttle body to intercooler at the back of the intercooler with a T junction. 

Remember all of this in on the consult with the exception of the knock sensor data, apparently they left that out..


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## Supagrippa (Apr 23, 2012)

Thanks for documenting your experence and solutions Soarer92, I also have similar problems with my x-trail GT.

I also have a leaking wastegate actuator which I am going to replace with a aftermarket Forge unit (Nissan do not have a part number for the actuator so you have to get the complete Turbo unit from what I can tell). You mention you are using an actuator with a 12 PSI spring but what auctual boost are you seeing? (Assuming you still have the boost guage connected).


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## Soarer92 (Mar 2, 2012)

it boosts to around 13 psi. I think standard they can boost to around 15psi is my understanding. We went to local turbo guy and he got another smiliar one. we had to make some minor adjustments but it was cheap under $200. We were never sure what it boosted to as standard due to the leak. But we pretty much put in a similar spring.


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## xtrailgt (Oct 14, 2010)

My problem was eventually diagnosed and fixed by the excellent team at TurboCare in Auckland. A new boost guage was added and I have had no problems in the last 6 months.


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## fuihoong (Mar 19, 2012)

xtrailgt said:


> My problem was eventually diagnosed and fixed by the excellent team at TurboCare in Auckland. A new boost guage was added and I have had no problems in the last 6 months.


can share with us what have you fixed to your ride?


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## unijabnx2000 (May 19, 2004)

i'll take that engine


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## Supagrippa (Apr 23, 2012)

xtrailgt said:


> My problem was eventually diagnosed and fixed by the excellent team at TurboCare in Auckland. A new boost guage was added and I have had no problems in the last 6 months.


Would be great if you could give us all some detail on what was diagnosed and fixed?


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## futr0 (Feb 17, 2012)

*Boost gauge*

Could anyone point me out in right direction how to properly install boost gauge in sr20vet, please? Can i purchase standard 'cheap' gauge or i need any special model? Photos are highly appreciated. 

Still struggling with limp mode issue. Retarded my timming a łot to make car usable but no one is able to give professional help over here. Looks like I need to take step forward myself with turbo boost gauge installation and knock sensor replacement (got a new one).

Thanks,


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## futr0 (Feb 17, 2012)

*0.5 bar boost only?*

ok. installed boost gauge to return tube from throttle body to intercooler but the reading is 0.5 bar only. Does it mean there is a waste gate problem on the turbo or it's condition is just bad? Localised knock sensor  and wondering what to do next replace knock sensor or send turbo for reconditioning? Any ideas?


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## futr0 (Feb 17, 2012)

quick update: the reason for limp mode without check engine is 100% knock sensor. I've bypassed it and car is running much better. I had to advance the timing but still all can see on boost gauge is 0,7-0,8 bar max. It does accelerate much better now but still it's lacking boost at higher rpms. Is it turbo or maybe still need to tune the timing a bit? Been told the turbo is in quite good condition but wondering if the wastegate is opening to early... Is there any simple fix/modification to correct it?
Also any ideas what can be causing the sensor to detect the knock? Turbo?


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## fuihoong (Mar 19, 2012)

u need to check and tun the 1st, check your piston compression and check for the leak if any.


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## fuihoong (Mar 19, 2012)

If the above all function well then you need to check your actuator.


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## futr0 (Feb 17, 2012)

*loss of power when warm engine*

Hi,

Couple of things to add. I have replaced MAF and retarded the timing a bit. I noticed the car is working perfectly well when the engine is cold. Once it gets it's temperature it starts to wobble on higher rpms and it looses the power. It feels like the turbo doesn't give the pressure but when I look at the gauge there is no change - still 0.7bar max.
Is this something with A/F ratio or injection map? Is it possible something has changed in ECU? I have reset it with unplugging the battery for 3 hrs. but still same issue.
I am wondering about spark plugs (year old) or the turbo (still unsure about 0,7 bar it only gives). Any advises?
Also need to mention problem with power loss started to happen after timing chain has been replaced. Can those symptoms be caused by chain replacement incorrectly performed?

Thanks,


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## speedo6 (Oct 21, 2009)

You might need to get your turbo adjusted. It is a common fault with linkage arm to the waste gate stretching and effects both diesel and petrol turbo models. This causes the waste gate to open at low boost pressure causing intermittent loss of power. This is a very easy adjustment to make. I had to add some washers to the linkage arm and had turbo checked on bench to make sure that the waste gate opens at the correct pressure. The turbo is a bitch to take out on the Xtrail.


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## Grinch (Dec 3, 2020)

Hey Guys, I came across this forum with same problem (yeah i know some people still driving GT in 2020) . So my problem is on 2.5k-3k rpm i am losing power even if i push acceleration into the floor after 3k its going as it should go. When it started i saw that the catalyst with shelter was getting super hot and red and removed it thought it was a problem but nothing helped. i have Turbo boost gauge and on that rpms it shows 0.5-0.7 bar, so thought turbo is ok as its boosting. what would you recommend to start with - knock sensor,MAF, ECU change ? 
Thanks in advance


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