# Stop/Start system fault on X-Trail T32



## nez_pottage (Jan 2, 2021)

I have a 2015 X-Trail (T32 1.6DCi Auto) which is often, but not always, coming up with a Stop/Start system fault warning on the dashboard when starting up.
So far I have changed the battery for a new start/stop compatible one for this model (so the shop says), and bought a charger to make sure it was fully charged. Still getting the same issue though.

Sometimes if I go for a motorway run, next start up it will be ok, and may be ok for a few drives, but then comes back again.

I did get my local garage to do me a favour and put their computer on it. That showed lost of Voltage errors, and once cleared it was ok for maybe a week or so.

When I tested the voltage on the battery with the engine on and off, it does seem like the alternator is working. From memory the battery was 12v off load, and 14v when engine running, so I assume it is being charged ok.

Before I take the expensive step of a Nissan dealer for diagnosis, has anyone got any other troubleshooting steps?


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## VStar650CL (Nov 12, 2020)

Check the main engine ground. We don't have documentation for Exxies here in the 'States, but almost all 1.6's here have a bracket for the ground cable where it attaches to the tranny. For some reason, the brackets are all powder-coated and not plated, and it's very common for a little corrosion in the wrong place to make them problematic. When we find one causing issues, we take them loose and wire-brush the powder-coat off the contact surfaces.


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

VStar650CL said:


> Check the main engine ground. We don't have documentation for Exxies here in the 'States, but almost all 1.6's here have a bracket for the ground cable where it attaches to the tranny. For some reason, the brackets are all powder-coated and not plated, and it's very common for a little corrosion in the wrong place to make them problematic. When we find one causing issues, we take them loose and wire-brush the powder-coat off the contact surfaces.


I am Not a mechanic but an autoglass technician . I have worked in two different auto mechanic garages as the auto glass division portion of the shop space.

At one garage i was based out of, the garage owner had some customers fed up with start/stop issues ( seemed like a lot of bmw vehicles, mercedes, etc) and the mechanics disabled the start/stop function . I'm not sure what was involved, if it was a fuse or wire or even some software flash.
Any opinion on this? Curious if i ever buy a new vehicle again and maybe i feel like permanently deleting the start/stop function for whatever reasons.


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

more info for USA vehicle owners. Not sure what the legality is for us Canadians. In the USA it appears illegal to '' tamper with/remove '' the start/stop.....but doubtful the fbi will come arrest you. Probably the same for other countries in terms of legality and Fines or enforcement. 
-https://www.torquenews.com/1083/disabling-your-vehicle-s-stop-start-system-legal-or-illegal


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## VStar650CL (Nov 12, 2020)

tonyvancity said:


> In the USA it appears illegal to '' tamper with/remove '' the start/stop


It's because the stop/start system is considered "emissions equipment" under US EPA regulations, and it's illegal to remove emissions stuff. How difficult it is to disable varies _very_ widely between OEM's and from model to model. Some are as simple as an ECM re-flash with non-S/S firmware or configuration.


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## otomodo (May 23, 2008)

What i ve been reading on the crosstrek forum(maybe my next buy), he could barely touch the brake and the system would not stop the engine.He could try the neutral position and see if the system stops.

In US and Canada it s called Rogue, elsewhere in the world it s Xtrail.


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

VStar650CL said:


> It's because the stop/start system is considered "emissions equipment" under US EPA regulations, and it's illegal to remove emissions stuff. How difficult it is to disable varies _very_ widely between OEM's and from model to model. Some are as simple as an ECM re-flash with non-S/S firmware or configuration.


In your professional career opinion, IF somebody wants the start/stop function professionally and permanently disabled, will there be the possibility of mechanical/electrical/software issues at some future point? 
- IF you have a vehicle under warranty and you were to bring in your vehicle for unrelated service to your dealership And it was discovered you had disabled the start/stop....could they void your warranty ?....lol, i'm starting to miss the 1980 Chevy Chevette my father bought in 1984 as a second family vehicle. Was basically Fred Flintsone's car


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## VStar650CL (Nov 12, 2020)

Q1: Probably not.
Q2: Yes, at least in regard to the drivetrain.

I, too, sometimes miss the Flintmobile.


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## otomodo (May 23, 2008)

tonyvancity said:


> ...lol, i'm starting to miss the 1980 Chevy Chevette my father bought in 1984 as a second family vehicle. Was basically Fred Flintsone's car


I can sell you my xtrail, if you miss fred s car...
My xtrail under body is giving up and under the driver's foot it s kinda, let s put this way, very soft. Let's say there's less metal there than flinstone s car.




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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

otomodo said:


> I can sell you my xtrail, if you miss fred s car...
> My xtrail under body is giving up and under the driver's foot it s kinda, let s put this way, very soft. Let's say there's less metal there than flinstone s car.
> 
> 
> ...


funny....i remember as a young kid in the early 80s, my eldest brother would drive my mom and I to and from various stores for groceries in his 1969 Camaro.

So i was sitting in the back seat and noticed water down by my feet. ( We get tons of heavy rain showers in wintery Vancouver). Sometimes so much that you could hear it slosh side to side. I started to keep an empty, clean plastic margarine container on the back seat to scoop out water and toss out the water thru little rear 1/4 glass . Much like a person out on the ocean on a leaky boat. 
Eventually he asked his good buddy Dave, an autobody man, to do some body repairs and paint. Dave called him back a few days after he had his car up on the shop hoist and asked my brother to come to his shop.
He had the car on the hoist and showed him gaping holes in the floorboard, much like swiss cheese. At the point in time, the camaro was not a collector car, it was a dog with a weak 307V8 and maybe worth a few thousand dollars . The repairs needed, paint job and engine rebuild gave it ''junk car'' status and was parted out /taken to the autowreckers.
Sometimes you just gotta let things go and move onto better things.


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## Joe Didoh (Oct 14, 2019)

The


nez_pottage said:


> I have a 2015 X-Trail (T32 1.6DCi Auto) which is often, but not always, coming up with a Stop/Start system fault warning on the dashboard when starting up.
> So far I have changed the battery for a new start/stop compatible one for this model (so the shop says), and bought a charger to make sure it was fully charged. Still getting the same issue though.
> 
> Sometimes if I go for a motorway run, next start up it will be ok, and may be ok for a few drives, but then comes back again.
> ...


 The main engine ground may be loosen. Check that and the alternater connections.


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## iannixon (Jan 10, 2021)

nez_pottage said:


> I have a 2015 X-Trail (T32 1.6DCi Auto) which is often, but not always, coming up with a Stop/Start system fault warning on the dashboard when starting up.
> So far I have changed the battery for a new start/stop compatible one for this model (so the shop says), and bought a charger to make sure it was fully charged. Still getting the same issue though.
> 
> Sometimes if I go for a motorway run, next start up it will be ok, and may be ok for a few drives, but then comes back again.
> ...


Had the same sort of problem and was told to lock car..open car ...sit in drivers seat..depress clutch fully ...put key in and start car...keep clutch depresses for approx 5 seconds. Hopefully waning light goes off. Worked for me many times.


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## nez_pottage (Jan 2, 2021)

iannixon said:


> Had the same sort of problem and was told to lock car..open car ...sit in drivers seat..depress clutch fully ...put key in and start car...keep clutch depresses for approx 5 seconds. Hopefully waning light goes off. Worked for me many times.


It's an Auto. No clutch ha ha. I think the grounding is the likely cause. I've fully charged the battery, which only took a few hours on a slow charger, and the fault was still there.
Before I got the car, it has been standing for a few months, and there was a little sign of rust on the brake callipers, so it's probably got other areas that need a check. I'll have a word with my local garage to see if they can check out the grounding for me.
I've been looking around forums today and there's a lot talking about Nissan ground issues and looking at or upgrading the battery to chassis, battery to alternator, and chassis to engine block.
Fingers crossed that's it s there are no other issues.


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## Fuzzywuzzy (6 mo ago)

Just wondering if you managed to find the root cause of the start stop issue. I have a 2016 Nissan Xtrail T32 and experiencing the same issue. Nissan dealer put it on the computer and haven't been able to find a fault on diagnostics. Will be driving the vehicle with a diagnostic dongle attached to record all the readings from the car.


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## BGZ (5 mo ago)

Fuzzywuzzy said:


> Just wondering if you managed to find the root cause of the start stop issue. I have a 2016 Nissan Xtrail T32 and experiencing the same issue. Nissan dealer put it on the computer and haven't been able to find a fault on diagnostics. Will be driving the vehicle with a diagnostic dongle attached to record all the readings from the car.


I had the same annoying issue since the first winter. Assuming the weaker battery. After a year came also during the summer. Been at the Nissan official garage several times. They check..., a problem had disappeared for a week or two. Once they suggest I should come back if when the problem repeats - they can clean the switch or smth. somewhere at the bottom of the motor or chassis, exposed to water and mud. Haven't been back, but since I had to change the battery (died after 5.5y), the problem disappeared. The battery is also related to some settings for start/stop, as I discuss with a technician at the specialized battery shop during the replacement.
Bad thing: three possible issues, battery, related parameters, switch/sensor


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