Nissan QashQai Forums

Hi, just got myself a 2012 1.6 DCI Tekna model - On the whole it's a really nice car and appears in extremely good nick with only 53k on the clock.

Cos I got upsold on a fancy extended warranty (which I might yet cancel) I did a full list of pending service stuff cos you need it to be up-to-date in order for the warranty to be valid. Stupidly I realised service was due like this week and I have 4 weeks grace period to get it done.

The good news is last year was a major service and the previous owner had nearly EVERYTHING done, plus all brake pads and discs replaced and a fresh pair of rear tyres.

The bad news is there's two things I couldn't find any record of - which were overdue based on monthly intervals (obvs not mileage) - Engine coolant replacement and Drive Belt/Pulleys.

Coolant doesn't seem an issue and I'll probs get my regular mechanic to change it alongside the oil on a minor service. When I checked the drive belt though, it looked worn on the top, and the bottom side with the ridges has small cracks all along it -



So just asking - is this considerable wear for the car's age and do I have good recourse to make the garage I bought it from replace it? They seemed skeptical on the phone but they did give me a "Pre-Delivery Inspection" sheet on purchase which clearly says they checked the belt (highly doubting what they've actually checked off that list now!) I'm planning on using the fact it's 3 years overdue according to the service schedule and this invalidates my expensive warranty. Also that if it snapped and damaged the engine they'd basically be liable.

Thats a serpentine drive belt - like all rubber based belts ( and tyres ) they age.

Easy job - and its considered a wear and tear item

Oh I know what it is and that it ages over time, and I could replace it myself relatively easily but as I said it would invalidate my warranty because it needs doing by a VAT registered garage.

I'm asking if that level of wear would concern people as I'm finding conflicting advice online.

Found an article here that might be worth a read. For piece of mind I think that I would replace this Belt although it is pretty robust but if the Splits Open Up it could be costly - just some data as Info’ Dave

Diagnosing and resolving accessory belt problems | Gates Europe : https://www.gatestechzone.com/en/proble ... r-symptoms
Serpentine belts are made of high quality reinforced rubber. The lifespan of the serpentine belt depends mostly on the material it is made of. Older Neoprene rubber belts generally last about 50,000 miles, while newer belts made from Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) rubber will last up to 100,000 miles.

Drive Belt(s)
Nissan Service intervals for the 1.6 petrol engine are per 24k miles and that is "Inspection" only. The belt is showing signs of age with deterioration of belt visible materials. I'd change it with an original part myself or by a reliable garage.

Its not so much what you can see its what you can't see that matters. The Service Inspection is simple visual (a glance) I suspect

I really cant see this having an impact on your warranty - usually its about servicing the car - not replacing wear and tear items.
If that were the case - then they would have you over a barrel over everything that wears.

If the serpentine belt snaps, you warranty company will say it is a wear and tear item and should have been replaced. It is not necessary to be carried out by a VAT registered company, it can be done by yourself or any garage, in the same way if you fitted new tyres, does not affect the warranty.

calnorth wrote: ↑Sun Feb 07, 2021 10:41 am Drive Belt(s)
Nissan Service intervals for the 1.6 petrol engine are per 24k miles and that is "Inspection" only.

Ah this isn't petrol, this one is the 1.6 Diesel so service intervals are 12 months/18k miles I believe. But that includes oil and filter change for every minor service, plus whatever random items are due according to the seperate part-specific service schedule. Thankfully last year it looks like the previous owner did a MAJOR service with nearly everything except the belt and coolant changed.

The book I got with the car lists the service interval for replacing the drive belt and inspecting pulleys as 90,000 miles OR 72 months - whichever comes sooner. The car is only 53,000 miles, but 72 months was 2018. I think a lot of garages must just just go on mileage without considering that even a heavy duty rubber belt will perish over time.

The warranty stuff was simply because it states in the terms that the car must have been maintained in line with the printed service schedule in order for it to be valid - it states it must be serviced within 4 weeks or 500 miles of whichever was due, and must be done with receipts by a VAT registered garage. In my case it was last properly serviced by the previous owner in Feb 2020 so is due a minor service this month. The belt is indeed a "wear and tear" item but since it's written in the schedule as overdue, and if it snaps on a bad day it can take the engine out.. I figured it pays to be cautious.

Anyway! Good news is I persuaded the garage I bought it from to sort it for me at no extra cost. Still gonna book it for a minor service with my usual guy this week but saves a few bob! Also got a 17" X Trail space saver for the boot space for a mere £75 which should snugly fit the subwoofer inside.

I just read this , and I think that there is confusion over the need to replace a cracked serpentine belt , and a Cam belt - which does need to be changed per the intervals suggested.

For me , if the car is in excess of 72 months old - then you are living on borrowed time ref the CAMBELT

Buffy wrote: ↑Thu Feb 11, 2021 12:52 pm I just read this , and I think that there is confusion over the need to replace a cracked serpentine belt , and a Cam belt - which does need to be changed per the intervals suggested.

For me , if the car is in excess of 72 months old - then you are living on borrowed time ref the CAMBELT

The 1.6 diesel has a cam chain not a cam belt so no problem there.