Tailgate alignment

[Eddie1]

Hello has anyone had a problem with the tailgate not being aligned properly.I have had it in at the dealers and they said it requires 2 new hinges.So I took it in today to be told that the hinges won’t fix the problem and needs to go to the body shop for 2 days to fix it.The car is just over 6 months old with 2k on the clock.Sounds as though it is going to be a bodge job.surely this should have been picked up at the factory and the dealer?

[hootintootin]

Mine is covered in mud and the like

Can't see until hosepipe ban is lifted.

But it opens and closes...happy with that

[ilkka]

My tailgate wasn't aligned on the left side. The lights didn't line up and dealer just fixed it by adjusting the hinges. I think they loosened up the screws and just moved the tailgate until it matched the lights. Nothing new was required.

[Squashy2]

Had a similar situation with a new Jeep Patriot back in 09. All four doors where out of alignment, one so bad you really had to slam it shut to lock.
The fix was for the dealership to loosen the hinge bolts and realign the doors, when I picked it up after the work it was perfect. They even left the wax crayon/pen marks on all of the hinges to show how far out the door hinges were.

OP, personally I would let the dealership/body shop fix it for you.

[xavpiq]

I still have to see a J12 with the tailgate aligned! Not just the early cars, if you go now to a dealer you'll find the newest arrivals with the same problem!
What I don't understand is how the Juke, having a similar backlights design, they are all perfectly aligned, check it, and they cannot sort it out for the Qashqai in Sunderland!
Anyway, I improved my alignement by extending the two pieces you see below (there's a screw inside) and lifting the tailgate up. Could not reach perfect alignement because if you extend them too much the electric lock cannot engage the hook and the tailgate does not close.

[ophidian]

You need to unscrew hook, move it a bit and screw it again. You can do it at home.

[xavpiq]

I'll first ask the dealer to fix it when I go in for the first car service, but I suspect it would be simpler going to mars than solve it ... you know dealers...

[Eddie1]

Update regarding tailgate alignment.The car has had 2 new hinges fitted at the body shop and the tailgate is now aligned.

[xavpiq]

Update regarding tailgate alignment.The car has had 2 new hinges fitted at the body shop and the tailgate is now aligned.

Hi Eddie, could you tell or post a picture of which hinges were replaced: the upper ones holding the tailgate or the side ones connecting the power arms to the body?

[Eddie1]

It was the upper body hinges that hold the tailgate.There is a YouTube video about how to adjust the hinges on a Nissan qashqai Facebook page.