Member - Ed. C. posted:

spudit,
While the g'box apart, make sure that you ask your repairer to have a VERY close look at the splines on the 5th gear & shaft (known problem with early GU's)...
If yours hasn't already had the replacement gearset fitted, now would be a good time to consider having it done (while it's apart), as there's a high likelihood that it will fail sooner or later...
Nissan have been repairing these out of warranty, but (as I found out) they are washing their hands of the problem after 5 yrs/200,000 K's...
Yours being a '99 model, it will no longer be covered by Nissan...
Good luck!

Regards, Ed. C.

GUPatrol posted:

Spudit,
For your peace of mind, ring the Nissan Customer service on their 1800 number and give them your car's identity number, that is the only way they can tell if your gearbox is affected by the 5th gear spline problem.
The problem does not affect early GUs, it affects GUs from 2000 to 2001 but some late '99 models were affected.
Once they clear that, you can be sure your problem is something else...
If it is affected then you can tell your mechanic so he can replace the main shaft and the 5th gear spline, (about $1500 worth).
Will

Member - Ed. C. posted:

GUPatrol,
Just to clarify... By "early GU's", I was referring to the *early* TD42T (and of course ZD30) models... My apology for the misunderstanding..

Mine is an April '99 build (one of the first batch of TD42T's to arrive at my local dealership), and the 5th gear failed (stripped splines).. so as far as the '99 models are concerned, it is not just "some late '99 models" that were affected...

I'd respectfully suggest that all (manual) Patrols built from the time of the introduction of the TD42T until the date that Nissan identified & rectified the problem, would be under a cloud of suspicion...

However, I do agree with your suggestion to ring Nissan to find out if the vehicle in question is one of the "suspect" batch...

My earlier suggestion for the repairer to have a look at this while the box is apart (regardless of what other problems may be found), still stands...

Regards, Ed. C.

GUPatrol posted:

Dear Ed. C.

Mine is a 99 model TD42T, built april 99.
Please read the message, "the only way for nissan to know is via the vehicle ID number"
I emailed Nissan my ID number early on when these problems started and they cleared my particular vehicle, (I got their email) however, a friend of mine was affected by the spline stuff up...

That is why I suggested to the person involved with this problem to call the Nissan customer service number and quote the vehicle ID to see if his g'box was affected, if it was he may have some support from Nissan even out of warranty.
The problem with the affected gearboxes is apparently a stuff up in tolerances in the manufacturing process, that is why some are affected and some are not, but between the years 2000 to 2001 most are affected.
This is what was explained to me by both Nissan customer service and the Nissan dealership.
In any case, it seems that this gentleman has it sorted out already and I hope all goes well for him.

Regards,

Happy GU Patrol owner with not a single problem after almost six years and 200000 kms of hard fourwheeling....