Nissan Patrol Clutch failure

Nope - my patrol has done 255000 km and only just put in a new clutch coz the throw-out bearing started chattering. Coz I tow a lot these days I went for a heavier duty aftermarket one (no point paying the labour and not replacing everything).

david, please describe how it suddenly collapse. Give enough details and the year when it was made? Is it a GU?

The clutch failure was on a purchased new DX 2001 4.2l turbo diesel tray back Patrol. The clutch gave way with no warning, during a staightforward 30kms per hour gear change upwards. The vehicle couldbe just crept on the flat road. Nissan would not honour warranty, saying that the vehicle must have been abused for the failure to happen. Their "experts "declared that the destroyed clutch plate(fibre hanging off it}, did not show defects of manufacture. This was at 33000kms! The truck has been used as my personal 'car'...has never been off made roads, never bogged, never towed, never been in 4WD. I have driven over 1000000 kms in manual vehicles and trucks without a clutch failure.
So much for Nissan warranties! The only explanation I can work on is that there was some glitch in the slave cylinder return mechanism which caused the plate to "nearly" bear down on the flywheel, causing the gross slippage which then detroyed the plate. Inching the vehicle in order to get it lined up for the tow truck, and the revving experimentally to determine the extent of the problem perhaps did the rest. Has anyone out there got any ideas.....apart from kneecapping the entire management of Nissan.

David,
Welcome to the world of dealing with the arrogant b,s from Nissan Aust. I took my new (1700 km) GU back for repairs to BOTH rear tail lights which had cracked through the screw holes and fell out and thet told me I had been "playing " with them.Their national manager (customer service) was downright rude when I told him I would not reccomend their product to any of my friends.
By the way, has anyone else had this problem with the GU.
Apart from this I love the car ,but don't tell Nissan Australia.
Ray

david had similar problem with 3 l patrol had pressure plate spring pressure tested found pressure plate springs pressure to be 50% of specification,can be done at local uni or varions testing stations,nissan dont wont to know, but you can beat them at small clailms tribunal at dept of fair trading tribunal in nsw.ps my clutch failed at approx 33000klm

David i went to local nissan dealer and asked for photocopy of nissan workshop manual which gives manufacturers specified figs,if yours wont oblige let me know and i will try to get another copy.

david i am aware of one other gu patrol clutch failure at similar kms and no towing the guy is a mechanic but i havnt all the details but i am pretty sure it was fixed under warranty. regards simon

david i am aware of one other gu patrol clutch failure at similar kms and no towing the guy is a mechanic but i havnt all the details but i am pretty sure it was fixed under warranty. regards simon

david i am aware of one other gu patrol clutch failure at similar kms and no towing the guy is a mechanic but i havnt all the details but i am pretty sure it was fixed under warranty. regards simon

David, We had a clutch fail on one of our work utes after only 2months of use. It is a field service vehicle so it cops a bit of stick, the original clutch lasted over 180 000km so we were a bit surprised. It turns out that the original clutch plate and pressure plate ( so we were told ) has a small shoulder or step machined on them and the aftermarket plate that was used did not. This caused the drive to only go onto the outside 1/3 of the plate. We had a genuine one fitted and we have had no problems since. I have not fitted one myself but if all of them have this step it may be that it was fitted back to front on the assembly line. My GQ has now done over 300 000km and it still has the original clutch. I have always known nissan clutches to be very good. ( unlike the service centres )