I have a T32 automatic 4WD with less than 40,000 miles. I noticed a click noise when I start out after changing from forward to reverse, or visa versa, when I touch the brake.
I first thought it might be CV joints or a loose brake caliper from a recent change of brake shoes. Neither of those suspicions panned out. No appreciable (detectable) play in the the CV joints. No CV joint noise in tight, slow turns. Brake calipers are tight. I did observe what seemed like a lot of slop or backlash when turning the front wheels with the car in the air (or with one front wheel in the air) and the car in park or neutral. This translates to about 5 degrees of rotation of the the front wheel. The play is not in the CV axles but seems to be inside the transfer case. Of course there should be some and certainly some before coming up against the parking brake tang. Does this amount seem normal or excessive? (Would be great to compare with another car rather than just gather opinions, so if you have your Rogue or X-trail up in the air, perhaps you might compare).

Here is a link to a video that shows the amount of rotation of the wheel related to this backlash. In the video, the loud click here is coming up on the parking brake tang. Not so much noise in neutral.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/RSaiCwtz5r4SwhacA

Thanks!

I'll have to look at your vid later on a different computer, this one doesn't like the link. However, you probably just have the infamous dry-axle click, almost any Nissan from '10 up can get it on any drive axle. Try this first:
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2021/ ... 8-0001.pdf

Well that's interesting. Thank you. I still wonder about the degree of slop (backlash).

There's always quite a lot of slop in differentials because of the helical-cut gears. We see diff or transfer failures once in a blue moon on Rogues, drivetrain problems are almost always in the tranny, or (for AWD) the driveshaft or fluid coupling.

Thanks for that info on the play in the transfer case.