Routine Oil Change at dealer turned into nightmare...

[08roguesl]

I recently purchased an 08 Nissan Rogue sl awd with 70K... Ive had it since Sept... and i went today for an oil change at the dealer and the rep explains to me that i have a list of things to fix on the car...
-Brake fluid Service $169.95
-R Axle - A/M 525 or OEM $975
-Throttle Cleaning- $140
-E.F.I-$250
transmission Fluid Drain and refill -$250
-Drive Belt- $179.95

I almost had a heart attack when i saw those prices... Any input would be greatly appreciative.. This is my second Nissan... My first car was 97 Altima.. I was an orginal member of nissan club. Thank you for the help by mods and other members.

[ImStricken06]

i would tell them: "since these are all things you should have found, when you claimed you "inspected" the car via the "multi-point inspection". so if you dont want this written about in the local paper, i'd suggest you perform these critical services at your expense. because i doubt you want me buying an unsafe vehicle from you, right? sending me out in a car with brake & drive issues is unsafe & illegal in many places"

brake fluid service should be done every year. any car shop can do it. its simple. probably $75 at most
rear axle... i'd have the private shop look at it. they are not that expensive. less than $300
throttle body cleaning is a total hack. they spray a spray into it. its not even a real cleaning.
efi is another junk waste. to really clean the injectors they have to remove them and send them to an ultrasonic cleaner. what dealer do instead is remove the fuel line, and dip it into a fuel injector clear - the same crap you can buy in a bottle at your local auto store. skip this for sure.
transmission fluid = i'd have them give you the reading via the consault program. most people dont need it changed this early.
drive belt = meh... i'd let the private shop do this. it wont be that much.

[08roguesl]

Thank you for the quick reply... I appreciate it... I bought this car from a used dealership not Nissan... My wife tell me we should go back to him. I was a Lil upset BC the dealer who sold me the car that he changed the belt... F****king liar... I checked it today and it has lil lines inside the belt... Also the axle is the right side front axle .... Do u think I can do the t.b cleaning... I've done it before on my old altima??? Is there a relearn procedure.... What does brake service consist of?

[ImStricken06]

brake fluid drain is easy. just takes 2 people.
front axles can get expensive due to our super expensive trans fluid.


i'd call that dealer and tell him the scoop. i'd tell him that he sold you an unsafe car, and that your sister-in-law works for the local major paper, and is itching to do an article on your unsafe experience. i'd offer him to go HALF on what the dealer quoted you for.

i'd still do most of the work at a local shop. it will be half of much money.

[08roguesl]

Thank you for ur reply and input.. I'll keep you informed on my issue... When I have a chance I'll take a pic of the transmission fluid and do I have to use the Nissan ns2 fliud?

[ImStricken06]

Thank you for ur reply and input.. I'll keep you informed on my issue... When I have a chance I'll take a pic of the transmission fluid and do I have to use the Nissan ns2 fliud?

there is no reason to take a pic. a computer analyzies the fluid. you cant tell anything by looking at THIS fluid. it looks burned, but its not. its not like traditional fluid: pink = good. brown = bad. nissan cvt fluid just looks brown 24/7 lol

and yes, you 100% have to use ONLY nissan cvt fluid

[TrevorK]

CVT (Transmission) Maintenance: On your vehicle Nissan has extended the warranty on the transmission to 10 years/120,000 miles. Because of this, it would be strongly recommended that you perform the manufacturer (not dealer) recommended maintenance on the unit, and have the maintenance performed somewhere that can clearly indicated things like fluid type, etc. I would advise doing this at the dealer because with the CVTs having the extended warranty, you do not want to give Nissan a reason to deny a future claim against it.

Brake Fluid: Nissan recommends brake fluid changed every 15,000 miles/12 months on my Rogue (2011), most likely similar for yours. It would be normal for a dealer to recommend this on a vehicle with unknown service history.

Throttle Cleaning/EFI: These are services not recommended in the maintenance guide. At your mileage, you may not notice any actual difference in MPG or performance with these services. The difference may be measureable, but not noticeable to the driver. Doing them may cause other issues, especially if done improperly. If your vehicle is running properly, I would just leave it be.

Drive Belt: This should be inspected regularly and replaced if needed. If the dealer is recommending it be replaced, a visual inspection is being performed and they should be able to show you why it needs replacement. This is up to you really. Some would change it before it snaps for peace of mind, but others would just wait until it breaks or is really, really cracked. There is a thread on here (should be on the first page or two) that shows some after market drive belts being a slightly different length, so you may want to either research the appropriate one or have someone use the Nissan part.

Axle: I have no idea why they are recommending it is changed. With a repair this high (as this is not maintenance) I would recommend a second opinion.

Overall, I really do not see the dealer that out to lunch. Sure they are offering the throttle body cleaning/efi system tuneup (or whatever they call it), but that is to be expected. Even independant garages will push these services because they are easily explained to the consumer and it would make sense a difference would be made by cleaning the parts (and in some cases, it is actually noticeable). You may not agree with their prices, and that's fine, but you have to realize a dealer typically charges more than an independant shop. They are using book time for their services, and something like the drive belt is 0.8 hours (I think), so 179.95 seems reasonable considering they are using a Nissan part and have 0.8 hours labour. Heck, my Nissan dealer is over $160/hour in labour alone.

You should get another quote, however you obviously went to the dealer for a reason and that's because you trust them. Remember that just because a shop is independant does not make them any more (or less) trust worthy. If you want an independant shop, talk to friends/family and others in your area to find a shop that you are confident in. Do not just go with any old independant shop because they are cheaper, find one you are comfortable with.

[08roguesl]

thank you for your reply and input.. ill keep you informed... i have been noticing that i have going through a tank of gas fast... would you recommend lucas fuel treatment ?

[TrevorK]

thank you for your reply and input.. ill keep you informed... i have been noticing that i have going through a tank of gas fast... would you recommend lucas fuel treatment ?

I would not recommend using off-the-shelf solvants/cleaners/etc. in your vehicle before you try the proper maintenance items. For example, at 70K miles you may want to ensure you have items like the air filter changed, spark plugs changed, check resistance across the coils, etc. if you are experiencing poor performance. These parts are normal wear items and should be looked at well before a "can of miracles". Many modern fuel injection systems do not need cleaning, and when they do, it often involves a proper cleaning and not an intank solution.

If your thought is that your mileage is going down, I would recommend you start keeping a log of your mileage when you are filling it. After 5-10 tanks of gas you will have a more accurate reading of your mileage (because looking at the results of a single tank is just too variable). This will also help if you change out a part, as you will see if it makes a difference over many tanks.

[08roguesl]

Thank you TrevorK, i will look into 5.56 video on tune up for the rogue.. i notice sometimes my car judders when shifiting into gears? i can't really put a word to explain it.. any info would be helpful? should i pay the 250 from dealer to change fluid?

[TrevorK]

Thank you TrevorK, i will look into 5.56 video on tune up for the rogue.. i notice sometimes my car judders when shifiting into gears? i can't really put a word to explain it.. any info would be helpful? should i pay the 250 from dealer to change fluid?

Because your transmission has the extended warranty on it from Nissan, I would recommend changing the fluid through them to avoid any possible hassle if there is a failure. I do not know the laws in the US, but I am sure that if you have it changed at a quick lube type place there will be some burden of proof on you that you used genuine Nissan fluid, etc... For the amount of money you would save (as the Nissan fluid itself is VERY expensive) it seems better to do it at the dealer.

They also have a tool to tell you the fluid life, but unless they do the diagnostic for free you are better off paying a little extra and just having it changed regardless.

If my tranmission had 70K on it and started to have problems when shifting into gear (noises, lurching, hesitation, etc), my first step would be to look into having the fluid changed since it probably has not been. It's either that or having the Nissan dealer pull all the info on it with their CONSULT tool that reads into the transmission computer. But again, that'll be an hour of labour I assume which is half the price of your fluid change (which would not hurt to do at your mileage).

5.56 has posted some great videos, so watch them carefully and see if you're confident in doing the repair yourself.

[ImStricken06]

5.56 has posted some great videos, so watch them carefully and see if you're confident in doing the repair yourself.

thanks for the plug!

https://www.youtube.com/user/imstricken06

ps: OP, here is my channel. plenty rogue related DIY's.

[ristau5741]

If your thought is that your mileage is going down, I would recommend you start keeping a log of your mileage when you are filling it. After 5-10 tanks of gas you will have a more accurate reading of your mileage (because looking at the results of a single tank is just too variable). This will also help if you change out a part, as you will see if it makes a difference over many tanks.

could also be the "winter gas blend" issue, may also be the length of car warm up's with the cold. (if you live in a cold area) sitting for 5 minutes letting the car warm up gets you ZERO MPG

[08roguesl]

Thank u for the replies... Once I get my income tax money I'll be doing some work to the car.

[Scooter71]

Honestly, I don't think it's 10000% necessary that you use Nissan NS2 CVT Transmission fluid as long as what you purchase states that it's for Nissan CVT transmissions that require NS2 fluid. I've personally only seen one product come into my store ( I work at Advance Auto Parts at night (Second job)) that qulify's. Valvoline CVT transmission fluid, so I contacted them from the store and their assured basically guaranteed me that it was equivalent to the OE specs on NISSAN CVT NS2 and will not void any warranty's.
http://www.valvoline.com/products/consu ... -fluid/136
http://www.valvoline.com/pdf/cvt_fluid.pdf

[ImStricken06]

Honestly, I don't think it's 10000% necessary that you use Nissan NS2 CVT Transmission fluid as long as what you purchase states that it's for Nissan CVT transmissions that require NS2 fluid. I've personally only seen one product come into my store ( I work at Advance Auto Parts at night (Second job)) that qulify's. Valvoline CVT transmission fluid, so I contacted them from the store and their assured basically guaranteed me that it was equivalent to the OE specs on NISSAN CVT NS2 and will not void any warranty's.
http://www.valvoline.com/products/consu ... -fluid/136
http://www.valvoline.com/pdf/cvt_fluid.pdf

its not up to valvoline to warranty claims. its ONLY up to nissan.

if you want to sue nissan upon a claim denial, and bring in valvoline as your expert witness, by all means do so. but be ready for a multi-year drawn out process. frankly i am surprised it has not been done yet. if i am not mistaken, it is against the law to require only in-house brand be used for vehicle maintenance, otherwise the warranty claims be denied.

[Scooter71]

Honestly, I don't think it's 10000% necessary that you use Nissan NS2 CVT Transmission fluid as long as what you purchase states that it's for Nissan CVT transmissions that require NS2 fluid. I've personally only seen one product come into my store ( I work at Advance Auto Parts at night (Second job)) that qulify's. Valvoline CVT transmission fluid, so I contacted them from the store and their assured basically guaranteed me that it was equivalent to the OE specs on NISSAN CVT NS2 and will not void any warranty's.
http://www.valvoline.com/products/consu ... -fluid/136
http://www.valvoline.com/pdf/cvt_fluid.pdf

its not up to valvoline to warranty claims. its ONLY up to nissan.

if you want to sue nissan upon a claim denial, and bring in valvoline as your expert witness, by all means do so. but be ready for a multi-year drawn out process. frankly i am surprised it has not been done yet. if i am not mistaken, it is against the law to require only in-house brand be used for vehicle maintenance, otherwise the warranty claims be denied.

You are correct it is illegal to hold in house brands against warranty. But I would still trust Valvoline before I used a dealer ship to due a simple fluid change on CVT transmission. Not to mention it's literally half the cost of Nissan's NS2 fluid.

[TrevorK]

Honestly, I don't think it's 10000% necessary that you use Nissan NS2 CVT Transmission fluid as long as what you purchase states that it's for Nissan CVT transmissions that require NS2 fluid. I've personally only seen one product come into my store ( I work at Advance Auto Parts at night (Second job)) that qulify's. Valvoline CVT transmission fluid, so I contacted them from the store and their assured basically guaranteed me that it was equivalent to the OE specs on NISSAN CVT NS2 and will not void any warranty's.
http://www.valvoline.com/products/consu ... -fluid/136
http://www.valvoline.com/pdf/cvt_fluid.pdf

I personally would not take the risk of Nissan voiding the extended warranty on the transmission due to using different fluid. I think it is all about the risk that you want to take because there is a chance your transmission will fail within the warranty period, and if it does, there is a chance that not using Nissan fluid could void the warranty.

If the transmission was out of warranty then I would consider using alternatives based on my experience with them and the potential damage they could cause if they are improper. But when it is within warranty I would prefer to do what I can to maintain that warranty, even if it's $100 more, because the transmission is just such an expensive component to purchase. And I am still unsure if they replace much for parts inside, or if the only choice is to really replace the unit.

To each their own, and that's part of the "joy" of working on cars is that there is potentially many different answers to a problem. And regardless of the answer you choose, it may not actually affect the life of the vehicle even though you can demonstrate your choice is fundamentally better.

[08roguesl]

UPDATE......... I changed the belt at a local shop and the person states that the front pass axle is leaking a Lil bit of fliud from the boot... Should I change it.... Also when I turn my wheel from getting out of a parking I hear a clunk noise... We checked the c.arm and ball joints everything seems OK... He said maybe its ur strut mount? Wanted to charge me 75 each didn't do it BC I was not convinced...

[ImStricken06]

UPDATE......... I changed the belt at a local shop and the person states that the front pass axle is leaking a Lil bit of fliud from the boot... Should I change it.... Also when I turn my wheel from getting out of a parking I hear a clunk noise... We checked the c.arm and ball joints everything seems OK... He said maybe its ur strut mount? Wanted to charge me 75 each didn't do it BC I was not convinced...

if you hear clicking while turning, its your cv-joint. and since you mention your cv-joint boot is torn = its a no brainer what your problem is.

[08roguesl]

Hey 5.55 doesn't sound like a click.. More like thud or something is loose...?

[TrevorK]

Hey 5.55 doesn't sound like a click.. More like thud or something is loose...?

My personal opinion is that you should fix the known problem (leaking CV boot) before trying to track down other problems. A torn CV boot can cause a certain noise, and if your mechanic cannot provide you with a "this is what is wrong" answer, then I would start with what you know is broken before you go down the road of "well this could cause a noise, let's just replace it" mentality.

A strut mount is not the most common source of noise on a car with 70K miles in my opinion. My experience is that the struts start to clunk long before the strut mounts ever do. I would personally hold off on changing them until you can have a little more assurance that is an actual problem because it will be a large expense (as I assume the $75 per side is just his labour rate and you still need to buy the mounts).

[08roguesl]

Where should i purchase the cv pass. axle? i know the dealer quoted me 525.00 for an aftermarket part?

[TrevorK]

Where should i purchase the cv pass. axle? i know the dealer quoted me 525.00 for an aftermarket part?

525 includes labour I assume?

I show the CV Axle being $85 from RockAuto. This is the part:
http://www.cardone.com/Products/Product ... 287&p=rock

I do not know what the OEM costs, however I would prefer to stick with OEM if not much of a difference in price.


I show the labour being 2.2 hours to replace it, with an addition 0.2 hours to change out the axle seals (I would do it if I was there). I am not sure what your labour rate is, but 525 could very well be a reasonable price if your labour rate is high. You can of course save some money by going to a shop with a lower labour rate.

[08roguesl]

Took the car to a shop and installed the axle... what a pain in the a** take out the axle. it was stuck.. but it came out... its still making that noise when i turn but he said everything was good working condition..... some trans fluid came out but he reinstalled it...