Nissan Bluebird: common faults & what to check

Which Nissan Bluebird are you looking at?

4 generation variants documented. Pick the shape you recognise: the faults, the servicing and the timeline below all narrow to it. Free, no account needed.

Petrol

4 variants documented

1991–1996U131991–1996U131.8 petrolPetrolDocumented issues1 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: XVR 7785 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

1991–1996U131991–1996U132.0 petrolPetrolDocumented issues2 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: XVR 7785 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

1996–2001U141996–2001U141.8 petrolPetrolDocumented issues3 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: TTTNIS via Wikimedia Commons, CC0.

1996–2001U141996–2001U142.0 petrolPetrolDocumented issues6 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: TTTNIS via Wikimedia Commons, CC0.

Now narrow it to the engine

A 1.8 and a 2.4 of the same car do not fail the same way, so the faults below narrow to the engine as well as the year. Free, no account needed.

Start your free check on this Nissan Bluebird

No plate needed. You get the risk score, the buyer's checklist and the guided inspection for the exact car you picked above — not the whole nameplate.

The checks worth doing on a Nissan Bluebird before you hand over any money. Every documented fault is listed below, each with its own page.

• Serious issue

  On a test drive from cold, feel for shudder pulling away and any hesitation or flaring of revs under gentle acceleration.

  See why

  Early Nissan Hyper-CVT shudder and failure

  U14 Bluebirds fitted with Nissan's early Hyper-CVT (marketed as N-CVT) are a notorious weak point. The steel push-belt and pulley system, combined with poor fluid cooling, degrades the special CVT fluid and causes low-speed shudder, hesitation from a stop, whining/buzzing on cold start, and eventually slipping or total loss of drive. Units are effectively non-repairable in NZ and are usually replaced with a used import gearbox, which is a major expense on a low-value car.

  What you would notice

  • Shudder or vibration when accelerating from a stop
  • Hesitation or delayed acceleration at low speed
  • Whining or buzzing noise on cold start
  • Rising engine RPM without matching acceleration (slipping)
  • Complete loss of drive

  Typically $2,500–$5,000 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Check for oil leaks around valve covers, sump and gaskets.

  See why

  CA18DE Head Gasket Failure

  The CA18DE aluminium head is prone to head gasket failure, particularly after any overheating event. Symptoms include white exhaust smoke, coolant consumption without visible external leak, and bubbles in the coolant reservoir. The block deck and head must be checked for warping before reassembly. Cooling system neglect (old coolant, blocked thermostat) is the primary trigger.

  What you would notice

  • Engine overheating under load
  • Blue or white smoke from exhaust
  • Coolant loss or steam from engine bay

  Typically $1,120–$2,240 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Check all bushes and ball joints for play.

  See why

  U13 Rear Subframe Bushing Deterioration

  The rear suspension subframe-to-body bushings on the U13 crack and collapse over time, allowing the rear axle geometry to shift under cornering loads. Symptoms are vague rear-end handling, wandering on motorway, and tyre wear on the inside edge. Replacement requires subframe removal. NZ/AU humidity accelerates rubber degradation.

  What you would notice

  • Abnormal tyre wear pattern
  • Vehicle pulls to one side

  Typically $420–$840 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Check lower doors, sills, wheel arch lips and the boot/spare-wheel well for bubbling or flaking rust.

  See why

  Age-related corrosion on ex-Japan imports

  As 25-plus-year-old Japanese used imports, U14 Bluebirds in NZ can carry corrosion in the usual sedan trouble spots - lower doors, sills, wheel arches, boot floor and around the front strut towers and subframe mounts. Cars used near the coast or on salted roads are worse. Structural rust in strut towers or sills is a WoF failure and can be uneconomic to repair on a low-value car.

  What you would notice

  • Bubbling paint on arches, sills and lower doors
  • Surface or flaking rust in the boot floor
  • Corrosion around front strut tops or subframe mounts
  • WoF failure for structural rust

  Typically $300–$2,500 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Listen at cold start for a distinct chain rattle from the timing (right-hand) end of the engine, and again at idle once warm.

  See why

  Timing chain rattle and worn chain guides (SR20DE / QG18DE)

  The SR20DE and QG18DE engines used in the U14 Bluebird are chain-driven, and on high-kilometre, poorly-maintained examples the plastic chain guides and tensioner wear, allowing the chain to slap. This shows up as a rattle on start-up or at idle. If neglected the chain can stretch or jump timing, causing rough running or misfires. Regular oil changes greatly slow the wear; sludged engines suffer first.

  What you would notice

  • Rattle or chain slap on cold start-up
  • Metallic rattle at idle that quietens with revs
  • Rough running or misfire if timing has jumped
  • Check-engine light for cam/crank correlation

  Typically $900–$2,200 to put right.

• Common issue

  With the engine off, inspect around the distributor (end of the cylinder head) and the oil pressure switch for wet oil and staining.

  See why

  SR20DE distributor O-ring and oil pressure switch oil leaks

  The SR20DE engine has a camshaft-driven distributor sealed by an O-ring, plus an oil pressure switch, both of which harden with age and weep engine oil. Leaking oil around the distributor can also foul the cap and contacts, causing misfires, while the pressure-switch leak drips down the block. Both are cheap parts but often ignored on older Bluebirds and can be mistaken for bigger leaks.

  What you would notice

  • Oil weeping around the distributor body
  • Oil drip down the rear or side of the block
  • Occasional misfire if oil reaches distributor cap
  • Oily film and smell after driving

  Typically $150–$500 to put right.

What these repairs cost on other cars

Some of the Nissan Bluebird’s documented faults are repairs other models share. Each page lists the documented NZ cost for every model it affects.

• Timing Chain Replacement Cost
• CVT Gearbox Repair Cost
• Head Gasket Repair Cost

Other Nissan models