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Nissan Elgrand: VQ timing chain guide / tensioner rattle (E51)

VQ timing chain guide / tensioner rattle (E51) is a common engine fault on the Nissan Elgrand on the 2002–2010 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $2,000 to $4,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 17 documented faults on the Nissan Elgrand.

Vehicle
Nissan Elgrand
Engine
2.5L / 3.5L
Years
2002–2010
Fuel
petrol
System
Engine

This page covers the Nissan Elgrand as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Nissan Elgrand faults17 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

The front of a dual overhead camshaft engine with the timing cover removed, exposing the timing chain and sprockets.Example of the part — not this vehicle

The front of a twin-cam engine with the timing cover off — chain, sprockets and guides.

Logansenf · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

What goes wrong

The E51 Elgrand's VQ25DE and VQ35DE V6 use timing chains with plastic guides and a hydraulic tensioner that wear with age and skipped oil changes, giving a rattle - especially a brief rattle on cold start as oil pressure builds. The good news is the Elgrand's main tensioner is a different, more forgiving design than the 350Z/Maxima's, so it is less prone to catastrophic guide failure, but a chain that has stretched still needs attention before it skips. Genuine chains are recommended as cheap aftermarket ones stretch quickly.

What you would notice

  • Rattle from the front of the engine on cold start
  • Rattle under light load that fades as revs rise
  • Loss of power or economy on high-km cars
  • Check-engine light with cam/crank timing codes

How to check it

Where to look. Front timing cover of the V6 (accessory-belt end)

Cold-start and listen at the front of the engine for a chain rattle in the first seconds. Ask for oil-change history and whether the chains have ever been done. On a test drive listen for rattle under gentle load.

Parts involved: Timing chain.

What it costs to put right

$2,000 to $4,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

  • “Have the timing chains, guides or tensioner ever been replaced?”
  • “How regularly was the oil changed?”
  • “Does it rattle on cold start?”

Now check the Nissan Elgrand you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

  • ElgrandOC Forum 'Timing chains and sprockets replacement' thread
  • ElgrandCarParts / Automanspareparts E51 VQ35DE timing-chain guides

Nissan Elgrand buyer questions

Is vq timing chain guide / tensioner rattle (e51) serious on a Nissan Elgrand?

We rate it major and common on the Nissan Elgrand. The E51 Elgrand's VQ25DE and VQ35DE V6 use timing chains with plastic guides and a hydraulic tensioner that wear with age and skipped oil changes, giving a rattle - especially a brief rattle on cold start as oil pressure builds. The good news is the Elgrand's main tensioner is a different, more forgiving design than the 350Z/Maxima's, so it is less prone to catastrophic guide failure, but a chain that has stretched still needs attention before it skips. Genuine chains are recommended as cheap aftermarket ones stretch quickly.

How much does it cost to fix on a Nissan Elgrand?

$2,000 to $4,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Nissan Elgrand years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2002–2010 Nissan Elgrand. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.

How do I check for it before I buy?

Cold-start and listen at the front of the engine for a chain rattle in the first seconds. Ask for oil-change history and whether the chains have ever been done. On a test drive listen for rattle under gentle load. Look here: Front timing cover of the V6 (accessory-belt end)