MajorCommonEngine

Nissan Fuga: Oil gallery gasket failure causing low oil pressure (3.7 VQ37VHR)

Oil gallery gasket failure causing low oil pressure (3.7 VQ37VHR) is a common engine fault on the Nissan Fuga on the 2009–2012 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $2,500 to $5,500 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 13 documented faults on the Nissan Fuga.

Vehicle: Nissan Fuga
Engine: VQ37-VHR
Years: 2009–2012
Fuel: petrol
System: Engine

This page covers the Nissan Fuga 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 Fuga faults13 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Timing chain yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

Oil gallery gasket failure is a known issue on the 3.7 VQ37VHR V6 in the Y51 Fuga 370GT built up to 2012. Paper gaskets on the oil passage plates behind the timing cover break down and oil leaks internally, so oil pressure drops, usually first at hot idle, and the engine can set P0011 or P0021 cam timing codes and go into limp mode. Nissan revised the gasket around 2012, and later engines are unlikely to suffer it. We have not found a recall or extended warranty for this fault, and driving on with low oil pressure can damage the timing chain and bearings.

What you would notice

Oil pressure warning light flickering at hot idle
Check engine light with P0011 or P0021
Limp mode or reduced power
Rattle from the timing chain area

How to check it

Where to look. Front of engine, behind the timing chain cover

After a test drive, let the car idle hot and watch for the oil pressure light or a falling gauge. Listen for chain rattle at idle. Ask whether the oil gallery gaskets have been replaced and for invoices. If a workshop inspection is possible: scan for stored or pending P0011/P0021 codes and check hot idle oil pressure with a mechanical gauge.

Parts involved: Timing chain.

What it costs to put right

$2,500 to $5,500 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 oil gallery gaskets behind the timing cover been replaced, and is there an invoice?”
“Has the oil pressure light ever come on or the car gone into limp mode?”
“Have P0011 or P0021 codes ever been read?”

Now check the Nissan Fuga 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.

Nissan Fuga buyer questions

Is oil gallery gasket failure causing low oil pressure (3.7 vq37vhr) serious on a Nissan Fuga?

We rate it major and common on the Nissan Fuga. Oil gallery gasket failure is a known issue on the 3.7 VQ37VHR V6 in the Y51 Fuga 370GT built up to 2012. Paper gaskets on the oil passage plates behind the timing cover break down and oil leaks internally, so oil pressure drops, usually first at hot idle, and the engine can set P0011 or P0021 cam timing codes and go into limp mode. Nissan revised the gasket around 2012, and later engines are unlikely to suffer it. We have not found a recall or extended warranty for this fault, and driving on with low oil pressure can damage the timing chain and bearings.

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

$2,500 to $5,500 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 Fuga years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2009–2012 Nissan Fuga. 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.