MajorCommonTransmission

Nissan Terrano: Automatic front free-wheeling hub failure — stuck in two-wheel drive

Automatic front free-wheeling hub failure — stuck in two-wheel drive is a common transmission fault on the Nissan Terrano on the 1986–1995 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $350 to $1,200 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 5 documented faults on the Nissan Terrano.

Vehicle: Nissan Terrano
Years: 1986–1995
System: Transmission

This page covers the Nissan Terrano 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 Terrano faults5 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Transfer case or Body corrosion or Clutch yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

The WD21 uses automatic front locking hubs, and they are the weak point of the four-wheel-drive system. The internal springs and clutch rings wear, or corrosion seizes them, and the hub then fails to lock — so the transfer case selects four-wheel drive, the dash light comes on, and the front wheels still do nothing. Because the light lies to you, many owners only find out when they are already stuck. A failed hub can also stay locked and grind. Most owners who keep these trucks off-road eventually fit manual hubs instead, which is the accepted fix and often cheaper than repairing the automatic ones.

What you would notice

Four-wheel-drive light comes on but the truck still spins a rear wheel
Grinding or clicking from a front wheel when four-wheel drive is selected
Four-wheel drive that will not disengage until you reverse a short distance
Manual hubs already fitted — a sign the originals failed

How to check it

Where to look. Centre of each front wheel hub, front axle and transfer case linkage

Look at the centre of each front wheel: if there is a dial marked LOCK and FREE, someone has already fitted manual hubs, which is a good thing, but ask why. On a truck with the original automatic hubs, find a loose, safe surface such as a gravel yard and, with the seller's permission, select four-wheel drive at a walking pace and drive a short distance, then turn slowly on full lock in both directions. Listen for grinding and feel for the front axle actually pulling. A truck that drives identically in two and four-wheel drive is not engaging. If a workshop inspection is possible: ask for the front hubs to be removed and inspected, and for the transfer case and front diff oil condition to be checked at the same time.

Parts involved: Transfer case, Body corrosion, Clutch.

What it costs to put right

$350 to $1,200 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

“When did you last use four-wheel drive, and did it engage properly?”
“Have the front hubs ever been rebuilt or replaced with manual hubs?”
“Does the four-wheel-drive light come on and stay on?”

Now check the Nissan Terrano 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.

JDMBUYSELL Nissan Terrano WD21 buyer's guide
Navara Forum — 'Dion's WD21 Terrano' build and repair thread

Nissan Terrano buyer questions

Is automatic front free-wheeling hub failure — stuck in two-wheel drive serious on a Nissan Terrano?

We rate it major and common on the Nissan Terrano. The WD21 uses automatic front locking hubs, and they are the weak point of the four-wheel-drive system. The internal springs and clutch rings wear, or corrosion seizes them, and the hub then fails to lock — so the transfer case selects four-wheel drive, the dash light comes on, and the front wheels still do nothing. Because the light lies to you, many owners only find out when they are already stuck. A failed hub can also stay locked and grind. Most owners who keep these trucks off-road eventually fit manual hubs instead, which is the accepted fix and often cheaper than repairing the automatic ones.

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

$350 to $1,200 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 Terrano years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 1986–1995 Nissan Terrano. 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.