MajorVery commonElectrical

Nissan Vanette: Glow plugs and glow plug relay — a diesel that will not start on a cold morning

Glow plugs and glow plug relay — a diesel that will not start on a cold morning is a very common electrical fault on the Nissan Vanette on the 1985–1999 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $180 to $700 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 Vanette.

Vehicle: Nissan Vanette
Years: 1985–1999
Fuel: diesel
System: Electrical

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

What you are looking at

No photograph available

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

What goes wrong

Failed glow plugs, or the relay that feeds them, are one of the most common LD20 complaints and the reason a lot of these vans get sold. A diesel this old needs its glow plugs to start from cold, and when they go the van cranks and cranks, fires on two cylinders in a cloud of white smoke, and clatters until it warms through. Owners work around it — parking in the sun, plugging in a heater, cranking twice — so the fault is often present and unmentioned. It is cheap to fix, but it is also the classic seller's trick to have the engine already warm when you arrive, which hides it completely.

What you would notice

Long cranking before it fires on a cold morning
White smoke and a rough, clattery running for the first minute
Starts fine when warm and badly when cold
Glow plug light on the dash not coming on, or going out instantly
Owner mentions parking it in the sun or in the garage 'so it starts'

How to check it

Where to look. Glow plugs in the cylinder head and the glow plug relay in the engine bay

Arrange to see the van first thing in the morning and ask that it is NOT started before you arrive — then put your hand on the bonnet or the engine cover when you get there, because a warm engine means you have lost the only test that matters. Turn the key to the on position without cranking and watch for the glow plug light: it should come on and stay lit for a few seconds before going out, and a light that never appears or goes out instantly is the fault. Then start it and count the seconds of cranking, and watch the exhaust for white smoke and listen for a rough clatter that smooths as it warms. Ask the owner how it starts on a frosty morning and listen for the workarounds rather than the answer.

Parts involved: Glow plug.

What it costs to put right

$180 to $700 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

“How does it start on a cold winter morning?”
“Have the glow plugs or the relay been replaced?”
“Does the glow plug light on the dash work?”

Now check the Nissan Vanette 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.

EngineCode.uk — Nissan LD20 engine review, specifications and common issues
NissanDiesel Forums — Nissan Vanette cold and hot starting threads

Nissan Vanette buyer questions

Is glow plugs and glow plug relay — a diesel that will not start on a cold morning serious on a Nissan Vanette?

We rate it major and very common on the Nissan Vanette. Failed glow plugs, or the relay that feeds them, are one of the most common LD20 complaints and the reason a lot of these vans get sold. A diesel this old needs its glow plugs to start from cold, and when they go the van cranks and cranks, fires on two cylinders in a cloud of white smoke, and clatters until it warms through. Owners work around it — parking in the sun, plugging in a heater, cranking twice — so the fault is often present and unmentioned. It is cheap to fix, but it is also the classic seller's trick to have the engine already warm when you arrive, which hides it completely.

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

$180 to $700 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 Vanette years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 1985–1999 Nissan Vanette. 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.