MajorCommonEngine

Nissan Wingroad: QG15/QG18 oil consumption from worn piston rings (Y11)

QG15/QG18 oil consumption from worn piston rings (Y11) is a common engine fault on the Nissan Wingroad on the 2000–2005 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $300 to $3,500 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 14 documented faults on the Nissan Wingroad.

Vehicle: Nissan Wingroad
Engine: QG15 / QG18
Years: 2000–2005
Fuel: petrol
System: Engine

This page covers the Nissan Wingroad 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 Wingroad faults14 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

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

What goes wrong

The Y11 Wingroad's QG15DE/QG18DE engines are known oil burners at high mileage: the low-tension piston rings coke up and stick, and oil consumption climbs to the point of fouling plugs and the catalytic converter. These are now cheap, old wagons, so many have been run low on oil, which finishes them off. Consumption can sometimes be improved with de-coking treatments, but bad cases need rings or a replacement engine - usually uneconomic on a Y11.

What you would notice

Oil level dropping noticeably between services
Blue smoke on start-up or hard acceleration
Fouled spark plugs / misfires
Low oil pressure light flickering at idle

How to check it

Where to look. QG-series engine - piston rings and valve stem seals

Check the dipstick before the test drive - low or coal-black oil on sale day is a bad sign.
Watch the exhaust in the mirror under hard acceleration for blue smoke.
Rattly top end plus smoke means walk away at anything but a giveaway price.

Parts involved: Catalytic converter.

What it costs to put right

$300 to $3,500 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

“How much oil does it use per 1,000 km?”
“When was the last compression test?”

Now check the Nissan Wingroad 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.

Engine-Specs.net QG16DE/QG18DE family reliability notes (oil consumption)
Alibaba CarInterior 'How to choose a Wingroad Nissan - common problems buying guide'
AULRO forum 'N16 Pulsar problems' thread (same QG18 engine, rocker cover leaks and oil use)

Nissan Wingroad buyer questions

Is qg15/qg18 oil consumption from worn piston rings (y11) serious on a Nissan Wingroad?

We rate it major and common on the Nissan Wingroad. The Y11 Wingroad's QG15DE/QG18DE engines are known oil burners at high mileage: the low-tension piston rings coke up and stick, and oil consumption climbs to the point of fouling plugs and the catalytic converter. These are now cheap, old wagons, so many have been run low on oil, which finishes them off. Consumption can sometimes be improved with de-coking treatments, but bad cases need rings or a replacement engine - usually uneconomic on a Y11.

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

$300 to $3,500 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 Wingroad years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2000–2005 Nissan Wingroad. 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?

Check the dipstick before the test drive - low or coal-black oil on sale day is a bad sign. Watch the exhaust in the mirror under hard acceleration for blue smoke. Rattly top end plus smoke means walk away at anything but a giveaway price. Look here: QG-series engine - piston rings and valve stem seals