P1480 fault code. Exhaust e/throttle cont actuator

Forum for Engine, Exhaust, Drivetrain, ECU
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Triple7
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2016 2:07 pm

Post by Triple7 »

Hi All,

We bought our Qashqai+2 1.6 Diesel 4WD new from a Nissan dealer, and the car has been serviced by them since.

So just after the 4th year service (which cost us £750! inc brakes) the engine management light came on. On return to the dealer we waited for an hour while they read the ECU and came back with the following fault code:-
P1480 Exhaust e/throttle cont actuator2.DEF ....and then presented us with another £700 bill to replace and fix. :o

So, on asking if was 'regular/normal' for such an important engine part (electronic throttle, think Toyota issues) on such a young car with low mileage (only 40K) to fail, and all I got were very evasive answers from the mechanic and very poor answers as to its implication. On asking if it was safe to drive "I dunno" was the reply!? (think stuck open throttle for an ethrottle fault!!??) :o
Furthermore, I received condescending and poor customer service from the reception desk, considering I have been a loyal customer.
The mechanic would not even say if he had seen this fault on other Qashqai's, or how often, or even whether he knew its design 'mean-time failure rate'.

Anyway, my question to the experts on this forum...
1) Does anyone have any knowledge regarding this fault.
2) Has anyone else had it.
3) Did Nissan help with the repairs. (it is a rather large bill for such a young car!)

This car has had a couple of issues under warranty needing attention in the past, and I'm now wondering if I should bother with another Nissan at all.

Thanks all.

Triple7
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2016 2:07 pm

Post by Triple7 »

Further to the above, should I be worried about "ethrottle cont actuator2.DEF"... as a stuck open "electronic throttle control actuator" mentioned in previous post, could be a nightmare!!
Hence why I'm a little dis-chuffed about the garages response and would you believe even Nissan Customer service. Their response on asking if the car was safe to drive was just to refer me to the mechanics at the garage as they are not technical staff. aaarggg.

Interestingly whilst trying to research this the .DEF at the end of the fault code, it is used in other manufactures fault codes to define 'Diesel Exhaust fluid', such as Urea. Some cars have had secret tanks full of this fluid, build into the car at manufacture, to help control emissions. Do any of us know if Nissan have used this technical system in the past??
AdrianR
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2016 1:37 pm

Post by AdrianR »

I had the same problem with our Qashqai. The dealer said it was safe to drive but would not meet emissions standard. I was quoted £795 to fit the new exhaust throttle actuator. So I've not bothered. But was pretty unhappy as the car is only 4 years old. Have got used to driving with the amber warning light.

Have you done anything about it?
Richo
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Aug 22, 2015 3:38 pm

Post by Richo »

Been there. One of the many on my I've got that t shirt list. It's only on the 1.6dci and as it suggests its a valve in the exhaust under the gear lever. Mine was replaced at around 42000 miles. Dealer nor really interested and neither were customer services. I've grown accustomed to this "the customer is only valuable when they are buying something" attitude. Add seized front brake calipers under warranty which I had to pay to get replaced and then fight to get the cash back. Failed front suspension bushes. Annoying splutter around 60 mph from new that apparently no one at Nissan are aware of and now either the rear wheel bearings or rear diff are on the way out. Its just a lemon. Never again will I pay good money for a Nissan.
User avatar
Gel
Posts: 3265
Joined: Thu May 22, 2014 12:02 pm
Location: Thames Valley UK
Qashqai Model: Mk.2 Qashqai - J11 (2013–2017)

Post by Gel »

Perhaps get a good independent to quote?
2014-19 J11A-14 1.5dci Ink Blue Tekna owner; now departed for a Mazda CX-5 GT Sport Nav, 2.0L Petrol :D
Triple7
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2016 2:07 pm

Post by Triple7 »

Hi Adrian,
Sorry for the late reply but been working abroad, and have just been so busy lately...

Anyway, long story short.... Nissan customer service came up trumps and replaced the Exhaust ethrottle cont actuator with 'goodwill', and the engine management light has now extinguished.

However, on picking the car up after the work was completed, a loud "squeal" was noted as we got 100m away... it sounds like a loose fan belt type of squeal. We immediately returned the car to the dealer, and in fairness they were all over it like a rash, and couldn't work out what was causing it. So the car was left with the dealer and we departed in the courtesy car again. 3 working days later and with much head scratching as to what was causing the loud squeal, we got a call informing us it was the turbo..... requiring a turbo change. arrrrggg.
So back to Nissan customer service. Many calls (and 3 weeks) later it was agreed to replace the turbo with parts being supplied by Nissan with more goodwill. What was a very pleasant unexpected surprise was that the dealer then offered to do the work for free. Thank you. Consequently the turbo was replaced, which amazingly required the engine to be dropped as the turbo could not be extricated from its location. That does not sound like great design!

However, after initial euphoria, we are gutted again, as the very loud squeal returned the next day after pick up. :cry: It looks like the loud squeal was NOT caused by the turbo. The squeal was quieter initially but got louder over the week. Still sounds like a loose/slipping belt (as in it 'sounds' like this but we believe it isn't) and is only apparent for the first few minutes of engine running. Also it's only heard when the engine is 'under load' and accelerating through 1700-2500 rpm. After a couple minutes down the road the noise doesn't happen anymore. Throughout, the engine feels fine and pulls fine. :?:
We returned to the dealer and the service manager is perplexed. He could offer no further advice and asked us to return if it didn't improve or got worse.

Consequently we have what appears to be a working car with no warning lights on, except that it makes an awful loud squeal that only happens when the engine is under load. If you start the car on the driveway and rev it, it does not make the squeal, but as soon as you get on the road and pull away, then the loud squeal comes with a vengeance. 1 minute later... nothing... working fine with no squeal??????????????

We don't know what to do now. :( :(

The story continues, and if we get any updates we will post.

Below are a couple videos uploaded to youtube of our car and its horrendous squeal, if anyone has ideas into what this squeal is please let me know.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSsXialr-do

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hB69lsWuKQg

atb.



Richo, sorry to hear all that mate. atb.

Gel, do you have any details on a good indi, I have looked but cannot find one in the Gloucestershire area. atb.
egm
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Aug 28, 2017 11:13 am
Qashqai Model: Mk.2 Qashqai - J11 (2013–2017)

Post by egm »

Just joined the club - The P1480 club that is. :evil: Dec 2012 Qashqai 1.6 diesel. Nearly 5 years old with only 41000miles. It was my car but passed on to daughter at 2 years old (the car that is). Been regularly serviced but engine management light came on some 6 months ago. Diagnostics reported P1480 and Nissan quoted £750 parts & labour. Daughter shocked, and asked if she could drive it - no useful information forthcoming in reply!.
Amber warning light stayed on, but car drove fine, until last week when she was on a trip to Cumbria and whistle started quietly but was much louder next day. RAC said P1480 but Turbo was starting to break up also. Will never know if one fault led to the other but this & other forums suggest Turbos fail at this age/mileage and is far from uncommon.
Could not risk turbo breaking up and getting sucked into engine. So RAC towed car back to our independent garage in Newcastle. 80 miles & £200.
Garage diagnosed P1480 and Turbo problems. Said if I sourced parts they would fit. Guess what? - the e/throttle control actuator is a valve attached to the front exhaust down pipe. The garage sent me a photo and it is the weirdest thing I have ever seen. It only gets fitted to the 1.6 diesel as I understand and not the 1.5d. The garage thought they could detach the valve from the front pipe but according to 2 Nissan Dealers, this is not possible. The part can ONLY be purchased from a main dealer and it is £556 + fitting about £200. Even the dealers don’t have them in stock, they have to order them in)
I managed to find one (Try 1st Choice Spares – pretty good service) from a dismantler but they wanted £340 but it only came with 60 day warranty. That was the only single offer in the UK.
I was offered a discount from Nissan Sunderland (thank you Parts Department, the young man must have taken pity on me after my tale of woe or because I bought the car there) which would have brought price down to £444. But then my own garage would have to fit and we would have lost the 12 months parts & labour guarantee from Nissan.
No choice but to take a chance and remove car from garage and take to Nissan Sunderland – about 15 miles. Fortunately, it did not blow up on the way.
Nissan diagnosed P1480 & Turbo was breaking up. Cost £1400+ to fit exhaust & e/throttle valve & I presume, “recon” turbo, or £2400+ if I wanted a new OEM Nissan Turbo.
I had intended taking car back for my garage to fit the turbo. I had already sourced, but not bought, a recon or new turbo (try Partsgateway.co.uk – they were able to provide a few sources) for between £200 & £420.
I therefore asked the garage just to do the exhaust & throttle valve. Mentioned that the Parts Dept had offered me approx. £100 discount and got the price agreed at £614 including the diagnostic charge of £50 advised by phone or £60 as my daughter booked it in - £10 increase overnight? (even though I knew what it was - they of course had to confirm).
5 minutes later they rang back with the advice that the service manager had said that the Turbo was disintegrating and did I really wish to risk it again? The fear factor won and I asked them to do all the work. To be fair I would been have taking a big risk to take it back 15 miles to save a couple hundred pounds.
Hitch – the price was back up to £1400+
I wailed a bit more about the £100 offered discount and pleaded my daughter need car for work in hospital. After a few more of my tears – just kidding, she asked the workshop manager once more and came back with £1327 all-in – Thanks Sharon.
See – Nissan dealers can be human, but you have to plead & wail a lot.
I write this on Bank Holiday Monday, it may help others who encounter this problem. When I first started looking for a solution, I could find almost no information online apart from this forum.
Nissan Dealers divulge no information or even if a fault is safe to drive with or not. This appears to be a common problem with 1.6 diesels but for Nissan it is “hear no evil, speak no evil- keep schtum if anybody asks” Understandable I suppose it could cost them lots of money. But it will cost them goodwill & reputation.
All these electronics fitted to reduce diesel emissions, may be the fault of the EU or planet & people savers, but Nissan should provide a solution (a valve attached to an exhaust must be the hottest, rustiest, most inhospitable place to put one – no wonder they rust up & jam open or closed) that lasts longer than 41000 miles, and at a huge cost to the customer.
I have had 3 Qashqais in a row and it is a likeable car, good seating, comfortable & I thought reliable. Looking into this whole sorry affair, I now find that a reliability survey 2016 put Qashqai bottom in 127th place. Oh how the mighty have fallen! Funny they advertise, looks, comfort, running costs, fuel frugality but they don’t mention a rust carbuncle of a valve stuck on the front exhaust pipe costing £750 to replace.
My own Qashqai is a 1.5Diesel Accenta Premium less than 3 years old (so no, I don’t think it has the costly valve on the exhaust, but it has a cam belt as opposed to 1.6d chain cam, so that is a potential costly situation when it is 5 years old). So far it has had a re-call for DAB radio problems. The battery failed at 18 months (loads of them -google Qashqai battery problems). Had RAC out and they said take it to Nissan. Nissan Newcastle said “we have taken battery to pieces and fixed it” When I told him that was miraculous he said that he may have got it wrong.
3 months later it started failing again but Nissan refused to replace it under warranty. In all, it left us stranded 5 times, so we just kept calling Nissan Assist until the RAC, in disgust, said follow me to Nissan Newcastle and he went in to explain they were “naughty” and should change the battery.
Finally we had a new battery, but the inconvenience to the customer was ignored despite showing them 5 pages of internet stories & complaints about Qashqai batteries failing. They did not even apologise despite knowing it is a common problem. They glibly say “first I’ve heard”
Now I have re-call for inner-wing problems – if they come loose, it can affect your brake lines!
Qashqai may be built on our doorstep and that may have had a bearing on our past purchases, but sorry Nissan, my patience with your vehicle’s reliability, cost of repairs and Dealership service, has worn out. I buy new cars so I can minimise problems and visits to your dealerships. I do not wish to become so familiar to them, that I am invited to their staff parties.
My Qashqai will be replaced in next few weeks and our daughter’s shortly thereafter. End of an era.
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