Nissan Note Faults
Common problems, known issues, and reliability guide.
Pre-Purchase Buyer's Guide
Expert VerdictThe Nissan Note is a hugely popular choice on the UK used market. While it has some well-documented common faults, regular servicing and preventative maintenance mitigate the worst of the issues. Its repairability score of 70/100 reflects the general availability of parts and ease of access for independent mechanics.
What to Look For
- Full service history (crucial for timing chains/belts)
- Smooth gear changes on automatic variants
- Evidence of water ingress in the boot or footwells
- Dashboard warning lights on cold startup
What to Avoid
- Ex-rental or heavily abused examples
- Cars with 'lifetime' gearbox oil that has never been changed
- Specific early-year diesel engines without DPF/EGR history
Variants
Own a Nissan Note?
Enter your email to get a critical alert if a severe new fault or recall is discovered for this specific car. No spam, ever.
Top Faults Across All Note Variants
Timing Chain Failure (K9K)
SevereThe Note E11 uses the same K9K 1.5 dCi as the Qashqai, Juke and Clio. The timing chain tensioner wear is identical — rattle must not be ignored.
DPF Blockage
ModerateThe Note is frequently used as a family runabout on short trips — the worst use case for a diesel with a DPF. Blockage is the most common fault on diesel Notes.
EGR Valve Failure
ModerateEGR failure on the Note dCi produces power loss and rough running. The small engine is sensitive to any reduction in airflow caused by EGR carbon build-up.