Nissan Bulletins and Technical Tips

Finisher and door panel contact causes squeaking

Iron particles in paint jobs

Wind noise from hole in sealer

Water leak in trunk area

ABS warning light dimly lit

Finisher and door panel contact causes squeaking
The owners of some 1996-99 Nissan Pathfinders have registered complaints about their SUVs making squeaks, creaks and other odd noises, emanating from various parts of the door finishers when they're driven on pavement or rough roads at speeds over 15 mph. Nissan has traced this problem to contact between the finisher and the door panels and suggests the following repair procedures:

Verify that the noise is emanating from the upper part of the front door finisher area by pressing on the upper part of the door finisher. This should eliminate the noise. To repair, follow these procedures:

Remove the following pieces:

• clips that secure the door finisher
• door arm rest
• door finisher
• inside door release handle finisher
• power window and power door lock switches (be sure to disconnect the wire harness connectors)
• screws that secure the door finisher

Put the pieces removed in Step 1 back in place and road test the vehicle.

Verify that the noise is emanating from the rear end of the door finisher area by pressing on the front door finisher. This should eliminate the noise. To repair:

Verify that the noise is emanating from this area by pressing on the upper part of the door finisher. This should eliminate the noise. To repair:
Repeat Step 1 from the previous section.

Apply felt tape (P/N 68239-13E00) to the door finisher as shown in Fig. 2. Apply the tape along the entire length of the area where the door finisher contacts the door panel (about 150 mm).

Put the pieces removed in Step 1 back in place and road test the vehicle.

Top

Iron particles in paint jobs
Nissan has issued bulletin BT01-048 NTB01-087 dated Dec. 5, 2001, with recommendations for removing iron particles from paint and how to identify them.

Environmental iron particles can be identified in paint as small, rust or orange colored dots with black centers or as small, white or silver dots with a "rainbow hue" around the edge. The surface will also feel rough or gritty.

The following steps have been found effective in most cases for removing environmental iron particles (sometimes called "rail dust") from a vehicle's painted surfaces.

Service procedure caution: In most cases these environmental iron particles can be easily removed, but create more damage the longer they are left untreated-and the harder they are to remove. In rare, more severe cases, spots of paint blistering can occur.

1. Use a magnifying glass to check if iron particles are present.

2. Wash the vehicle with soap and warm water. Completely dry the vehicle.

Note: There are three steps of damage repair possible that should be completed in the order given. Start with step A first. Complete step B if necessary. Proceed to step C only if iron particles are not removed in the preceding steps.

3. Repair the paint damage.

A. For light/medium damage (surface level only). Remove the iron particles using a clay bar, a clay-like surface cleaning material or equivalent.

B. For medium damage (surface level only). Remove the iron particles using a chemical cleaning product such as an industrial fallout remover (i.e. oxalic acid) or equivalent; or a chemical neutralization system

C. For heavy damage (deep into the clear and/or color coat):

This step will require wet sanding and/or repainting. Contact your local paint refinish supplier for recommended procedures.

Caution: Only an experienced paint technician who is familiar with proper refinishing techniques should perform the above repair.

For more information on identifying and diagnosing iron particles and other paint issues, refer to the Nissan/Infiniti paint incident identification manual, P/N 5PII00, or call (800) 247-5321 for a copy of the Nissan/Infiniti Paint Incident Identification manual,refer to the current Nissan warranty flat rate manual, "Environmental Damage," and use the coding that best describes the level of repair performed.

Top

Wind noise from hole in sealer According to bulletin No. NTB02-041, some 2002 Altima owners have reported wind noise, “buzz” or “whistling” sound around the left or right front door area. The noise is noticeable in crosswind conditions.

This may be caused by a hold in the door panel sealer at the front edge of the door. To repair the problem, fill the incident area with spot putty sealer and follow up with touch-up paint to cover the panel sealer.

Top

2000-2002 Nissan Sentra Bulletin: Water leak in trunk area According to TSB No. NTB02-068, some 2000-2002 Sentra owners have experienced water in the left and/or right rear wheelhouse in the trunk area due to a possible gap in the body seams. The service procedure will help identify if the seams between the left and/or right rear fender panel and wheel well outer panel are not completely sealed and provide repair steps to correct the leaks if gaps or broken bond joints are found. Note: procedure covers leaks in trunk only. 

Identify the side(s) of the trunk in which the leak is occurring, and inspect the inside to see if there are any visible causes for the leak. Note: Look closely at the area inside the trunk opposite the rear fender panel seam and wheel.

Put the car up on a hoist, remove the wheel and remove the rear bumper fascia finisher. Inspect the wheel well for visible causes of leaks, looking closely at the seam between the rear fender panel and the wheel well outer panel. 

Identify leaking areas by using a flashlight or spraying water on the exterior wheel well seams. 

When areas of the leak are pinpointed, clean and dry the area where gaps or broken seams are found, apply sealer/adhesive to the wheel well side of the broken body panel gaps and/or broken seams. Re-install rear bumper fascia finisher.

For specific product specifications, please refer to the bulletin.

Top

Frontier/Xterra Bulletin: ABS warning light dimly lit According to Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) No. NTB02-080, some 2001-02 Frontiers, (D22)-KA24DE engine, 2WD only, and 2001-02 Xterras, (WD22)-KA24DE engine, 2WD only, built before May 1 have an Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) warning light that is dimly lit when the engine is not running but the ignition key is in the “On” position or when the engine is running. 

Note: The vehicle may have to be in a shaded area to see the dimly lit ABS warning light. Perform the following service procedure:

1. Perform the self-diagnosis procedure in the BR section of the applicable service manual to check for stored ABS-related DTC(s).A.