10th Feb 2010, 14:08

Pre 2003 Micras are great reliable cars.

Then Renault became involved. Am I the only one who thinks that the french influence has been a disaster for Nissan? I don't think it's coincidence that since Renault have become involved, Nissan have suddenly become unreliable.

The same can be said for the Primera; have owned a few, and so has a mate of mine, and they were great in terms of reliability. He bought a french involved one, and it's been a disaster from day one. I think Renault are to blame.

30th Apr 2010, 14:55

I bought a Micra 03 two years ago. Approx every nine months it broke down, and each time the fault was the cam shaft sensor costing approx £140 to repair. Just could not rely on this car, and very disappointed with Nissan as I always considered them to be reliable. Fortunately I have now traded it in.

30th May 2010, 11:29

Well I've got a 53 plate Nissan Micra with 105,654 miles with full dealer history, never had a problem, and still runs like a dream. Had it since new, you can service them easily.

1st Jun 2010, 02:27

Just waiting for Green Flag to sort out my 02 Micra. Last summer problems with starting in hot weather, this year just randomly not starting. It turns over & sounds as if it's going to start then just fizzles out. If I put foot on accelerator, it revs up then goes to nothing. Read everyone's comments & can't afford to go through all the 'maybes'!

Need a definitive answer!

15th Jul 2010, 16:20

I wouldn't advise buying a 53 Nissan Micra. I bought mine second hand not even a year ago, and already I have had to spend over £1800; the latest being that three coils blew!

I have had problems from the day I bought it.

24th Jul 2010, 02:49

Yep, got the 14sx for my wife 4 weeks age, looked great inside and out. 53 plate, 54000 miles. Engine management light come on. Took it to a garage of a friend; he took one look, put it on a diagnostic machine, and said get rid. £2,800 down the drain.

2nd Sep 2010, 08:49

Bought my Micra E 53 plate in 2005. It ran like a dream and sailed through MOTs each year. In 2009 it began cutting out randomly, the maintenance light was on permanently. Paid £130 for replacement sensors but the light was still on. New timing chain fitted at cost of £750. Driven daily for 2 weeks with no problems and today jumping and juddering (as if I was pumping clutch) and now maintenance light on again.

Any clues?

6th Sep 2010, 16:33

I'm a little concerned after reading all the comments posted.

I have a Nissan Micra 54 plate, and have had the car for approximately 4 years.

When I first purchased the car, I hardly used it as I was living between Britain and the U.S., and when I permanently returned, it was to the car needing a new steering column - despite the car having done less than 10k miles, and not being driven!

Now, when I lock the car, the central locking makes a hideous crunching noise, and I'm unsure as to what this might be. I also find that on occasions I can't open the driver door from the inside, and am forced to crawl out of the passenger door!

I originally looked on this site to ascertain whether the car had a cambelt or timing belt, and when this should be changed, but now I'm concerned about my 'crunching' central locking.

Any clues to this and the cambelt/timing belt query would be gratefully received!

13th Sep 2010, 04:35

I have had my 03 Micra for 4 years and it's always sailed through its MOT and NEVER had any major issues.

The only things I've experienced was the passenger seat sensor had to be disconnected, and I've replaced the ignition once as it wouldn't turn over (cost approx £75).

However just recently the Engine Management Light came on, so I took it in for a major service, asking the local garage to check the timing belt as it's never been replaced (mileage 65k). They said everything was fine, apart from warning codes 0011 and 0340, which they didn't know the meaning of, and since then the EMS light has been off.

Until last night, I was driving at 60mph and suddenly lost power with no acceleration, but yet the power was still on. By the time I moved over to the side of the dual carriage, it had lost all power and cut out completely. After a minute or so, everything returned to normal, so going to get the car checked out again ASAP.

With regard to Nissan service - I find them a rip off and very unhelpful. I had a 3 year extended warranty when I bought the car, and they wanted to charge me £90 just to get it looked at when I had the ignition problem! Plus I've had heightened conversations with a local Nissan dealership about a replacement tyre, which you'd think is a simple order to place - let's just say they were extremely rude and incompetent!!

Looking forward to my new VW now...

29th Sep 2010, 19:37

Hi, I'm here in Ireland and I also have one of those dreaded 2003 1.0 Micra's!

My little car has done, wait for it, 214,000 miles, and all this without the timing chain replaced. I think that's amazing!

But it has had numerous problems like the ignition barrel, which actually was a recall, but I replaced before the incompetent Nissan told me, and then refused me a refund. Nissan are totally useless, expensive, and after this car, I'll be buying elsewhere.

My problem is that it's next NCT (MOT) is due January, and it only just made it through the last test, and my other problem is that I can't help myself driving a car till it dies. Anyone know if it's possible to remedy this, although I know it's wishful thinking.

Also, like one of the previous comments, I too taped over the engine management light, nice trick, that was stuck there about 60,000 miles ago because I was sick paying Nissan to turn it off, only for it to come on again.

The worst company I've ever encountered in my life for service; Nissan, you should be afraid of the future.

I service it myself! Have done for years now.

One other thing, my sister had an identical car, it's gone now, timing chain (1100 euros) at 50,000 miles among a list of faults as long as my arm, but I ask you or somebody, please explain, if a timing chain is 'stretched', how could the engine run smooth? Nissan are taking money off people who don't question them! Never again, and that's a shame because they were in the past honest, reliable cars!

Try the tape over the EM light, it'll run forever, at least until the emissions kill it!