airvent/smoke issue

Update on the air/vent smoke issue with GL. A few months ago I had NWGA repaired the issue of outside air and odor coming inside the GL. They took down the whole dash and fixed and adjusted whatever needs to be to prevent outside air from entering the cabin even on recirculation mode of the aircon. At first, I thought this has solved the problem. Yesm, it has minimized the ambient air from getting in via the front aircon vent on recirculation mode. however, my wife and I noticed a few things:

1. If we are following a vehicle with about 1 car apart, we do not smell the exhaust gases from the car in front. noticed that the smoke is bing thrown in-front and going above the hood of GL (I presumed this with the law of aerodynamics). But when tailgating due to inevitable situations, the exhaust gases from the front vehicle then would be travelling under the GL since we are closer to the vehicle in front. Then we can smell the exhaust gases entering GL.

2. If passing by a bridge over a creek, we can definitely smell the bad odor of the creek. Or even when driving over an manhole or beside an overflowing drainage, a wet market somewhere, the smell is so distinct and clear.

This leads to my speculation that the ambient air might be entering from the underside of GL or through the door and window seals. with this in mind I experimented the following:

1. driving without air-conditioning, radio is off and all windows are closed at the expressway, with average speed of 80kph. The objective was to attempt to hear if there would be any gushing sound of air coming in the cabin. Good news, there are no noticeable air gushing sound. Which leads me to a conclusion that the door seals and window seals are well seated.

2. Next experiment, while GL is parked at home, I placed a very smelly wet opened garbage bag from our lovely kitchen, then I entered GL without starting the engine and the aircon, stayed there for a while, and viola, i can definitely smell the garbage, at first I thought it might be the initial odor that came in when I entered GL. But the smell gets stronger and more distinct.

This leads to a speculation that somewhere in our GL underside, there might be a hole or a series of piping that allows outside air to enter.

I remember our GL does not have undercoating yet. when we bought GL a year ago, the sales rep advised that we can delay the undercoating if it is a budget concern for us, for about a year since GL is rust-proof. Anyway, I am considering having GL undercoated before the end of this year and will see if that would solve the problem, as the procedure may reveal the holes and the undercoat can cover if any holes are found.

does this patching/filtering solution (http://tsikot.yehey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36995&page=140) still hold? is it still recommended? if yes pictures please.

Yes the patching still holds, but this will prevent you from venting in air to the cabin if needed. I have removed the patching since this was addressed by nisssan westgate alabang. Unfortunately, it seems like the ambient air is getting in somewhere else aside from the aircon vent. even at full stop with engine off / without aircon, i can smell the odor from outside (as stated sa experiment ko). But this might be an isolated case for my GL. Patching definitely minimized but not totally eliminated the issue for my GL. I don't have pictures of the patch i made before and I've removed it. Ill take some pictures on where i put the patch when i have time and post it here.

eggy_reyes wrote:does this patching/filtering solution (http://tsikot.yehey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36995&page=140) still hold? is it still recommended? if yes pictures please.

ginawa ko ito. medyo wala na ako na experience na pumapasok na odor galing sa labas.

pictures please

http://tsikot.yehey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36995&page=140

bro try mo ito

real_renz wrote:http://tsikot.yehey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36995&page=140

bro try mo ito

yup already found that link pero would prefer actual pics sana of both part location, nodification, and installation

eggy_reyes wrote:

real_renz wrote:http://tsikot.yehey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36995&page=140

bro try mo ito

yup already found that link pero would prefer actual pics sana of both part location, nodification, and installation

pic ng paggagawa non?? cencya na bro hindi ko nakunan eh..

Pinasok ko sa casa si GL for this issue. I already performed the patching thing but odor still enter the cabin. According to SA,
two days daw nila gagawin kaya pahinga muna si GL.

Also, sinabay ko na din ang insurance claim for all the minor dents ni GL since maeexpire na yung zero deductible insurance ko next week.

I got my GL yesterday around 5:30pm after 4 days of repair in casa due to airvent issue. I-charged ba naman ako ng P4,700 labor cost para sa repair nila. Pinatawag ang Service Advisor ko and I informed him na warranty claim and unit issue ang ginawa nila para mag charged sila. Kaya pina waived nila ang cost.

Di ko na nacheck yung car ko dahil pa close na yung casa and medyo madilim na. Timing naman na traffic pag uwi ko and wala na ngang pumapasok na smell sa cabin. At last, nawala din yung problema sa air recirculation ng unit ko.

Akala ko tapos na and this morning ay nakita ko ang RESULTS sa pag repair ng airvent sa unit ko:
- GREASE sa door handles
- Grease sa carpet, side panels and plastic PANELs sa ilalim ng dash board
- nangitim yung seat cover ng driver at passenger side
- scratches sa stick shifter
- bali yung both sides na lock ng plastic cover near the hand break
- Plastic cover below the dash board are not properly fitted
- kicking led light at the passenger side ay inipit na lang sa carpet
and the worst ay may dent yung mga sides ng plastic cover sa dashboard kung saan yung mga dugtungan including yung malapit sa odometer....

I'll return the unit on Monday for insurance claim para lang sana sa mga minor dents sa exterior. Pero naging MAJOR, MAJOR ang nangyari sa interior ko dahil sa REPAIR na to...

That's sad Sir, nakaka pang init ng ulo yan ganyang trabaho. San po casa nyo pinagawa sir?

Well at least na resolve yun airvent issue na under warranty.

Another thing is yun pag claim sa insurance and repair period would take a few days or a week, hay! hassle na naman.

Hassle talaga ang nangyari. Mantrade yung casa sir.

@marckd1, bad trip naman yun!!! ok na sana kasi nawala na yung amoy pero dami naman pala nasira at hindi maayos gawa! to think na casa pa yun!!! hay naku, kung ala lang talga warranty sa labas ko papagawa yung oto. kaya ako ayoko pagalaw yung dashboard sa kanila tapos days pa aabutin?! problema ko pa din until now yung smoke issue pero tatakpan ko na lang yung butas sa drivers side like sir lydemer suggested... i hope maayos ng mantrade...

btw, if it's ok with you baka pwede pa post ng experience mo sa "Dealers' works" para me list tayo ng ok and sablay na casa's...

thanks!

Badtrip talaga Pres., at yung steering wheel ko ay naka 80 degrees to the left ang position. Hindi naka center ang position pag naka park and while driving.

That really Suck! Pero Sir cool ka lang upon complaining baka kasi may mga gawin yun mga mekaniko na d halata na pwedeng e kasira ng GL mo pag medjo aggressive ang approach mo. You can never tell kung ano ang mga nasa isip nung mga tao na yan.

naku! sablay din pala yung sa steering. grabe naman yung mantrade, FOUR DAYS na yung sasakyan hindi man lang nila na check?! most likely hindi na din na check ng QA nila yung sasakyan. diba SOP sa kanila ng after repairs eh i-road test ng QA nila and check the quality of work done?!

from sir steel pulse's post...

"FYI- My GL became NMPI's guinea pig sometime in August 2008, just weeks after I bought my unit. The problem was that outside odor (smoke, etc.) were getting inside the car. When I reported it to Nissan Iloilo, the dealership owner was kind to enough to let me use her own Livina in the meantime (about 4 days I think). It turned out that the cable used in closing the A/C shaft was too long and couldn't effective seal it. So the cable length was reduced. That solved the problem."

ask ko lang, hindi ba accessible yung cable pag tinanggal yung center console (yung sa may radio) at kailangan pa talagang ibaba yung dashboard?

aln wrote:from sir steel pulse's post...

"FYI- My GL became NMPI's guinea pig sometime in August 2008, just weeks after I bought my unit. The problem was that outside odor (smoke, etc.) were getting inside the car. When I reported it to Nissan Iloilo, the dealership owner was kind to enough to let me use her own Livina in the meantime (about 4 days I think). It turned out that the cable used in closing the A/C shaft was too long and couldn't effective seal it. So the cable length was reduced. That solved the problem."

ask ko lang, hindi ba accessible yung cable pag tinanggal yung center console (yung sa may radio) at kailangan pa talagang ibaba yung dashboard?

@aln:

In my case, the entire dashboard was detached. As a rule, I do not interfere with the best judgment of the repairmen. I always presume they have been adequately trained in their field of expertise and I have to trust their best judgment.

im gonna have my 5K PMS in a few days. I suppose kelangan ko sabihin sa Mantrade about that cable length issue sa airvent kasi pumapasok din sakin yun mabahong amoy sa labas

@steel pulse

thanks for the info sir, medyo hesitant kasi ako pagalaw yung dashboard dahil baka hindi nila maibalik ng maayos eh babalik pa ako like what happened to sir marckd1. saka wala akong spare car to use, hehehe

@badtoy

balitaan mo kami sir ha...

aln wrote:@steel pulse

thanks for the info sir, medyo hesitant kasi ako pagalaw yung dashboard dahil baka hindi nila maibalik ng maayos eh babalik pa ako like what happened to sir marckd1. saka wala akong spare car to use, hehehe

@badtoy

balitaan mo kami sir ha...

In my case, the outside odor has been out since the air vent cable was adjusted sometime in August 2008. I, too, have one car only. Buwenas ko lang, napakabait ng owner ng Nissan Iloilo. She let me use her own GL during the repair (about 4 days). I think the entire work when done today would not exceed 1 1/2 days kasi tumbok na nila ang problema. It was a different case with my GL kasi hinanap pa talaga ang problema.

update again... according to Nissan Shaw, adjustment of the cable on the recirculation switch is the way to fix the odor/smoke coming inside the cabin. also, there is no need to bring down the whole dashboard and the fix can be done in just a day. ang tinatanggal lang daw nila is yung center console where the radio and center aircon vent is located then from there pwede na daw nila ma adjust or seal off the opening permanently. ayaw din daw nila ibaba yung dashboard kasi malaking problema pag naka rattle sound yung dashboard pagbalik saka matatagalan nga daw talga yung gawa. hindi ko muna pinagawa yung GL ko, sched na lang next time. sana maayos na nga din...

marckd1 wrote:I got my GL yesterday around 5:30pm after 4 days of repair in casa due to airvent issue. I-charged ba naman ako ng P4,700 labor cost para sa repair nila. Pinatawag ang Service Advisor ko and I informed him na warranty claim and unit issue ang ginawa nila para mag charged sila. Kaya pina waived nila ang cost.

Di ko na nacheck yung car ko dahil pa close na yung casa and medyo madilim na. Timing naman na traffic pag uwi ko and wala na ngang pumapasok na smell sa cabin. At last, nawala din yung problema sa air recirculation ng unit ko.

Akala ko tapos na and this morning ay nakita ko ang RESULTS sa pag repair ng airvent sa unit ko:
- GREASE sa door handles
- Grease sa carpet, side panels and plastic PANELs sa ilalim ng dash board
- nangitim yung seat cover ng driver at passenger side
- scratches sa stick shifter
- bali yung both sides na lock ng plastic cover near the hand break
- Plastic cover below the dash board are not properly fitted
- kicking led light at the passenger side ay inipit na lang sa carpet
and the worst ay may dent yung mga sides ng plastic cover sa dashboard kung saan yung mga dugtungan including yung malapit sa odometer....

I'll return the unit on Monday for insurance claim para lang sana sa mga minor dents sa exterior. Pero naging MAJOR, MAJOR ang nangyari sa interior ko dahil sa REPAIR na to...

I think this really is a case of your SA not paying attention to the work of his people and his team is in dire need of attention. I mentioned this to my SA and he said that whatever damage inflicted on units caused by Nissan technician should be replaced. That is the reason why the checklist is there in the first place to document the condition of the vehicle before it enters the service area. It is in your right to ask (or demand if need be) for a replacement of damaged components inflicted on your vehicle since it is the responsibility of the service team to return your vehicle in the best possible condition after doing a technical fix. This is part of Nissan's quality service commitment to its customers.

My SA also mentioned that the first technical bulletin to mechanics was to remove the entire dashboard assembly in order to adjust the flapper so maybe this procedure was performed in your GL. However a new technical bulletin was released that the top cover of the dash is the only thing needed to be performed to adjust the flapper and removal of the entire dashboard is only needed if this does not resolve the problem. I happen to have my GL serviced yesterday and the newer procedure took only 2.5 - 3 hours to complete and did not cost me anything since this is supposed to be a technical rectification which is covered by warranty. Magaling ang SA and mechanics from Nissan Shaw and they are very professional as well. No scratches and and dirt left (except for the matting) in the interior after the service was made. So far so good, no smoke coming from the outside (for now). According to my SA, the older models assembled between 2008 - early 2009 were the ones affected. This has since been resolved in the newer units.

april 2010 po yug livina ko and issue pa rin itong outside odor na pumapasok sa cabin.

ayaw ko muna ipagawa kasi mukhang unproven yung mga methods or solutions na ginagawa so far.

isipin nyo nalang, kung di maresolve ng planta on their new units... casa pa kaya?

eggy_reyes wrote:april 2010 po yug livina ko and issue pa rin itong outside odor na pumapasok sa cabin.

ayaw ko muna ipagawa kasi mukhang unproven yung mga methods or solutions na ginagawa so far.

isipin nyo nalang, kung di maresolve ng planta on their new units... casa pa kaya?

@eggy_reyes:

Sir in one of the threads I was suggesting the fix done by Nissan Iloilo on my GL as regards this issue: Reduce the length of the airvent cable to effective close the vent. It worked for me since about August 2008 until today. So, the bottomline is, depende sa skills ng mga taga casa. Just my thoughts.