Punisher
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No, the Tahoe is 2/4wd. I think it's only been done once but all 4 are the same tread depth so I don't see that as being a big help. Just gotta pony up the $1200 for new tires. I was trying to get through the winter.
[2011+] QX56 new motor, timing chains, etc
- Thread starter CueExFiftySix
- Start date
No, the Tahoe is 2/4wd. I think it's only been done once but all 4 are the same tread depth so I don't see that as being a big help. Just gotta pony up the $1200 for new tires. I was trying to get through the winter.
Chain is what I meant???
Time chain issue confirmed
Last week when I was on the highway in my '11 QX56 (56K miles) my SES light started flashing, the engine started misfiring, and would barely stay running at idle when I pulled to the side of the road. I shut it down, restarted it, and much to my surprise the engine ran perfectly. The SES light was no longer flashing, but stayed on for the remainder of the day. The next day I fired it up and poof, no SES light. Regardless, I called the dealer to schedule an appointment.
Once Infiniti took a look at it, I was told that it needed a new timing chain and that parts were ordered. When I called earlier today, I was told that the 4 parts ordered weren't in yet; however, the tech is scheduled to start the job as soon as parts arrive. When I asked about the long-term impact, if any, of the misfire, the service manager stated that the chain didn't skip a tooth, but rather the high pitch whine that was diagnosed was most likely indicative of the timing chain making contact/rubbing against the oiler. He also said that they won't know for sure what they're looking at until the tech starts disassembling the motor to access the timing chain (which I was told a timing chain replacement is a 16-hour job). This of course was fine with me, but I then asked one last question.
I asked the service manager if the replacement parts were improved, and thus will permanently solve the problem, or if this may be a chronic concern/problem area for the vehicle... He said they've already done a handful of timing chain replacements, but due to the age of the vehicle it was too soon to tell. I then asked about warranty coverage of a repeat occurrence and he confirmed that the next repair would be on me if the 70k mile powertrain warranty was up. This is understandable; however, it has caused me to evaluate my long-term ownership of the vehicle, due to the potential repair cost. The timing chain is roughly a $2k repair out of warranty.
Does anyone know if the timing chain repair/replacement is a permanent fix? Anything else to consider/think about, or any other facts regarding timing chain issues known? I really like the vehicle, but am considering trading it off for another brand.
Any thoughts are greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Last week when I was on the highway in my '11 QX56 (56K miles) my SES light started flashing, the engine started misfiring, and would barely stay running at idle when I pulled to the side of the road. I shut it down, restarted it, and much to my surprise the engine ran perfectly. The SES light was no longer flashing, but stayed on for the remainder of the day. The next day I fired it up and poof, no SES light. Regardless, I called the dealer to schedule an appointment.
Once Infiniti took a look at it, I was told that it needed a new timing chain and that parts were ordered. When I called earlier today, I was told that the 4 parts ordered weren't in yet; however, the tech is scheduled to start the job as soon as parts arrive. When I asked about the long-term impact, if any, of the misfire, the service manager stated that the chain didn't skip a tooth, but rather the high pitch whine that was diagnosed was most likely indicative of the timing chain making contact/rubbing against the oiler. He also said that they won't know for sure what they're looking at until the tech starts disassembling the motor to access the timing chain (which I was told a timing chain replacement is a 16-hour job). This of course was fine with me, but I then asked one last question.
I asked the service manager if the replacement parts were improved, and thus will permanently solve the problem, or if this may be a chronic concern/problem area for the vehicle... He said they've already done a handful of timing chain replacements, but due to the age of the vehicle it was too soon to tell. I then asked about warranty coverage of a repeat occurrence and he confirmed that the next repair would be on me if the 70k mile powertrain warranty was up. This is understandable; however, it has caused me to evaluate my long-term ownership of the vehicle, due to the potential repair cost. The timing chain is roughly a $2k repair out of warranty.
Does anyone know if the timing chain repair/replacement is a permanent fix? Anything else to consider/think about, or any other facts regarding timing chain issues known? I really like the vehicle, but am considering trading it off for another brand.
Any thoughts are greatly appreciated. Thanks!
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Well, if it last another 70k, it will be time to trade the "Beast" in anyways... yes?
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marctronixx
Staff member
these cars are too new to tell. if you go to an armada site and look at the longevity of the armada, you will not see much if any discussion on timing chain issues.
we all know cars made on an assembly line can have defects. its probably in the hundreds but i would not consider this something that will be a repeat offender. of course im no specialist but i do troll an armada forum (and ive owned two armadas prior to this qx).
we all know cars made on an assembly line can have defects. its probably in the hundreds but i would not consider this something that will be a repeat offender. of course im no specialist but i do troll an armada forum (and ive owned two armadas prior to this qx).
Dread_Parrot
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Timing chain
Probably, if the timing chain and anything else around it, oil pump and such let go, I'm done. Trade.
I guess if I were to keep it, I would have to interview the mechanic. Find out if they are a 'motorhead'. Someone that likes to work on them and treats the engine like it is their own. Bad thing is, they are few and far between, or they own their own small shop.
parrott
Probably, if the timing chain and anything else around it, oil pump and such let go, I'm done. Trade.
I guess if I were to keep it, I would have to interview the mechanic. Find out if they are a 'motorhead'. Someone that likes to work on them and treats the engine like it is their own. Bad thing is, they are few and far between, or they own their own small shop.
parrott
NWDriver
New member
QX 56 Timing Chain Failure
$5,500 to fix my 2011 pos timing chain at the local Infiniti dealer. 82,000 miles on the car so I'm over 12,000 on the warranty so repair not covered. Service tech off hand mentions that they are getting at least several QX's a month to fix this problem, but unfortunately mine is the first one they have experienced out of warranty. Lucky me.
So I have a call into the regional consumer affairs person who is due to call me back with in the next day or so. The dealer has really been great and sympathetic to my situation, gave me a loaner car to us until this is all worked out. The dealer has certainly won my loyalty... that is if I ever buy an Infiniti again.
Of smaller issue is the driver side door actuators on both doors have failed. That's a $1,100 fix.... so $6,600 out of pocket after 12,000 over warranty.
I bought this car because I own two businesses that are 5 hour drives apart. I wanted a large, safe SUV with decent mileage and would be dependable. Loved the beige interior of the QX56 and with snow tires it handles the Central Oregon weather like a dream. But now.... my $70,000 luxury is failing me. This is my 2nd Infiniti, my first being an FX35 with sport package. Great car, but needed something bigger to handle the roads I'd be driving when I bought my 2nd business, which is over a 5,000 foot cascade mountain pass.
Stay tuned to see if Infiniti steps up to the plate and covers the problem. If not, this story will be all over the place, Edmond's, Consumer Reports.... everywhere possible.
$5,500 to fix my 2011 pos timing chain at the local Infiniti dealer. 82,000 miles on the car so I'm over 12,000 on the warranty so repair not covered. Service tech off hand mentions that they are getting at least several QX's a month to fix this problem, but unfortunately mine is the first one they have experienced out of warranty. Lucky me.
So I have a call into the regional consumer affairs person who is due to call me back with in the next day or so. The dealer has really been great and sympathetic to my situation, gave me a loaner car to us until this is all worked out. The dealer has certainly won my loyalty... that is if I ever buy an Infiniti again.
Of smaller issue is the driver side door actuators on both doors have failed. That's a $1,100 fix.... so $6,600 out of pocket after 12,000 over warranty.
I bought this car because I own two businesses that are 5 hour drives apart. I wanted a large, safe SUV with decent mileage and would be dependable. Loved the beige interior of the QX56 and with snow tires it handles the Central Oregon weather like a dream. But now.... my $70,000 luxury is failing me. This is my 2nd Infiniti, my first being an FX35 with sport package. Great car, but needed something bigger to handle the roads I'd be driving when I bought my 2nd business, which is over a 5,000 foot cascade mountain pass.
Stay tuned to see if Infiniti steps up to the plate and covers the problem. If not, this story will be all over the place, Edmond's, Consumer Reports.... everywhere possible.
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I love my QX. It's the nicest vehicle I have owned. These timing chain stories certainly concern me, if they are valid, but I'm not about to run over and trade it in. If it goes in the next few years I'm covered anyway. I've worked on cars my whole life, and the only time I have replaced timing chains and gears is when rebuilding motors, or on cars with over 180,000 miles beaten to hell. Nissan either had a couple ding dongs working the assembly line, for a few runs, or the parts are inferior. This whole issue seems really odd to me. wait and see I guess.
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NWDriver
New member
Timing Chain
Sorry but I don't think the timing chain is just a couple isolated cases. The shop mechanic said they are getting between 1 -2 of these repairs on a monthly basis. There are other sites that make mention of the timing chain problems as well.
I bought this car with the plan on keeping it until 200,000 but I have completely lost confidence in keeping this vehicle long term. I'm currently debating whether to keep it or trade it in for something else. I love Infiniti vehicles, but this could cost me $5500 plus another $1000 to fix two door lock actuators. I'd say 75% of my driving is highway miles. This is certainly disappointing, especially when a timing chain is supposed to be a much better system then using a timing belt.
Sorry but I don't think the timing chain is just a couple isolated cases. The shop mechanic said they are getting between 1 -2 of these repairs on a monthly basis. There are other sites that make mention of the timing chain problems as well.
I bought this car with the plan on keeping it until 200,000 but I have completely lost confidence in keeping this vehicle long term. I'm currently debating whether to keep it or trade it in for something else. I love Infiniti vehicles, but this could cost me $5500 plus another $1000 to fix two door lock actuators. I'd say 75% of my driving is highway miles. This is certainly disappointing, especially when a timing chain is supposed to be a much better system then using a timing belt.
timing chain issue
I was over the warranty too....My dealer bent over backwards to get this done for me. I paid $500 to get it all taken care of. Infiniti took care of the rest. I had to wait 2 months for parts to come from Japan. My dealer gave me another QX56 to drive in the same time frame.
The dealer has had more 2011's come in with this issue.
This is a known issue with Infiniti corporate. I would push to have some of your money refunded.
doc
I was over the warranty too....My dealer bent over backwards to get this done for me. I paid $500 to get it all taken care of. Infiniti took care of the rest. I had to wait 2 months for parts to come from Japan. My dealer gave me another QX56 to drive in the same time frame.
The dealer has had more 2011's come in with this issue.
This is a known issue with Infiniti corporate. I would push to have some of your money refunded.
doc
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grillmaster
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According to my dealership, the issue with the timing chain is due to not changing oil every recommended 3,750 miles. Evidently, there is a jet that gets stuck or plugged and inhibits lubrication or something to that effect.
Dread_Parrot
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oil
That is good information to know ! Isn't there a 7500 oil change schedule in the owners manual ? They should issue a TSB, if they want everyone to adhere to a 3750 interval. I like to change mine often, so that's not really an issue.
parrott
That is good information to know ! Isn't there a 7500 oil change schedule in the owners manual ? They should issue a TSB, if they want everyone to adhere to a 3750 interval. I like to change mine often, so that's not really an issue.
parrott
neuneleven
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I am not a mechanic but it does not make sense in this day and age that oil needs to be changed every 3750 miles. Doesn't the manual also list a 7500 mile service option for people who drive their trucks primarily over 15 miles per trip? Is it related to frequent start/stops and short oil distribution periods with shorter trips? It would be great to have this verified if one of us should be in the same boat at some point. Also would using fully synthetic oil help maintain a longer interval? Just wondering...
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NWDriver
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Still Waiting to hear from Corporate
Thanks for the info DOC's. I'm still waiting to hear back from Infiniti quality control to see if they will extend the coverage. It would be very poor quality service if they didn't fix this for me. I didn't pay $70,000 for a car that needs a major repair after 80,000 of highway driving. Dealer has been great and sympathetic.
So the symptoms are a high pitch whine coming from the fan belt area during a cold start. Sounds like a bearing or belt going out. You'll know it when you hear it, kinda sounds like a small turbine jet engine. Tends to go away after the engine warms up and the belt subsequently expands. Dealer says that if the chain ever breaks the engine is completely destroyed. You should do your best to get this fixed in your vehicle before the warranty is up at 70,000.
Thanks for the info DOC's. I'm still waiting to hear back from Infiniti quality control to see if they will extend the coverage. It would be very poor quality service if they didn't fix this for me. I didn't pay $70,000 for a car that needs a major repair after 80,000 of highway driving. Dealer has been great and sympathetic.
So the symptoms are a high pitch whine coming from the fan belt area during a cold start. Sounds like a bearing or belt going out. You'll know it when you hear it, kinda sounds like a small turbine jet engine. Tends to go away after the engine warms up and the belt subsequently expands. Dealer says that if the chain ever breaks the engine is completely destroyed. You should do your best to get this fixed in your vehicle before the warranty is up at 70,000.
Crap!! Started hearing this 3 weeks ago. Thought it was because of the cold temps here in Chicagoland. Now that I think about it, I hear it also when I start it in the garage in the morning. Putting a call in to my dealership now. Need to get the windshield replaced too. Took a rock on the highway a couple of weeks ago.
Thanks for the heads up NWDriver!
Thanks for the heads up NWDriver!
NWDriver
New member
Grillmaster - Changing Oil
Grill Master,
The QX56 owners manual says to change the oil every 7,500 miles. I not only change the oil every 7,500, but I also always run synthetic because I put so many miles on the vehicle. The Infiniti tech showed the old chain to me and said that Infiniti made them too small and as a result they are too weak for the engine. He said the replacement chain was remanufactured and is heavier and stronger. He did not say anything about oil changes.
Grill Master,
The QX56 owners manual says to change the oil every 7,500 miles. I not only change the oil every 7,500, but I also always run synthetic because I put so many miles on the vehicle. The Infiniti tech showed the old chain to me and said that Infiniti made them too small and as a result they are too weak for the engine. He said the replacement chain was remanufactured and is heavier and stronger. He did not say anything about oil changes.
The beast is finally back in my possession
After being without the truck for 3-weeks (backordered parts) the truck is back in my posession. Not sure how many have dealt with the timing chain issue that affected my vehicle since I didn't find too much about it on the web, so I thought I'd share my result.
Basically, I was told a small number of QX56's had chain guides that were making contact with the engine's timing chains. At first this symptom may show up as a faint high pitch whine (often at start-up with a cold engine), but later may end up causing the chain to stretch. As a result, Nissan started using different timing chain guides (the new guides are coded 1CA1B & 1LA2A), which is supposed to resolve the issue. From what I can tell, the reason for the 16-hour job timetable was due to the fact that the engine had to be opened for the repair to be completed.
From what I can tell, 26 parts were replaced in total. The parts ranged from new chains/crankshaft sprockets/guides/timing oiler, to a lifter valve, to all the seals/gaskets required as a result of the engine being cracked open.
From what the tech told me, the issue shouldn't be a trouble spot since updated parts were used.
Just thought I'd share in case someone else runs into something similar.
After being without the truck for 3-weeks (backordered parts) the truck is back in my posession. Not sure how many have dealt with the timing chain issue that affected my vehicle since I didn't find too much about it on the web, so I thought I'd share my result.
Basically, I was told a small number of QX56's had chain guides that were making contact with the engine's timing chains. At first this symptom may show up as a faint high pitch whine (often at start-up with a cold engine), but later may end up causing the chain to stretch. As a result, Nissan started using different timing chain guides (the new guides are coded 1CA1B & 1LA2A), which is supposed to resolve the issue. From what I can tell, the reason for the 16-hour job timetable was due to the fact that the engine had to be opened for the repair to be completed.
From what I can tell, 26 parts were replaced in total. The parts ranged from new chains/crankshaft sprockets/guides/timing oiler, to a lifter valve, to all the seals/gaskets required as a result of the engine being cracked open.
From what the tech told me, the issue shouldn't be a trouble spot since updated parts were used.
Just thought I'd share in case someone else runs into something similar.
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