Shaking Quashqai at 40mph

[Rustybits]

Hi everyone,

But stumped with what to do with our 2012 Quashqai.

It's started shaking quite violently upon acceleration at speeds over 40mph. It only occurs when accelerating, and if I take my foot off the pedal then it stops.

It was initially taken to the garage to check wheel balancing, which they did. Issue still remained so they tried swapping the rear wheels to the front and the issue was still there. I was pretty sure it wasn't anything to do with the wheels or balancing as the car is absolutely fine without actually a accelerating.

The garage took another look and said they think there is some engine movement, and suggested that the engine mounts had gone... Nope wasn't this either.

Now the garage say they don't know what it is and recommend we get the car on a rolling road to see if that could help diagnose.

At this point I'm a bit lost where to turn to next... Does anyone have any recommendations of where in Bristol I can take the car for someone to have a good look and see what's needed?

The car is quite leggy at 140k but I'm reluctant to give up on it just yet...

Thank you

Edited by Rustybits on Wednesday 14th February 14:53

[5s Alive]

Quite likely, engine or gearbox or suspension rubber mountings/bushings. Auto or manual? 2wd or 4wd? 40+ mph in top gear or also in lower gears? Does this occur even on smooth surfaces? - assuming you can find any.

Qashqai was known for suspension bushings deterioration. A colleague was having hers done every few years. She did live on a farm though.

[Rustybits]

Thanks.

It's a manual 2wd drive petrol. Occurs on smooth surfaces (motorway, dual carriageway etc) in all gears.

I've booked the car into another garage tomorrow for a second opinion. To be honest the one that took a look at it today is a bit of a backyard outfit and I've been increasingly loosing confidence in them recently!

[5s Alive]

I'll be surprised if it's not bushing deterioration. Don't know if true, I've never looked underneath, but colleague was told by her garage that the earlier Qashqai suspension was fundamentally the same as on the Micra and not up to the job, therefore prone to significant wear. Her regular issue was front lower control arms, and later, rear trailing arms - both split bushings and fracture through corrosion. Very salty winter conditions didn't help.

[E-bmw]

As all have said above bush/mounts are likely, but also do you know if they have looked into the possibility that it is a misfire?

[richhead]

vibration when on power is often a driveshaft or something like a engine mount

[Rustybits]

richhead said:

vibration when on power is often a driveshaft or something like a engine mount

Yep turned out to be this.

Both front drive shafts were well past their use by date, the garage replaced them and everything is fine now.

Mystified as to why the first garage missed this. I think they only want to do smaller in and out jobs and MOTs.

[Dynion Araf Uchaf]

was it an expensive fix?

[Rustybits]

We got our front brake pads done as well, total job was £630, so not too awful. The drive shafts themselves were about £140 each.