The origins of this engine

This engine is actually co-developed by Nissan and Renault - the engine code is K9K. It has been manufactured as a 1.5 litre engine with various power outputs since 2001, and has been fitted to a huge number of vehicles, including but not limited to the Dacia Sandero, Renault Clio, Nissan Micra, Renault Megane, Renault Kadjar, Mercedes A-Class Nissan NV200 and Mercedes Citan. This is a hugely popular engine and there are thousands and thousands of these units out there, many performing very reliably. 

DPF (diesel particulate filter) issues

Unfortunately DPF issues are a fact of life for many diesel owners. I am of the opinion that many people in the UK have bought a diesel car when they really should not have, as their type of driving does not suit a diesel engine and will cause problems that aren’t necessarily due to a design fault or manufacturing error with the engine itself. Common DPF issues you may experience on the Nissan Juke are the engine management light illuminating and the car giving a sense that it’s coughing or spluttering above around 35mph. You may also find you get other lights on the dash to inform you of a DPF problem. 

DPFs need to heat up to high temperatures every few hundred miles to clean themselves of all the soot and ash that accumulates in them. This means that the car needs to be up to temperature - all the coolant, engine oil and exhaust gas temperatures need to be high enough, which could take up to ten or fifteen miles on the Nissan Juke. Then, the car has to be travelling at a constant speed with the revs high enough for the cleaning (known as a regeneration) to take place.

Unfortunately, if you use your car around the city and it only gets a few miles per day, it’s unlikely to ever get to the required temperature to perform this cleaning. As such, the DPF gets clogged up with soot and ash and is unable to regenerate itself. Sometimes the DPF can be removed and cleaned out - other times it needs to be replaced. This is why a diesel car is the wrong choice for someone who does not drive on the motorway very often. 

If you have DPF issues you might find they get solved by taking your car on a long motorway journey. If this doesn’t solve the problem, you’ll need your car looked at by a specialist. The good news is if you take your car on a 20 minute, 40mph run every week or so, you are unlikely to experience DPF problems on your Nissan Juke.

Oil pressure relief valve failure (oil pump)

I have seen this issue once, and have heard it being a reasonably common issue by other mechanics who have worked on more Jukes than I have. What can happen with the 1.5 dCi engine is complete and total engine failure - you will find that you simply lose drive and are unable to accelerate. The engine will shut down or stall and you will need to be towed. If you open the bonnet, you will likely find engine oil all over the engine.

This happens because of the oil pressure relief valve failing.  If you remove the oil filter, you will likely find that the O ring that seals up the oil filter has been displaced - likely due to very high oil pressure. This is likely caused by an oil pressure relief valve failing inside the engine, and causing extremely high pressure which basically causes the engine to explode.

Unfortunately this can be a tricky one to diagnose and the likelihood is that you’ll need to replace the engine - the cost of which is likely to be at least £4,000 and possibly more, depending on where you’re able to source the new engine. There isn’t much you can do about this issue to be honest - it’s one that isn’t really caused by infrequent servicing or poor maintenance. 

The only thing you really can do about issues like this is just make sure the car is maintained - you should be checking your oil every month at least just to ensure it’s at the correct level, and changing the oil and filter every 9,000 miles.

Juddering or shuddering on acceleration

This is a common issue in all engines, but there are specific things that might be causing it to happen in your diesel Juke. Firstly, this could be caused by the engine being starved of air. Check the engine’s air filter and ensure it isn’t clogged up with leaves or other debris - even if you’re having your car serviced regularly, it’s possible the garage has not changed the air filter (or if you just pay for a minor service, all they’ll do is oil and filter change and won’t check the air filter.)

What can happen if the air filter is blocked is that the air filter is strangling the supply of air to the engine and therefore the engine isn’t burning fuel as efficiently as it could. What happens then is the unburnt fuel gets thrown out of the exhaust, and leaves you down on power because the air supply to the engine is too weak and the fuel can’t be burned efficiently. 

This could also be an issue with the fuel filter - if not enough fuel is passing through the fuel filter as it’s blocked, a reduced supply of fuel will be reaching the engine which can lead to juddering or shuddering when accelerating.

This could also be an issue with the mass airflow sensor (MAF) - which measures the temperature of the air coming into the engine and then controls the injectors to deliver the right amount of fuel compared to the airflow, meaning the air/fuel mixture is always perfect. A broken MAF may be allowing the wrong amount of fuel and air mixture into the engine. If there’s too much air and not enough fuel, you will be running lean, and you will find that your car judders when trying to pull away.

Injector problems

The fuel injectors on the 1.5 dCi engine are made by a French company called Delphi and they’re known for being a little bit fragile. If the fuel injectors are bad, they can be causing juddering when accelerating - again because the engine is getting too little fuel and too much air. Your injectors could also be over-supplying fuel, which you would probably notice as a strong smell of fuel when trying to start the car.

Additionally if the car struggles to start from cold, you may find yourself cranking the engine for a long period of time before the car starts. This is indicative of an injector problem. You may also experience a lumpy idle, or the car hunting (revving up and down on it’s own) - all of these are characteristic of fuel injector problems.

Fuel injection problems are expensive to solve - if one has gone bad, it’s usually good practice to replace them all. For the Nissan Juke you’re probably looking at least £500 to have the injectors replaced, and that’s if you use remanufactured injectors - new injectors will likely be more expensive.

Broken EGR valve

Common points of failure on this engine include the EGR valve. EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) is where the exhaust gas is recirculated back into the engine. This changes the chemical composition of the air entering your engine and lowers the temperature, meaning for a cleaner fuel burn and more efficient exhaust system. However, these EGR valves can clog up, stick open or stick closed, and as a result, can cause issues with poor fuel economy, inconsistent acceleration or even cause the engine to stall.

If you suspect this is your issue you may just need a new EGR valve, which most garages will easily be able to fit for you.

Poor fuel economy

This can be caused by a number of reasons, but often it’s due to the configuration of your car. For example, an auto will often get poorer fuel economy than a manual. Additionally it could be to do with your driving style - if you drive your diesel around town, you will almost certainly get poorer fuel economy than if you drove it on the motorway. The opposite is true for a petrol car.

As much as this might sound a bit strange, how you use your gears can impact how fuel efficient your engine is. With a diesel, especially if you’ve not driven one before, you actually have to drive it a little bit differently to how you would a petrol, especially around town. 

You are better off from a fuel economy perspective staying in a lower gear and keeping the revs up - don’t thrash it, but also don’t change up as soon as you’re able to because this will cause the engine to labour. For example, you are better off at 30mph staying in third gear at about 2000 revs, than changing up to fourth gear, because when you go to accelerate up to 40mph, the engine will use more fuel trying to pull in 4th gear (as it’s more difficult for the engine) than it will trying to pull in 3rd gear. As counterintuitive as this sounds, it is the case for a modern diesel.

Hopefully this article gives you some direction as to what to expect from your 1.5 dCi diesel engine - they are largely quite reliable engines, but like any engine they experience some common problems. Check out some more of our articles on the Nissan Juke! 

How to tell the difference between first and second generation Jukes

For absolute clarity, here is a first generation Nissan Juke:

And here is a second generation Juke:

I haven’t driven the second generation Juke nearly as many times as I have the first generation simply because the first generation has been around for thirteen years at the time of writing and the second generation has only been around for four years. However, it does appear to be a better car - but only time will tell if it will be a more reliable one.

Please understand that there may be issues yet to be resolved with the second generation Juke - so I am not guaranteeing by any means that you won’t experience problems, whether they’re listed here or not, if you buy a second gen Juke. They’ve already been subject to a few recalls (although nothing particularly serious) so do your due diligence as you would with any car when buying a second gen Juke. If you’re looking at the first gen, however, pay close attention to the issues we discuss here.

Common problems that affect the first generation Nissan Juke

Recalls

The first generation Nissan Juke was recalled in the UK for the following issues:

Thanks to vehicle-recall.co.uk for this information.

As you can see, there aren’t a huge number of recalls for this car, which may lead you to believe at first glance that this is a car without many problems. Unfortunately there is evidence that there are issues for which the Juke was recalled in other countries that it wasn’t recalled for in the UK. 

Therefore in the next section we’re going to go through some fairly common Nissan Juke issues that you need to be aware of if you’re thinking of buying a first generation model. Again - the first generation is anything made between 2010 - 2019 (the second generation started to be manufactured in 2019, so if you are looking at a 2019 model you should check which generation it belongs to.)

Clutch problems

A really common issue with the Nissan Juke relates to a leak in the clutch master cylinder. This will be most noticeable to you if you press the clutch pedal and it does not return on its own. 

The clutch master cylinder is connected to the clutch pedal, and is part of the hydraulic system that allows you to engage and disengage the clutch. Some cars have a clutch cable to do this - the Juke does not have a cable and has a hydraulic system that moves the clutch in and out. 

If you notice that the clutch pedal has become softer, or you are noticing liquid on the floor after leaving your car for a few hours, you need to get this issue resolved. This is because if your master cylinder fails you will push the clutch in and you won’t be able to get it back up again - which means your car will either be stuck in gear and you’ll need to stall it to get it to stop, or your car will be stuck out of gear and you won’t be able to drive. 

Unfortunately a leaky master cylinder can also cause contamination to the clutch itself which will need to be replaced. You will likely pay around £500 to have this issue resolved - but thankfully most garages will be able to do it for you very easily.

Our recommendation: there’s not much you can do to predict this. When you test drive a car you want to buy, make sure you pay close attention to the function of the clutch pedal - if if feels soft or spongy, or you notice fluid leaking onto the floor, a master cylinder leak could be the cause.

Loose timing chain

This affects the 1.2L DiG-T petrol engines fitted to the Juke, primarily in the first generation. Over time, the timing belt is known to become loose which can cause a number of symptoms. This was actually subject to a recall in the US, when Nissan recalled over 100,000 of their Jukes to replace the timing chain due to a defect part. I don’t believe the Juke was ever recalled in the UK for this issue - but to my knowledge they are the same car with the same engine.

Generally you can tell this is your problem in a number of ways. There are some rarer symptoms like the engine cutting out at low revs, or fault codes showing on the dashboard, but the main symptom of a loose timing chain is a shaking or rattling sound when your engine is idling. You will definitely be able to tell that this is a problem because in my experience of when the timing chain starts to come loose, the engine starts to sound like a diesel. 

Fortunately, if you catch this issue early enough, you should be able to get away with just replacing the chain itself, which is likely to set you back around £700 - £1000. If it’s too far gone, you are unfortunately likely to have to source a replacement engine. 

I’ve never worked at a Nissan dealer so I’m sure there are others more qualified to talk about this than I am, but I’ve heard of timing chains going at as little as 5,000 miles. I’ve certainly seen examples with this problem at 50,000 miles which is really, really low for a timing chain to be causing problems.

Our recommendation - avoid the 1.2 DiG-T petrol engine unless you are sure the timing chain has been replaced. Listen for rattles when you start the car and when you rev it up. If you hear any, walk away from the sale.

Blocked oil feed

A known issue with the turbocharged engines of the Nissan Juke (which is all of them, except the 1.6 naturally aspirated petrol) is that the oil feed to the turbocharger becomes blocked. This can cause the turbo to overheat if the oil feed to it is reduced for any amount of time. 

Generally it’s thought that the OEM oil feed line is prone to clogging with carbon deposits. This is usually as a result of not changing the oil frequently enough. You should be aware that the oil change interval for the Nissan Juke is lower than most other cars, with the recommended interval from Nissan being 9.000 miles. I would usually recommend to people they replace every 10,000 miles anyway, but there are manufacturers out there now giving service intervals of 15,000 - 18,000 miles which I would really not recommend.

Unfortunately again, this is a big issue and if your oil feed pipe is blocked, you will likely need to replace the turbocharger which is an expensive job. There are suggestions elsewhere online that the OEM oil feed line can be replaced. This isn’t a job I’ve done, but if there are aftermarket examples that perform better than the OEM example you may want to look into having this done if you are concerned about this issue. Having a new oil feed line fitted is going to be a lot cheaper than having the turbo replaced, put it that way. 

Our recommendation: be really careful when you’re buying a Juke used, and make sure the car has been diligently and regularly serviced. If the car you want to buy has missed several services, you are more likely to have this problem.

Fuel leak

Again - another recall. Over 130,000 Nissan Jukes were recalled for this issue. If you are noticing a smell of petrol or diesel in the cabin, you need to stop driving and research this issue. What happens is that the fuel lines become blocked, and because of this they work themselves loose with increased fuel pressure. This can cause the system to leak - which is obviously a big fire risk.

You might also find that the fuel pressure sensor has failed, and this is the cause of your leak. Unfortunately fuel leaking is never a good thing and you need to book your car into a dealership to get this resolved ASAP. It doesn’t look as though Nissan has been particularly helpful with this issue, and there are reports online of people still having this issue even after the recall work was carried out.

Our recommendation: double-check that the recall has actually been done and if it has, turn the engine over and sit in the cabin. If you smell fuel, walk away.

Sadly - there are a lot of issues with the Juke, some of them quite serious. I would generally recommend staying away from the Juke and looking for something else, but if you have your heart set on one, then make sure you heed the warnings in this article and check any used example out thoroughly before buying.

We've written a few articles on the Nissan Juke - which you can check out below.

Your Nissan Juke’s engine

Engine oil does two things - it lubricates all the moving parts of your engine, and also provides a cooling function by taking heat away from these moving parts (although largely this is handled by the engine’s cooling system.) A good quality, fresh engine oil is therefore necessary to keep your engine running optimally.

A contaminated oil won’t lubricate properly. Additionally, over time and with use, engine oil becomes viscous and sludgy, and there comes a point where it won’t be able to adequately lubricate the internals of your engine and your engine will suffer from premature wear and heat damage. This is why it’s not just important to ensure your engine has enough oil in it - too much or too little can also cause damage - it’s also important to change out your oil when it gets worn out and contaminated.

Grade and Brand

The Juke generally takes a 5W-30 oil in petrol, diesel and hybrid versions. Nissan recommends a premium oil made by Total - for diesel engines however I would always use a Mobil oil. Fundamentally, it doesn’t make a massive difference - premium oils are formulated to help promote longer engine life, but generally it’s unlikely you’ll notice a material difference between using a cheap oil versus a premium oil. 

5W-30 refers to how thick the oil is - you shouldn’t worry about what this means too much other than making sure that you always buy a 5W-30 oil. You shouldn’t buy any other grade of oil as it will be either too thick or too thin for your engine.

The best oil for your Nissan Juke

Since it was first manufactured, the Juke has been fitted with a variety of petrol, diesel and hybrid powertrains. They all take the same type of oil - a 5W-30. However, generally there are slightly different recommended brands depending on the engine. The Juke shares a lot of it’s powertrains with Renault models - particularly the 1.5 dCi diesel engine, which is a Renault unit.

Let's look at the recommended grades and brands for the engine in your Nissan Juke. If you're not sure exactly which engine you have, you should be able to find this information in your owner's manual. If not, you can call your local Nissan dealer and they will be able to tell you which engine is fitted to your car.

Nissan Juke petrol engines

1.0 DIG-T I3 Turbo

Grade: 5W-30

Brand: Total Energies Quartz Ineo 5W-30 Engine Oil 

1.2L DIG-T 

Grade: 5W-30

Brand: Total Energies Quartz Ineo 5W-30 Engine Oil 

1.6L I4

Grade: 5W-30

Brand: Total Energies Quartz Ineo 5W-30 Engine Oil 

1.6L I4 Turbo

Grade: 5W-30

Brand: Total Energies Quartz Ineo 5W-30 Engine Oil 

1.6L I4 Petrol Hybrid

Grade: 5W-30

Brand: Total Energies Quartz Ineo 5W-30 Engine Oil 

Nissan Juke diesel engines

1.5L dCi Renault I4

Grade: 5W-30

Brand: Mobil Super 3000 X1 Formula FE 5W-30 Engine Oil

Frequently Asked Questions

What brand of oil does Nissan recommend?

Nissan dealerships will generally use Total oil. Nissan also sell their own oils, fluids and coolants - but these are all designed and manufactured by Total. It’s possible that some dealers will use Mobil oil as well. 

How often does a Nissan Juke need an oil change?

Nissan recommend an oil and filter change every 9,000 miles or twelve months. This is quite a short interval - many manufacturers recommend double this. A general rule is to change your oil every 10,000 miles - and while I’d never normally recommend exceeding the manufacturer’s oil change interval, in this case, I would say you’re unlikely to have any problems if you stick to a 10,000 mile, 12 month service interval. 

If your car is used as a taxi or a delivery vehicle, or you have lots of journeys where you don’t get the engine up to temperature, you might want to service more often.

Does it matter what oil I put in my car?

This could be framed a few different ways - firstly, does it matter what grade of oil you put in your car? Yes, absolutely. For example if you bought a 20W-50 oil and put it into your Juke you are likely going to cause some damage - because this oil will be so thick it won’t be able to lubricate engine parts properly. Only ever use the grade of oil recommended for your vehicle. There’s no need to use a thinner oil in summer or a thicker oil in winter - stick to the recommended oil year-round - and for your Juke, this is going to be a 5W-30 oil.

As regards to whether it matters what brand of oil you put in your car, then the answer to this is sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn’t. For best performance, you should use the manufacturer’s recommended brand. However, if you use a cheap oil instead of the recommended premium oil, you aren’t going to cause any damage. 

Can I add oil to my car, or do I need an oil change?

It depends. Obviously, you should be regularly checking your oil level to make sure you’re not running your car short of oil. If you check your dipstick and find that the oil is between the minimum and maximum levels, and you’re not due a service, you don’t need to do anything. If your oil is below the minimum level, then you should top up with a little bit of the recommended brand of oil we’ve listed above.

However, if you’ve done over 10,000 miles or it’s been one year since your last oil change, you shouldn’t be topping your oil off - it needs to be changed, and you should either take it to your local garage or change out your oil yourself.

How many miles can a Nissan Juke go without an oil change?

This is really two different questions. How many miles could your Juke go, and how many miles it should go, are two different things. Realistically if you never change the oil in your Juke, you’ll probably get about 35,000 miles out of it before the oil is so sludgy that it can’t effectively lubricate the engine, and the engine will overheat and die. 

However, if you don’t want to completely ruin your car, you shouldn’t let your Juke go more than 10,000 miles without having the oil and filter changed. This applies for both petrol, diesel and hybrid models.

Check out some more of our content on the Nissan Juke!