Nissan Dualis 2011 Problems

That's a pretty impressive innings for a Dualis. You obviously maintain it well and drive it sensibly. The engine light on your dashboard is telling you that the car's on-board computer has noticed something isn't right and needs to be fixed or reset. This could be anything from a stretched timing chain to an oxygen sensor in the exhaust system or dozens of things in between.

The best approach is to have the car scanned to see what fault codes the computer throws up. From there, you'll have a much better idea of what the problem is.

The orange or yellow engine light means the car is still safe to drive, but you still need to have it looked at as soon as you can to avoid doing further damage to whatever system is not working properly. If the warning light (of any sort) is red, then you should stop driving as soon as it's safe to pull over and have the vehicle towed to a workshop.

Providing you have used the correct battery and have installed it correctly in the fob there shouldn’t be any problem. Go to a Nissan dealer or an auto locksmith and have them sort it for you

Both are well suited to everyday use around town. They're comfortable, fuel-efficient and safe. The Dualis is a little cheaper than the Sportage, but I would definitely go for the Sportage. I would expect them to have a similar resale value when it comes time to sell, but the reputation of the Sportage for quality and reliability would make it easier to move on.

While the CVT is a brilliant concept there have been problems with turning the concept into a reliable functioning gearbox, despite 40 years of trying. Shuddering can be a problem with them, and while Nissan might want to dismiss it as a characteristic of the transmission, it's only because they don't know how to fix it. You should do as it has been suggested, make a formal complaint, and pursue a settlement through official channels.

Take a close look to see if you can determine why it is wearing out so fast. Do you sit close to the wheel and brush against the seat back as you get in and out of the car? A simple thing like rolling the seat back before you get out can avoid rubbing against the seat. Of course you then have to reset the seat when you get back in, and that's inconvenient, but it might be a solution. By all means tackle Nissan over it; the seat shouldn't be wearing as rapidly as it seems to be.

Clutches seem to be a particular problem with Nissans; you’re not the only one who has come to us for advice. The response you received from Nissan is the one most owners get when complaining about the life of the clutches in their cars. You could pressure Nissan in the hope they will relent and examine the clutch, but even if they did I’m sure you would find that the clutch is worn out. I doubt very much if you would get Nissan to come to the party and cover the cost of a replacement; the best course of action is to install a heavy-duty replacement clutch and a solid flywheel. I would urge you not to install a standard Nissan clutch and dual-mass flywheel, as you are likely to have the same issue all over again in another 40,000 km or so.

Unfortunately, the most likely thing that has happened is that the tyre sidewall has been fractured through hitting a kerb and it’s the rubber outer casing that is bubbling. It’s a relatively common failure. The best thing to do is to strip the tyre from the rim and have a tyre expert inspect it. Once you do that I would expect to see the fracture on the inner sidewall.