Nissan TIIda Engine Problems

I take it the smoke is coming out the tailpipe when you crank the engine, even though the engine is not starting or, at least, not running to the point where the car can be driven. It sounds like you might have 'cooked' the engine as old school mechanics would put it. When the radiator started leaking, allowing the coolant to escape, the engine overheated and 'cooked'. Which means the severe heat inside the engine damaged something sufficiently that the engine now won’t run.

You could be dealing with a blown head gasket or a warped cylinder head, or even damage to the pistons. The smoke you’re seeing when you crank the engine could be oil smoke that’s a result of fired piston rings due to the overheating episode. The first thing to do is let a mechanic run a few tests on the engine to determine whether it’s retrievable or junk. From there, you can make an informed decision on whether to fix the car or cut your losses and simply walk away. If the engine is damaged beyond help, a second-hand engine from a wrecked Tiida might be an option if you decide you want to keep the car.

The check-engine light on any modern, fuel-injected car is there to let you know there’s something amiss with how something within the driveline is working. However, precisely what that thing is could be one (or more) of about a thousand things. The absolute best advice is to take the car to a workshop and have it electronically scanned. The onboard computer (which is what triggers the check-engine light) should have recorded what was at fault and should then be able to tell the workshop’s computer where to start looking.

Until you have this scan performed, you won’t have a clue what the problem is, and the causes could be anything from a dud oxygen sensor, to a stretched timing chain, and a dead spark plug wire to a blocked fuel-injector.

There’s absolutely no correlation between body styles (hatchback versus sedan) and the propensity for leaking brake cylinders. The difference between your mum’s and your previous car and the Tiida is probably all down to the quality of the parts, not whether it’s a hatch or sedan.

Brake cylinders leak when the rubber seals inside them fail. But because the cylinder is hidden within the brake drum, a leak is often only found when the car is being serviced or inspected for a roadworthy certificate. And as you’ve found, that’s often too late to prevent the brake shoes becoming contaminated by the leaking brake fluid.

The best way to avoid leaking brake cylinders is to have the braking system flushed regularly. It’s also important to replace any leaking wheel cylinder with a good quality unit. I’m tipping the reason your cylinders failed the second time was because the original ones were replaced with cheapies (possibly sourced online) which simply weren’t as good as the Nissan originals. Always beware when buying replacement parts of any sort that they’re good quality, particularly when it comes to critical safety systems like brakes.

Take it to a mechanic to have it checked. It's most likely to be related to the cars' electronics.

The batteries fitted to all cars today are borderline in capacity; the motoring clubs do a great business in selling batteries through their roadside assistance services. I would go to a reputable specialist battery retailer and buy a good brand of battery and not a generic brand.

My suspicion is that it is a ploy to squeeze a few more bucks out of you, that's usually the case with these sorts of additional   service recommendations. If you doubt the dealer's advice ask for proof that the service is needed.

It's important here to understand that it is not Nissan advising you have the injectors serviced, it's the dealer. I would be inclined to reject the advice, but if you are concerned about it have the dealer justify the recommendation. Ask to see the damaged parts, get a written report etc.

The battery in the Tiida really is only marginal for the job, and if the power drops the car won’t start, even though it might crank over. The on-set of winter has exacerbated the issue. Buy a better battery.

The battery is a piddly little one with barely enough capacity to keep the Tiida afloat. If the volts drop below 9.2 there's not enough grunt to sustain running and the car will crank without starting, as the dealer has told you. The answer is to buy a better battery with a decent capacity.

If the battery is done a little the starter can take up what power it has and the voltage can drop below that needed for the rest of the system to function, so it might crank and not start. The calcium battery is not standard in the Tiida; it has a lead-acid battery standard, which means your battery has been replaced before. Can you swap a battery out of another car for a week or two and see if the problem persists. If it does you know its the battery, if it doesn’t then you can look elsewhere, and perhaps look at the immobiliser.