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Hi,
I own a 2008 Nissan Murano bought new 4.5 years ago. It only has 42,000km.
The 4wd warning light started flashing a few weeks ago, and when we got it checked by Schofield Nissan Service Centre in Newmarket, we were told that the 4WD Solenoid is faulty and needs replacing. The cost is around $4000.
We were told by the service centre that although this is past the 3 years warranty period, Nissan NZ agreed to pay 50% of the cost.
It seems to be a substantial repair for a car that did only 45K km, and we are wondering whether this is the sort of thing that under the Consumer Guarantee Act should be covered by the manufacturer.
Do you know if this is the kind of part that should reasonably break down after such a relatively short time?
We would really appreciate your advice.
Kind regards,
Nurit Zubery

In our experience Nissan has a good reputation for offering a good level of customer support.
However, it must be remembered that the vehicle was originally sold to you on the understanding that it would have a 3 year warranty, which in this case expired 18 months ago.
Having said that, manufacturers will usually look at cases where circumstances dictate that some post-warranty goodwill assistance is justified. The paramaters for goodwill assistance are usually age and mileage of the vehicle, whether it is still owned by the original owner and whether the vehicle has been serviced in accordance with their maintenance schedule by one of their authorised dealers. In your case, it seems that you may meet all the criteria, therefore Nissan is offering to contribute 50% towards the cost of repair.
Regarding the CGA, there is no set time limit either way, but rather it is deemed to be what is reasonable. So in the event of a case going to dispute, the arbitrator may decide that 4.5 years is or isn't reasonable - but there's nothing set in stone.
However, Nissan do have an avenue open to customers who feel they meet some extenuating circumstances, which given the low mileage, may apply in your case. The correct procedure would be for you to submit your case to Nissan at info@nissan.co.nz