Horror in the hands of nissan, selling cars with diesel filter errors

I am writing to bring to your attention the ongoing and unresolved issues I have experienced with my vehicle and the extremely poor service I have received from Nissan customer care regarding case no. 832936 on my warranty policy no. K9KA636D703857.

On June 10th, my vehicle, a Nissan Qashqai 1.5dci (), was taken to Nissan Clearwater in Johannesburg because it failed to start. Unfortunately, due to work commitments, I was in another province and re**** on my sister, who is also my caretaker, to keep me informed about the vehicle's status. She reported that the car was indicating an auto start fault, an issue I have encountered multiple times since purchasing the vehicle in 2019.

Within a few months of buying the vehicle, the auto start fault light came on. The vehicle was taken to the authorized Nissan dealer in Tzaneen, South Africa, where I was reassured that there was nothing to worry about. Despite numerous visits to the dealer—some recorded and others not—the problem persisted. Job cards exist for visits in January 2019, February 2021, and February 2022, documenting this recurring issue. I even replaced the battery upon their recommendation, which did not resolve the problem. At no point was I informed about the impact of this auto start fault on the diesel filter or diesel particulate filter (DPF).

In May 2022, the same fault light appeared, and I took the vehicle to Motordeal Johannesburg near Gold Reef City, where I was again assured that the problem was resolved. However, in 2024, the issue reoccurred, and the vehicle eventually failed to start. Marina, the service manager at Clearwater, did her best to assist by cleaning the existing filter and testing with a new battery, all to no avail. Despite her efforts, the warranty claim was immediately rejected by Nissan, citing a lapse in the service interval.

I then contacted customer care and lodged an appeal and was assigned to a case manager named Pheladi, whose service has been extremely disappointing. Pheladi was often unavailable, and when reached, she was dismissive and unhelpful. The minute someone asks who I am and puts me on hold to check on Pheladi, she is either in the toilet or on launch. Despite my efforts and the assistance from the dealers who confirmed they had job cards detailing previous repairs, Pheladi failed to follow up adequately. I kept following up on whether she even interrogated those job cards, that is if she obtained them. I escalated the matter to hellopter and X , that when Nondi, Pheladi's manager came in, who promised to keep me updated but failed to do so consistently. The one call she made after the complain, would be the last until I had to search for her again.

After extensive follow-up and frustration, I received an SMS on Monday morning stating that the claim was once again denied. I then had to go seeking for Pheladi or Nondi as per norm. When I managed to speak with Pheladi, she was rude and unkind, refusing to acknowledge the vehicle's history and the repeated occurrence of the same fault. She even asked me if I am questioning her competence, speaking as though she has the final say. If all your calls are recorded, perhaps you shouldpull the calls and hear the disrespect I suffered from Pheladi. My request for a written explanation was met with further delays and unfulfilled promises.

Throughout this ordeal, only Marina from the dealership provided tangible assistance, unlike the so-called customer service consultants. Initially, there were promising signs that Nissan might address the pre-existing fault. Nondi conveyed that Nissan was hoping the dealer would obtain a cleaning kit, which would have kept the cost lower. When that option failed, the entire bill was then placed on me. Despite these initial indications, I have been left feeling dismissed and ignored.

As a black female who put my trust in Nissan to provide me with a quality vehicle, I feel taken for granted. It seems that my concerns and repeated reports of the same issue were not taken seriously, possibly because of an assumption that I lack knowledge about cars. This treatment is not only disheartening but also discriminatory.

The troubling part is that I still do not have the documents I requested. I have come across similar concerns on HelloPeter regarding DPF issues with the same make of vehicle, suggesting that Nissan was aware of this problem when the vehicle was released but failed to address it. I am also questioning the whereabouts of my job cards and why the agents are refusing to provide any paperwork. I am now using social media to get Nissan to even respond to me, but even that seems to fall short, though I will persist until I get others who are going through the same injustice.

To make matters worse, the dealer has now requested that I remove the unmoving vehicle from their premises. The total cost I need to pay is R89,000. In this economy, it is unreasonable to expect me to cover this expense for a vehicle that has consistently had issues since it was purchased. Where should I take the vehicle when I remove it?

In conclusion, I am seeking a detailed explanation and resolution to this matter. I demand that Nissan address the faulty vehicle sold to me and take responsibility for the ongoing issues I have faced. I am prepared to escalate this matter further if necessary, including involving my attorneys and relevant motor industry bodies. I will continue to write until someone is willing to listen and assist me.

I look forward to your urgent response.