SEVEN FAULTS THAT DRIVE OWNERS MAD
NISSAN QASHQAI 21% BMW 5 SERIES TOURER
BY LUKE POWELL CONSUMER rights champion Which? has called for popular car models from brands including Nissan, BMW and Land Rover to be recalled over claims of “prolific” faults.
A survey of 47,013 car owners by Which? found certain models had a single problem commonly reported, ranging from faulty batteries to “flawed” fuel systems.
It said the issues indicate “a weakness in the manufacturing process that should be addressed immediately”.
The Nissan Qashqai had the highest breakdown rate for cars less than three years old, with 21 per cent of owners claiming they had to replace the battery in the 12 months prior to the survey, Which? said.
Some 28 per cent of Nissan Pulsar owners also reported battery issues in vehicles between three and eight years old, while 20 per cent of diesel Nissan Juke owners had problems with the fuel component system.
Nissan said it had taken steps to address the issue by replacing its battery supplier and had contacted 35,000 potentially-affected Qashqai owners about a free update for their vehicle.
The survey also found 18 per cent of Tesla Model S owners reported faults with its pop-out door handles in cars aged three to eight years old.
Meanwhile, 21 per cent of Range Rover Velar and 17 per cent of Range Rover Sport owners reported problems with the on-board computer software in vehicles up to three years old.
The BMW 5 Series Touring car, produced between 2010 to 2017, had the second-highest fault rate linked to one problem.
The survey found 26 per cent of the model’s owners reported issues with their car’s suspension in vehicles aged three to eight years old.
Tesla told Which? its warranties cover any repairs or replacements necessary for door handles for up to four years.
Land Rover said it took product quality “seriously” and that it was introducing software to all new vehicles to allow for remote updates.
BMW said: “We encourage any dissatisfied Which? reader to contact BMW UK, making reference to Which?, so that we can investigate their concerns.”