Nissan Note (E12) Common Problems & Reliability
The second-generation Note reached the UK in October 2013, built at Sunderland and pitched less as a mini-MPV than as a tall, practical supermini to fight the Honda Jazz. Buyers had the naturally aspirated 1.2-litre HR12DE (80hp), the supercharged 1.2 DIG-S (98hp) that arrived in spring 2014 with an optional Xtronic CVT, and the Renault-sourced 1.5 dCi (90hp) claiming 78.5mpg and 95g/km. Nissan leaned on class-leading kit to justify the price: Moving Object Detection, Blind Spot Warning, Lane Departure Warning and the Around View Monitor camera pack, all working through a rear camera with its own washer and dryer. Rear-seat space and the split-folding bench remained the party trick, and the driving position is high rather than sporty. It was dropped in 2017 when the Renault-built Micra took the small-car slot, so surviving examples are mostly ex-fleet with a few private cars. Broadly solid mechanically, but the CVT, a string of recalls and worn front-end components are what separate a good one from a bargain.
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Detailed fault breakdown, symptoms, and estimated repair bills by production year.
Most Common Nissan Note (E12) Faults & Repair Costs
Xtronic CVT hesitation and poor response on hills
The 1.2 DIG-S could be ordered with Nissan's Xtronic CVT from spring 2014. Auto Express's used Note guide summed it up as best avoided because of poor economy and a clunky action, especially on hills, and RAC owner feedback includes the engine dying on uphill ascents with D selected. Wear usually shows as shudder from a standstill, revs flaring without drive and a droning whine, most often between 50,000 and 90,000 miles on cars that never had the 'sealed for life' fluid changed. A replacement CVT costs more than the car is worth, so this is a walk-away fault rather than a negotiation.
Engine revs rise sharply without a matching increase in road speed when pulling away, Shudder or judder from a standstill, worst on a steep drive or when hot, Long delay or clunk when selecting D or R, Droning or whining from the gearbox that changes with load rather than road speed
- Find a steep junction and pull away with the wheel locked: hesitation, rev flare or a dying engine are all reasons to stop
- Do a kickdown from about 30mph on a warm car and see whether acceleration is smooth or arrives in a jerk
- Ask for proof of CVT fluid being changed, and treat 'never serviced, it is sealed' as a warning
- Check for software update or gearbox-related work in the service history and get any seller-reported hesitation in writing
Ignition coil failure and unfinished recall campaigns
Auto Express records three recalls against the E12: a starter button that could stay engaged once the engine was running (cars built up to March 2014, campaign August 2015), out-of-specification ignition coils whose internals short-circuit, causing misfire and, in the worst case, a blown fuse in the powertrain control unit so the car stalls and will not restart (campaign R/2016/008, cars built August 2015 to January 2016, 2,010 in the UK), and an ABS fault on some April 2016-built cars. Out of warranty the coil repair is a modest bill, but a half-completed campaign leaves you with a car that can leave you stranded.
Engine management light flashing with a rough idle or misfire under load, Engine cranks but will not restart after a hot soak, Push-start button stays lit or feels still pressed after the engine fires, ABS or brake warning light with no obvious pad or disc problem
- Check the registration on the GOV.UK recall service and insist on the dealer invoice showing the campaign number, not just a letter
- Cold start in front of the seller, then sit in traffic for ten minutes and watch for misfire or stalling
- Watch the starter button release as the engine fires
- Ask specifically whether the ignition coil campaign has been done on cars built from mid-2015
Rear door child-lock switch recall on 2015-2016 cars
Recall R/2020/220 covers Notes built between 28 September 2015 and 13 August 2016 - 299,631 UK vehicles - because the rear door child-lock switch can lose its retention force and no longer reliably hold the selected position. The lock looks engaged but the door can still be opened with the inner handle, which is both a child-safety issue and a potential MOT advisory on door operation. Because these cars have changed hands several times since, a large share of the used population is untreated.
Rear door still opens from the inside with the child lock set, Child-lock slider feels loose or clicks without the usual resistance, One side works and the other does not, often after a door card has been removed
- Set both rear child locks and try each rear door from the inside - neither should open
- Ask for written confirmation that R/2020/220 has been carried out, not just that the car was eligible
- Look for disturbed clips or new screws around the rear door cards that hint at repair work
Front-end knocks, wheel bearing drone and below-average MOT record
RAC's owner survey for this Note picked up a wheel bearing replacement, a knock when driving over small bumps and easily marked dash and door panels, and the model's overall MOT record is weaker than the UK average - CarPeep's analysis of 2025 tests put the Note at 63.1% initial passes against a 72.3% national figure. In practice that means bushes, drop links, tie rods and hubs are the recurring spend, with salt-winter cars showing corrosion advisories around the suspension pick-up points and arch liners.
A single knock or clunk when crossing speed cushions and small potholes, Growling or droning from one corner that changes pitch as you turn the wheel, MOT advisories for corrosion on suspension pick-up points or split rubber gaiters, Kerbed alloys with scuffed outer rims on the nearside
- Rock the car slowly over speed cushions with the windows down to isolate body and suspension knocks
- Drive a smooth bending road and listen for bearing drone that changes with steering angle
- Look through the wheel arch liners at the rear arch and suspension tops for flaking rust
- Pull together and push apart the front wheels with the car raised to feel for play in tracks and hub nuts
Buying a used Nissan Note (E12)? Always check for hidden finance and write-off history.
Mechanical problems are only half the battle. Over 1 in 3 UK used cars checked have unpaid finance or accident write-off records that could cause you to lose the car or thousands in value.