2012 Nissan Primastar 2.0L Diesel · GD12 EXJ

Recall R/2016/185, launched in September 2016, names Primastars built between 25 September 2012 and 14 December 2013 where a production error can let cracks form in the steering wheel, compromising its strength and in extreme conditions allowing it to detach while driving. My MOT Checker's summary of the DVSA register repeats the same defect and its remedy - replace the steering wheel. The practical point for a buyer of a nine or ten-year-old van is that a campaign nobody thought about after the initial notice will not have been carried out, and the tell is cracks around the rim and spokes or a wheel that has clearly been renewed without paperwork.

The RAC's Primastar buying guide is unusually specific about what costs money: the engines are rugged but 72,000 miles is the cam belt interval and a van that has missed it needs a £350 discount, glow plug replacement is around £500, injectors about £1,000, a fuel pump roughly £2,000 and a replacement gearbox around £1,000, while vans driven fully loaded can eat through pads and discs and the named wear items include slipping clutches and tired rear suspension. It also warns that a persistent engine management light can mean a wiring loom or ECU fault rather than the cheaper camshaft sensor. None of these are surprises on a twelve-year-old diesel van, but they are the difference between a £1,500 buy and a £4,000 one.