# What to Look For When Buying a Used Nissan Patrol > What to check on a used Patrol 4x4 wagon, what a problem looks like, and when to walk away. Covers: GU (Y61) (1997–2016), Y62 (2013 on). Last updated: 8 October 2026. Web page: https://shufti.com.au/checklists/used-nissan-patrol-inspection-checklist. Printable PDF: https://shufti.com.au/checklists/used-nissan-patrol-inspection-checklist.pdf. ## Common Problems on a Used Nissan Patrol The most commonly reported problems on a used Nissan Patrol are rust on older wagons, leaks from the linked hydraulic suspension on versions that have it, and wear from heavy towing and corrugated roads. Patrols running on LPG need a current tank test. ### Rust on Older Wagons Older Patrols can rust around the windscreen frame, the door bottoms, the wheel arches and around the rear doors, and beach driving speeds it up. Surface rust is fixable, but rust that has eaten through the metal weakens the body, and around the windscreen it can let water in. In daylight, check the windscreen frame, door bottoms, wheel arches and the edges of the rear doors for bubbling paint or flaking metal. Underneath, look at the chassis and floor, and be wary of fresh black coating in one spot, which can hide rust or repairs. Press the carpet for damp. Small spots of surface rust are worth a little off the price. Rust holes, or rust in the chassis or windscreen frame, mean expensive repairs, so have a mechanic check it or walk away. ### Linked Hydraulic Suspension Leaks Some Patrols have a linked hydraulic suspension system that connects the shock absorbers through hydraulic lines. It keeps the car flat in corners on the road and lets the wheels move further off-road. With age, corrugations and rust, its lines and parts can leak. Look underneath for oily, wet lines near each wheel. On the drive, the car should lean evenly both ways in corners and sit level when parked. Uneven lean, a car that sits lower at one corner, or a suspension warning can point to a fault. Parts for the system are expensive. Ask about any suspension repairs, with receipts, and if you see leaks, have a 4WD specialist check it before you buy. ### Towing, Corrugations and Roof Loads A Patrol that has towed a heavy caravan, done outback trips or carried a loaded roof rack has worked far harder than its kilometres suggest. Corrugated roads shake parts loose, heavy towing wears the gearbox and chassis, and a heavy roof load on corrugations can crack the roof. Check the roof around the rack mounts for dents, cracked paint and leaks inside. Underneath, look at the chassis near the towbar and rear suspension for kinks, cracks or fresh welds. Red dust in the door seals, stone-chipped paint and a well-worn tow ball all point to a hard life. Ask how the car was used, how heavy the towing was and how far, and ask for the paperwork for any modifications. Heavy use should mean extra gearbox and diff servicing. A hard-worked car is worth a 4WD mechanic's inspection before you buy. ### LPG Tank Testing Patrols that run on LPG have a gas tank in the back. LPG tanks must be re-tested every 10 years to stay legal, and an out-of-date tank can't legally be used until it's re-tested or replaced. Find the tank's compliance plate, which shows when it was made or last tested. Check the car runs smoothly on gas as well as petrol, and switches over cleanly. Ask for the installation or re-test certificate where your state requires one. A tank that's nearly due for testing is a cost to price in. If the tank is out of date and there's no paperwork, budget for a re-test or replacement before you can use the gas. ## Which Nissan Patrol Years to Avoid? No Nissan Patrol year is one to avoid outright. Which problems a particular car has depends on its generation, its engine and how it was used, so judge the one in front of you rather than the year alone, starting with its recalls and reported faults (Shufti looks these up from the listing). - **GU (Y61) (1997–2016).** Every one is now over 10 years old, so condition and history count for more than the year: look hard for rust, worn suspension and leaks, and check whether a timing belt (if it has one) has been replaced. - **Y62 (2013 on).** The current model. The newest may still have some new-car warranty left; on older ones, check the service history and whether tyres, brakes and the battery are due. ## Nissan Patrol Inspection Checklist Tick it if it's fine. Cross it if it isn't, and note what you found so you can price it into your offer. - Safety critical: Affects how safely it drives or protects you in a crash. Best to have a mechanic check it before you buy. - Negotiate: Costs money to fix, from wear to major repairs. Get a quote and take it off the price. ### Before You Go - [ ] **Get the VIN and rego** before you travel. A seller who won't share them is a red flag on its own. - [ ] **Know what you're looking at:** a GU (diesel or petrol, manual or auto, maybe LPG) or a Y62 (petrol V8 auto). Manual and LPG checks are marked. - [ ] **Ask how it was used:** towing a caravan or boat (how heavy, how far), outback trips, beach driving or school runs. Heavy towing and corrugated roads wear a Patrol much faster than suburban kilometres. - [ ] **Ask for a list of modifications** and their paperwork: lift kit, higher load limit (GVM upgrade), bigger tyres, bullbar, long-range tank, LPG, engine tune. - [ ] **Ask for the engine to be cold,** and bring a torch, gloves and something to lie on. ### Exterior - [ ] **Panels and paint.** Uneven gaps or paint on trim (crash repair), scrapes low on the body (off-roading), hail dimples on the roof and bonnet. (Negotiate) - [ ] **Rear doors.** Barn doors or tailgate shouldn't sag, and should close cleanly. A heavy spare or carrier on the door wears the hinges. (Negotiate) - [ ] **Roof and rack.** Dents, cracked paint or leaks around rack mounts. An overloaded roof rack on corrugations can crack the roof. (Negotiate) - [ ] **Bullbar** is made to work with the airbags and is solidly mounted. (Safety critical) - [ ] **Rust** on older wagons: windscreen frame, door bottoms, wheel arches and around the rear doors. (Negotiate) - [ ] **VIN plate** (in a door frame or under the bonnet) is there, untouched, and matches the papers. ### Under the Bonnet - [ ] **Coolant** at the mark and brightly coloured. Rusty or oily coolant, or regular top-ups, needs a mechanic. (Negotiate) - [ ] **Engine oil** between the marks, not milky. Diesel: a rising level or a diesel smell means fuel is getting into the oil. (Negotiate) - [ ] **Diesel: turbo.** Oil inside the big air pipes, a loud siren-like whistle, or blue smoke. (Negotiate) - [ ] **Tunes and deletes.** An extra box wired into the engine, or emissions parts removed. Removing emissions parts is illegal and can void insurance. - [ ] **LPG: tank date.** The tank's compliance plate shows when it was made or last tested. LPG tanks must be re-tested every 10 years to stay legal. - [ ] **Water crossings.** Silt or mud in the air filter box or around the engine. (Negotiate) - [ ] **Extra wiring** for a second battery, fridge, lights or UHF radio is neat and fused. Messy wiring causes faults and fires. (Negotiate) - [ ] **Cold start.** Starts easily and settles to a smooth idle. Heavy knocking, rough running or smoke that won't clear needs a mechanic. (Negotiate) ### Underbody and 4x4 - [ ] **Chassis** (the frame under the car). Kinks, cracks or fresh welds, especially near the towbar and rear suspension. (Safety critical) - [ ] **Beach use.** Sand or salt packed into the frame rusts it from the inside. Surface rust is normal; flaking or holes are not. (Safety critical) - [ ] **Suspension.** Oily shock absorbers, sagging coils or cracked mounts. Y62 with linked hydraulic suspension: look for oily lines near the wheels. (Negotiate) - [ ] **Front end.** Split rubber boots or loose steering parts; oil or grease leaking from the front hubs. Worse on lifted 4x4s. (Negotiate) - [ ] **Oil leaks** from the axles, transfer case and drive parts underneath. (Negotiate) - [ ] **Underbody guards and towbar.** Dented guards show hard off-road use; a worn tow ball means lots of heavy towing. (Negotiate) - [ ] **Tyres** match the sticker in the door frame (or are engineered), wear evenly and are under ~6 years old. Check the spare too. (Negotiate) ### Interior and Electrics - [ ] **Warning lights.** Key to "on": engine, ABS, airbag and 4WD lights come on, then go out once running. An engine or 4WD light that stays on needs explaining. (Safety critical) - [ ] **Water and dust.** Damp carpet, a stained headlining or fine dust inside. Check holes drilled for racks, a snorkel or aerials. (Negotiate) - [ ] **Third-row seats** (if fitted) fold and lock; belts work. Worn cargo area and seat trim show a hard family life. (Negotiate) - [ ] **Seatbelts** pull out fully, retract and latch, with no fraying. (Safety critical) - [ ] **Wear matches the kilometres.** Seat bolster, steering wheel, carpet under mats; screw holes from removed radios. (Negotiate) - [ ] **Air con** blows cold front and rear; heater gets hot. Count the keys and test the remotes. (Negotiate) ### Test Drive - [ ] **Automatic gearbox.** Smooth changes, no slipping or thump into gear. Towing wears autos; ask when the fluid was changed. (Negotiate) - [ ] **Manual.** In 4th at 50 km/h, floor it: if revs rise faster than speed, the clutch is slipping. (Negotiate) - [ ] **Power and smoke.** Pulls strongly, with no flat spots, sudden power loss or smoke. LPG: runs smoothly on gas too. (Negotiate) - [ ] **4WD.** On gravel or grass, select 4H then 4L: no clunks or grinding, and the 4WD lights come on. Don't use part-time 4WD on dry bitumen. (Negotiate) - [ ] **Steering and brakes.** No wandering or wobble at speed, or shaking through the brake pedal (common on towing 4x4s). (Safety critical) - [ ] **Noises.** Clunks over bumps, a hum that grows with speed (wheel bearing), or a whine as you accelerate. (Negotiate) - [ ] **Afterwards,** check for a steady temperature gauge, no warnings and no new drips underneath. (Negotiate) ### Documentation - [ ] **Seller's ID** matches the rego papers, and the VIN matches on the papers, VIN plate and chassis. - [ ] **Modification paperwork:** certificates for any load-limit (GVM) upgrade, lift, bigger tyres or LPG your state requires, and the insurer told. - [ ] **Tunes and emissions.** Ask directly whether it's been tuned or had emissions parts removed, and get the answer in writing. - [ ] **Service history.** Oil changes on time, with receipts. Heavy towing should mean extra gearbox and diff servicing. (Negotiate) - [ ] **Warranty.** A newer Y62 may still be under Nissan's new-car warranty. Check the start date and that servicing kept it valid. ## Stay Safe Never go under a car held up only by a jack, and never open the radiator or coolant cap on a hot engine. Keep hands, hair and loose clothing clear of fans and belts when the engine is running, and do checks under the bonnet with it switched off where you can. On the test drive, hold a current licence, confirm the car is registered and insured, obey road rules, and only brake hard when the road behind is clear. Meet in a safe, public-facing place, take someone with you, and don't carry large amounts of cash to a viewing. ## Disclaimer Shufti is not affiliated with or endorsed by Nissan; Nissan and Patrol are trademarks of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Figures are counts from Shufti's analysis of official records and published reports, not a statement that any particular vehicle is affected. This checklist is general information only and is not professional, mechanical, legal or financial advice. It covers common checks, not every possible fault, and a car can pass every item here and still have problems. It is not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection by a qualified mechanic, which is worth considering before you buy, especially if anything tagged Safety critical turns up. Repair costs vary widely; get your own quotes. Roadworthy, registration and transfer rules differ by state, so check with your state road authority. Private sales generally don't come with the consumer guarantees that apply when you buy from a dealer. You use this checklist at your own risk and, to the extent permitted by law, Shufti accepts no liability for any loss, damage or injury arising from its use. ## Buying a Used Nissan Patrol: Questions Answered ### Is a used Nissan Patrol reliable? It depends more on the particular car than the badge: how it was driven, loaded and serviced. Work through the commonly reported problems above, read the service history for servicing done on time, and run a PPSR check. ### Which Nissan Patrol years should I avoid? No Nissan Patrol year is one to avoid outright. Which problems a particular car has depends on its generation, its engine and how it was used, so judge the one in front of you rather than the year alone, starting with its recalls and reported faults (Shufti looks these up from the listing). This checklist covers the GU (Y61) (1997–2016) and Y62 (2013 on) Nissan Patrol. Problems reported across them include rust on older wagons, leaks from the linked hydraulic suspension and wear from heavy towing. ### How many kilometres is too many for a used Nissan Patrol? Kilometres matter less than how the car was driven and serviced. A high-kilometre SUV with a full service history can be a better buy than a low-kilometre one that's missed services, done short trips or been used for rideshare. Check the history for regular servicing, and on a hybrid ask for a battery health check. ### Should I get a pre-purchase inspection on a used Nissan Patrol? It's worth it if you can. All-wheel-drive and hybrid systems can hide faults that only a mechanic's tools will show. Most buyers don't book one, though, so whatever you decide, check the car thoroughly yourself with this checklist first. See Is a pre-purchase inspection worth it? (https://shufti.com.au/guides/is-a-pre-purchase-inspection-worth-it) ### How do I check a used Nissan Patrol for money owing or a write-off? Run a PPSR check with the car's VIN. It shows whether there's finance owing and whether the car has been reported stolen or written off, and costs $2. Run it on the day you pay. See What a PPSR check covers and what it doesn't (https://shufti.com.au/guides/what-is-a-ppsr-check) --- Shufti is an Australian used car inspection app for iPhone and Android that tailors the inspection to the exact car you're looking at. It is not affiliated with Shufti Pro, the identity verification (KYC) company. From the listing link, it builds every check around that car's make, model and year, odometer reading and the seller's description. It runs PPSR and government recall checks, crosschecks a database of more than 3 million recalls and owner complaints, flags problems from your photos and audio, plans a test drive, produces a shareable report with repair cost estimates, and coaches you through the negotiation. A check costs $24.99, or $49.99 for three, including PPSR and recall checks. A mechanic's pre-purchase inspection costs $250–350. Made by Frontpoint Digital Pty Ltd (ABN 23 669 870 366), Melbourne, Australia. Contact: hello@shufti.com.au. Download: [App Store](https://apps.apple.com/au/app/shufti-used-car-inspection/id6795718336?pt=129235165&ct=Website%20guide&mt=8), [Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=au.shufti.shufti_app&referrer=utm_source%3Dshufti.com.au%26utm_medium%3Dwebsite%26utm_campaign%3DWebsite%2520guide%26utm_content%3Dllms).