What Nissan codes (P1212, P0420, P0299, P0401, P0106, P0100) actually mean on Nissan engines — the real cause, the common misdiagnosis, and the honest UK repair cost.
These are the OBD fault codes we see most often on Nissan vehicles in the workshop, with the real cause on Nissan engines rather than the generic textbook definition, plus the honest independent-garage cost.
Nissan fault codes explained
- P1212 — ABS / VDC / TCS warning — on Nissan Qashqai and Juke this often pairs with brake servo / vacuum pump failures. Typical UK cost £140–£600.
- P0420 — Catalyst efficiency on Nissan petrol — the front cat-back O2 sensor is the weakness on Micra K12, Note E11 and Qashqai J10. Typical UK cost £180–£700.
- P0299 — Turbo underboost on Nissan — 1.5 dCi (shared with Renault) suffers turbo oil starvation. 1.6 dCi has known turbo failures. Typical UK cost £400–£1800.
- P0401 — EGR flow insufficient on Nissan 1.5/1.6 dCi (Renault-derived) — Qashqai, Juke and Note all suffer the same EGR carbon as their Renault siblings. Typical UK cost £150–£680.
- P0106 — MAP sensor performance on Nissan 1.5 dCi, 1.2/1.6 DIG-T, and 2.0 petrol — sensor failure on Qashqai/Juke common, plus charge-pipe leaks. Typical UK cost £100–£360.
- P0100 — MAF circuit malfunction on Nissan — 2.0 petrol Qashqai and 1.5/1.6 dCi MAF sensor failures plus airbox seal issues on Juke. Typical UK cost £100–£320.
- P0011 — Intake cam over-advanced on Nissan — MR20DE/QR25DE/VQ35DE timing chain stretch and OCV faults are the headline causes. Typical UK cost £140–£1800.
- P0171 — System lean on Nissan — Qashqai/Juke 1.6 HR16 and 1.2 DIG-T MAF and intake leaks. Typical UK cost £25–£450.
- P0455 — EVAP gross leak on Nissan — fuel cap and EVAP canister vent solenoid on Qashqai/Juke/Micra. Typical UK cost £25–£280.
- P2002 — DPF efficiency below threshold on Nissan — 1.5/1.6 dCi K9K (Qashqai/Juke) DPF clogging. Typical UK cost £180–£1600.
Codes are generic across manufacturers, but the fix is not. The same code on a Nissan usually points at a different component than it would on another make, which is why a make-specific diagnosis saves money before any parts are bought.
Reading codes properly on a Nissan
A £20 reader pulls generic engine codes and nothing else. On a Nissan the useful information often sits in the gearbox, ABS, body or comfort modules, and those need a tool that talks the manufacturer protocols. Just as important is the freeze-frame data stored with the code: engine speed, load, coolant temperature and fuel trims at the exact moment the fault was logged. That snapshot is usually what separates a failing sensor from a real mechanical problem, and it is the first thing we look at before anything is unbolted.
Why the same code costs different money on a Nissan
Each code on this page has a cost range rather than a price because the cheap cause and the expensive cause log identically. A split hose and a failed turbo can both set a boost code. Access matters too — some Nissan engines put the awkward part behind half the front end, and the labour, not the part, is what moves the bill. An honest quote names which cause has been confirmed and what the repair for that specific cause costs.
Getting a Nissan fault diagnosed
Bob's Mechanical Repairs is an independent, family-run garage in Birnam, Dunkeld, Perthshire, a couple of minutes off the A9. Bob has 32 years on the tools, and diagnostics are charged as diagnostic time with the findings explained in plain English and the repair priced before any work is agreed. An MOT is £54.85 if the car is due one at the same time.
Common questions
How do I read fault codes on a Nissan? Any generic OBD-II reader will pull engine codes from a Nissan built after 2001, but manufacturer-level codes from the gearbox, ABS and body modules need a tool that speaks the Nissan protocols. That is why a garage scan often finds codes a cheap reader misses.
Will clearing a Nissan fault code fix it? No. Clearing the code only erases the record. If the fault is still present it returns on the next drive cycle, and in the meantime the readiness monitors are reset, which can stop the car passing an emissions check.
How much is a Nissan diagnostic at an independent garage? An hour of diagnostic time is typically £50–£90 in the UK, against £110–£180 at a main dealer. It almost always costs less than the part it stops you buying by mistake.