Loss of engine power and slow when A/C is on

Tiny
MAHERALSHAABAN
  • MEMBER
  • 2021 NISSAN ARMADA
  • 5.6L
  • V8
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 8,800 MILES
The car is brand new Nissan Patrol (Armada in the US) it has V8 engine that generates 400 hp and 560 N.M of torque. I purchased it two months ago and it was perfectly fine in the first two weeks, as the car drove close to 2000km I suddenly started noticing heaviness in the car as if something is dragging it back preventing it from accelerating and performing as it should, that was coupled with slight stiffness in the steering wheel. I took the car back to the dealer they did full mechanical, electrical, and OBD check and concluded that the car has no issues. That heaviness sensation was not permanent it kept coming and going sometimes the car will just drive and perform perfect and then suddenly it’ll feel heavy and sluggish. Long story short as the car is close now to 9000km I realized by accident that the heaviness occurs when the A/C compressor kicks in and the car goes back to normal when the A/C is off or the compressor is not running, I have been testing it for two weeks and it’s always the case. The question is how can the A/C compressor affect the performance of this massive engine and why it’s making the steering wheel stiff and what should I do or tell the dealer to repair this issue?
Wednesday, June 30th, 2021 AT 5:39 AM

3 Replies

Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
These are always tough to get attention because they are brand new vehicles and it is unlikely that there is an actual issue. So when you notice something it is always better to take it in and show the dealer to get it documented and then ask to drive another one just like it.

This is not only for your reference because if another one is doing the same thing then it is normal but if it is not, now the dealer knows there is something different with your vehicle.

I will provide on low power issues even though it is not going to directly fit your issue but others may visit this page in the future and get some use out of this.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/symptoms-of-low-engine-power

https://youtu.be/U1RoG3I-Oww

As for how this could happen, the compressor engages and if the compressor is locking up or failing then it could cause the engine to bog down just because the belt is connecting the crankshaft to compressor and it will add that extra load.

It is rare that it is noticeable so I would definitely get it compared to another one just to find out if it does the same thing.

Let me know if you have questions on this. Thanks
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Thursday, July 1st, 2021 AT 12:55 PM
Tiny
MAHERALSHAABAN
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
Thanks Kase, the links you shared are so useful. I have tried another car in the dealer while applying the same conditions to the A/C and there was no noticeable loss of power similar to what happens in my car. The thing is that the mechanics and engineers in the dealer are refusing to admit that the two cars are behaving differently and that my car has a problem that requires serious attention and I’m on the weaker side since the computer scan doesn’t show any errors and no visible leaks or sounds coming out of the car. I decided to take the issue higher to the Nissan regional dealer and even to Nissan Japan but before I do that I need you to please tell me what’s the procedure and the steps to check and repair the issue say if the compressor is locking or the belt is slipping. Thanks again.
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Thursday, July 1st, 2021 AT 6:11 PM
Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
The easiest thing to do is remove the belt and drive the vehicle to find out if there is a loss of power still.

You are able to drive the vehicle with no belt for a short time. I would not go more than 5 -7 miles just because you will not have power steering or the alternator so you don't want to tax your battery too much.

However, this should give a good idea on if this is related to this. We are pretty sure it is since it only does it when the compressor is engaged but this is just more confirmation.

I would not hesitate on getting them involved because unfortunately it sounds like the dealer just does not want to get involved with trying to solve this. That is not uncommon because they did not build the vehicle. They are just there to repair it and when they don't know what to do to fix this, they just say it is normal regardless if another is different. But this was never the idea as I kind of expected that.

This was all just to get you all the info needed to intelligently talk to the OEM because the first thing they are going to do is tell you to go to the dealer and drive another one. Now that is done and you know it is different.

Please let me know if you have other questions. Thanks
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Thursday, July 1st, 2021 AT 7:53 PM

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