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Most Common Nissan Vehicle Questions In Seattle, Tacoma, And Bellevue Washington
new 2018 nissan sentra for sale in redmond washingtonDear Robert,

I’m not sure whether to get liability or collision insurance for my 2018 Nissan Sentra. What’s the difference between them?

Thanks,
Grace

Hi, Grace!

In order to drive your 2018 Nissan Sentra in Washington, you need to have some liability insurance. So it’s not really an option to choose one or the other: I'll the differences between them.

Liability insurance protects other people and their property if you cause damage with your car, and this is mandatory in Washington.

Collision insurance, on the other hand, protects your Sentra if it’s involved in an accident with another vehicle, person, or non-moving object. So regardless of who is at fault, this policy should cover your car's repair costs.

While collision insurance isn’t mandatory, it is great to have; if you’re involved in an accident, it will take away the majority of the financial stress that comes with such a problem.

Before you get behind the wheel in Washington, make sure you meet the minimum insurance requirements which you can find here.

Thanks for the question, Grace! Please don’t hesitate to contact Kirkland Nissan, Washington if you ever need anything else!
new 2019 nissan rogue for sale in redmond washingtonHi Robert,

I’m about to get insurance for my 2019 Nissan Rogue but I don’t know whether my credit score will influence the price of the premium. What do you think?

Thanks,
Lorna

Hi, Lorna!

The short answer is yes: automotive insurance companies have a right to look at your credit score. They will regularly take it into consideration when offering you a rate on your 2019 Nissan Rogue.

A study, conducted by the University of Texas, found that people with lower credit scores tended to have higher claims payouts and more car insurance losses.

So it would make sense that insurance companies allow someone’s credit score to influence the rate that they offer.

If you want to lower your car insurance rate by raising your credit score, there are a few things you should consider:

It’s good to have a long-established credit history and always try to make your payments on time. You should also ensure that all open accounts are in good standing.

If you can follow the points above, your credit score will go up over time.

Thanks for the question, Lorna! Please don’t hesitate to contact Kirkland Nissan, Washington if you need anything else.
new 2018 nissan titan xd for sale in puyallup washingtonHi Robert,

I recently purchased a new 2018 Nissan Titan XD and know it has a trailer light checking system. I’m just not sure how to use it: could you walk me through the process?

Thanks,
David

Hi, David!

The 2018 Nissan Titan XD’s trailer light safety checking feature is a really easy system to operate.

After you’ve connected a trailer, you need to press the lock button on your Titan’s key fob twice. The second time you hit it, hold down until the horn beeps once and the parking lights flash.

The system will then follow this sequence: the left turn light on your vehicle and trailer will flash for five seconds, then the right will do the same.

After this, the brake lights on both your truck and the trailer will turn on for five seconds. Once the sequence is complete, you’ll hear a muted beep from the horn.

This is a fantastic time-saving feature which means you don’t need to have anyone else with you to check everything is working correctly: enjoy it!

Thanks for the question, David! Contact Kirkland Nissan, Washington if you ever need anything else.
new 2018 nissan rogue for sale in puyallup washingtonDear Robert,

I’ve noticed that my 2018 Nissan Rogue has started misfiring. I’ve heard that this could be due to a problem with the timing belt: what do you think?

Thanks,
Denise

Hi, Denise!

A lot of things could cause your 2018 Nissan Rogue to misfire, so I can’t say with certainty what the issue is. But it could be down to a problem with your timing belt.

The timing belt is attached to the pulleys that move your car's camshaft and crank.

If your timing belt has worn out, it could slip on the camshaft. This may cause one cylinder to open or close too early.

If your cylinders are opening or closing at the wrong time the result will be a misfire. This lowers your fuel economy in the short term but, further down the line, it could cause major engine damage and a costly bill.

Regardless of what’s causing your Rogue to misfire, you need to get it checked out. I recommend calling over to our Service Department and letting the Technicians have a look.

Thanks for the question, Denise! Don’t hesitate to contact Kirkland Nissan, Washington if you ever need anything else.
new 2018 nissan kicks for sale in puyallup washingtonHi Robert,

I’ve noticed that my 2018 Nissan Kicks’ gas mileage has been getting worse. Its tires often fall below the recommended PSI level, and I heard this could reduce a car's fuel economy. What do you think?

Thanks,
Janice

Hi, Janice!

We can all be guilty of not paying enough attention to our tires, but they really impact how your vehicle performs. If they're underinflated, it could cause your 2018 Nissan Kicks’ gas mileage to decrease.

As tires deflate, they generate more resistance against the road. This means extra energy is required to travel at the same speed.

So your Nissan Kicks’ engine is working harder and therefore using more gasoline. You should also be careful not to overinflate your rubber. While this will cause even less road resistance, it reduces your car's grip as there’s less surface area in contact with the road.

The easiest way to make sure this doesn’t happen again is to check your tire pressure at a gas station each time you fill up. If you make this a habit your car’s fuel economy and handling will improve.

Thanks for the question, Janice! Contact Kirkland Nissan, Washington if you need anything else. 
new 2018 nissan titan for sale in puyallup washingtonHi Robert,

I noticed there was a pool of liquid under my 2018 Nissan Titan yesterday. I found it near the engine so thought it might be radiator fluid. What do you think?

Thanks,
Andy

Hi, Andy!

It’s very hard to say what fluid is coming from your 2018 Nissan Titan without seeing it. But there are a few tell-tale signs when a radiator is leaking.

This type of fluid looks sticky and bright, and usually smells sweet; it can be green, orange, or pink in color. So if the pool in your garage ticks these boxes, there’s a good chance you have a leaky radiator.

If you've noticed that your truck's engine temperature has been higher than normal it would also point to a radiator problem.

This fluid is highly toxic so you need to make sure you dispose of it quickly and don’t let any animals or children near it.

It’s dangerous to drive your car in this condition as the engine could overheat and seize but, if you find the leak, you can patch it with a repair product and get to a garage. If you can't fix it, you'll need to call a tow truck.

Thanks for your question, Andy! Contact Kirkland Nissan, Washington again if you need anything else.
new 2918 nissan sentra for sale in puyallup washingtonHi Robert,

I regularly take my 2018 Nissan Sentra on camping trips and bring my mountain bike along with four friends. My father says I’m overloading the car and it’s dangerous, do you think he’s right?

Thanks,
Liam

Hi, Liam!

Without knowing how much weight you’re transporting, I can’t say for sure whether or not you’re overloading your 2018 Nissan Sentra. But, if you are exceeding its maximum payload capacity, it's a problem.

Overloading your car causes it to be less stable on the road. It will wallow around corners, have slower acceleration and a longer braking distance. This can make it difficult to safely maneuver your vehicle in an emergency situation.

You're also putting more of a strain on your Sentra’s parts when you carry too much weight. Among other things, the tires will wear faster which could lead to a blowout.

You should also check your insurance policy, as many companies won’t cover you if your car was overloaded at the time of an accident.

Try to get the combined weight of you and your friends along with all the gear. If this exceeds the car’s maximum payload limit, you’ll need to leave some stuff behind.

Thanks for the question, Liam! Contact Kirkland Nissan, Washington again if you need anything else.
new 2019 nissan altima for sale in newcastle washingtonDear Robert,

I’ve noticed that my 2019 Nissan Altima sometimes hesitates and then surges when I put my foot down. I feel like this could be an issue with the spark plugs but would like to hear your opinion.

Thanks,
Brendan

Hi, Brendan!

When everything is working well in your 2019 Nissan Altima, it’s engine should respond the same way all the time.

If there's a delay after you put your foot down and then all the power comes suddenly in a big surge, it could be due problems with your spark plugs.

The combination of air and gasoline in your vehicle's combustion chamber is, essentially, what keeps the engine running.

If one or more of your spark plugs isn’t working properly, your Altima may need to suck in more air than usual to keep the engine running. This would cause a combined hesitation and then surge to your car’s power delivery.

I can’t say that this is the issue for sure without inspecting your vehicle, so I recommend that you call into our Service Department and let the Technicians have a look.

Thanks for the question, Brendan! Don’t hesitate to contact Kirkland Nissan, Washington again if you need anything else.
new 2018 nissan titan for sale in newcastle washingtonHi Robert,

I’ve been doing a lot of driving recently and, as a result, bugs are piling up on my 2018 Nissan Titan’s grille. Is there any way of preventing this?

Thanks,
Ken

Hi, Ken!

Unfortunately, once the miles start racking up, so do the bugs. There isn't a lot you can do to prevent them from hitting your 2018 Nissan Titan, but you can make it easier to clean its grille.

The best thing to do is grease your truck’s grille before you hit the road.  Once you reach your destination and clean your vehicle, the bugs will slide off more easily.

Some people suggest covering your grille in car wax but this can be hard to spread evenly over all the bends and corners.

People have been known to use spray-on cooking oil, but this often contains lecithin which is a fatty acid. Over time this will form a gummy coating on your grille and make bugs stick to it: this definitely isn’t what you want.

There are automotive products specifically designed for this purpose which contain lanolin. They won’t become sticky over time and don’t wash off easily with water: this is what you should use.

Make sure to give your truck a quick wipe every time you take a long trip. When you let the bugs accumulate, it's harder to get them off.

Thanks for the question, Ken! Contact Kirkland Nissan, Washington again if you need anything else.
new 2018 nissan kicks for sale in newcastle washingtonDear Robert,

I’ve noticed a humming sound coming from my 2018 Nissan Kicks’ tires which 
seems
to be getting louder. My friend said this happens when there are issues with the alignment: is he right?

Thanks,
Mary

Hi, Mary!

All cars, including your 2018 Nissan Kicks, produce a humming or drumming sound in the air chamber as they travel. It’s only really an issue if this noise starts to get louder.

If you’ve noticed that the humming sound has been getting louder over the past while, this could indicate a problem with your vehicle's alignment.

As your car's alignment gets worse, it causes the vehicle's ride to become more unstable. This, in turn, creates irregular tire movement which loudens the humming or drumming sounds in the air chamber.

If you haven't gotten your tires balanced in a while then this could be the problem with your Kicks. But, without inspecting your car, I can't say what the issue is for sure.

I recommend that you call into our Service Department and let the Technicians have a look at your vehicle.

Thanks for the question, Mary! Please don’t hesitate to contact Kirkland Nissan, Washington again.
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