2001 Nissan Skyline Problems: 7 Known Issues

On the 1989-2002 Nissan Skyline, factory twin turbos on the GT-R (and the single turbos on RB20DET/RB25DET GTS-T models) use lightweight ceramic exhaust wheels for fast spool, but the brittle ceramic shears off the shaft with age, heat cycles, detonation, rev-limiter hits, or boost much above the stock ~0.8-1.0 bar. A failed wheel kills boost instantly, dumps shards into the exhaust, and can take the turbo's bearings and seals with it, with documented cases of consequential engine damage. Only N1 and Nür special editions came with steel exhaust wheels from the factory.

On the 1999-2002 Nissan Skyline, the R34 GT-R's Getrag V160 6-speed has strong hard parts but notoriously weak synchros, with 3rd gear (and then 2nd) typically grinding first, eventually refusing clean engagement; AWD traction puts extra shock load through the box and accelerates the wear. Nissan officially treats the V160 as non-serviceable (replace only), replacement boxes are scarce and very expensive, and a correct rebuild requires one of only a handful of specialists. Earlier R32/R33 5-speeds also crunch 2nd/3rd synchros with age, but parts for those are far cheaper and more available.

On the 1989-2002 Nissan Skyline, all three Skyline generations are now 24-37 years old, so corrosion in the front strut tower seams, rear wheel arches, sills, boot floor and chassis rails is the single biggest body concern on imports. Water gets past aging boot seals and stone chips in the rear arches trap moisture, while strut-top corrosion can bulge the towers and become a structural and alignment problem. Freshly blacked-out undersides on cars for sale are a documented red flag for hidden rust repair.

On the 1989-2002 Nissan Skyline, the optical crank angle sensor driven off the exhaust camshaft on RB20/RB25/RB26 engines degrades with age and heat, causing intermittent loss of timing signal. The classic pattern is an engine that runs fine cold, then cuts out, backfires or stalls as it heats up and refuses to restart until it cools; a fully dead CAS gives crank-but-no-start. The sensor's half-moon alignment drive pin can also break if the CAS is installed incorrectly, producing popping, backfiring and no-start after reinstallation.

On the 1989-2002 Nissan Skyline, the six individual coil packs and their harness sit in the hot valley between the cam covers on RB20/RB25/RB26 engines, where decades of heat cycles crack coil boots, embrittle the harness insulation and corrode crimped terminals. The classic result is a misfire that appears only under boost or load, often accompanied by an audible click as spark arcs to ground through cracked boots; arcing leaves small bubbled marks on the underside of the coil packs. Failing igniter packs (separate module on RB20/RB26) produce similar symptoms.

On the 1989-2002 Nissan Skyline, the GT-R's (and GTS-4's) ATTESA E-TS all-wheel-drive system uses an electric hydraulic pump and a nitrogen-charged accumulator mounted near the fuel tank to pressurize the front-drive transfer clutch. With age the accumulator loses its nitrogen pre-charge and the pump and pressure switch wear out, so the system can no longer hold pressure; the car drops to rear-drive only and the 4WD warning light comes on (on the R32 often logging fault code 18, ETS pressure switch or circuit). The accumulator cannot be recharged, and an ABS fault will also trigger the ATTESA light because the systems are linked.

On the 1989-2002 Nissan Skyline, all performance Skylines of this era carry HICAS/Super HICAS four-wheel steering (hydraulic on R32, electric rack on R33/R34), and with age the rear rack seals leak, solenoids and the rear-toe control hardware fail, and the system's rear ball joints wear and introduce vague, wandering rear-end feel. Aftermarket steering wheels on a non-HICAS-compatible boss confuse the steering-angle sensor and set faults. The system is so commonly problematic that deleting it with a lock-bar kit is the accepted community fix, though a botched delete can light the 4WD/ABS warning lamps.