Not only was it under the hood of a Nissan, it’s one of Nissan’s most popular, best-selling models.
When you think of sophisticated engineering and technology, does Nissan come to mind? That’s what one dealership in British Columbia, Canada would like you to think reading their warning sticker.
Automotive technician and Redditor /u/S3ERFRY333 shared a photo of said sticker he found on a customer’s car to the /r/JustRolledIntoTheShop subreddit.
Here’s his photo below.
Here’s what the sticker, which appears to have been placed on the air-cleaner box of a late-model Nissan Rogue, smack dab in the middle of the engine, says verbatim,
“Caution!
Don’t Open Your Hood to Strangers.
EXTREME CARE NEEDED”
“Not just any technician or repair facility can perform service to your Nissan.“
“This vehicle is designed with the latest and most sophisticated engineering and technology. Repair and maintenance of your Nissan requires sophisticated Specialty Tools and Nissan Factory Certified Technicians ensuring repairs are completed to Nissan factory specifications.“
“Most components carry a 3 year/ 60,000 Kilometer Warranty“
“For factory authorized Nissan service call: 604-539-0345“
“Jonker NISSAN”
If you ever come across a sticker like this, do yourself a favor, rip it off, toss it in the bin, and maintain/repair your car anyway you like.
Here’s why.
First, we’re talking about a Nissan here, a Rogue, one of the best-selling Nissan models, not to mention, one of the best-selling vehicles in the United States, period.
Embed from Getty ImagesAccording to Car and Driver, they sold over 186,000 Rogues.
Rogues are also made in Tennessee.
In other words, Nissans are mass market cars that can be maintained by you or any decent auto mechanic.
Reading the Rogue owner’s manual, maintenance items include oil changes, CVT Fluid changes, tire rotations, air filter changes, and brake fluid changes.
For the most part, if you’ve done, for example, an oil change and tire rotation anytime in the last 100 years, the process is 95% the same on this Nissan Rogue, no specialty tools needed.
I actually watched an oil change procedure on a Nissan Rogue with the same engine as in the photo, and all the tools this mechanic needed was a 14 mm to remove the drain bolt and an oil filter wrench.
Does that sound like something complicated that you or an oil change place can’t handle?
To be fair, the CVT Fluid change procedure is a little more complicated and involved compared to a simple oil change, but nothing any competent DIY’er can’t handle.
A CVT fluid change is basically an oil change with extra steps.
That sticker is nothing more than a marketing tool disguised as a fake, official-looking warning label meant to scare you into only going to their service department when, in reality, you can maintain or get your Nissan maintained anywhere you please.
If these warning stickers were meant to drive sales of service to boost profits, it doesn’t seem to have worked as, according to The Aldergrove Star, Jonker Nissan closed in 2021.
Maybe if they educated their customers why they should patronize their service center, genuinely gaining their trust, instead of scaring them with these fake warning stickers, they’d still be in business.
