Urgency: Low

Glow Plug Light (Diesel) on a Nissan Murano

This is usually informational. Address it at your convenience.

What the Glow Plug Light (Diesel) Means on a Nissan Murano

The glow-plug light on your diesel Nissan Murano is your cue to wait a couple of seconds before starting in cold weather. A flashing light after the engine is running, however, indicates a fault the ECU wants checked.

How Urgent Is the Glow Plug Light (Diesel)?

How worried should you be? For the Glow Plug Light (Diesel) on a Nissan Murano, the urgency is low. A good rule technicians rely on is 'colour plus behaviour': match the warning colour against how the car is actually performing. If the Nissan Murano still drives normally and the light is steady, you usually have time to plan a proper diagnosis; if performance drops or the light flashes, err on the side of caution and stop safely.

Common Symptoms Alongside the Glow Plug Light (Diesel)

When the Glow Plug Light (Diesel) shows up on a Nissan Murano, it rarely arrives completely alone — there are usually subtle clues if you know where to look. Drivers often notice a change in how the Nissan Murano responds, an unfamiliar sound, or a warning message on the instrument cluster. Cataloguing these symptoms is not busywork; each one narrows the list of likely causes and helps a technician zero in on the real fault instead of replacing parts on a hunch.

  • Light on briefly at cold start (normal)
  • Flashing light after warm-up (fault)
  • Hard starting when cold
  • Rough running or white smoke on cold mornings

What Causes the Glow Plug Light (Diesel) to Come On?

There is rarely a single universal reason the Glow Plug Light (Diesel) appears on a Nissan Murano; instead there is a shortlist of usual suspects. Root causes range from simple, inexpensive items to genuine component failures, which is why a proper diagnosis always beats guessing. Understanding the common triggers on the Nissan Murano helps you have a more informed conversation with your mechanic and avoid paying for parts you do not need.

  • Normal pre-heat cycle (steady, brief)
  • One or more failed glow plugs
  • Glow plug relay fault
  • Crankshaft/camshaft sensor issue
  • Related engine management fault

How to Fix the Glow Plug Light (Diesel) on a Nissan Murano

The right way to clear the Glow Plug Light (Diesel) on a Nissan Murano is to fix the underlying cause, not just reset the symbol. Work through the steps below in order — they move from the simplest checks any driver can do to the diagnostic work best left to a scan tool. Following this sequence prevents the classic mistake of replacing expensive parts before ruling out the cheap, common problems first.

  1. At cold start, wait for the light to go out before cranking
  2. If it flashes, scan for glow-plug and engine codes
  3. Test each glow plug for resistance/continuity
  4. Replace failed plugs (ideally as a set) and check the relay
  5. Clear codes and confirm easy cold starts

Is It Safe to Drive With the Glow Plug Light (Diesel) On?

Safe-to-drive depends on judgement, and here is the technician's version for a Nissan Murano: respect the colour, respect the behaviour. Given this light's low urgency, treat any red or flashing warning as a stop-now signal. If everything feels normal and the light is amber, a short, cautious drive to a garage is typically fine, provided you do not delay the actual diagnosis.

Diagnostic Trouble Codes Linked to the Glow Plug Light (Diesel)

If you scan a Nissan Murano showing this light, these are the OBD-II trouble codes most commonly associated with it. The code you actually retrieve is what pinpoints the repair.

CodeMeaning
P0335 Crankshaft Position Sensor Circuit
The crankshaft position sensor signal is faulty, which can cause stalling or a no-start condition.

Professional Mechanic Tips

Field notes from Marcus Vale, ASE-Certified Master Technician
Do not ignore a flashing glow light; on many diesels it doubles as a general engine fault warning, so scan it rather than guessing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the Glow Plug Light (Diesel) on in my Nissan Murano?

Your Nissan Murano turned on the Glow Plug Light (Diesel) after its self-diagnostics flagged an issue in that system. Because several different faults can trigger the same symbol, the smart first move is an OBD-II scan to pull the specific code before you spend any money.

Can I keep driving with the Glow Plug Light (Diesel) on?

Short answer: sometimes, but not indefinitely. Given this indicator's low priority, respect the warning colour and the car's behaviour. When in doubt with your Nissan Murano, the safe choice is to stop and have it checked rather than risk further damage.

How much does it cost to fix the Glow Plug Light (Diesel) on a Nissan Murano?

Repair cost for the Glow Plug Light (Diesel) on your Nissan Murano depends entirely on the root cause. Because the same symbol covers cheap and expensive faults alike, a proper scan-based diagnosis is the best money you can spend — it turns a guess into a precise, fair quote.

Will the Glow Plug Light (Diesel) reset itself on a Nissan Murano?

Occasionally, yes — a Nissan Murano can extinguish the Glow Plug Light (Diesel) by itself when the monitored value returns to normal. But a light that keeps coming back is a clear sign of an unresolved issue that needs a proper diagnosis rather than repeated resets.