Parts for your 2015 Nissan Navara-Struts

2015 Nissan Navara: Are struts used, or not?

Short answer: struts aren’t used on the 2015 Nissan Navara. According to Nissan’s official workshop documentation for the D23 (NP300) Navara (Front Suspension section), the front end is an independent double‑wishbone setup with a coil spring over a shock absorber, not a MacPherson strut. The Rear Suspension section details either a leaf‑spring live axle (many models) or a five‑link coil‑spring rear (selected variants), each with separate shock absorbers. The earlier D40 Navara sold in 2015 also used double wishbones up front and leaf springs at the rear, again with separate dampers. Nissan’s 2015 model brochure/specs echo this, listing “double‑wishbone front” and “leaf spring or 5‑link rear,” with no mention of struts.

Why no struts? MacPherson struts combine the damper and the steering pivot into a single structural unit and rely on a tall tower in the body. The Navara is a body‑on‑frame ute engineered for towing, load carrying and off‑road work. A double‑wishbone arrangement offers robust geometry control, better camber stability under load, and more freedom to tune ride height and wheel travel. At the rear, both the leaf‑spring and five‑link coil layouts are matched with separate shocks because they’re tougher for heavy‑duty and uneven terrain use, and simpler to service when the vehicle sees corrugations, towing and payloads.

So, while some parts catalogues casually label front “strut assemblies,” what’s fitted are coilover shock absorbers within a double‑wishbone system, not true struts. If the Navara’s front dampers or springs are due, a tech will service or replace the shock absorbers, coils, upper mounts/insulators, and check control‑arm bushes and ball joints. The rear gets the same treatment for its shocks and springs (leaf packs or coils) and their bushes.

For owners, it’s smart to:

• Inspect shocks every 20,000–30,000 km, sooner if towing or driving on corrugations.
• Watch for oil weeping on the damper body, nose‑diving under brakes, floaty control, clunks, or cupped tyre wear.
• Replace in axle pairs and book a wheel alignment after any front‑end work.
• Choose quality components rated for towing/loads if the ute regularly carries gear.

Technical references used: Nissan Navara D23 (2015 MY) Service Manual – Front and Rear Suspension sections, Nissan Navara D40 Service Manual – Front and Rear Suspension sections, Nissan Australia 2015 Navara brochure/specification sheets.

Popular questions about 2015 Nissan Navara “struts”

Does a 2015 Navara have front struts?
No. It uses a double‑wishbone front suspension with a coil spring over a shock absorber. The shock is not a structural strut. That’s per Nissan’s service manual for both D23 and D40 models sold in 2015.

What should be serviced instead of struts on a 2015 Navara?
Service or replace the front shock absorbers, coil springs and top mounts/insulators, and inspect control‑arm bushes and ball joints. At the rear, it’s the shock absorbers plus the leaf packs or coil springs and their bushes.

How often should the shocks be replaced?
There’s no fixed kilometre rule, but many Navaras on mixed Aussie and Kiwi roads need shocks between 80,000–120,000 km. Heavy towing, corrugations or outback work can bring that forward. Inspect regularly and replace in pairs.