Road Salt Worries Nissan Recalls

Franklin, TN — October 20, 2015 — Suspension issues in certain Nissan vehicles may be even worse with the rise of cold weather. Last month, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) posted documents concerning a new Nissan recall.

According to these files, more than 218,000 Nissan Versas sold in 22 different states could have defective front coil springs. What makes this issue especially concerning is the way road salt could potentially make the faulty springs more likely to crack, possibly due to a lack of protective coating.

The model years for affected vehicles range from 2007 to 2012, and mostly concern states on the east coast and Midwest, including New York, Iowa, Illinois, Virginia and Wisconsin. The recall action follows discussions in August between the car manufacturer and the NHTSA about the seriousness of the issue.

Although the Part 573 Safety Report describes spring breakage as “rare,” it does describe the ways road salt could aggravate the already fragile springs. Prolonged exposure to road salt could leave the springs at a greater risk of fracturing, posing serious risks for drivers.

“If this condition is ignored, in extreme cases, the broken front coil spring may damage the front tire while driving, which may increase the risk of a crash if the driver is unable to bring the vehicle to a controlled stop,” the report states.

The supplier responsible for the spring has supposedly corrected the process to prevent further issues. Dealerships will have access to replacement parts starting in November, and are asked to replace the front coil springs using instructions in the Electronic Service Manual. The remedy also involves realigning the front wheels.

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Second round of Nissan recalls could be forthcoming [Video]

According to the New York Times, 990,000 Nissan vehicles could be subject to a new round of recalls for an unresolved airbag deployment issue. Back in 2014, the manufacturer recalled several brands of vehicles, including Altima, Pathfinder and Infiniti JX35, to correct a systems defect that would prevent an airbag from releasing in the passenger seat during an accident.

While a Nissan spokesman stated that the vehicles have been fixed, more than 1,000 complaints have been sent to the federal government claiming that the problem persists. The source speculates that the company may have to respond more thoroughly with a new recall that permanently fixes the vehicles.

Nissan is also mitigating another recall at the same time which involves nearly 300,000 Versa and Versa note autos. This action pertains to a rare but concerning console trim panel problem that could catch the shoes of drivers in mid-operation.

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adminSecond round of Nissan recalls could be forthcoming [Video]

Faulty start buttons lead to Nissan recall action

Detroit, MI — September 4, 2015 — The Associated Press (AP) recently reported on a recall effort from Nissan that concerns hundreds of thousands of vehicles around the world because of an issue with the vehicle engine start buttons. Though the models involved vary, all of these vehicles have the potential for the button to stick inside its housing, should it be exposed to extremely hot temperatures.

The real problem arises when the vehicle with the stuck switch travels and disturbs the switches with what the AP describes as “road vibrations.” Internationally, the manufacturer is recalling around 270,000, but within the United States the number is 14,595.

Most of the model names mentioned by the source are sedans built between 2013 and 2014, including Versa, Pulsar, Sunny and Almera. Once the button is stuck in one position, the driver of an affected vehicle may find themselves more vulnerable to a crash. To solve this problem, dealers will modify the switch housing.

The Recall Report on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website goes into further detail about the conditions leading to this potential hazard. It takes pains to emphasize that the stuck button is “extremely rare” and only poses a problem if the vehicle encounters vibrations while the button is in this position.

“Due to manufacturing issues that have since been corrected, the casting of the immobilizer antenna housing did not meet design specification,” it reads “As a result, on some of the affected vehicles, the antenna housing can shrink due to environmental exposure to hot temperatures which cause the engine start/stop button to potentially stick inside its housing.”

With sufficient recall reporting techniques, possible dangers can be addressed in a timely manner, with a clear path laid out for dealers and owners alike to follow.

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Nissan investigating Maxima fuel sending units [Video]

It hasn’t released an official notification yet, but Nissan is recalling thousands of 2016 Maximas for fuel system concerns.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the manufacturer believes as many as 5,458 vehicles may be affected. Although investigations are still ongoing, the recall concerns loose fuel sending units that have been improperly sealed, as well as o-rings that don’t match. The company has placed a quality assurance hold on the suspected models.

In these vehicles, the defective systems are reportedly more likely to rupture during a crash, leaking fuel and posing a fire hazard to drivers and passengers. As of July 31, Nissan had yet to develop a remedy but announced its intention to inform consumers as early as possible.

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adminNissan investigating Maxima fuel sending units [Video]

Nissan recalls vehicles for door latch issues [Video]

A new safety recall from Nissan targets multiple models that might have door latch problems.

According to the recall report, nearly 7,000 vehicles with the model year 2015 are potentially subject to this action. Of these, the majority are Nissan Sentras, which make up over 5,000 of the total. Also included are 1,200 Versa Notes and 41 Rogues.

In these autos, the door locks on the driver and rear left side doors may not latch properly. This is because of an error from the supplier, Magna Closures, and leaves passengers at risk if the doors open while the car is in motion. Nissan dealers will solve the problem by inspecting recalled vehicles and replacing affected door locks, a process that is both free and can take as little as one hour to complete.

Thank you for watching, and please check back for the latest major recall news.

adminNissan recalls vehicles for door latch issues [Video]

More than 165,000 Nissan and BMW vehicles recalled

Detroit, MI — April 10, 2015 — A fuel pump-related difficulty was the source of a recent recall which concerned thousands of Nissan and BMW vehicles. Though the acknowledged problem comes from loose nickel plating in the pumps, the possible repercussions could affect the total workings of the engine, keeping the pump from working and causing the engine to either stall or stop completely. The recall includes more than 70,000 BMW models and 95,000 Nissan SUV’s produced between last year and 2014.

While a sudden stall is potentially dangerous in vehicles, Nissan has assured customers that vehicle airbags will still work in its Rogue cars even when the engine is affected, as Autoblog documents. The engines are apparently more likely to not start at all than stall during use.

In a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) sent at the end of last month, Nissan documented the timeline that led to its voluntary recall. It said that Bosch was the supplier of the nickel it used for plating, and that it has been aware of the issue since last March.

“Owners of all potentially affected vehicles will be notified to take their vehicle to a Nissan dealer,” the letter read. It further insists that, “to date, Nissan is not aware of any vehicle crashes confirmed to be attributable to this issue,” that date presumably being March 31, the date on the letter.

Once a recall has been issued, owners and dealers have to pay attention to the necessary data and follow the proper guidelines to improve vehicle performance. If replacement parts will be needed, dealers should feel as if they can easily find them based on instructions from the manufacturers. The affects of a single particular flaw could be varied, and the “symptoms” difficult to spot without guidance.

Recall MastersMore than 165,000 Nissan and BMW vehicles recalled