Franklin, TN — March 15, 2016 — Though spring is approaching, cold weather-sensitive vehicle issues may still affect Nissan owners and dealers alike.
A Safety Recall Report noted that the manufacturer recalled 47,000 Nissan LEAF hybrid cars last month in the United States. If the brake relays freeze, these vehicles could be more difficult to stop in cold temperatures, even if the braking system itself stays functional.
In a special bulletin, Nissan stated that affected owners have already been notified, and that dealers can fix this issue by updating vehicle software.
Last October, the same company recalled thousands of Sentras for a door latch issue. Learn more about this and other Nissan recalls by visiting our blog.
adminSome Nissan Vehicle Brakes Could be Harder to Use in cold Weather [Video]
Franklin, TN — February 11, 2016 — Because of issues with the hood latches in hundreds of thousands of Altimas, Nissan has issued a recall, set to take effect sometime later this month. The Part 573 Safety Recall Report, submitted through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on January 21, states that 846,000 vehicles manufactured at plants in Tennessee and Missouri are at possible risk in this action.
“The new remedy replaces the latch entirely.”
The report further describes the latch problem as the result of improper plating at the supplier, Ontario-based Intier Automotive, Inc. Paint can flake off of the affected latches, potentially leading to corrosion that leaves the secondary hood latch in a vulnerable open position.
The hood could then open while the vehicle is moving, causing a visual hazard for the driver. Model years for these 4-door light vehicles range from 2013 to 2015.
This issue was the subject of previous recalls, in which the solution involved lubricating the latch joint after a sufficient inspection. The new remedy replaces the latch entirely, and should be taken by owners that were part of the earlier recall actions.
“The hood latch in the subject vehicles will be replaced with a new one, even if the customer received a new latch as part of the repair for the previous recall,” the report reads.
While there are no crashes currently connected to this problem, Reuters notes that the manufacturer has received complaints regarding hoods that unlatch and open unexpectedly, and that the two other similar Nissan recalls happened within the past two years. The new recall also reportedly concerns 58,644 vehicles outside of North America.
Franklin, TN — January 04, 2016 — Last month, Nissan and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) both acknowledged an issue potentially affecting 33,880 Rogue vehicles. According to documents from the Administration, these units could violate the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) by allowing vehicles to slip out of the parking gear unintentionally. The recall was scheduled for this month, with dealers notified as of November 19.
This source notes that the vehicles would be able to shift gears without the driver pushing down the brake pedal. Though the fault affects the transition, it traces back to the selector knob in the control system. As such, dealers can address the problem simply by replacing the knob.
A Noncompliance Information Report included on the NHTSA described the circumstances that would trigger this problem in greater detail. The first issues were reportedly discovered in a routine inspection, and concern two areas of focus: one in the selector knob, and the other in the shifter rod.
“In certain instances, the combination of both quality issues may cause the spring to bind during operation due to excessive clearance between the shifter rod and the shift selector knob hole,” this report said. “As a result, the shift lever can be cycled without depressing the brake pedal.”
The shift selector supplier involved in this case is Guangzhou Jofu Machinery Industry Co.,Ltd., from China, while the shift assembly supplier is Ficosa North America S. A. is Madison Heights, Michigan. The transmission issue, if present, specifically violates S5.3 of the FMVSS 114, but only this section.
adminShifting Problem Leads to Nissan Rogue Recall
Franklin, TN — November 18, 2015 — Some Nissan vehicles may sport a defect that puts passengers at risk during a crash. A letter from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that six different models of Nissan cars, including three types of Infiniti vehicles as well as Altimas, Pathfinders and Sentras, are part of a new recall action first reported on October 20. Model years range from 2013 to 2015, and 919 units total are affected.
The key issue concerns malfunctioning Occupant Classification Systems. In these cars, a bad control unit could deactivate a passenger-side airbag after falsely determining that no one was sitting there. This problem comes from faulty parts acquired through a “supply chain error,” according to the Part 573 Safety Recall Report, also from the NHTSA.
As the recall plays out over this month, dealers can prepare for the official remedy actions, which include updating the software after connecting to the vehicle. A bulletin from the company instructs dealers to repair the OCS using the ASIST software system, as long as no people or objects are in the vehicle at the time of operation.
“Only specific vehicles identified in Service COMM (VIN specific) are subject to this campaign because they may have previously been serviced with an incorrect part,” the bulletin states. “Other vehicles within the specified date range are not subject to this campaign.”
Nissan has previously conducted an OCS-related recall campaign in 2014. This latest action was sparked after further investigations begun earlier this year: the company issued the recall after determining how widespread the effects would be.
Franklin, TN — November 03, 2015 — Multiple sources are reporting an extension of a previous Nissan recall that will address issues in thousands of vehicles of different sizes. While the original action covered around 5,500 sedans, the new order broadens the recall to include 41,388 vehicles, as a press release featured on Auto Blog noted. Some Maxima and Altima vehicles could be subject to a fuel leak, potentially sparking a fire if a crash occurs.
This update took effect in October, and the remedy consists of a retainer ring that will fit between the fuel tank and sending unit, as the source describes. The company established a 60-day notification period for vehicle owners as it takes on the further recall action.
Nissan has been working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) since July to observe flaws within the affected autos. During this time it has conducted multiple crash tests to determine the mechanics of a leak and how stable the cars involved actually are.
In some cases, Nissan noted no leaks after the test, and has also looked closely at the measurements for fuel tanks constructed in the second half of this year, as an official letter from Nissan mentions. This document also notes that Nissan “hypothesized that the H-seal displacement may have been a result of an assembly or parts quality issue” on July 20.
Model years for the Altimas and Maximas involved in this recall range from 2013 to 2016. This month also saw other Nissan recalls involving more than 218,000 Versas for possible issues with coil springs.
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.
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]
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.
adminFaulty start buttons lead to Nissan recall action
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]
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]
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