Nissan Recalls Nearly 400,000 Vehicles Over Braking System Defect In The US
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Japan’s Nissan Motor has said it is recalling 394,025 cars in the United States over a braking system defect, causing concerns that a brake fluid leak could potentially lead to a fire. The leak into internal circuit boards will trigger a warning to drivers, which if ignored may lead to a fire in “rare instances,” Nissan said in a filing dated Nov. 8 with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) under recall number 18V-601. “… if the warning is ignored and the vehicle continues to be operated in this condition, the brake fluid leak may potentially create an electrical short in the actuator circuit, which in rare instances, may lead to a fire,” the Japanese automaker said.
The recall, which was reported on Friday by U.S. media, includes Maxima sedans from 2016 through 2018, Infiniti QX60 luxury crossovers from 2017 to 2019, Murano SUVs from 2015 to 2018 and Pathfinder SUVs from 2017 to 2019, the filing showed.
The document does not mention whether the brake system defect actually caused any fires or injuries.
The company also reportedly said that it was working to fix the issue and that owners of the affected cars will be notified starting early next month.
“Once the remedy is available, owners will receive a final notification letter asking them to bring their vehicle to an authorized Nissan dealer or INFINITI retailer to have the remedy work completed at no cost for parts or labor,” it told NPR in an emailed statement.
The development comes less than two months after NHTSA opened a preliminary investigation into 553,000 Nissan Rogue sport utility vehicles after reports of their automatic emergency braking systems engaging without warning or an obstruction.
Improper inspections of brakes, steering wheels, speed measurements and vehicle stability had also caused the company to issue a recall of several thousand vehicles in Japan late last year.
In September, the company recalled 1.3 million vehicles to fix a problem with its backup camera displays.
Questions & Answers
Q.Which specific Nissan models are affected by this braking system defect recall?
Which specific Nissan models are affected by this braking system defect recall?
The recall includes Maxima sedans from 2016-2018, Murano SUVs from 2015-2018, and Pathfinder SUVs from 2017-2019. It also covers Infiniti QX60 luxury crossovers from 2017-2019.
Q.What is the potential consequence if the brake fluid warning is ignored by a driver?
What is the potential consequence if the brake fluid warning is ignored by a driver?
If the warning is ignored and the vehicle is still operated, the brake fluid leak could create an electrical short. This may lead to a fire in rare instances, according to Nissan.
Q.When will owners of the affected vehicles be notified about the recall and remedy?
When will owners of the affected vehicles be notified about the recall and remedy?
Owners of the affected cars will start receiving notifications early next month. They will later get a final letter asking them to bring their vehicle to a dealer for free repair work.
Q.Has this braking system defect reportedly caused any fires or injuries?
Has this braking system defect reportedly caused any fires or injuries?
The document filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does not mention whether this specific brake system defect has actually caused any fires or injuries.
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