Quick News About Nissan Problems

There's a lot of news out there, but not all of it matters.

We try to boil down it to the most important bits and pieces -- the recalls, service bulletins, and lawsuits that can help you solve you car problems. Interested in getting these quick story bits as an email? Signup over at CarComplaints.com.

  1. Let's face it --- whether you're talking about a car or sitting at the dinner table, gas leaks are never a good thing.

    Nissan knew it had a problem back in August when they recalled 6,000 new Maximas because gas was getting out. Now they have a bigger problem. The O-ring seal that allowed the fuel to flow out of those Maximas was installed on thousands of other cars too ... maybe even yours. O-dear.

    The automaker is expanding the recall to include:

    • Any 2016 Maxima built between Februrary 10 and August 18, 2015.
    • Any 2013-16 Altima with a 3.5L V6 engine that was built between March 30, 2012 and August 18, 2015.

    Don't be surprised if they expand it again. In the meantime, keep open flames away from your car and check out the full story for more details.

    keep reading article "Altimas Recalled for Gas Leaks"

  3. Nissan's Occupant Classification System (OCS) has been the subject of two recalls in the past couple years, but a lawsuit says the fixes aren't working.

    Plaintiff Matthew Senci filed the proposed class-action lawsuit that alleges the vehicles have occupant classification system software that can incorrectly classify a front passenger seat as empty when it's occupied by an adult passenger.

    The error can cause the airbag to deactivate and fail to deploy in a crash and the lawsuit alleges Nissan has known about the problem since at least 2012 due to complaints and warranty claims.

    The first "limited" recall was in February 2013, but the fix was ineffective. A second, larger recall was announced in March 2014, but once again the lawsuit says the fix didn't do diddly.

    The lawsuit, Matthew Senci v. Nissan North America, Inc., accuses the automaker of unfair and deceptive acts and seeks damages for the decreased value of the cars.

    keep reading article "Nissan Sued Over Faulty Occupant Classification System (OCS) And Airbag Warnings"

  5. Last year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation into braking issues in over 600,000 vehicles.

    Owners with certain 2013 and 2014 cars had been complaining that their pedals went to the floor in a terrifying moment of complete brake failure.

    Nissan said the problem was likely a bad seal inside the master cylinder and they changed the design in September 2013. Guess what happened when they did that? Yep, a sudden decrease in warranty claims.

    Despite the evidence, NHTSA says it could only link three crashes to the pre-redesigned master cylinders and opted to close the investigation without requesting a recall.

    keep reading article "NHTSA Says Nissan Doesn't Have to Recall Cars with Potential Brake Problems"

  6. There is a serious danger lurking beneath the feet of 3rd-generation Altima owners.

    And since Nissan refuses to do anything about it, the issue has made its way to court. Plaintiff Marie DeMaria filed the proposed class-action lawsuit that alleges rust and corrosion can cause the floorboards to rust so severely the occupants can see the road. Additionally, the holes are deceptively dangerous because the interior carpet can hide the rust and corrosion from Altima owners.

    The problem is often concealed by the interior carpet and isn’t noticed until it’s too late. The rust often gets so bad that these vehicles can no longer pass state inspections without expensive repairs.

    keep reading article "Nissan Sued for Altima Floorboards That Rust So Badly Owners Can Poke Holes Through The Floor With Their Toes"

  7. Well, this is terrifying --- a 2006 Sentra owner suffered hearing loss and multiple cuts and burns from flying metal shrapnel

    when the passenger airbag exploded during a minor accident. The issue is due to dangerous Takata airbag inflators. Early reports suggest that Nissan has expanded their earlier recalls to now include 45,000 Sentras from the 2004-2006 model years. But there's a catch...

    Nissan has gone against the wishes of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) by regionally limiting the expansion. Takata claims their inflators will only deteriorate in areas of high heat and humidity. But this is the same company that was fined $14,000 a day for not cooperating with an investigation and possibly destroying evidence, so take that for what it's worth (i.e. not much).

    For now, the recall is limited to vehicles sold or registered in:

    Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Additional areas include American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, Saipan and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

    There is no word on when the recall will begin, but owners should keep an eye out for an official notice in the mail. You can contact Nissan at 800-647-7261 with any questions.

    keep reading article "After Sentra Owner Gets Injured, Nissan Issues Regional Takata Recall"

  8. A ti

    ing chain lawsuit filed in New York accuses Nissan of manufacturing defective timing chain systems, with issues in the chain tensioner, guides, and shoes. Five lead plaintiffs claim the Nissan vehicles have timing chain systems prone to early failure that can cause a huge expense for repairs. The plaintiffs claim failure of the timing chain can cause extensive damage to the car, including to the catalytic converter and destruction of the engine.

    The class-action is currently only for current and former Nissan owners (and lessees) who live in New York, Florida, Maryland, and New Jersey. However, this could lay the groundwork for other states.

    Loose and busted timing chains are a longtime nightmare for many 2004-2010 Nissan owners. When not properly tensioned, timing chains can cause everything from engine rattles, to misfiring, and eventually catastrophic engine failure.

    The lawsuit alleges that Nissan has known about the issue since at least 2004 when they issued a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) to their dealerships. Additionally, the automaker is accused of ignoring the defect until the systems fall out of the warranty period.

    The plaintiffs in Vincent Chiarelli, Philip Dragonetti, Michele Maszon, Todd Maszon and Chris Santimauro vs. Nissan North America Inc. and Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. are represented by Kantrowitz, Goldhamer & Graifman, P.C.

    keep reading article "Timing Chain Lawsuit Filed Against Nissan in NY"

  11. Heads up, Infiniti owners! If your steering feels loose, just wait until you come to a stop and the steering column separates entirely.

    According to Nissan, a manufacturing problem with the outer tube in the steering column is responsible for a recall of 17,000 vehicles.

    "In the words of the automaker, the outer tube might have been manufactured 'out-of-round.' The wrong specifications can cause stress at the upper bearing and cause the bearing retainer to fracture. Once broken, the steering wheel will move without turning the vehicle as intended."

    The recall includes the 2009 Nissan GT-R, 2008 Infiniti EX35, and the 2009 Infiniti FX35/FX45.

    This post originally appeared on InfinitiProblems.com.

    keep reading article "Following Investigation, Nissan Expands and Recalls Steering Column Problem"

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