On March 6, Nissan has added 640,000 more of its Altima sedans manufactured from 2013 to 2014 to its previous recall orders in the US and Canada involving faulty hood latches.
The Japanese carmaker now has recalled a total of 1.1 million vehicles counting its October 2014 recall order for 238,000 Altimas, and its January 2015 recall order for 216,000 Nissan Pathfinders, Infiniti JX35s, and Infiniti QX60s.
But the two previous recall orders not just cover the US and Canada but other parts of the world as well, where the vehicles can be found.
Just like its previous recall orders, the 640,000 Nissan Altima sedans were recalled because of faulty latches that could cause the hood to fly up on the road or the highway while the car is cruising along, reports USA Today.
Problem with the secondary latch
Nissan vehicles have dual hood latching system. It has a primary latching that can pop the hood open but it can’t be done until the secondary system is activated.
But in the case of the recalled Nissan vehicles, the secondary latch may not keep the hood closed especially if the primary latch is not fastened properly.
Nissan made the detailed explanation of the recall order filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
While the car manufacturer said that it has received a few reports about the hoods of its vehicles flying open while motorists drive, Nissan says that it has yet to receive a report of accidents or crashes or injuries caused by the problem.
Just like many carmakers of late, Nissan decided to be proactive and issue the recall order instead of waiting for accidents to happen or worst, be the subject of accident and injury claims, which is costlier in the long run for the company.
Vehicles covered by the recall
The latest recall of Nissan covers Altima sedans built from March 1, 2013 to December 31, 2014.
The Altima is the continuation of the Nissan Bluebird line of luxury sedan which it began manufacturing as early as 1957. In the US, the Nissan Altima competes primarily with the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord. It became the second-best selling car in America back in 2011 so it has a good following.
The October 2014 recall of Nissan covers Altima sedans manufactured in 2013.
Subsequently, Nissan and sister carmaker Infiniti added in January 2015 to the recall order Nissan Pathfinders built from 2013 to 2014, the 2013 models of Infiniti JX35, and the 2014 models of Infiniti QX60.
Nissan says that the problem can be fixed by either replacing the mechanism or modifying the latch lever. Cleaning and oiling the secondary latch joint will also be carried out. The carmaker also recommended that motorists with the subject vehicles should make sure that their hoods are latched and locked before they proceed to the nearest Nissan dealer.