**Nissan Issues Massive Recall of Nearly Half a Million Vehicles Over Engine Fault Concerns**
Nissan has announced a sweeping recall affecting more than 480,000 cars, following the discovery of a manufacturing defect that could lead to engine damage or even sudden engine failure. The recall, disclosed midweek, is one of the largest carried out by the company in recent years and affects both Nissan and its luxury marque Infiniti models equipped with the company’s distinctive VC-Turbo engines.
The recall predominantly covers vehicles sold in the United States and Canada, with approximately 443,899 vehicles identified in America and a further 37,837 in Canada. The models impacted span several years, including Nissan Rogues from 2021 through to 2024, Altimas produced between 2019 and 2020, as well as Infiniti QX50 units manufactured from 2019 to 2022.
According to the United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the issue arises from possible defects found during the manufacturing of engine bearings in the affected VC-Turbo powertrains. These components are crucial to ensuring smooth engine operation, and faults in the bearings can, over time, lead to incremental damage that may culminate in a complete loss of engine power whilst the car is being driven.
The safety advisory notes that such failures do not typically happen without warning. Drivers of affected vehicles are likely to notice early signs of trouble such as abnormal engine noises or warning indicators illuminated on the dashboard. These symptoms serve as an early alert to seek prompt inspection and reduce the risk of more serious engine breakdowns.
To address the situation, Nissan and Infiniti dealerships will undertake thorough checks of the engine pans on recalled vehicles, and, depending on the findings, will repair or replace engines entirely at no cost to owners. The action extends across both 1.5-litre three-cylinder and 2.0-litre four-cylinder VC-Turbo engines. The manufacturer has stated that all recall-related work will be carried out free of charge to ensure customer safety and satisfaction.
Notifications are scheduled to be sent to owners in late August of this year, urging affected individuals to arrange inspections with approved Nissan or Infiniti service centres. In the meantime, concerned drivers can verify whether their specific vehicle is subject to this recall by consulting Nissan’s recall lookup tool or visiting the NHTSA website for the latest information.
The incident has reignited wider conversations about automotive safety and the challenges manufacturers face in maintaining stringent quality controls, particularly as vehicle technologies become more advanced and complex. Ensuring timely recalls and comprehensive repairs has become a critical trust point for global automotive brands.
The latest Nissan recall comes shortly after another high-profile automotive safety concern in Europe. Last month, UK authorities warned approximately 120,000 motorists that some Citroen C3 and DS3 models might be equipped with faulty airbags. This followed a fatal incident in France that prompted the urgent withdrawal of about 82,000 cars across the country, with the risk stemming from defective Takata airbag systems installed in affected vehicles.
Given the scale of recent recalls and the potential consequences for road safety, automotive industry observers are closely monitoring the response from manufacturers, hoping that transparent communication and prompt action will stem any broader erosion of consumer confidence. For Nissan and its customers, the priority now is to ensure all at-risk vehicles are identified and repaired, underscoring the vital importance of vigilance when it comes to automotive safety and quality assurance.