North Carolina Product Liability Blog : North Carolina Product Liability Lawyer & Attorney : D. Hardison Wood : Toy Safety, Child Restraint, Car Seats

Nissan has issued a recall of about 123,000 Altimas. The recall affects 2013 models. Apparently, Nissan had a faulty gauge on on an air pump that was either under or over inflating the spare tire causing them to blow out.

According to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Nissan had a faulty inflation gauge on an air pump that was either over-inflating or under-inflating spare tires. Read the Article Here

The spare tires were blowing while being stored in the trunks of the vehicle. Nissan says it will ask owners to have the cars taken to a dealership to have their spare tire inspected.

 

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Toyota, Nissa, Honda and Mazda have issued a recall affected 3.4 Million vehicles. The recall revolves around possible faulty airbags that may cause a fire or inadvertently fire causing personal injuries to the occupants. The large manufacturers rely on smaller companies and manufacturers for their parts.

The recall is the largest ever for airbags made by Takata Corp., the world's second-largest supplier of airbags and seatbelts. Due to a manufacturing defect in the propellant for the inflator, the airbag for the front passenger seat may not inflate correctly. As a result, there is a risk of fires starting or of passengers being injured. The faulty airbags were manufactured between 2000 and 2002 in a Takata factory in Mexico. Read more

 

The recall seems to be centered around cars from 2000-2004. There are reports that there is at least one known instance where the airbag deployed too forcefully. Dealers are likely to handle the required repairs.

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A NJ jury found in favor of a man who was injured when a tire fell off a truck, hit the roof of his Nissan Altima and caused severe personal injury. The Plaintiff's attorneys argued and provided evidence that the design of the Altima was defective.

"Design engineers know how to design a good roof, it's not really a problem in American-made cars but what we found is it's a problem in these Altimas," she said. Read more
 

 

The jury found that the car was defectively made and that there are other designs that are available which could have prevented such extensive damage. The NJ jury awarded $4.2M.

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Ford has issued a recall of certain  2013 Escapes with 1.6 liter engines. Ford is warning customers not to drive these vehicles. There is a potential of a fuel line leak which could result in a fire.

Ford Motor Co. is advising owners of an estimated 11,500 new Escapes to park their vehicles until they can be repaired by dealers due to potential fuel line leaks that could cause fires. Unlike most recalls where makers may take up to a month to notify owners and begin repairs, Ford is urging immediate action in this case [Read more]

Honda has issued a recall of 321,000 CR-Vs from the 21012 model year and an additional 7,300 MY 2013 Acura ILX vehicles.

Honda says that if the inside driver or passenger door handles are used at the same time as the power or manual door locks, the inner door latch may not work. This means a door may not latch, or it could latch and open when the locks are used. [Read more]

Nissan is recalling certain model year 2012 Juke. Due to an improper weld penetration the rear seat back striker may separate during a crash. Read the report from NHTSA.

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NHTSA has issued a release stating that Nissan is recalling approximately 79,275 model year 2011-2012 Juke, Infiniti QX and Infiniti M vehicles due to a potential fuel leak hazard.

THE FUEL PRESSURE SENSORS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TIGHTENED TO THE CORRECT SPECIFICATION. AS A RESULT, THE FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR MAY LOOSEN DUE TO HEAT AND VIBRATION CAUSING FUEL TO LEAK.
Consequence:
FUEL MAY LEAK FROM THE PRESSURE SENSOR, INCREASING THE RISK OF A FIRE.

Read the entire notice here.

Nissan is also recalling certain model year 2012 Murano and Rogue vehicles. The vehicles' tire pressure monitoring system were not activated thus they fail to comply federal motor vehicle safety standard 138 involving the tire pressure monitor. Read the notice here.

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NHTSA announced that Nissan has issued a recall of certain 2010-2011 Nissan Sentras. According to the release, those vehicles equipped with MR20 engines, "manufactured between May 11, 2010 to May 25, 2010 and July 8, 2010 until October 25, 2010"  are affected. During this time period, a zinc coating  applied to a certain bolt was done so improperly and not to specification thus leading to a possible engine stall or possible damage done to the engine control module. This  poses a crash threat. Read More from  NHTSA

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Last month Nissan recalled approximately 46,000- 51,000 Cubes. They were recalled because during crash tests the amount of fuel that leaked from the rear was more than allowed by Federal Standards.

Nissan is recalling 51,100 of its Cube hatchbacks in the United States and Canada because of possible problems with fuel spilling during rear end collisions.

In documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Nissan Motor Co. said Monday tests conducted by NHTSA safety regulators found more fuel spilled than federal standards allow. The spillage occurred during rear end crash tests at 50 miles per hour where the vehicle also spun onto its side. Read Article

 

On August 9, 2010 Nissan has again announced a recall, this time because some of its Frontier models fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety  Standard (FMVSS) 225. FMVSS 225 has to do with child restraint systems. The welding on the tether anchor, in this instance, could separate from the seat. NHTSA

It is important to remember that Federal Safety Standards are MINIMUM requirements that manufacturers have to meet. So failure to meet these minimum requirements is putting a vehicle in the marketplace that absolutely should not be there.

And let's not overlook the 540,000 Nissan cars that were recalled due to brake pedal issues and possible fuel gauge problems in March of this year.

the recall covers "the Titan, Armada and Infiniti QX56 built from 2005 to 2008, and the Frontier, Pathfinder and Xterra produced between January and March 2006 and between October 2007 and January 2008

If you have been injured and would like to discuss a potential legal claim please contact the Law Office of D. Hardison Wood at 919-233-0520.

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In 2007 a lawsuit was filed against Nissan deeming the Pathfinder in the matter not crashworthy. What does that mean when a car is considered not crashworthy? It is simple - the car was unable to protect its occupants in a foreseaable collision. In this instance, the lawsuit claimed the Pathfinder

was missing safety design features that Nissan was well aware of at the time, such as airbags and other advanced safety restraint features.

The complaint also argued that Nissan knew the Pathfinder was unreasonably dangerous and defective, because the vehicle had poor crash test performances, real world incidents and a high death rate.

 

In this particular case, the Pathfinder was struck by another vehicle after it had been involved in a crash - the left front tire was driven through the firewall and into the driver's side footwell causing severe injuries to the plaintiff. The Texas jury found Nissan responsible for Plaintiff's injuries. Nissan tried to appeal the decision, the court upheld the $1.85 Million verdict. Read more

If you or someone you know has been injured due negligence of another, contact the Law Office of D. Hardison Wood today. 919-233-0520 or toll-free 1-877-829-7211.

 

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Nissan has issued a recall involving Infiniti G35 sedans and coupes. The recall involves approximately 134,000 vehicles due to a faulty connection that may keep airbags from deploying during a crash. NHTSA is reporting that a wire harness could be worn down to the point whereby a signal interruption may occur keeping an airbag from deploying.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said as many as 134,215 Infiniti G35 sedans from model years 2005-2006 and G35 coupes from model years 2005-2007 are subject to the recall. Read full story

If you or someone you know has been involved in an injury from a product defect, contact us to discuss your individual situation. 1-877-829-7211.

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Nissan announced that it is recalling approximately 10,586 Nissan Sentras from the 2009 model year which are equipped with Bosch master cylinders. Brake fluid may leak causing the brakes to function improperly.

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH BOSCH MASTER CYLINDERS. BRAKE FLUID MAY LEAK FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER. IF THE AMOUNT OF BRAKE FLUID IN THE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR DECREASES TO BELOW THE MINIMUM LEVEL, THE BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING INDICATOR WILL ILLUMINATE AS DESIGNED AND THE BRAKES WILL NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY.

According to the listing on NHTSA's site, the brake circuit may fail and therefore increase the likelihood of a crash. If your vehicle is defective and you would like to discuss your situation with us, contact us immediately at 919-233-0520.

 

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Nissan announced yet another recall of some of its Model Year 2008-2009 Rogues. This recall could affect approximately 163,659 units and involves a screw in the steering gear cover that may loosen and fall out, potentially resulting in complete loss of steering.

THE SCREW MAY EVENTUALLY COME OUT OF THE STEERING GEAR COVER. IF LARGE STEERING INPUTS ARE MADE WITH THE COVER SCREW MISSING THE PINION SHAFT MAY COME OUT OF THE STEERING GEAR RESULTING IN A COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

This is yet another recall in a line of them involving the Nissan Rogue. Other recalls have involved problems with the software in the electrical system announced in October 2008, an air bag sensor issue in the passenger side causing the air bag to fail in deployment which was also announced in October 2008, and a tire pressure monitoring system issue leading to potential crash hazard, reported October 1, 2009.

If you have been the victim of a product defect, and would like to discuss your matter, please contact us at 919-233-0520.

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Nissan has issued a recall for 180,664 model year 2005-2006 Titan, Armada, and Infiniti QX56 manufactured after March 17, 2005 as announced on the NHTSA ODI website. It seems these vehicles that are equipped with the Visteon air conditioning condenser air motor. The fan may not be properly sealed thereby allowing excessive water intrusion. This corrosion can lead to overheating thus resulting in a car fire.

If you have been involved in a  car fire and think our firm can assist you please do not hesitate to contact us. The notice is as follows:

Summary: NISSAN IS RECALLING 180,664 MY 2005-2006 TITAN, ARMADA AND INFINITY QX56 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED AFTER MARCH 17, 2005, THAT ARE EQUIPPED WITH A VISTEON AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSER FAN MOTOR. THE FAN MOTOR MAY NOT BE PROPERLY SEALED ALLOWING EXCESSIVE WATER INTRUSION AND INADEQUATE DRAINAGE OF MOISTURE.

Consequence: THIS COULD CAUSE CORROSION IN THE MOTOR LEADING POSSIBLY TO OVERHEATING AND A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A 'THERMAL PROTECTOR KIT' AND TEST THE AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSER FAN MOTOR AND REPLACE IT IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN NEAR THE END OF JULY 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

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Nissan announced a recall involving the air bag component. If you believe your vehicle might be affected by the recall  make sure to contact your auto dealership. This recall involves the potential for an airbag to fail to deploy when involved in a crash.

Make / Models :         Model/Build Years:          INFINITI / EX35     2008      NISSAN / MURANO     2009 Manufacturer : NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. Mfr's Report Date : FEB 12, 2008 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number : 08V066000 N/A NHTSA Action Number: N/A

Component: AIR BAGS

Potential Number Of Units Affected : 16365

Summary: NISSAN IS RECALLING 16,365 MY 2008 INFINITI EX35 AND MY 2009 NISSAN MURANO VEHICLES. DUE TO INCORRECT SOFTWARE PROGRAMMING, THE AIR BAG CONTROL UNIT (ACU) MAY CAUSE THE PASSENGER AIR BAG NOT TO OPERATE AS DESIGNED IF THE VEHICLE BATTERY BECOMES SIGNIFICANTLY DISCHARGED.

Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN THE PASSENGER AIR BAG NOT INFLATING IN A CRASH IN WHICH IT WAS DESIGNED TO DO SO, AND INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE ACU IN AFFECTED VEHICLES. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING FEBRUARY 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT INFINITI AT 1-800-662-6200 OR NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

Notes: CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

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According to a new report published from new crash  tests conducted by the insurance industry, low speed collisions involving minivans could  prove to be costly to  repair.

Repairing damages to minivans involved in low-speed crashes of 3 to 6 miles per hour could range from $483 to more than $3,500, according to test results released Thursday by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

The Nissan Quest had the most expensive bill for the minivans, costing $3,549 for a low-speed crash to the rear bumper. In the four tests, the Quest tallied $8,102 in combined damages.

The Dodge Grand Caravan had the lowest costs in one of the four tests, $483 for damage to the rear corner of the minivan. In all four tests, the Grand Caravan had a combined $5,495 in damages.

The Honda Odyssey had the lowest combined repair costs of $5,258 in the four tests. The Toyota Sienna cost $5,726 in repairs for all the tests, while the Chevrolet Uplander had $5,799 in expenses. The tests estimated $6,525 in damages to the Kia Sedona.

Tailgates on five of the six minivans -- except the Uplander -- had damage in the rear full-width test. Only the Quest and the Sienna required the tailgate to be replaced.

Read  more

As with all crashes it is important to  know what to do when involved in one.  If you are injured seek  medical attention immediately and if your  feel we may be  able to  assist you in any way, please contact us.

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We are currently investigating Nissan recalls involving 2005 and 2006 production years for the Altima and Sentra models. This recall is obviously very interesting.

TOKYO, Nov 22, 2007; Chang-Ran Kim writing for Reuters reported that Japan's Nissan Motor Co said on Thursday it will recall 713,986 Altima and Sentra cars in North America, mostly in the United States, because their engines may suddenly stop running.

Affected models are 2002 and 2005-2006 Altimas and Sentras with 2.5-litre engines. The crankshaft position sensor can overheat and briefly stop sending signals, possibly causing the engine to stop.

Nissan filed a recall of 622,634 Altimas and 28,373 Sentras in the United States, a spokeswoman in Tokyo said. The rest were sold in Canada and Mexico.

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