Nissan Motor Co. has announced a recall of 878,000 Altima sedans in the United States. The recall is done due to the problem in secondary hood latch, which may cause the hood to fly open while the vehicle is being driven. The recall includes models of Altima sedans manufactured between 2013 and 2015.
A secondary latch keeps the hood down if the primary lock is not engaged. The latch in the cars, produced in the period mentioned above, may not hold the hood correctly and it may fly open while driving, causing some serious hazards on the road. Nissan said the reasons for the problem are unknown yet, and it is indefinite whether the recall needs expansion in the United States.
“Altima drivers can be sure their hood will not fly up as long as they don’t pull the primary hood release while driving or leave the primary hood release undone prior to driving,” Nissan said in a statement. It further added, that there have been no reports of any crashes or injuries due to this issue, but there have been incidents of the fly opening of the hood, causing damage to the car.
The Altima is a treasured asset for Nissan in the United States, as it accounts for about one-fourth of the company’s sales. It was the second best-selling car in the United States, after Toyota’s Camry.
The company recalled about 238,000 vehicles in the same issue in the last October, and now the recall has expanded to 640,000 more cars, which rises the recall toll at 878,000. To rectify the problem, Nissan will be modifying the latch lever, along with cleaning and lubricating of the secondary latch joint. The faulty latch assembly will be replaced.
While Nissan finds the solution to the problem, the recall toll might expand in the near future.
