84,000 Micras are recalled over starter fault
Oct 29 2010 by Iain Laing, The Journal
MOTOR giant Nissan is recalling more than 84,000 Micras built on Wearside following reports of an ignition problem.
The batch of faulty cars is part of a fleet of more than two million vehicles being recalled across the globe.
Japanese company Nissan said that 2.14m vehicles in the US, Japan, Europe and Asia may have a problem which may stall the engine but does not pose a danger.
A spokesman said: “No accidents have been reported that are suspected of being related to the defect.”
The fault was found in the ignition system for vehicles produced between 2003 and 2006.
The models affected include small cars such as the Micra, March, Cube and Note, and about a dozen other models, such as the Tiida sedan, Titan pickup and Infiniti QX56 luxury model.
Company spokesman Mitsuru Yonekawa said: “In extreme cases, the engine will stall and cannot restart.”
Of the recalled vehicles, nearly 835,000 were produced in Japan, 762,000 in North America, and 354,000 in Europe.
Nissan confirmed that 84,000 Micra hatchbacks built in Sunderland for sale in the UK were among the vehicles with the problem.
The company said that it would exchange defective parts for free on certain models. Fixing the vehicles is likely to be relatively cheap and Nissan estimates it will take less than 25 minutes for each repair.
Recalls of more than a million vehicles have become more common over the last year at big car makers, in part because of the growing use of common components across multiple models to save design and production costs.
Toyota Motor Corp, the world’s biggest automaker, has suffered a spate of recalls over the last year, totalling more than ten million vehicles worldwide for sticky gas pedals, floor mats that can trap accelerators, brake fluid leaks and other problems.
Last week the world’s biggest motor maker by volume announced a recall of 1.66 million vehicles globally for defects involving the brake master cylinder and fuel pump wiring.
The company has completed repairs on more than five million vehicles for three major recalls announced in late 2009 and early 2010 in the US involving unintended acceleration and braking issues.
Nissan employs more than 3,500 staff in its Washington plant producing models including the successful seven-seater Qashqai model and the new Juke.
Micra production ceased at the plant two years ago but its huge popularity was key to the plant’s successful growth into the UK’s most productive car plant.
It is due to start making its first electric car, the Leaf, from 2013 and the company is also building a factory to make batteries for electric vehicles.
