Defective engine oil cooler connector bolts led Nissan to recall more than 14,000 model year 2011 and 2012 sport utility vehicles.
The recall includes Infinity FX and Infinity M vehicles manufactured by Nissan in Japan. It also includes Xterra, Pathfinder and NV vehicles manufactured by Nissan in the United States.
The automaker said that in August 2011, it received several reports of engine cooler connector bolts breaking where the oil filter attaches to the engine oil cooler. An investigation conducted through Dec. 12 determined the forming process of the bolt at the supplier had been changed, making the forming process out of specification.
On vehicles equipped with the affected bolts, the bolt may break at the oil filter attachment point, Nissan stated in its defect information report submitted Dec. 19 to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. If the connector bolt breaks, it can cause an engine oil leak. If there is an engine oil leak, the engine oil warning lamp will illuminate and the engine may become noisy. If the driver ignores this condition, and the vehicles continues to be driven, the engine could seize.
Nissan instituted a voluntary recall campaign Dec. 12. Nissan and Inifinity dealers will replace the defective connector bolt with a counter-measured bolt free of charge.