Nissan North America advised U.S. regulators last week that it intends to recall up to 97,000 new cars because of excessive engine oil consumption. The automaker said the problem, announced earlier this month, appears to stem from improper functioning of piston rings.
An official said yesterday that the company still has not pinpointed the exact cause of the problem and that it will not take the final step of declaring a recall until that happens.
Were close, and we anticipate that we are going to arrive at a root cause pretty soon, spokesman Fred Standish told Lube Report. When we reach a conclusion well know how to fix it, and well ask consumers at that point to bring in their vehicles.
The company, a U.S. subsidiary of Japanese automaker Nissan Motor Co., advised the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of its intention in a June 20 letter. The recall could cover as many as 97,000 four-cylinder Sentras and Altima sedans, although the company added that the number may ultimately be reduced.
The vehicles in question were assembled between January and May with engines built at a plant in Decherd, Tenn. As the company stated previously, some of those cars have been found to consume excessive levels of motor oil – enough that the engines could be damaged and even catch fire. The company has received a few hundred complaints about the problem, including 17 cases of fire. One fire caused a minor injury.
Nissan issued a stop-sale order on the vehicles June 2 and advised consumers to check engine oil levels every 700 miles until the problem is fixed.