Is it possible to be fourth time lucky?
Although Nissan promises a bright future, 12 new cars will be available in the next 18-months. However, the ghosts of the past still haunt the company. According to the Detroit Free Press, nearly 1.9 million Altimas of the previous generation are being recall for an unfixable issue – the hood latch. In 2014, Nissan repaired a lever and greased the secondary latches. The second recall was in 2015. In 2015, they did the same thing and lubricated the secondary latches. In 2016, they replaced them all.
The fourth recall has been issued after reports of the hood opening suddenly. Although the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has not yet provided the documents, Nissan informed that the fourth recall is taking place. It involves the original 2013-2015 Altima sedans that were affected by previous recalls as well as those made for the 2016-2018 model year.
What’s the problem? The problem? The metal can rust over time and the latch may not function properly. This would mean that the hood wouldn’t stay down. Worst case scenario is that the hood might pop open unexpectedly. There have been 16 minor accidents, some of them causing injuries.
Nissan is still trying to figure out how to fix this problem. Altima owners will receive a letter with instructions about “proper latch inspection” and maintenance in the next few weeks.
The company will send a second letter to the nearly 1.9M owners once they have found a solution. The owners will be asked to bring their cars to the dealer to have the hood latch fixed. It’s all free of charge.