Nissan recalls D40 Navaras

NISSAN is recalling more than 29,000 Navara ST-X dual-cab utes in Australia over a potential issue that could cause cracks to form in the outer spokes of their alloy wheels.

According to the recall notice, the cracked wheel spokes could arise “in certain rare instances” when an affected Navara is fully laden and subjected to “high lateral acceleration” during cornering.

“This condition is expected to create a change in the vehicle handling, however, should this condition be ignored it could in extreme cases lead to wheel detachment,” said the recall notice.

The Australian recall is part of a world-wide campaign in which most of the 193,000 affected vehicles (built in Spain between June 2005 and July 2008) were delivered in Europe.

Nissan Motor Co (Australia) head of corporate communications Jeff Fisher told GoAuto that “three or four” cases had been reported in Australia since the model went on sale in 2005.

Mr Fisher said that, although there were no records of incidents or accidents anywhere in the world, Nissan decided the cracked spokes were a safety issue and issued the recall.

Nissan’s Australian division is writing to affected customers, who are invited to take their vehicles to a Nissan dealer for an inspection. If cracks are found, the wheels will be replaced immediately.

“Where there is not (evidence of cracking), we urge customers to keep an eye on it and report it if anything does develop,” said Mr Fisher. “Then they can come back in and get a priority replacement.” All affected wheels will eventually be replaced whether there is evidence of cracking or not, although hundreds of thousands of wheels must first be manufactured and shipped.

“The issue here is that, with 193,000 vehicles, that is quite a lot of wheels,” said Mr Fisher.

“The supplier who provided them obviously has got their work cut out in getting those replacement wheels into the system and distributed globally.” Once the wheels are in stock with dealers, customers will be contacted to come in and get them replaced whether or not there is any evidence of a crack.

Affected vehicles have Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) in the following ranges: VSKCLAD40A0025460-VSKCLAD40A0335424, VSKCLND40A0033906-VSKCLND40A0900600 and VSKCVND40A0025461-VSKCVND40A0901091.

This is the latest in a string of recalls for the D40 Navara since it went on sale. Previous recalls involved potential problems with lighting, electrical systems, bonnet latches, brake pipes and the rear axle.

Australian Navara sales reached 12,263 to the end of June, an increase of 10 per cent over the same period last year, with more than nine of every ten sold being a four-wheel drive variant.

With a 21.8 per cent segment share year-to-date, the Navara is Australia’s second-best-selling 4WD ute this year after Toyota’s HiLux (which has achieved 12,074 sales and a 23.5 segment share YTD).