Nissan to recall 604,500 vehicles in Americas, Africa

Japanese automaker Nissan Motor Co is recalling 604,500 vehicles in North and South America and Africa markets over fears that a fault could cause the steering column to crack.

The carmaker will recall approximately 303,000 Frontier and 283,000 Xterra vehicles in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil and in a number of other Latin American countries.

Nissan recently discovered that in certain rare instances, the lower steering column joint on the affected Frontier and Xterra vehicles can develop corrosion that limits the movement of the joint. If the vehicle continues to be driven in this condition it may, in an extreme case, lead to cracking of the steering shaft, the carmaker said in a statement.

If the vehicle continues to be driven in this condition it may, in an extreme case, lead to cracking of the steering shaft, the carmaker said.

We regret any inconveniences that our customers may experience as we address these issues, said Kevin Martin of Nissan North America.

Nissan will also recall another 18,500 Sentra vehicles in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, Argentina, Brazil and a number of Latin American and African countries due to problems with the battery cable terminal.

The battery fault could lead to difficulty in starting the vehicle, and in rare cases, a possibility of stalling at low speeds, the statement said.

So far, no accidents or injuries have been associated with either of these issues.

Nissan said it will begin notifying owners in early December once replacement parts are available. U.S. customers with questions can call Nissan Consumer Affairs at 1-800-NISSAN1 (1-800-647-7261). They can also contact their Nissan dealer.