Nissan announced a recall of 13,919 of its Altima sedans in the United States after discovering that some steering bolts may not have been tightened properly during production.
US safety regulators note that these loose bolts could increase the risk, reports The Chicago Tribune .
Nissan North America announced that the Altima sedan affected are from the 2012 to 2013 model years. They were made at the company’s plant in Canton, Mississippi between May 10 and July 26. Nissan told regulators at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:
“Some of the subject vehicles may have been manufactured with four transverse link bolts and two power steering rack bolts that were not torqued to the proper specification.”
Because of this, the bolts could shake loose during driving and that drivers may notice a rattling noise. Nissan added that there have been crashes or injuries from the issue.
Reuters notes that Altima owners involved in the recall will be asked to take their cars to a local Nissan dealership. Once there, the bolts will be torqued to the correct specification, according to the NHTSA. Nissan also told the NHTSA:
“Based on engineering judgment, it was determined that if a loose bolt falls out completely, the driver may experience difficulty in controlling the direction of the vehicle.”
Workers at Nissan’s Canton plant noticed the issue on July 26 during a routine test. The car manufacturer confirmed on September 21 that some of the vehicles affected were at its dealers. It decided to issue the recall on October 3.
Owners of the recalled Nissan Altimas will be notified if their vehicles are involved on October 29.
