WASHINGTON (Oct. 12, 2009)—Nissan North America Inc. is recalling a total of 143,223 vehicles because nuts used to secure the sensor-transmitters of the vehicles' tire pressure monitoring systems may corrode and crack in states that have heavy use of road salt in winter.
If the nut cracks and comes out, the TPMS will illuminate, Nissan told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “If the TPMS lamp is disregarded and the vehicle continues to be driven in this state, the tire will quickly lose air pressure at a consistent rate, resulting in a flat tire,” the auto maker said.
Nissan identified Schrader-Bridgeport Inc. of Altavista, Va., as the manufacturer of the nut. The auto maker will replace the nuts with new, sturdier nuts free of charge.
The vehicles include 73,845 Nissan Rogues, model year 2008; 44,955 Nissan Muranos, MY 2009; 15,225 Nissan Cubes, MY 2009; and 9,198 Infiniti M35/45s, MY 2008, 2009 and 2010.
Nissan said it would conduct the recall in the states that have the heaviest use of road salt: Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin.