Nissan and Infiniti Recalls Issued Over Brake Fluid Leak, Fire Risk

Nearly 400,000 Nissan and Infiniti vehicles have been recalled, after the manufacturer identified a defect in the braking system for several models, which could allow fluid to leak, potentially resulting in a risk of fire.

The U.S National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the Nissan and Infiniti recall on November 14, after discovering certain cars and SUV may be at risk of experiencing fluid leaks in the Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), which could enter the internal circuit board, increasing the risk of a short circuit and fires.

The impacted vehicles are part of the NHTSA’s previous recall campaign 18V-601, which was issued in September 2018. The vehicles are being recalled once again after regulators determined that a portion of the impacted vehicle population were not repaired or were not inspected to determine whether the ABS actuator pump was leaking brake fluid.

According to the recent recall notice, the ABS actuators in certain Nissan and Infitini vehicles may contain a defective seal that could allow brake fluid to leak from the actuator pump, and enter electrical systems, specifically, the internal circuit board. In this event, the circuit board could be prone to short circuiting and could overheat or catch on fire, posing an increased risk of burn injury or property damage.

The recall includes approximately 394,025 model year 2015 through 2018 Nissan Murano, 2016 through 2018 Nissan Maxima, and 2017 through 2019 Nissan Pathfinder and Infiniti QX60 vehicles.

Officials warn customers that in the event of a leak, the ABS warning lamp will illuminate on the dashboard for more than 10 seconds after the engine has been started. Customers who experience this warning should park the vehicle outside and contact Nissan Roadside Assistance at 800-647-7261 and press option 1 to have the vehicle towed to a Nissan service department for repair.

Nissan announced they will begin notifying customers of the recall on December 2, 2019, and will provide instructions on how to contact Nissan Roadside Assistance in the event of ABS warning lamp illumination. However, the manufacturer indicates replacement parts will not be available until summer 2020, at which time Nissan officials announced they will send a follow up correspondence to customers instructing them on how to schedule a free repair appointment at their local dealer.

Customers with additional questions regarding the recall may contact Nissan Customer Service at 1-800-867-7669. Customers may also check to see whether their vehicle is included in the recall by visiting the NHTSA recall check website and entering their 17-digit vehicle identification number.