Nissan has announced a recall for over 700,000 of its Rogue SUVs due to a defect with the keys that can cause the vehicle’s engine to unexpectedly shut off while driving.
The recall affects 517,472 Rogues from 2014 to 2020 and 194,986 Rogue Sport editions from 2017 to 2022, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The issue is specific to the ‘S’ grade trim level of the Nissan Rogue and Rogue Sport, the NHTSA said.
The recall stems from using the car’s “jackknife” key that weakens over time, potentially causing it to fold and rotate downward, according to The Washington Post.
The defective keys could cause a sudden loss of power and disarm the car’s safety systems, including airbags, power steering, and power brakes, Consumer Reports suggested. Rogue models with push-button start systems are not included in the recall.
“In accordance with Nissan’s commitment to the safety and security of our customers and their passengers, Nissan is recalling MY2014-2020 Rogue and MY2017-2022 Rogue Sport vehicles equipped with a jackknife key that may not hold the key blade in the open position,” Brian Bockman, vice president of communications at Nissan USA & Canada, told The Dallas Express.
“If the vehicle is driven with the key in the collapsed position, contact with the fob by the driver could inadvertently turn the vehicle off while driving,” cautioned Bockman.
“Nissan will begin notifying customers in March 2023 with an interim letter followed by an invitation to repair once a remedy is available. Owners with a key that will not remain in the extended ‘open’ position should contact their local authorized Nissan dealer for diagnosis,” he concluded.
While the recall covers hundreds of thousands of vehicles, the NHTSA said the percentage of vehicles containing the defect is approximately 0.01%.
Nissan said it is unaware of any crashes or injuries due to the problem.
While a solution is not currently ready, the NHTSA said dealerships will insert a “spacer” into the key to prevent the issue and advised owners not to have any accessories attached to their keys, The Washington Post reported.
Affected owners will be contacted this month and notified when the key fix is ready. Sales of the affected models are on pause until the issue has been resolved.
Although some cars are not under warranty, Nissan will reimburse owners for the fix.
Customers can click here to visit Nissan’s website and enter their car’s 17-digit vehicle identification number (VIN) to see if their car has been recalled or click here to visit the NHTSA’s website, where they can also check.
Owners may also contact Nissan at 800-867-7669.
