Nissan Recalls 134K Cars Over Fire Risk

Nissan recalled 134,000 late-model cars last week because of possible defect in the braking system that could spark a fire in some vehicles in the United States and Canada.

A Nissan spokesman told Automotive News and that no one has been hurt, but the car manufacturer has received several reports of "thermal damage" to vehicles.

In a letter released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration acknowledging the recall, the agency confirmed the recall models include certain 2016-2017 Maxima sedans, 2015-2017 Murano crossovers, and 2015-2016 Murano Hybrid crossovers.

"The affected vehicles have anti-lock brake actuator pumps that may allow brake fluid to leak onto an internal electrical circuit board," said the NHTSA statement. "A brake fluid leak onto the circuit board may result in an electrical short, increasing the risk of a fire."

"Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the [anti-lock brake system] actuator, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule," the NHTSA statement added.

The NHTSA wrote that Nissan owners can call the car company's customer service line at 1-800-647-7261 for more information.

"When brake fluid has leaked onto the circuit board, the [anti-lock brake system] warning lamp will remain illuminated for more than 10 seconds after engine start up. If this occurs, owners are advised to park the vehicle outdoors away from other vehicles or structures and to not drive the vehicle," the NHTSA statement continued.

Automotive News wrote that about 120,000 of the recalled vehicles are registered in the United States and about 11,000 are in Canada. The rest of the vehicles are registered in a few international markets, Nissan said.

According to The Associated Press, Nissan said it discovered the problem after receiving a report of a fire in a 2016 Maxima June 7. The company identified several more fires during its investigation of the problem, which then prompted the recall, the AP noted.

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