Another big recall to report. This time it's Nissan and its bread-and-butter Altima sedan. Apparently, cars with the 2.5-liter four-cylinder have an air filter that can cause some serious problems. It seems that if something hot is sucked into the filter, like ashes from a cigarette, it can catch on fire. Four incidents have already been reported to Nissan. Notices started going out to some of the 140,000 2007 Altima owners last week. Besides replacing the air filter with a presumably less flammable one, Nissan will also add an air deflector to help prevent a potential accumulation of debris in the filter.
In all, 140,582 Altimas have been sold so far this year, making it Nissan's best-selling vehicle, and the ninth-best seller overall in the States. The recall affects Smyrna, Tennessee cars made between Sept. 25 and May 11, as well as those built from Oct. 30 through May 11 at its Canton, Mississippi, factory.
[Source: Chicago Tribune via KickingTires]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
carmaniac @ Jul 9th 2007 4:10PM
One of these engine fires happened here in Vancouver, BC.
http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/2335/photo0043jv8.jpg
Barney @ Jul 9th 2007 5:06PM
Wow! I wasn't expecting that sort of damage.
Jordan @ Jul 10th 2007 2:11AM
Im from vancouver too. Is that picture hwy 1 by burnaby 8 rinks? Or is it on hwy 1 in langley area. good job on pic
carmaniac @ Jul 10th 2007 12:26PM
I believe it was Hwy 1 near Langley. I got the picture off a local forum called Revscene.net.
jason @ Jul 15th 2007 9:16AM
i belive that picture is a fake. the nissan in that picture is a 3.5 SE the recall was for the nissan's with the 2.5 se package
Ligor @ Jul 9th 2007 4:47PM
so if you have enough miles and replaced your filter?? will Nissan replace those filters as well.
you get a free air filter service at you next oil change.
It's not a costly issue to fix (a couple of $ per filter at the next oil change) but this may hurt their sales, as the Altima has been selling very well.
OBOLINE @ Jul 9th 2007 4:56PM
This won't stop me from getting an Altima as my next car, although it will be the 3.5 SE, can't wait....
h8rain @ Jul 9th 2007 5:09PM
People are missing the bigger issue that really p!sses me off: People throwing cigarette butts out their window. I really hate it, especially when I am riding my motorcycle. I really don't care if you smoke, but don't throw your trash out the window. To me this should not affect their sales, because honestly if we look at the issue at its most basic level, it is a DUH issue.
Basic Level of the issue: If a hot (ashe for example) is sucked into something that is basically paper (ie flamable), it might catch fire.
I understand why they are doing this, but it makes me mad that they even have to fix what I don't see as a big deal. If I am wrong please explain why.
Tim @ Jul 9th 2007 5:28PM
It pisses me off too when people throw cups, empty packs of cigarettes, the occasional apple core, and various wrappers. Its always the hoopties never the the nice cars except when you are talking about cigarettes. Thats everyone.
felipe @ Jul 10th 2007 8:55AM
i understand your point. i agree people are pigs... but,
i also would want an air filter that is fire resistant considering its under my hood.
it is probably also one of the US regulations that is be flame retardant/resistant.
would you feel comfortable with 3 rolls of paper streamers under your hood?
R.Autry @ Jul 9th 2007 5:21PM
Cripes. What are the odds of an errant cigarette ash tossed from a car moving at highway speed getting sucked into the air intake nozzel of an Altima with flammable filter paper. And it happened 4 times. Wow! Quick everyone...buy lottery tickets. The world of odds is now inverted and in our favor. We're all gonna be rich!
Kn1ves @ Jul 9th 2007 5:28PM
4 out of 140,000 isnt bad
Christopher H. Kim @ Jul 9th 2007 6:00PM
Why don't you explain that to Nissan and say 4 out of 140,000 ain't bad, you don't have to recall that many
Kn1ves @ Jul 9th 2007 5:28PM
4 out of 140,000 isnt bad
jg @ Jul 9th 2007 5:47PM
I think I witnessed one of these last month in Phoenix. East on 101 passing under I 17 north. It looked just like the fire in carmaniacs post.
Dan @ Jul 9th 2007 5:51PM
that picture is pretty visceral
In2uition @ Jul 9th 2007 8:22PM
That picture is photoshopped
Mona L Black @ Jul 15th 2007 11:54AM
First and far most the odds of cig. ashes and or a cig. butt being sucked in under the hood of any car going a normal 55mph is totally stupid. Make it believable before telling people this is true. I don't own a Nissan but come on now. First and far most the filter is under the hood of a car which gets hot---dah the motor is running getting warmer and warmer be real people. Someone has it in for Nissan and just like all the other things in our world lets point the fingure at someone. Use your brain and you will know this is totally not possible. First when a Cig is tossed from a vehicle it lands many feet from where it was tossed and how can it be sucked up under the hood. Please!!!!!!!!!
AMGoff @ Jul 9th 2007 8:25PM
I wonder, with the exception of this little blurb on Autoblog, how little the mainstream media will cover this. I'm guessing very little.
dewfish @ Jul 9th 2007 8:27PM
didn't a recall happen recently with the hyundai sonata? I saw a story about it on a website (http://www.nowpublic.com/hyundai_recalls_sonata_and_grandeur_models), but I haven't heard anything since. Is there any truth to this story?