Nissan Pickup Trucks Recalled Over Rollaway Risks

Some Nissan pickup truck drivers are going to be getting a lot more use out of their parking breaks.

The Japanese automaker recently announced that it is recalling more than 180,000 Frontier and Titan pickups over a transmission defect. The parking pawl on those trucks may not engage when the transmission is in park, raising the risk that the vehicles roll away.

“Due to dimensional variation during the manufacturing process, reduced clearance may cause contact between the edge of the parking pawl and the boss on the transmission case, which may result in non-engagement of the parking paw,” Nissan said in a defect notice filed with federal regulators. “If this occurs, an affected vehicle may move after placing the shifter into ‘Park.’”

The recall covers certain 2020-2022 Frontier and Titan pickups. Nissan said it plans to notify the owners of recalled vehicles by the end of July. The problem, however, is that the company has yet to come up with a plan to fix the defect.

Meanwhile, Nissan is warning drivers to use the vehicles’ parking brakes liberally until they are fixed. The company told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that Nissan has received at least four reports of rollaway incidents resulting in minor injuries.

“If the customer does not engage the parking brake, potential for movement of the vehicle increases the risk of injury or crash,” the company told NHTSA.

Other Safety Risks for Nissan Drivers

This is not the only recall facing Nissan and the people who drive its cars.

Nissan announced in June that it is recalling some 322,000 Pathfinder sport utility vehicles because of defective hood latches that could open unexpectedly, obstructing drivers’ view and leading to accidents. As of the new recall, the company said that it was still working on a fix for the problem.

Earlier this year, Nissan said it was calling back some 700,000 Rogue SUVs over fire risks.

Legal Rights for Nissan Owners in California

Car owners and lessors in California do not need to wait for a recall to get defective vehicles repaired.

The California lemon law requires car manufacturers to perform a broad range of repairs on vehicles while they are under warranty. It also requires carmakers to buy back (or replace, in some situations) cars that they are not able or simply refuse to fix. That includes compensating the owner for the car’s purchase price, along with other related fees and costs.

There is no specific number of repair requests or attempts that a person must make before the buyback or replacement requirement kicks in. That is one of many reasons why it is vital to consult an experienced lawyer.

Talk with an Orange County Lemon Law Attorney

If you are a Dodge or other car owner or lessor stuck with a lemon or locked in a dispute with a manufacturer over repairs, the Orange County lemon law attorneys at Bickel Sannipoli APC can help. 

Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with an Orange County lemon law attorney.