The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced the recall of 36,608 model year 2012 Nissan Versa sedans due to a transmission defect that may allow drivers to accidentally shift the vehicle out of park without depressing the brake pedal. The recall notice explains that this poses a crash risk and a threat to nearby pedestrians.
The recalled vehicles were manufactured from June 2011 to January 13, 2012 and are equipped with an automatic transmission. This defect is the result of interference between the shifter rod and the shift knob.
The NHTSA explains that the automaker’s safety recall is expected to begin on February 20, 2012. Nissan will begin notifying owners and have dealers inspect and replace either the shifter knob or assembly free of charge at that time.
This is the largest recall for Nissan since December’s combined total of over 62,000 vehicles for stalling problems. In one of the two recalls from that month, almost 34,000 2010 and 2011 Sentras were called back for an overly thick coating of zinc that was applied to the terminal stud bolt, leading to a potential drop in voltage and vehicle stalling.
A few days before the Sentra recall, the NHTSA announced the recall of 28,294 Jukes for a turbocharger booster sensor bracket that could separate due to a defective weld. After separating, this bracket could cause the vehicle to stall, increasing the crash risk for drivers.