Things are going from bad to worse for Nissan‘s innovative VC-Turbo engine. Last year, a recall over manufacturing defects in the engine bearings affected almost 444,000 Nissan and Infiniti products, and now the automaker has issued two recalls for 2023-2025 Nissan Rogue vehicles with three-cylinder 1.5-liter variable compression engines. The first recall on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s portal states that gears in the electronic throttle body assembly may break, potentially leading to a loss of power and/or preventing engagement of gears when the engine restarts. The second recall warns of the same issue Nissan tried to fix last year: faulty bearings, potentially decimating the engine and possibly leading to a fire. At least this time around, 2.0-liter (KR20DDET) engines aren’t mentioned, only 1.5-liter KR15DDT motors.
Over 300,000 Vehicles Named in Each Recall
Nissan
The first recall, dealing with the electronic throttle body, impacts 318,781 vehicles from the 2024 and 2025 model years, while the second names 323,917 vehicles from the same manufacturing period, plus vehicles made for the 2023 model year.
The former issue is apparently caused by something Nissan programs into the vehicle, according to the NHTSA report. When the engine is started, the electronic throttle chamber (ETC) performs a routine diagnostic test that rotates the internal gears to the fully closed position, in which they make contact with a fixed stopper. However, bad engine control module (ECM) software “may cause the internal gear within the ETC assembly to weaken and fracture.” Thus, it sounds as if the software pushes these gears too far, eventually leading to failure. The solution for the problem, first discovered in February last year, is for dealers to reprogram the engine control module (ECM) and inspect the engine. If the ETC, or electronic throttle chamber, is damaged, dealers will replace it. The inspection won’t cost owners anything but time, taking up to an hour to perform, and the ETC replacement can add another 30 minutes to the wait.
Second Nissan Rogue Recall Is More Serious
Despite last year’s recall fix, Nissan found additional cases of bearing seizure, unusual engine noise, difficulty starting, and engine stalling, says the NHTSA. The automaker’s investigation involved VC-Turbo engine teardowns and led to the conclusion that high engine oil temperatures may be an “additional contributing factor” in these bearing failures. No kidding. Lofty engine oil temperatures thin the oil, preventing lubrication and leading to friction on the bearings, further increasing temperatures before total engine failure occurs. A fire may even break out in the worst-case scenarios. Again, Nissan’s solution is to reprogram the engine control module, followed by a diagnostic scan and a test drive. If any problems become apparent, the dealer may inspect the oil pan for metal debris, and if that’s the case, a one-hour inspection turns into a 15-hour engine replacement.
The Nissan Rogue, also known as the X-Trail in other markets, has also faced issues with its transmission. Perhaps the incoming e-Power Hybrid system will help rebuild trust, but with the VC-Turbo being marketed as the world’s first production variable-compression engine, customers may be wary of being guinea pigs for novel tech.
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