Nissan recalls SUVs to fix electrical shorts, hood latches

Friday, January 23, 2015, Vol. 39, No. 4

DETROIT (AP) — Nissan is recalling nearly 768,000 SUVs worldwide to fix faulty hood latches and electrical shorts that could cause fires.

The larger Nissan recall announced Wednesday covers more than 552,000 Rogue small SUVs from 2008 through 2013 and Rogue Select SUVs from 2014. Snow and salty water can seep through the driver's side carpet to a wiring harness, causing electrical shorts. Nissan says there were reports of shorts but no fires or injuries. Most of the Rogues were sold in North America, but some were outside the region.

Dealers will inspect the harness and replace it if necessary at no cost to owners. Those without damage will be sealed.

The second recall covers nearly 216,000 Nissan Pathfinders from 2013 and 2014, and Infiniti JX35s from 2013 and QX60s from 2014. The secondary hood latch could stay open when the hood is closed. If the main hood latch is released and the secondary latch fails, the hood could open while the SUVs are being driven.

Nissan says some hoods have been damaged but no crashes or injuries were reported. Dealers will change the hood release mechanism angle and lengthen the release cable to fix the problem, at no cost to owners.

The faulty latches were discovered after Nissan recalled the 2013 Nissan Altima midsize car last year for the same problem, according to documents posted Wednesday by U.S. safety regulators.