Nissan Recalls 51,100 Cube Hatchbacks in North America
July 26, 2010 – A reminder of decades gone by, a popular automaker is recalling thousands of hatchback models due to the possibility of fuel leaking during rear-end collisions. While the vehicle isn’t a Ford Pinto hatchback, it is an unusually cube-shaped hatchback.
Officials for the Nissan Motor Company informed federal regulators today of the recall of 45,700 2009 and 2010 Nissan Cube hatchbacks in the United States and another 5,400 in Canada after safety tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicated fuel might spill during rear-end collisions during which the vehicle is turned over onto its side. Nissan officials said they did not encounter the problem during company crash tests but still issued the recall, which requires Nissan dealerships to install a protective device to prevent possible fuel spills.
Although no accidents, injuries or deaths have been attributed to the safety problem, Nissan officials acted quickly to remedy the situation – particularly in light of recent bad press for the world’s top automaker, Toyota, which recently recalled nearly 10 million vehicles worldwide for various safety issues, including vehicles allegedly accelerating beyond driver control. Although Toyota recalled millions of vehicles, company officials say human error is the most likely culprit in sudden-acceleration cases.
Recent news reports indicate officials for the U.S. Department of Transportation determined drivers were at fault in at least some of the reported incidents of Toyota vehicles suddenly accelerating uncontrollably. Specifically, Toyota officials say some drivers simply stepped on the gas pedal instead of the brake and panicked when their vehicles lurched forward.
U.S. officials have yet to release a conclusive report on the Toyota matter, but a preliminary federal report issued earlier this year suggested the vehicles might be to blame in many cases. Over the past 10 years, Toyota vehicles suddenly accelerating out of control might have been the cause of up to 89 deaths, according to federal officials.
The report released in May by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration suggests even more people have died due to problems with various Toyota models over the years than earlier estimates suggested. Federal officials previously suggested at least 52 deaths could be attributed to sudden acceleration in Toyota vehicles, which the automaker since has recalled. The new report also indicates at least 57 people were injured as a result of sudden acceleration in Toyotas.
Toyota officials in May testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee regarding consumer problems regarding electrical components in Toyota vehicles, which are suspected of causing some vehicles to accelerate suddenly and created braking problems in some Toyota models. Toyota already paid a $16.4 million federal fine for its handling of various vehicle recall issues.
Despite the latest federal report pinning the blame on Toyota, Toyota Motor Sales USA President Jim Lentz told the Congressional panel there is no evidence bad electrical components were the cause of several incidents in which Toyota vehicles accelerated out of control and at times caused accidents. Toyota officials hired a consulting firm to inspect electrical components in various vehicles.