UNITED STATES: Nissan North America has initiated a recall of 9,813 model-year 2023 Ariya electric vehicles (EVs) due to a potential software defect related to the drive motor. The issue, identified through reports filed by the Japanese automaker with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), revolves around the vehicle’s inverter software.
According to the summary report, the inverter software has the potential to detect a short circuit, leading to an abrupt shutdown of the EV system. This results in a loss of drive power.
The recall encompasses both front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive versions of the Ariya, as the model employs a distinctive motor type. Other Nissan or Infiniti vehicles remain unaffected.
Nissan anticipates that all recalled vehicles may possess the identified defect. The report indicates that minuscule fragments of conductive material from a drive motor component could momentarily trigger a short circuit in the slip rings. These rotary electrical devices are crucial for the efficient operation of the motor.
As a precautionary measure, the power supply to the driven wheels may be momentarily severed to prevent harm to internal components. This action prompts an “EV System Off” warning on the dashboard.
Additionally, torque to the driven wheels may be temporarily cut off until the system is restarted from a “fail-safe mode.” However, if this occurs during high-speed driving, it could potentially lead to an accident.
To rectify this issue, dealers will reprogram the inverter software at no cost to owners. Notifications will be dispatched to affected owners by October 20, 2023. The problem was initially identified by Nissan in January 2022, with a subsequent complaint lodged by an Ariya owner in China. Several similar reports also surfaced in California and Oklahoma in September 2023.
This incident marks the second setback for the Ariya model this year. Earlier, the brand recalled over 1,000 models in North America due to the risk of the steering wheel detaching from the steering column, attributed to a potentially loose or missing bolt. These repeated recalls may potentially impact the rollout of the Ariya in the US, which commenced this year.
In the first half of 2023, Nissan recorded the sale of 9,400 electric cars in the US, a figure dwarfed by its competitors. Among these, the Ariya commanded the largest share with 5,195 units sold. Meanwhile, sales of the Leaf model experienced a 44 percent year-over-year drop, with only 4,234 deliveries. Notably, both models are ineligible for the $7,500 federal tax credit.
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