Nissan Rogue Key Snafu Prompts Massive Recall

Nissan is recalling more than 700,000 Rogue sport utility vehicles over a serious defect that could lead to disaster on the road.

The Japanese automaker told federal regulators that malfunctioning car keys could inadvertently cause Rogue SUVs to lose power without warning. That increases the risk of crashes, Nissan said in a defect notice filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“The jackknife key may not hold the key blade in the extended ‘open’ position,” Nissan told NHTSA. “Over time the internal pivot of the jackknife key may weaken, and the key fob could unlock and rotate downwards.”

“If the vehicle is driven with the key in the collapsed position,” the company continued, “contact with the key fob by the driver could inadvertently turn the vehicle off while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.”

The recall covers “S” grade trim-level Nissan Rogue Sport and Nissan Rogue vehicles equipped with jackknife keys, including the 2017-22 Nissan Rogue Sport and the 2014-20 Nissan Rogue.

It comes just months after Nissan announced it was recalling some 125,000 Rogue SUVs over faulty harness connectors. The company said at the time the connectors could become corroded, sparking a car fire risk.

Nissan plans to alert owners of recalled cars by March 17, the company said in the defect notice. The problem, however, is that it sounds like Nissan is not going to be able to immediately fix the problem.

“Nissan is preparing the remedy for this issue,” the company said in the defect notice. “In the interim, registered owners will be notified. In that notification, owners will be instructed to avoid attaching accessories to the key fob and to use the key in the nonfolding orientation until the remedy is available.”

Legal Rights for Nissan Owners in California

Major recalls over serious safety issues are now all too common for Nissan and other automakers.

Last year, for example, the company called back roughly 20,000 Kicks sport utility vehicles and Versa sedans over a power steering problem. The company told NHTSA that the feature could simply stop working at any time, increasing the risk of an accident.

There is some good news for car owners and lessors in California. You have some important rights and protections when it comes to defective and malfunctioning vehicles.

The California lemon law generally requires car manufacturers to perform a wide range of repairs on vehicles while they are under warranty. Known formally as the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, the law also forces the companies to buy back (or replace, in some cases) cars that they cannot or will not fix.

Talk with a California Lemon Law Attorney

If you are a Nissan or other car owner or lessor stuck with a lemon or locked in a dispute with a manufacturer over repairs, the lemon law attorneys at Bickel Sannipoli APC can help. 

Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with a lawyer today.