Nissan recalls 450 thousand cars due to the risk of VC-Turbo engine failure — can stop on the move

Bold engineering experiments are a noble thing. But sometimes they have unpleasant consequences. Nissan experienced this firsthand. And now almost half a million vehicles with VC-Turbo variable compression technology are being recalled due to the threat of engine failure.

What is the problem with VC-Turbo?

The idea of the Nissan VC-Turbo engine sounded ambitious. It uses a compression ratio change system that allows the same engine to operate in both powerful and economical modes. The change occurs on the fly — depending on the needs.

On paper, it looked like an engineering miracle. But in reality, the debut of this technology in the Infiniti QX50 was disappointing: neither real power nor outstanding economy. And now a new problem has emerged, a much more serious one — possible engine failure.

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced a large-scale recall of 443,899 VC-Turbo vehicles. The list includes:

• Infiniti QX50 (2019-2022) — 84,536 cars
• Infiniti QX55 (2022) — 5,124 cars
• Nissan Altima (2019-2020) — 5 685 cars
• Nissan Rogue (2021-2024) — 348 554 cars

Nissan has identified a bearing defect in the 1.5L (three cylinders) and 2.0L (four cylinders) VC-Turbo engines. Defects in the bearings or auxiliary components can cause serious engine damage. In the worst case scenario, it could fail completely while driving, leading to a crash due to loss of traction.

But there is good news: bearings usually do not break instantly. Drivers will have time to notice extraneous noises or a decrease in power and contact the service in time.

Owners of Nissan vehicles with VC-Turbo engines should not panic. Although the recall is large, the NHTSA estimates that only 1.2% of the engines actually have a defect. The rest are formally recalled for inspection. All work within the campaign is covered by Nissan and will be free of charge for the owner. To find out if your car is subject to the recall, visit NHTSA website and enter the VIN code.

In short, even the boldest technologies need to be thoroughly tested in real life. The VC-Turbo had the potential to be a breakthrough, but so far it’s mostly a headache. It’s good that Nissan is not hiding the problem and is taking responsibility. After all, when it comes to engine issues, it’s better to be safe than sorry than to wait for a tow truck on the road.

Source: jalopnik