Recall Alert: The 2020 Nissan Titan Could Be a Major Fire Risk
As far as full-size pickup trucks go, the 2020 Nissan Titan is a bit of a sales underdog. Despite this, the Titan routinely impresses during real-world road tests. However, as of late, Nissan’s full-size truck has been suffering some major setbacks. Last week, we learned of a recall involving stalling engines. However, a new report by CarComplaints states that a Titan has recently experienced a “thermal incident.”
What was the initial recall for the 2020 Nissan Titan?
The main issue surrounding the 2020 Nissan Titan covers engines that began stalling randomly. In short, there is an issue surrounding the wire harness, which the initial supplier did not build correctly. An exposed wire could come in contact with other wires and cause an electrical short. If the fault cuts the power supply, then it could kill the fuel pump, stalling the engine in the process. Worst of all, you won’t be able to re-start the truck once this happens.
According to CarComplaints, there are currently at least 7,900 Nissan Titan and Titan XD trucks affected by this issue. At least 7,600 of them are in the U.S., while over 300 are in Canada. Like with any electrical short, there is a potential for other vital components to be affected. As a result, owners have also reported transmission issues related to this main issue.
How did the Titan experience a “thermal incident”
Aside from that initial 2020 Nissan Titan recall, there is new information that suggests there may be a fire risk as well. According to CarComplaints, the electrical short could also lead to an increased chance of fire. As you’d expect, having electrical wires coming into contact as you drive could quickly spell disaster.
According to CarComplaints, Nissan actually learned of this issue back in March of 2020. However, thanks to the shutdowns resulting from COVID-19, the investigation slowed down considerably. Eventually, however, the supplier that makes the wiring harness eventually found exactly which exposed wire was causing the issue.
However, in October, Nissan reportedly learned of what it’s calling a “thermal incident” under the hood of a Titan truck. While there are no exact details, a thermal event closely aligns with the fire risk CarComplaints alludes to in its latest report. Engineers evaluated the issue and found that the issue only affects the Titan and Titan XD. Additionally, this only affects trucks equipped with gasoline engines. The reason is the unique frame design and manufacturing process, says CarComplaints.
How do I know if my truck is affected?
If you’ve got a Nissan Titan, there may be a reason for concern. According to CarComplaints, the trucks affected are built between December 13, 2019, to June 3, 2020, in Mississippi. This means that a majority of the affected trucks were likely sold sometime during 2020. According to CarSalesBase, Nissan sold just 19,403 of these trucks in the U.S. during the first three quarters of 2020. As a result, having a recall that affects 7,600 vehicles is quite a big deal.
For now, there isn’t much you can do as Nissan plans to roll out the official recall on January 27th, 2021, covering both the stalling issue and the newest fire risk. However, given the recent occurrence involving a “thermal incident,” Nissan will likely have to replace the wiring harness to ensure that the fire risk is no longer present.
