“A bent tie rod may impair the driver’s ability to steer the vehicle. Additionally, the steering wheel may be off-center and/or experience vibration. In the worst-case scenario, if the tie rod breaks, it can lead to a partial loss of steering control, which may increase the risk of a crash,” the report said.
Nissan told NHTSA it was aware of 91 field incidents from August 2021 through July 2023 related to a bent or broken tie rod in 2020-22 Sentra vehicles. The automaker said it received five reports of accidents since issuing the June 2021 recall but has been unable to determine if they were related to the tie rod defect.
As an interim repair, dealers will inspect and replace any bent or broken tie rods. Once newly designed parts are available, dealers will replace both the left and right tie rods.
Vehicles previously repaired under the June 2021 recall will need to have the new remedy completed.
Dealers were notified Aug. 16. Owners will be notified with an interim letter starting Oct. 5.
This year, Nissan has issued 17 recalls affecting more than 1.6 million vehicles in the U.S., according to NHTSA data.
