Nissan Motor Co. announced Friday that it is recalling nearly 930,000 Altima mid-size vehicles in the United States and Canada to fix a latch problem that could potentially cause the hood to suddenly fly open, marking the third time since 2014 the Japanese automaker has recalled its vehicles to address the problem.
The new recall covers 2013-2015 model year Nissan Altimas, including 846,000 vehicles in the U.S., according to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which reported receiving complaints from owners of Altimas whose hoods have opened unexpectedly while driving.
Nissan identified the issue, saying that the paint on the latch could flake off, leaving the bare metal exposed. Once exposed, the latches can deteriorate and rust, causing the secondary hood latch to remain open. Once this occurs, so long as the main latch isn't closed and the car is driven, the secondary latch may not be able to hold the hood down, according to the Associated Press.
The automaker warns that the latch opening while in motion could obstruct the driver's vision, causing a crash, adding that no such incidents have been reported yet.
This recall expands on two that were issued in 2014 and again in 2015, reported Reuters. At the time, dealers adjusted latches and applied lubricant, however Nissan said the adjustments might not have been performed consistently to remove the safety risk.
Nissan said it will notify owners, and dealers will replace the hood latch and replace it with a new one starting mid-Februrary.
