It Finally Happened: Nissan VC-Turbo Engine Prompts Massive Recall

But the complex design may have finally caught up to Nissan, which just announced a recall of 443,899 VC-Turbo vehicles, including the three-cylinder Rogue and the four-cylinder Altima, Infiniti QX50, and Infiniti QX55. A potentially flawed bearing design could result in complete engine failure and necessitate a replacement.

Bearing Failure Means Engine Failure
The recall applies to the 2019–2022 QX50, 2022 QX55, 2019–2020 Altima, and 2021–2024 Rogue (an unfortunate happenstance for Nissan's bestselling vehicle in the U.S.). The issue relates to the VC-Turbo's main bearing, as well as the bearings found in the A-, C-, and L-links that are crucial to the variable compression system's operation. Nissan says that the bearing failure is gradual, giving owners a fair amount of warning via rough running and dashboard indicator lights, but eventually, the engine will need to be replaced if the issue is discovered.

The automaker has instructed its Nissan and Infiniti dealers to inspect the engine oil for metal shavings that would indicate bearing wear or failure. If metallic fragments are discovered and traced back to the bearings, Nissan will replace the affected engine free of charge. If no debris is found in the engine oil, cars with the 1.5-liter VC-Turbo three-cylinder engine (meaning the Rogue) will get a new oil pan and gasket, as well as an oil change. The 2.0-liter inline-four found in the Altima, QX50, and QX55 will get an oil change alone.

The Failure Isn't A Universal Problem
Nissan was able to trace the problematic bearings to specific engine serial numbers, which one could feasibly infer given the company will only be recalling 348,554 Rogues out of the nearly 1 million it sold during the affected time period. Since not every example of the affected nameplates will be recalled, Nissan will begin notifying specific owners linked to those problematic serial numbers on August 25. Furthermore, the company estimates that it will only need to carry out engine replacements in about 5% of the 443,000-plus vehicles it's recalling, meaning about 22,200 failed engines in total. Nevertheless, it's a shame that the campaign pertains so specifically to components unique to the VC-Turbo engine.

That said, the beleaguered automaker still enjoys a rather lofty position on the JD Power Initial Quality Survey, taking second place just behind Lexus. In long-term dependability, JD Power ranks Nissan around the middle of the pack. Hopefully, the VC-Turbo recall is proactive enough for the company to nip any potential problems in the bud and maintain its aggressive plan to return to profitability within the next two years, which includes streamlining its workforce, speeding up new product development, and adding U.S. production to avoid tariffs.