Voluntary Safety Recall Campaign PM971 – Stop Lamp Switch – 2016-2019 Nissan Sentra

March 3, 2021 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 21V135000

Brake Lights May Not Illuminate

The brake lights may not illuminate, increasing the risk of a crash.

 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V135

Manufacturer NissaneBay logo North America, Inc.

Components ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Potential Number of Units Affected 807,376

 

Summary

NissaneBay logo North America, Inc. (NissaneBay logo) is recalling certain 2016-2019 NissaneBay logo Sentra vehicles. The brake light switch may become contaminated, preventing the circuit from closing and the brake lights from illuminating.

 

Remedy

Dealers will replace the brake light switch and install a protective grommet, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 3, 2021. Owners may contact NissaneBay logo customer service at 1-800867-7769. NissaneBay logo’s number for this recall is PM971.

 

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

 

Check if your Nissan has a Recall

 


 

Affected Models/Years:Affected
Population:
Dealer
Inventory:
SERVICE COMM
Activation date:
Stop Sale
In Effect
2016-2019 Sentra (B17)807,376NAMarch 9, 2021

YES

 

***** Campaign Summary *****

NissaneBay logo is issuing a Voluntary Safety Recall on specific 2016-2019 Sentra (B17) vehicles identified in Service Comm to address a stop lamp switch concern. The stop lamp switch on the subject vehicles may become contaminated with silicon off-gassing from silicon-based grease used in surrounding components (HVAC and brake booster clevis pin) in close proximity. Oxidation may occur at the switch contact surface due to electric arcing, resulting in silicon dioxide build-up. This build-up may lead to open circuit issues and an inoperative stop lamp switch.

If this condition occurs, the customer may notice illumination of the Anti-Lock Braking (ABS) or Vehicle
Dynamic Control (VDC) warning lamp(s), the rear stop lamps may not illuminate and/or the engine may
not start. Rear stop lamps not illuminating could potentially increase the risk of a crash.

Affected vehicles are subject to stop sale.

 

***** Release Schedule *****

Parts

  • Parts listed below are on restriction and may be ordered via DBS.
Part NumberDescriptionQuantity
25320-9AE0ASwitch Assy-Stop Lamp1
24268-6KE0AGrommet1

 

NOTE: Parts replaced under this campaign activity will be collected. Parts requested are VIN and repair order specific It is important for dealers to return parts applicable to the VIN and repair order identified.

 

Repair

 

Owner Notification

  • NissaneBay logo began sending owners of all potentially affected vehicles an interim notification letter in April 2021, via U.S. Mail.
  • Owners will be sent a second notification inviting them to schedule their vehicle for repair when parts are readily available.

 

***** Dealer Responsibility***** 

It is the dealer’s responsibility to check Service Comm or DBS National Service History using the appropriate Campaign ID. for the campaign status on each vehicle falling within the range of this voluntary recall campaign, which for any reason enters the service department. This includes vehicles purchased from private parties or presented by transient (tourist) owners and vehicles in dealer inventory. If a VIN subject to this recall campaign was part of a dealer trade, the letter associated with that VIN should be forwarded to the appropriate dealer for service completion.

 


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

 

Q. Is this a recall?

Yes.

 

Q. What is the reason for the recall?

The stop lamp switch on the subject vehicles may become contaminated with silicon off-gassing from silicon-based  grease used in surrounding components (HVAC and brake booster clevis pin) in close proximity. Oxidation may occur at the switch contact surface due to electric arcing, resulting in silicon dioxide build-up. This build-up may lead to open circuit issues and an inoperative stop lamp switch.

 

Q. What is the possible effect of the condition?

If this condition occurs, the customer may notice illumination of an Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) or Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) warning lamp(s), the rear stop lamps may not illuminate and/or the engine may  not  start/crank.  Rear  stop lamps not illuminating  could potentially increase the risk of a crash.

 

Q. Is this a Stop Sale?

Yes.

 

Q. What will be the corrective action for this voluntary recall campaign?

Dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, and add a grommet and electrical tape as a protective layer.

 

Q. What should I tell inquiring customers?

Ask the customer if any of the following conditions apply to their vehicle:

Customers may continue to drive their vehicle if these conditions do not occur. However, if any of the conditions do occur, please contact your local NissaneBay logo dealer for immediate service and instructions on how to transport your vehicle to the dealership. Rental is available under the campaign until parts are available.

 

Q. How long will the corrective action take?

This free service should take up to one (1) hour to complete but your NissaneBay logo dealer may require your vehicle for a longer period of time based upon their work schedule.

 

Q. When will vehicle owners be notified?

NissaneBay logo began notifying affected owners via US mail in April 2021, instructing them to contact their authorized NissaneBay logo dealer if they experience illumination  of an Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) or Vehicle Dynamic  Control (VDC) warning  lamp(s), the  rear  stop lamps do not  illuminate and/or the engine may not start/crank.

    • Owners will be sent a second notification inviting them to schedule their vehicle for repair when parts are readily available.
      • o  We anticipate this invitation to repair mailing to begin in fall 2021.

 

Q. Is my vehicle safe to drive?

The customer may continue to drive the vehicle unless the following conditions occur:

If any of the  conditions do apply, please contact your  local NissaneBay logo dealer for  immediate  service and instructions on how to transport your vehicle to the dealership. Rental is available under the campaign while parts are on order.

 

Q. Is there anything owners can do to mitigate this condition?

No.

 

Q. Are parts readily available?

Parts are on restriction and may be ordered via DBS.

 

Q. Will a rental vehicle be provided while the dealer is servicing the vehicle?

Yes. Complimentary alternate transportation is available, upon customer request, while parts are on order.

EXPENSE CodeDESCRIPTIONAMOUNT
502Rental Expense$840 (Max)
Contact the Warranty claims call center 1-800-258-7008 Option 7, if additional expense is required. Please refer to the Goodwill Rental Guidelines in the APRM for detailed information regarding application of rental reimbursement

 

Q. Is there any charge for the repair?

No. The remedy will be performed for the customer free of charge for parts and labor.

 

Q. Will I have to take my vehicle back to the selling dealer to have the service performed?

No, any authorized NissaneBay logo dealer is able to perform the recall campaign.

For Consumer Affairs: Please inform us of the dealer where you would lil<e to have the corrective action completed.

 

Q. I have lost confidence in the vehicle. Will NissaneBay logo replace or repurchase the vehicle?

The remedy will fully correct this condition. As the condition will be corrected, there is no basis for repurchasing or replacing your vehicle.

 

Q. What model year vehicles are involved?

Certain Model Year 2016-2019 NissaneBay logo Sentra vehicles manufactured from December 1, 2015 to November 23, 2019 at the Aguascalientes 1 and 2 plants are affected.

 

Q. Are you experiencing this condition on any other NissaneBay logo (or INFINITIeBay logo) models?

No.

 


DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT

 

  1. Manufacturer:

NissaneBay logo Mexicana, S.A. de C.V. Aguascalientes 1 & 2 plants

 

  1. Vehicles Potentially Involved:

Certain Model Year 2016-2019 NissaneBay logo Sentra vehicles manufactured from December 1, 2015 (SOP) to November 23, 2019 (EOP) at the Aguascalientes 1 and 2 plants.

 

This issue is unique to Model Year 2016-2019 NissaneBay logo Sentra vehicles due to the combination of clevis pin grease that uses a high concentration of silicon, and a bulb system that uses a high current switch.   Specifically, the layout of the clevis pin and brake lamp switch being in close proximity to one another is unique on the Sentra model.  No other NissaneBay logo or INFINITIeBay logo vehicles share this specific combination of factors and are therefore unaffected by the issue described in Section 5 below.

 

The name, description and part number of the recalled components are below:

Part Name Part Description Part Number(s)
SWITCH ASSY-STOP LAMPStop Lamp Switch25320 AX10A
 GROMMETGrommet24268 6KE0A

 

  1. Total Number of Vehicles Potentially Involved:

Approximately 807,376 vehicles may be affected as shown in the table below:

Model Year / Model Number of Vehicles
MY 2016 NissaneBay logo Sentra164,276
MY 2017 NissaneBay logo Sentra231,360
MY 2018 NissaneBay logo Sentra168,289
MY 2019 NissaneBay logo Sentra243,451

 

  1. Percentage of Vehicles Estimated to Actually Contain the Defect:

Approximately 20.2%[1]

 

  1. Description of the Defect:

The stop lamp switch may become contaminated with off-gassing from silicon-based grease used in surrounding components (HVAC and brake booster clevis pin) in close proximity.  Oxidation may occur at the switch contact surface due to electric arcing, resulting in silicon dioxide build-up.  This build-up may lead to open circuit issues and an inoperative stop lamp switch.

 

If this condition occurs, the customer may notice a malfunction indicator light (MIL) ON, the rear stop lamps may not illuminate and/or the engine may not start.  Rear stop lamps not illuminating could potentially increase the risk of a rear end crash.

 

  1. Chronology of Principal Events:

In late 2015, NissaneBay logo switched from a low-current to a high-current brake lamp switch and from Light-Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs to regular bulbs for rear lamps in Sentra vehicles.  NissaneBay logo noticed that after the change, warranty claims began to increase.  NissaneBay logo opened an investigation to study the rate increase.  The majority of these claims indicated a ‘no-start’ condition and the incident rate, while higher than the low-current LED lamps, was not initially significant.

 

Initial investigation led to possible silicone contamination of the switch, so NissaneBay logo added fluorine grease on the rod of the stop lamp switch in production as a sealant to avoid the silicone intrusion into the switch.  From 2016 until late 2017, a seasonal trend in the warranty incidents was observed and NissaneBay logo continued to investigate the issue.  At the time it was unclear if the source of the silicone contamination was external or internal to the manufacturing process.  To better understand the issue, NissaneBay logo continued to monitor the lower frequency claims throughout 2017.

 

In 2018, NissaneBay logo observed an increase in the seasonal trend in these vehicles and initiated a returned part investigation to collect parts for analysis.  NissaneBay logo also initiated scramble activities to secure customer vehicles that were experiencing these issues.  Testing of the collected samples provided evidence of silicone contamination.  In October 2018, NissaneBay logo removed silicone grease from the HVAC blower assembly to reduce the potential for contamination.  Incident rates for vehicles produced after this countermeasure showed decreased incident rates.  NissaneBay logo continued to collect pre-countermeasure parts.  Testing of the collected samples provided evidence that grease used in the brake clevis pin had the possibility to come into contact with the stop lamp switch. NissaneBay logo adopted an additional countermeasure in production to clean grease from the brake booster clevis pin.

 

October 2019 through March 2020 – NissaneBay logo continued to collect incident parts from the field as part of the ongoing field incident monitoring activity, and return to the supplier for analysis.  This activity included analysis of vehicles to collect stop lamp switch parts with the alleged ‘no-start’ condition for further investigation.

 

In order to obtain additional stop lamp switch parts for analysis, NissaneBay logo continued to pursue scramble activities.  NissaneBay logo worked with Sentra customers to locate and organize scramble opportunities to inspect vehicles that matched the subject condition of the customer complaints.  The investigation of a part collected during a scramble activity in January 2020 revealed a significant amount of grease on the brake pedal.  The stop lamp switch part was collected and sent to the supplier for further analysis.  In addition to the parts collection activity, NissaneBay logo conducted analysis of customer field data.

 

April 2020 through September 2020 – The investigation of return parts confirmed that grease inside the stop lamp switch housing caused a buildup of silicone dioxide on the contacts, which resulted in an intermittent failure.  NissaneBay logo concentrated its investigation on the differences between Sentra and other NissaneBay logo models with a similar stop lamp switch and brake pedal design.  The investigation focused on how the clevis pin grease was getting inside the stop lamp switch, and the effect of having a high-current stop lamp switch versus a low-current switch used in other models.  This portion of the investigation was rather complex, in that it involved horizontal confirmation of the design differences of six (6) different NissaneBay logo models, in multiple markets, across several manufacturing plants.

 

October 2020 through December 2020 – NissaneBay logo analyzed the design difference in distance between the clevis pin and stop lamp switch for Sentra models versus other NissaneBay logo models.  The Sentra had the shortest distance between the brake booster clevis pin and stop lamp switch (17.83mm).  This was almost half the next shortest distance of any other model.  This shorter distance, in combination with the high current switch (12.05A), resulted in a unique susceptibility to silicone contamination not present in other NissaneBay logo models.

 

January 2021 through February 2021 – NissaneBay logo initiated a design study of the subject condition to analyze how silicone contamination of the stop lamp switch would affect a vehicle equipped with a mechanical key ignition versus a vehicle equipped with a push-tostart ignition system.  The study showed that Sentra vehicles equipped with a push-to-start ignition system that were affected by this condition may experience a malfunction indicator light (MIL) ON, the rear stop lamps may not illuminate and/or the engine may not start.  However, after one ignition OFF/ON cycle, the customer would be unable to drive the vehicle because a ‘no-start’ condition occurs, thereby significantly reducing the risk of driving with inoperative rear stop lamps.

 

Sentra vehicles equipped with a mechanical key ignition system that were affected by this condition may experience similar symptoms as push-to-start ignition systems, but with one key difference.  Owners could continue to drive with the possibility of having inoperative rear stop lamps since they would not experience a ‘no-start’ condition with the mechanical key system.

 

February 24, 2021 – Upon reviewing the results of the scrambles, design study, and comprehensive parts investigation, NissaneBay logo decided to conduct a recall campaign to remedy this issue due to the safety risk of driving with inoperative stop lamps.

 

September 2021 through December 2021 – Due to lower than expected inventory of replacement parts, NissaneBay logo continued discussions with the supplier for an updated parts schedule. Upon receiving estimated parts availability timing, NissaneBay logo reached out to NHTSA to explain the additional parts delay. NissaneBay logo also decided to send affected customers a second interim notification advising them of the new final remedy timing.

 

  1. Description of Corrective Action:

Owners of all potentially affected vehicles received an interim notification beginning on April 20, 2021.  Dealers were notified on March 9, 2021.  The interim notification will instruct owners to schedule an appointment with their dealers for repair if their vehicle is experiencing the subject condition. The remedy will be to replace the stop lamp switch and install a switch protective grommet, at no cost to owners for parts or labor.  When additional remedy parts are available in Fall 2021, owners will receive a second notification advising them to bring their vehicles into the dealer for repair.

 

Due to limited parts availability, owners will receive a second interim notification in late January 2022, reminding owners to schedule an appointment with their dealers for repair if their vehicle is experiencing a subject condition. When additional remedy parts are available in Summer 2022, all remaining owners will receive a final notification advising them to bring their vehicles into the dealer for repair.

 

Your office will be provided with the interim Part 577 owner notification.

 

  1. Copy of Notices:

Copies of all notices will be provided to NHTSA as they become available.

[1] The estimated percentage of vehicles involved with defect is 20.2.  However, 20% is used on NHTSA’s safety portal because it will not allow decimal values.

 



4 Affected Products

Vehicle

MAKEMODELYEAR
NISSANeBay logoSENTRA2016-2019

 


20 Associated Documents

Remedy Instructions and TSB

RCRIT-21V135-3423.pdf 605.618KB

 


Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc) – NISSANeBay logo REV 2- PM971 2016-2019 Sentra Stop Lamp Switch – VSRC – Dealer Announcement

RCMN-21V135-7893.pdf 1435.426KB

 


ISSUED Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RCONL-21V135-2267.pdf 54.171KB

 


April 29, 2021 DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT

RMISC-21V135-8966.pdf 48.882KB

 


Remedy Instructions and TSB

RCRIT-21V135-8449.pdf 1240.495KB

 


Recall Acknowledgement

RCAK-21V135-4446.pdf 645.291KB

 


Defect Notice 573 Report

RCLRPT-21V135-3222.PDF 213.718KB

 


Recall 573 Report-Amendment 1

RCLRPT-21V135-1199.PDF 213.798KB

 


Miscellaneous Document

RMISC-21V135-6105.pdf 44.203KB

 


Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc) – NissaneBay logo REV 1- PM971 2016-2019 Sentra Stop Lamp Switch – Dealer Announcement

RCMN-21V135-0430.pdf 1561.827KB

 


Recall 573 Report-Amendment 2

RCLRPT-21V135-5284.PDF 213.8KB

 


Recall 573 Report-Amendment 3

RCLRPT-21V135-1885.PDF 213.81KB

 


Interim Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RIONL-21V135-5636.pdf 55.289KB

 


Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc) – NissaneBay logo PM971 2016-2019 Sentra Stop Lamp Switch – Dealer Announcement – VSRC

RCMN-21V135-3956.pdf 1377.546KB

 


January 14, 2022 DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT

RMISC-21V135-6170.pdf 59.896KB

 


Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc) – NissaneBay logo REV 5- PM971 2016-2019 Sentra Stop Lamp Switch – VSRC – Dealer Announcement

RCMN-21V135-6848.pdf 1434.668KB

 


Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc) – NissaneBay logo REV 4 – PM971 2016-2019 Sentra Stop Lamp Switch – VSRC – Dealer Announcement

RCMN-21V135-6801.pdf 210.492KB

 


Recall 573 Report-Amendment 4

RCLRPT-21V135-7604.PDF 213.894KB

 


Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc) – REV 3 – PM971 2016-2019 Sentra Stop Lamp Switch – VSRC – Dealer Announcement

RCMN-21V135-9668.pdf 209.032KB

 


Remedy Instructions and TSB

RCRIT-21V135-8769.pdf 605.733KB

 


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