Software Issue Prompts 2023 Nissan Ariya Recall, Nearly 10k Vehicles Affected

During a production trial in January 2022, a vehicle’s electric motor unexpectedly shut off immediately after said vehicle started to move at low speed. The diagnostic trouble code indicated a short circuit had occurred inside the motor, although Nissan didn’t find any damage at all.

The Japanese automaker inspected other motors through April 2022, discovering conductive fibrous shavings on the slip ring end of certain motors. As per documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, those shavings are leftovers from the manufacturing process. These shavings cause a momentary short, a scenario in which the inverter goes into its fail-safe mode.

Fast forward to December 2022, and Nissan received a report from China regarding a motor shut off at low speed. The vehicle in question was produced after April 2022, when the Japanese automaker introduced an inspection countermeasure for conductive fibrous shavings.

Between January 2023 and April 2023, the Yokohama-based company found that conductive fibers can be produced by the slip ring in the motor. Nissan implemented an improved fail-sale control logic into Ariya production in April 2023, yet Nissan continued to receive shut off reports following this change. More specifically, three incidents from May 2023 to September 2023.

Given these circumstances, Nissan acknowledged that its updated fail-sale control logic does not work as intended. As a result, new software has been developed for the Ariya’s inverter. Owners in the US market will be informed via first-class mail no later than October 20. Dealerships have already been instructed to update the inverter.

This operation shouldn’t take more than an hour. Of course, owners will not be charged a cent for Nissan’s blunder. A total of 9,813 vehicles are called back, namely 2023 models produced between June 17, 2022 and May 19, 2023. Based on the part numbers listed in the attached document, both 2WD and 4WD vehicles are recalled.

Twinned with the Renault Megane E-Tech for Europe, the Ariya is Nissan’s first EV on the CMF-EV platform. Although it doesn’t replace the Leaf hatchback, the Ariya is the very opposite of a commercial hit. The same applies to the Megane E-Tech, which is pretty expensive for what it offers.

Named after the Sanskrit word for elevated or honorable (according to Nissan vice prez Matthew Weaver), the Ariya starts at $43,190 in the US market. Other highlight numbers include up to 304 miles (489 kilometers) of range from an 87-kWh battery, 4.8 seconds to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour), and up to 389 horsepower.

What about segment rivals? For starters, the Ford Mustang Mach-E kicks off at $42,995 and offers up to 312 miles (502 kilometers) of EPA-estimated driving range. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is $41,450 and goes 303 miles (488 kilometers) on a full charge. Last but not least, the Volkswagen ID.4 starts at $38,995 and tops 275 miles (443 kilometers).