Nissan has issued a recall affecting certain 2023 Ariya electric SUVs due to an issue with their inverter software, which could cause the vehicle to shut down unexpectedly.
The recall, announced on September 8, affects 9,813 Ariya vehicles. Based on Nissan’s manufacturing data, a specific issue arose on certain MY23 Ariya EVs produced between June 17, 2022, and May 19, 2023.
Nissan notes that certain vehicles may be susceptible to a potentially critical issue, where conductive shavings from the drive motor’s slip ring could inadvertently create an electrical shortcut between the two slip rings.
Following a brief circuit interruption, the inverter promptly recognizes an overcurrent situation, subsequently reducing motor torque as a precautionary measure in accordance with fail-safe safety protocols. In rare instances, a sudden power failure may cause the vehicle to abruptly cut off, accompanied by a stark “Electric Vehicle System Offline” notification on the control panel.
The torque is minimised from being transmitted to the wheels until the fail-safe mode is deactivated, necessitating the vehicle to be shut down and restarted anew.
Nissan initially detected the issue during a production test run in January 2022. The Ariya EV’s electric motor ceased functioning as soon as the vehicle started moving at a slow pace.
After running diagnostic tests, the trouble code indicated a minor electrical fault took place, but fortunately, no damage resulted from the incident. Between February and April 2022, Nissan conducted a thorough inspection of Ariya components and ultimately identified the issue.
The corporation should take a closer look at the shaving remnants within the slip ring assembly. Despite a relatively incident-free period, Nissan received yet another report of an Ariya electric vehicle shutting down in China towards the end of 2022.
Over the ensuing months, Nissan uncovered that these fibers could potentially emerge during vehicle usage. Nissan did not deem the brief incident unusual.
Nissan implemented enhanced inverter fail-safe management logic in its manufacturing process starting April 2023, and subsequently incorporated three additional improvements by September of the same year.
Nissan is issuing a voluntary recall on its Ariya electric SUV to update the inverter-motor controller software, ensuring optimal performance and safety for drivers.
Homeowners of potentially impacted vehicles will receive notification, commencing October 20. Sellers will reprogram the inverter at no additional cost to optimize its performance and functionality. Nissan claims that this innovative process can be completed in under an hour.
Nissan’s customer support team is available to assist Ariya house owners by phone at 1-800-867-7669. The recall quantity is R23C6.
Electrek’s Take
The all-new Nissan Ariya is being produced at the company’s innovative “Clever Manufacturing Unit” within its state-of-the-art Tochigi assembly plant in Japan.
Supply chain disruptions have hindered manufacturing, causing a slowdown in the production of electric SUVs.
The Ariya was originally slated to debut on US shores in 2021, but its rollout was ultimately pushed back due to global semiconductor shortages until late last year. According to a Reuters report in March, it was alleged that Ariya Manufacturing was intentionally operating at a rate one-third below its capacity.
These aren’t the primary recalls, either. Nissan initiated a voluntary recall in March due to concerns that the steering wheel could potentially detach from the steering column, affecting more than 1,000 of its Ariya electric vehicles.
As of this year, Nissan has purchased 7,379 units of its electric Ariya sport utility vehicle in the United States alone. The analysis reveals that various key markets, including those in Japan (6,146) and Europe (7,173), yield comparable results. Despite being a significant market for Nissan, with the brand selling a quarter of its global vehicles in China, the Ariya has struggled to gain traction, with only 1,575 units sold as of 2023.
