— Nissan is recalling 6,140 model year 2016 Maxima cars to fix problems with the fuel sending units that can loosen and leak gas. Nissan isn't completely sure of the root cause of the problem but has preliminarily concluded the 2016 Maxima cars have fuel sending units that aren't properly attached to the fuel tanks.
The automaker blames the problem on a manufacturing error at the fuel tank supplier. Nissan says the O-ring between the sending unit and fuel tank may not be seated correctly, which can cause the fuel sending unit to improperly seal against the fuel tank opening. The result is leaking fuel, which can turn into a fire if the fuel is near an ignition source.
Nissan discovered the problem during a crash test of the 2016 Maxima. The car was rotated on its side after the test and engineers saw gas leaking out of the car.
The automaker says it's not aware of any reported leaks or accidents related to the fuel sending units, other than what occurred during the crash test.
Nissan says there are 5,449 recalled Maxima sedans in the U.S., 682 in Canada, 4 in Guam, 4 in Puerto Rico and 1 in Saipan.
The recalled 2016 Nissan Maxima sedans were built March 19, 2015, to June 2, 2015.
Part of Nissan's current investigation is trying to determine if other Nissan models might need to be recalled because of using the same combination of parts.
Nissan doesn't know when the recall will begin because the automaker is still trying to determine the best way to fix the fuel leaks. If you own one of the recalled 2016 Nissan Maxima sedans and have questions, contact the automaker at 800-647-7261.
Read what owners say about their Nissan Maxima sedans, or read complaints about other Nissan models.
