Nissan Motor Co. is recalling 605,595 [1] vehicles in Japan after discovering a software defect that could leave cars unable to move.
The recall is significant because it affects three popular models and involves a critical failure of motor power, posing potential safety risks to drivers on the road.
The affected vehicles include the Nissan Note, Note Aura, and X-Trail models built between November 2020 and April 2024 [1]. According to the company, a programming error in the battery-control software can incorrectly cut power to the motor. This flaw could render the vehicles completely inoperable while in use.
Nissan filed the recall notice with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in Japan [1]. The company said 452 [1] defects have been identified so far. Among these cases, one accident [1] has been attributed to the software failure.
To resolve the issue, Nissan will update the battery-control program. The company is notifying owners of the affected vehicles to schedule the necessary software repairs to prevent sudden loss of power.
The recall encompasses a wide production window spanning more than three years, from late 2020 through the spring of 2024 [1]. This suggests a persistent error in the software architecture used across multiple vehicle platforms during that period.
“Nissan is recalling 605,595 vehicles in Japan”
This recall highlights the vulnerability of modern electrified drivetrains to software bugs. Because the defect affects multiple models over a four-year production span, it indicates a systemic issue in the battery management logic rather than a localized hardware failure. The transition to software-defined vehicles allows for these types of fixes via updates, but the risk of total power loss during operation remains a critical safety concern for the manufacturer.
