Nissan class action claims engine defect in Altima, Rogue, Infiniti QX50

Nissan engine class action lawsuit overview:

• Who: Nissan owners filed a class action lawsuit against Nissan North America Inc. and Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.
• Why: The plaintiffs allege the automaker sold vehicles with faulty engines that pose a safety hazard.
• Where: The Nissan class action lawsuit was filed in Delaware federal court.

A new class action lawsuit alleges Nissan sold vehicles with faulty engines that pose a safety hazard and concealed the fact.

Plaintiff Dennis Becker and three others filed the class action lawsuit against Nissan North America Inc. and Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. on July 8 in Delaware federal court, alleging violations of state and federal consumer laws.

The plaintiffs allege that 2021-2023 Nissan Rogue, 2019-2023 Nissan Altima and 2019-2023 Infiniti QX50 vehicles suffer from latent design, workmanship and/or manufacturing defects in the variable compression system, which regulates the piston strokes in the vehicles’ engines and affects the ability of the vehicles to provide power.

The lawsuit claims the defect results from malfunctions in the main bearings and/or lower-link seizures.

Nissan concealed engine defect, lawsuit alleges

According to the Nissan class action lawsuit, the variable compression system is unique to Nissan-brand VC-Turbo engines and is supposed to produce higher power and provide better fuel efficiency than engines with typical compression systems, the lawsuit says.

Despite this care, the engines are plagued with a defect that causes knocking or high-pitched whirring noises, hesitation, rough idling, stalling, loss of power, and sudden engine failure while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the chances of collision significantly, the lawsuit alleges.

The defect can cause the vehicles to lose power or stop completely without warning, the plaintiffs say. As a result, they claim they have incurred thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket costs to repair or replace the damaged engine and/or engine components.

The plaintiffs allege Nissan knew or should have known about the defect as of 2019, but concealed it from consumers. They claim Nissan has not recalled the affected vehicles or offered suitable repair or replacement free of charge.

The plaintiffs are suing for violations of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, breach of warranty and violations of state consumer laws. They seek certification of the class action, damages, fees, costs and a jury trial.

Also in July, Nissan recalled 480,000 vehicles equipped with VC-Turbo engines including the 2021-2024 Nissan Rogue, 2019-2020 Nissan Altima, 2019-2022 Infiniti QX50 and 2022 Infiniti QX55 due to engine failure risks.

What do you think of the allegations in this Nissan engine class action lawsuit? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiffs are represented by Kelly A. Green and Jason Z. Miller of Smith, Katzenstein & Jenkins LLP, Abigail Gertner, Cody R. Padgett and Nathan N. Kiyam of Capstone Law APC, and Adam A. Edwards, Will A. Ladnier and Virginia Ann Whitener of Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman PLLC.

The Nissan class action lawsuit is Becker, et al. v. Nissan of North America Inc., et al., Case No. 1:25-cv-00845, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware.

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