Two major recall campaigns, EV market turbulence, and an economic backdrop that’s keeping everyone on edge. Here’s this week’s roundup.
Nissan is recalling over 463,000 vehicles from 2008-2011 model years — Xterras, Pathfinders, Titans, Armadas, and Frontiers — for a fuel leak issue that could create a fire risk. The scope of this recall is significant, and owners of these vehicles should check the NHTSA recall database using their VIN to determine if their specific vehicle is affected. The age of these vehicles means many may have changed hands multiple times since new, and outreach to current owners can be challenging.
A separate recall from GM covers certain Bolt EV and Bolt EUV models for a software issue that can affect the battery management system. The Bolt has had a complicated recall history involving battery fire risk, and while this latest action is described as a different issue, owners who have been through the previous Bolt recall campaigns will understandably approach any new recall news with heightened attention.
The economic backdrop for the auto industry is increasingly complex. Interest rate increases have pushed new vehicle financing costs to their highest levels in years, making monthly payment calculations significantly more sensitive to vehicle price. A $50,000 vehicle financed at 7% produces a very different payment than the same vehicle at 2%. The affordability crunch is working against both the new vehicle market and the used market, particularly for buyers who need financing rather than paying cash.
Waymo’s robotaxi service in San Francisco is under continued pressure from city officials, with the dispute over whether AVs are creating public safety and traffic hazards intensifying. The tension between regulatory ambition and operational reality in AV deployment remains one of the more interesting ongoing stories in the transportation sector, with outcomes that will shape how autonomous vehicles are introduced in other markets.