Nissan recalls 104,000 Jukes for timing belts

Nissan is replacing the timing chains on more than 104,000 Juke compact crossovers in the United States and Canada from the 2011 to 2013 model years. The voluntary service campaign comes as Nissan engineers have found that the chains wear too early and will become a service issue for the company and Juke owners if not replaced with better chains.

The recall affects Juke vehicles in the 2011-2013 model years that were built in Nissan's Oppama, Japan plant. The timing chain links from a specific build were found to be wearing prematurely.

The timing chain on a vehicle connects the crankshaft - a central shaft in the engine which is turned by the push of pistons as the combustion chambers fire in the engine - and the camshaft(s) in the engine's head (top). It's called a "timing" chain because it turns the camshaft in a specific direction and at a specific interval or speed compared to the crankshaft below. The camshaft controls fuel and air injection into the combustion chambers. If the timing chain becomes loose or "off time," it can result in bad performance or total engine failure. Sometimes worse.

Nissan is issuing letters to affected owners, who will be invited to come to a dealership at their earliest convenience for an appointment to have the work done. This is a major repair requiring several hours to complete, but will remedy a core problem before it becomes a serious issue for many Juke owners.

A voluntary campaign like this is not mandated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and is not considered a safety risk. It is, however, an issue that could negatively affect Nissan owners and thus Nissan says they're taking it seriously and addressing it promptly. No accidents or injuries have been associated with this defect.