Nissan is recalling nearly 10K Ariya EVs over this software defect

Nissan is recalling certain 2023 Ariya electric SUVs over defective inverter software that can cause the vehicle to shut down unexpectedly.

The recall, reported on September 8, impacts 9,813 Ariya vehicles. Based on Nissan’s production records, the issue occurred on certain MY23 Ayiya EVs built between June 17, 2022, and May 19, 2023.

Nissan says on affected vehicles, there’s the potential that conductive shavings from the drive motor’s slip ring can short-circuit the two slip rings.

Because of the short circuit, the inverter detects an overcurrent and cuts the motor torque due to fail-safe protocols. When this happens, the vehicle can shut down unexpectedly with an “EV System Off” message on the dashboard.

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The torque will be cut off to the wheels until the fail-safe mode is disabled, requiring the vehicle to be turned off and back on again.

Nissan first noticed the issue in January 2022 during a production trial. The Ariya EV electric motor shut down after the vehicle started moving at a low speed.

After running diagnostics, the DTC revealed a short circuit occurred, but no damage was done. Between February 2022 and April 2022, Nissan inspected Ariya components and discovered the issue.

The company took a closer look at the shavings in the slip ring assembly. However, in late December 2022, Nissan received another report from an Ariya EV in China that shut down.

Over the next few months, Nissan found that the fibers could be generated during usage. Since it was momentary and did not damage any components, Nissan “did not judge this condition as abnormal.”

Nissan implemented improved inverter fail-safe control logic into production in April 2023, receiving three more reports through September 2023.

Out of caution, Nissan is voluntarily recalling the Ariya electric SUVs to update the inverter/motor controller software.

Owners of potentially affected vehicles will be notified beginning on October 20. Dealers will reprogram the inverter to improve protocols free of charge. Nissan says the process may take less than one hour.

Ariya owners can contact Nissan’s customer service at 1-800-867-7669. The recall number is R23C6.

Electrek’s Take

Nissan’s Ariya is built in a new section in its Tochigi assembly plant “intelligent factory,” the automaker’s flagship facility in Japan.

Production has been hampered by supply chain shortages and more, slowing the electric SUVs’ momentum.

The Ariya was expected to hit US showrooms in 2021 but was delayed due to the global chip shortage until late last year. In March, a Reuters report claimed Ariya production was running one-third below planned levels.

This isn’t the first recall, either. In March, Nissan issued a voluntary recall, citing “the steering wheel can detach from the steering column,” impacting over 1,000 Ariya EVs.

Nissan has sold 7,379 Ariya electric SUVs in the US so far this year. Other key markets, including Japan (6,146) and Europe (7,173), show similar results. However, in China, where Nissan sells about a third of its global vehicles, the brand has only sold 1,575 Ariya models in 2023.