Unbrake My Car: Nissan Recalls 79,853 Pathfinders For Brake Light Issue

Nissan is recalling 79,853 Pathfinder SUVs from the 2013 and 2014 model years in order to fix a problem that causes the brake lights to remain on even if the pedal isn’t being pressed.

According to a document filed with US regulators, the brake light switch might have been installed incorrectly in some of the vehicles, causing the lights to remain on over time, increasing the risk of a crash as other drivers might not know when the Pathfinder is actually braking.

Apparently, the faulty brake light switch “might interfere with the brake-shift interlock, allowing the driver to exit the vehicle without the transmission in the ‘park’ position”, which in turn would increase the risk of a roll-away crash. The good news is that Nissan estimates only 2% of the recalled SUVs to have this problem.

One thing that’s still not clear is whether or not there have been any incidents related to this problem – a voicemail left by Autonews for a Nissan spokesman was not returned.

Nissan stated that affected owners will receive recall notices by July 25th and that their cars will be inspected and repaired for free.