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Nissan VC-Turbo engine problems have caused a class action lawsuit which includes these vehicles equipped with KRISDDT or KR20DDET engines.
- 2021-2023 Nissan Rogue
- 2019-2023 Nissan Altima
- 2019-2023 Infiniti QX50
Drivers report hearing the VC-Turbo engines making knocking or high-pitched whirring noises while the vehicles suffer from hesitiation, rough idling, a loss of power and sudden engine failures.
According to the class action lawsuit filed on July 8:
“Defendants have not recalled the Class Vehicles, nor offered suitable repair or replacement free of charge, nor offered to reimburse all Class Vehicles owners and leaseholders the costs they incurred relating to diagnosing and repairing the Engine Defect.”
However, the lawsuit goes on to reference a Nissan VC-Turbo engine recall that was announced June 27 for these vehicles equipped with KRISDDT or KR20DDET engines.
- 2021-2024 Nissan Rogue
- 2019-2020 Nissan Altima
- 2019-2022 Infiniti QX50
- 2022 Infiniti QX55
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says Nissan will mail VC-Turbo engine recall letters August 25, 2025, and even though the recall hasn’t begun, the lawsuit says the recall is a failure.
According to Nissan, about 1.2% of the recalled vehicles may have defective 3-cylinder 1.5L or 4-cylinder 2.0L variable compression turbo engines. The problem is the engine bearings (main, A-, C-, and L-link) that can fail and cause the VC-Turbo engine to fail.
But the class action alleges the “Recall is not a repair for the Defect” because the recall repairs “are not sufficient to actually repair the Defect.”
Nissan says dealerships will inspect the VC-Turbo engine oil pans for metal debris and replace the engines if debris is found. If no debris is found in 3-cylinder 1.5L VC-Turbo engines, dealers will replace the oil pan gaskets, engine oil, and reprogram the engine control modules.
Dealers will replace the engine oil if no debris is found in vehicles equipped with 4-cylinder 2.0L VC-Turbo engines.
Federal safety regulators were investigating the Nissan VC-Turbo engine problems before the recall was announced, but NHTSA closed its investigation after approving Nissan’s recall repairs.
However, the four customers who filed the class action complain NHTSA is wrong and the repairs no nothing more than change the oil in most of the vehicles, and use defective replacement parts for the remaining vehicles.
In addition to the VC-Turbo engine recall repairs, Nissan also agreed to reimburse customers if they paid their own money for engine repairs. However, the plaintiffs complain reimbursement does not include “towing expenses, the costs of alternative transportation, or the loss of the use of the Class Vehicles.”
The four plaintiffs also contend Nissan knew the VC-Turbo engines were defective and would fail before the vehicles were first sold. Nissan supposedly covered-up what it knew and concealed the engine problems from consumers, even knowing the engines contained “dangerous safety problems.”
But instead of repairing the alleged VC-Turbo engine problems before first selling the vehicles, Nissan allegedly decided to put vehicles and customers at risk.
The VC-Turbo engine recall lawsuit was filed by these customers:
- Dennis Becker / Florida / 2023 Nissan Rogue
- Jean Coney / New York / 2019 Infiniti QX50
- Gabrielle Wrigley / Illinois / 2019 Nissan Altima
- Vicki Laquidara / New York / 2021 Nissan Altima
The Nissan VC-Turbo engine class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware: Dennis Becker, et al., v. Nissan of North America, Inc., et al.
The plaintiffs are represented by Smith, Katzenstein & Jenkins, LLP, Capstone Law APC, and Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman PLLC.