Massive recall as Nissan finds 1.4 million vehicles have 'range of defects'

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Automaker Nissan announced Friday the recall of 699 000 vehicles in Japan to address a range of defects that also affect more than 700 000 units overseas.

The Japanese car manufacturer said the problems found in five models had not caused any accidents in Japan.

A total of 699,000 units were affected in the country, with many having more than one fault, a spokeswoman for Nissan in Japan told AFP.

The Japan recall includes 484 025 units of the Note, Serena and Kicks models over a defective engine hose cover which can lead to the hose cracking and preventing the vehicle from starting, the company said in a statement.

It said 478 199 vehicles, including the Note, Note Aura, Serena, Leaf and Kicks, were being recalled for a faulty vehicle control programme that in certain circumstances can cause acceleration after the cruise control is stopped.

And 126 000 Serena units were being recalled for a wiring problem, while 6 434 units of the same model were being called back over a problem with the right headlight.

At least 749 000 vehicles in overseas markets are also affected by the defects, the spokeswoman said.

Foreign recalls will be handled separately in accordance with local regulations, she said.