2003 Nissan Altima Base Sedan 4-door 2.5l on 2040-cars

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Takata air bag recall list

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration confirmed yesterday that 33.8 million vehicles with Takata airbags are going to be recalled. It's the largest recall in automotive history. The already record-breaking rate of automotive recalls this year shows no signs of slowing down, especially since millions of cars with defective airbags made by global supplier Takata are under ongoing scrutiny. The federal government is warning owners that inflator mechanisms in the air bags can rupture, causing metal fragments to fly out when the bags are deployed. The faulty air bags have already been blamed for multiple deaths. How do you know if your vehicle is safe? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released an updated list of vehicles under recall. Sometimes however, the government's website will crash and the list may not be complete. Check your VIN at the NHTSA website to make sure. The list of cars affected by the recall has not been released, but seem to span multiple models over the years for many of the automakers.

Nissan sees old Leaf batteries working for stationary energy

Nissan will start working with a Silicon Valley-based company to further explore creating a market in which old Leaf electric-vehicle batteries can be reused for stationary energy storage. In fact, the Japanese automaker will deploy its first network of old Leaf batteries for electricity storage at one lucky Nissan facility this summer. No, we don't know where that facility is either. The Santa Clara, CA-based Green Charge Networks will be a partner in the project. The concept of the "second-life" lithium-ion battery program involves finding ways to reuse batteries that have outserved their usefulness providing power to Leaf EVs. In this project's case, "multiple" Leaf batteries will be linked to provide power during mid-day peak energy demand, when electricity is at its most expensive. Nissan's done these kind of things before, although, as is the case here, they've always been pilot projects. In fact, the Nissan 4R ("Reuse, Resell, Refabricate and Recycle") team that's working with Green Charge Network is actually a joint-venture Nissan formed with Sumitomo Corp. in 2010. Since then, Nissan has sold more than 178,000 Leaf EVs, giving the company a solid inventory of older lithium-ion batteries to work with in the coming years. Take a look at Nissan's press release below. Nissan and 4R Energy partner with Green Charge Networks for commercial energy storage featuring second-life electric vehicle batteries Partnership enables commercial use of second-life lithium-ion vehicle batteries SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Nissan Motor Company and Green Charge Networks, the largest provider of commercial energy storage, have joined forces to deploy second-life lithium-ion vehicle batteries for stationary commercial energy storage in the U.S. and international markets. With more than 178,000 sales since its launch in late 2010, Nissan LEAF is the world's top-selling electric vehicle. As part of the company's commitment to sustainability and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Nissan has conducted multiple research projects in Japan, the U.S. and Europe to use LEAF batteries outside the vehicle through 4R Energy, a joint-venture with Sumitomo Corp. formed in 2010. In a new stationary storage application powered by Green Charge's intelligent software and Power Efficiency Agreement™, the second-life energy storage unit has a cost advantage over traditional units, opening up new markets where incentive programs are currently not offered.

Nissan wants an American driver for its Le Mans team

"We'll use every driver development tool we have to take them to the next level, but they will also have to step up." - Darren Cox
Nissan is aiming to put an American behind the wheel of one of its LMP1 racecars in 2016 as part of plans to grow its motorsports program in the United States.