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Nissan recalls 104,000 Jukes for timing belts

The 2011-2013 Nissan Juke is being recalled for a timing belt issue as part of a voluntary service campaign in the U.S. and Canada. Find out more here.
2013 Nissan Juke NISMO

Nissan is replacing the timing chains on more than 104,000 Juke compact crossovers in the United States and Canada from the 2011 to 2013 model years. The voluntary service campaign comes as Nissan engineers have found that the chains wear too early and will become a service issue for the company and Juke owners if not replaced with better chains.

The recall affects Juke vehicles in the 2011-2013 model years that were built in Nissan's Oppama, Japan plant. The timing chain links from a specific build were found to be wearing prematurely.

The timing chain on a vehicle connects the crankshaft - a central shaft in the engine which is turned by the push of pistons as the combustion chambers fire in the engine - and the camshaft(s) in the engine's head (top). It's called a "timing" chain because it turns the camshaft in a specific direction and at a specific interval or speed compared to the crankshaft below. The camshaft controls fuel and air injection into the combustion chambers. If the timing chain becomes loose or "off time," it can result in bad performance or total engine failure. Sometimes worse.

Nissan is issuing letters to affected owners, who will be invited to come to a dealership at their earliest convenience for an appointment to have the work done. This is a major repair requiring several hours to complete, but will remedy a core problem before it becomes a serious issue for many Juke owners.

A voluntary campaign like this is not mandated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and is not considered a safety risk. It is, however, an issue that could negatively affect Nissan owners and thus Nissan says they're taking it seriously and addressing it promptly. No accidents or injuries have been associated with this defect.

Automotive News
Nissan

Comments

Deborah Williams (not verified)    June 9, 2014 - 3:43PM

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I just purchased my car in April 4th 2014 had no idea about the recall but was experiencing other problems with the car, would not start had to call for tow truck service very displeased with the car and performance

Phillip Makin (not verified)    December 2, 2014 - 2:44PM

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Our Nissan Juke bought new in late 2013 has been towed into the dealership "Three" times for a dead battery. It was replaced the first two times and is at the moment in the Sherwood Park Nissan shop for the same problem ( 3rd Time ) My wife is reluctant to drive anywhere in case this happens while she is away from home. "Very Frustrated in Alberta"

Chuck (not verified)    April 28, 2015 - 10:59AM

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april 22,2015 received a recall about timing belt for my 2014 juke. Next day call my local Nissan dealership, hudiburg nissan OKC, and they had my car for a day. Repaired that and look at another recall issue with inspection included plus gave me a courtesy juke. Picked it up next day and at no charge to me. Great experience. I know many are not happy with this issue but maybe my story is hope for some.

Joseph Ficker (not verified)    January 27, 2020 - 6:35PM

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Our 2014 Juke, assembled by Nissan on November 29,2013, was diagnosed by Nissan dealer on January 13, 2020, with a stretched timing chain that had to be replaced at a cost of $2,440. for labor and parts. There was a rattling sound coming from the engine. It only had 106,824 kms. past the 100K KMS and 5-year warranty period. Nissan Canada head office and Nissan Dealer would not pick up the expense because there was no recall posted in Canada. I wonder how many other repairs have been made for other 2014 Jukes, manufactured in 2013, when it wasn't discovered to be a problem until May 5, 2014, in the USA that started the entire recall there??.

Nigel (not verified)    November 18, 2020 - 2:09AM

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Hi Sneh. trust you good and well. From which country are you. Apparently Nissan SA, as i am from South Africa, Cape Town, my timing chain stretched due to normal vehicle maintenance. The Nissan service book, which is a guide for service and maintenance, stipulates that the timing chain must be replaced by 300 000Km. My car is now at almost 50 000Km which is a very far way from the 300 000Km for replacement. So how can that me normal vehicle maintenance.

Nigel (not verified)    October 30, 2020 - 4:38AM

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I have a Nissan Juke 1.2 Accenta+ 2016 module. The car has less than 50 000Km on it and it started to make a noise from inside the engine. I asked around and everybody told me that it is the timing chain. many could not understand why the timing chain could be the problem as it is suppose to be replaced at or give problems at around 120 000Km.
i took the car in to Nissan and they confirmed it is the timing chain and want to charge me about R20 000.00 to for the repairs. I am not very happy with this. can you, as Nissan, please give an answer and what you will do regarding this challenge

Joseph Ficker (not verified)    October 30, 2020 - 11:21AM

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What country do you live in? I suggest you contact Nissan Dealership and Nissan head office that represents your country and throw the problem on them to see why these timing chains are failing when other car manufacturers; cars are expected to be free of breakdown for the life of the vehicle. Clearly a design fault for the Juke engine! Please let me know what happens because this is a universal problem and there may be a class action lawsuit starting up to make Nissan responsible for them installing defective timing chains that could result in the driver and/or passengers being seriously injured or killed in a collision resulting from sudden power loss. Anyone else that has had the this problem should also contact me since I am dealing with Nissan on this subject. Thanks, Joseph Ficker

Nigel (not verified)    October 30, 2020 - 5:09PM

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Hi Joseph
Thanks for the reply. I'm in cape town, south Africa. Will definitely be looking into this
Thanks a lot for your support and guidance thus far

ANDREA SKAGGS (not verified)    November 17, 2020 - 2:37PM

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I am dealing with this same problem. According to Nissan the timing chain was replaced in 2014. Yet, here I am looking at replacing the timing chain and front casing of the engine because the problem occurred. It seems the recall fix was temporary. I only noticed this issue when we failed to accelerate while going through an intersection. It is definitely an issue that warrants answers.

Erin (not verified)    April 27, 2021 - 9:10AM

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I have a 2012 nissan juke. The timing chain wore a hole in the timing cover which lead to a huge hole in the cover and blew oil everywhere. I went to nissan because my car happened to be one of the 104 000 made in Japan and nissan told me the timing was replaced at 50,000 miles. I bought the car from the dealership at 51,000 miles. They will not do a thing for me and this is a very costly expense. Here I sit making payments on a car that is undrivable. Any insight to this matter is greatly appreciated.

Erin (not verified)    April 27, 2021 - 9:22AM

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I have a 2012 nissan juke. The timing chain wore a hole in the timing cover which lead to a huge hole in the cover and blew oil everywhere. I went to nissan because my car happened to be one of the 104 000 made in Japan and nissan told me the timing was replaced at 50,000 miles. I bought the car from the dealership at 51,000 miles. They will not do a thing for me and this is a very costly expense. Here I sit making payments on a car that is undrivable. Any insight to this matter is greatly appreciated.

Prakash Diar (not verified)    June 3, 2021 - 7:06AM

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Hi Joseph Ficker. My name is Prakash from Gauteng in South Africa. I am having the same challenge where my car has done about 180 000kms, I am the second owner on the car. The timing chain on my car is also giving problems and Nissan has costed me R30k+ to replace it. I am driving a Nissan Juke 1.6 Tekna 2012- where I found articles of the Nissan Juke for this year model, being called back, due to problems with the timing chain. Have any of you made any progress with Nissan on this? I have fought with Nissan South Africa and the Dealer in Midrand, yet I am not having any luck. How do we get around this?

Carlos (not verified)    May 12, 2022 - 6:20PM

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Florida US I own 2011 Nissan juke with 65,000 miles, timing chain is making a rattling sound, I contacted customer service support did not get any where,> I was told the VIN No. provided does not qualified for this recall.

Any sugestions?

Joseph Ficker (not verified)    November 18, 2020 - 1:54AM

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Andrea Skaggs. What country do you live in? Having lost power at an intersection is a concern for your safety and could have resulted in a collision with serious injury or death. Did you report this to the Transportation Department Safety Bureau? They won't do anything unless there is injury or death as a result of that timing chain breaking. In Ontario, Canada, the Ministry of Ttransport already has a file number set up on a similar problem with timing chain on Nissan Juke vehicles, even on manufacturing years after the Voluntary Recall Nissan issued on 2011-2013 Jukes, but it was suspected that even later models had the defective chains installed without Nissan knowing it. Let me know your situation because there may be a class action lawsuit being set up against Nissan on this very issue. Thanks, Joseph Ficker

Joseph Ficker (not verified)    November 18, 2020 - 10:48AM

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Is it possible that the chain installed in 2014, was not the new improved chain that came out at the end of 2014 after they discovered the problem with the chain stretching in April 2014?
What year is your Juke?
What was the mileage when it was replaced in 2014?
How many miles did the chain last till it recently failed?
Was it replaced in 2014 due to the National Nissan Voluntary Recall Program?
Was it replaced with no charge to you?
Did you go back to the dealership to see what they would say about the early timing chain failure?

Joseph Ficker

Kevin Johnson (not verified)    March 4, 2021 - 1:03PM

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I purchased a 2012 Juke second hand. It has about 230000kms on it now. Nissan Canada informs me that the timing chain has been replaced under warranty already with the previous owner. It appears the tensioner has failed again and allowed the chain to wear a hole in the cover plate. $2500 to repair out of my pocket. You'd think the first time they replaced it, it should be good for life? Not happy at all with Nissan.

Erin (not verified)    April 27, 2021 - 9:14AM

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I am dealing with the exact same problem! Nissan should stand by their work and back up their recalls. I'm feeling that they avoid this because it's such a timely process and feel they are losing labor hours to repair the not fixed recalls. Not happy with nissan at all on this.

Brittney V Haire (not verified)    January 10, 2022 - 10:47AM

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I have a 2012 Nissan juke got it back in 2018 everything was fine with it until the transmission went out bought an extended warranty when I got it so when the transmission went out they wouldn't honor the extended warranty to fix the transmission so what I do got a new transmission so got it put in then all of a sudden it started misfiring got it to work and fine and all of a sudden boom it stopped cranking will turn over but wouldn't crank up an it's been in to different shops couldn't find out why so now it's at a another shop is telling me that the timing chain has went out so now I don't know what to do and I still owe $7,000 on this vehicle please help