Navara's star turn

AS GOAUTO reported two weeks ago, Nissan has acted quickly in response to an embarrassing one-star crash-test result for its current model Navara one-tonne ute by changing the vehicle’s airbag control unit software.

Last Friday, the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) announced that it had upgraded the D40 Navara to a three-star grading after retesting the vehicle with the updated software.

The original one-star result was announced in late February, but Nissan had by then already worked out the remedy to the delayed airbag deployment and introduced new software on the production line before Christmas.

Nissan has also initiated a service campaign to advise owners to upgrade vehicles built between 2005 (when the current model was introduced) and December 2007.

“Nissan have acted responsibly and promptly in response to our findings,” said Euro NCAP secretary general Dr Michiel van Ratingen.

“Euro NCAP hopes that by releasing this new result, it will speed up the service campaign and ensure that all Navaras are upgraded to the higher safety specification.”

Outgoing Nissan Australia managing director and CEO Shinya Hannya told GoAuto at the recent Melbourne International Motor Show that owners were being sent a letter asking them to take their vehicles to dealers for the software upgrade.

However, Nissan is still assessing more long-term actions to address other findings of the original Euro NCAP test, which found an unacceptable level of chassis rail intrusion and passenger compartment deformation that resulted in “a high risk of life-threatening injury”.

Euro NCAP also said that Isuzu is currently investigating the safety issues relating to the Rodeo that were revealed in its tests, which were the first for commercial utility vehicles.

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