Nissan said on Wednesday it is recalling as many as 50,000 vehicles in the Middle East to fix faulty brake pedals and fuel gauges , part of a recall of some 540,000 vehicles worldwide.

The recall includes several models of pickup trucks, SUVs and minivans, with the majority of recalled vehicles in the United States, Nissan said, the latest in a string of recalls initiated by Japanese automakers due to safety problems.

The brake pedal recall covers 15,670 vehicles in the Middle East, the automaker said, adding that the fault can cause reduced braking force.

Nissan said no accidents have been reported as a result of the manufacturing defect, blaming the problem on a parts supplier.

It said the gas gauge problem, which makes the gauge show the tank full when it is actually empty, affects 32,147 vehicles in the region, adding that some vehicles are covered by both recalls.

“Beginning in March, Nissan will notify customers with potentially affected vehicles. Repairs for incorrect brake pedal pins and correction of fuel gauge inaccuracies will begin immediately,” the automaker said in a statement.

“Nissan’s regional call centre has been briefed and are prepared to advise our customers,” it added.

Globally, the brake pedal recall covers 179,000 vehicles in the U.S. and around 26,000 other markets, while the fuel gauge problem affects 419,000 vehicles in the U.S. and 53,000 elsewhere, Nissan said.

The brake pedal recall covers 2008-2010 model Nissan Titan pickups, Infiniti QX56 and Nissan Armada SUVs and 2008-2009 model Nissan Quest minivans, Nissan said.

It said the fuel gauge recall affects 2005-2008 model Nissan Titan, Armada and Infiniti QX56s, as well as 2006+2008 Nissan Frontier pickups and Pathfinder and Xterra SUVs.

AUTOMAKER WOES

Nissan’s announcement comes a week after a smaller recall of around 80,000 vehicles mainly in its home market due to a possible defect that may cause engine failure.

Fellow Japanese automakers Suzuki, Daihatsu and Honda have also initiated recalls in recent weeks for faults ranging from air conditioner defects to airbag problems.

The recalls pale in comparison to that of Japan’s largest automaker, Toyota, which has recalled more than 8.5 million vehicles worldwide since late 2009 for three separate defects.

Toyota is recalling more than 20,000 vehicles in Saudi Arabia and over 3,000 in the UAE to fix a faulty accelerator problem.

The recall covers the 2005-2010 year Avalon sedans and 2009-2010 Sequoia sport utility vehicles, two of the eight models recalled worldwide.

U.S. car maker Chrysler is to recall around 600 Jeep 4x4s in the UAE due to a potential gearbox defect, Gulf News reported on Wednesday.

The recall covers the 2008 automatic transmission model Jeep Wrangler, the UAE daily said, adding that there was a danger of fluid in the gearbox overheating. - Maktoob