Nissan's Variable-Compression Engine Failures Are Under Federal Investigation

Nissan made a lot of noise when its variable-compression turbo engines hit the market a few years back, snagging awards and headlines left and right. However, those two power plants—the 1.5-liter three-cylinder and 2.0-liter four-cylinder—are now under scrutiny by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The federal entity is opening an investigation involving over 450,000 Nissan Rogue, Nissan Altima, and Infiniti QX50 models, which use those two engines. According to the NHTSA, owners are reporting knocking sounds, loss of power, metal bits in their oil pans, and even total failures. Nissan has made changes to the engines' main bearings and L-links since they've been on sale to address potential engine damage; however, a recall hasn't been issued yet.