By TERENCE MURRELL, Guardian Business Editor

tmurrell@nasguard.com

A recent decision by Nissan Motors to recall thousands of its popular Altima sedans in the U.S. will not affect owners of Nissan vehicles in The Bahamas, according to Sanpin Motors, the local firm licensed to import, service and sell Nissan vehicles domestically.

Individuals who may have imported the 2007 model of the Nissan Altima vehicle independently, however, could find themselves in hot water.

The recall by Nissan, affecting about 140,000 vehicles in the U.S., was undertaken to replace faulty air filters that could catch afire. According to the vehicle's manufacturer, four engine compartment fires have been reported this year, caused by the car's air filters. The Altima is Nissan's best-selling car.

"There is a possibility that persons could have imported 2007 model Nissan Altimas from the U.S. independently, but we are certainly not aware of that occurring," said Sanpin Motors Marketing Manager Andrew Johnson.

According to him, Nissan's 2007 lineup has not yet been made available to The Bahamas because the company has not been able to verify the exact composition of the fuel available in The Bahamas for their engines.

"Nissan does not want to put themselves or Sanpin into a position where, if the fuel here does not meet the specifications or criteria for their engines, the vehicles do not perform the way they were meant to perform. As a result, Sanpin has not yet imported the 2007 Nissan Altima or the 2007 Nissan Sentra."

Sanpin Motors has already sent off diesel and gasoline fuel samples to the United States to have them tested by an independent lab.

"The samples are from the three major suppliers of gasoline in The Bahamas. If the gas proves to be of the quality that is required by Nissan, then Nissan will look at the feasibility of having the Altima or a similiar vehicle in The Bahamas market."

Also highlighting the fact that the recall relates only to Nissan vehicles in the US market was Miguel Lira, Regional Communications Director for Nissan Latin America and The Caribbean.

The service campaign (recall) is only for US-produced models, which are sold only in the US and are not exported by Nissan to The Bahamas. There isn't a possibility that Nissan Altima 2007 models are in this market, unless there are some vehicles which were imported from the US that Nissan is not aware of."

Lira further highlighted the growing emphasis in the automotive industry for better fuels and with lower emissions.

"There is presently a demand for lower sulphur diesel fuels and gasoline with higher octane levels and certain additives for the proper optimization and running of the vehicles. The fuel in The Bahamas has not been tested to the degree that the manufacturers need to allow for the importation of these vehicles into The Bahamas," noted Lira.