Nissan North America is recalling nearly 15,000 vehicles, including Infiniti sedans and SUVs and Nissan SUVs and a commercial van, for an issue that may cause a loss of engine oil. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the problem affects 2011 Infiniti FX SUVs, 2012 Infiniti M sedans, 2012 Nissan Frontier pickup trucks, 2011-2012 Nissan Pathfinder SUVs, 2011-2012 Nissan Xterra SUVs and 2012 Nissan NV commercial vans.

According to NHTSA, the vehicles were manufactured with sub-standard bolts that connect the engine oil cooler to the oil filter. Since the bolts were not made to specified strength, they may break at the filter attachment point and cause an oil leak. Loss of oil could cause the engine to seize and increase the risk of a crash, says the federal safety agency.

Next month, Nissan will begin to notify customers affected by this recall to bring their vehicle to a local Nissan dealership where mechanics will replace the faulty bolts free of charge.

For more information, consumers can call Nissan toll-free (800-647-7261) or visit the NHTSA website: www.SaferCar.gov.

Recall: Nissan and Infiniti SUVs and vans - Engine cooling Campaign ID#: 11V592000 [NHTSA]