The petrol engine is running, there is fuel in the tank, yet the car can suddenly refuse to move. That uncomfortable scenario has pushed Nissan to recall 102,494 X-Trail crossovers built from December 1, 2021 to April 21, 2026. In Germany alone, 12,723 vehicles are affected. The German KBA lists the recall as 16774R, while Nissan uses the internal code R26A5.
The culprit is not the high-voltage battery itself but the software in its LBC controller. Under certain conditions, the system can lose diagnostic stability and send the powertrain into a protective mode. The driver may first face a sharp reduction in power. Then things can get much worse — propulsion may shut down completely. At the time of publication, however, the KBA had no reports of crashes or injuries linked to the defect.
And this is not just a German problem. Australia’s government recall database lists the same R26A5 campaign for 13,795 Nissan X-Trail e-POWER vehicles from 2022–2026. The regulator adds an important detail: the fault can appear while driving or during regenerative braking. As a result, the crossover may not only lose drive but may also be unable to recharge the high-voltage system afterwards.
This is where the X-Trail e-POWER layout makes the software fault especially awkward. Its petrol engine is not mechanically connected to the wheels. The combustion engine turns a generator and produces electricity, while electric motors provide the actual drive. So unlike some parallel hybrids, you cannot simply keep going on the petrol engine. The engine may still be running — and the wheels may still get no torque.
The good news is that Nissan is not asking dealers to replace the expensive traction battery. The prescribed fix is much simpler: the LBC has to be reprogrammed so its diagnostic function works reliably. In Australia, this work is carried out free of charge for affected owners.
Service details: KBA recall number — 16774R; Nissan internal campaign code — R26A5; in Australia, the recall is registered as REC-006653. The remedy is a software reprogramming of the lithium-ion battery controller LBC. The Australian regulator says Nissan will contact affected owners, but the public recall notice does not specify exact mailing dates.
