Recall: Hoods can fly open on 220K Nissan Altimas

It's every driver's nightmare: An improperly latched hood flies open on the highway, blocking the driver's vision and causing a serious crash.

Now Nissan is recalling 220,423 Nissan Altimas because the hood can fly open.

The recall only involves the 2013 model year.

Nissan tells the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that a combination of debris and corrosion could cause the secondary hood latch lever to bind and remain stuck open when the hood is closed.

If the main hood latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not stuck open, the hood could unexpectedly fly open while driving.

One Altima owner reported to NHTSA the hood flew up and cracked the windshield, then detached completely. The driver, who had about 25,000 miles on the car, did not crash and was not injured. A Nissan dealer replaced the hood.

Sounds like an easy fix: Dealers will be instructed to modify the bend angle on the hood actuation lever to eliminate potential interference with the hood inner panel. In addition, dealers will clean and lubricate the latch joint as needed.

If there's significant corrosion in the latch area, dealers will replace the mechanism. Repairs will be free. The automaker has not yet said when it expects to notify owners.