Nissan is recalling 39,000 vehicles in the United States and Canada to fix a problem with the gear shift, the Japanese automaker said Friday. \"Due to interference between the shift rod and the shift knob, the vehicle may be shifted out of the park position without depressing the brake pedal,\" Nissan said in a letter to safety regulators. \"The operator can inadvertently shift the vehicle into gear without the brake pedal being depressed, increasing the risk of a crash or injury to a nearby pedestrian. The recall affects some 36,600 2012 Nissan Versa vehicles in the United States and 2,400 in Canada. Repairs will be performed at no expense to owners, who will be contacted shortly by Nissan.