Transport Minister Marc Garneau cracked down on Nissan Canada on Friday, complaining that the automobile manufacturer hasn't done enough to correct a safety problem, first flagged in a recall more than two years ago.

The defect, in 2005 and 2006 Nissan X-Trail models, affects the fuel reservoir filler pipe coating and could result in dangerous fuel leaks, leading to property damage or injuries from ignition, if not repaired, Transport Canada said. Garneau used newly-adopted powers to order the company to notify owners about the defect in order to resolve the problem.

"Ordering Nissan to notify vehicles owners of this safety issue was not taken lightly at Transport Canada," Garneau said in a statement. "I remain very concerned that Nissan is not doing enough to inform affected owners of this important recall."

With the orders, Garneau becomes the first to use new powers, adopted through 2015 rules that allow the transport minister to order manufacturers to warn vehicle owners about safety defects.

The former government adopted these rules following revelations in a CBC report that Transport Canada was aware of a deadly defect on some GM vehicles, eight months before that manufacturer issued a recall.

The orders also instruct Nissan to send the department quarterly updates on the progress of its recall, first issued on Jan. 31, 2014.