2008 Nissan Altima

THERE WAS A PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT OF A RECALL IN MARCH, 2014 RELATED TO THE RELIABILITY OF GAUGES ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE FRONT SEAT, THAT TELL THE PERSON, AS WELL AS THE MECHANICAL SYSTEM, THAT THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT AIRBAG IS "NOW ENGAGED" AND READY TO ACTIVATE IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT/EMERGENCY.. FOLLOWING THE ANNOUNCEMENT I TOOK MY 2008 ALTIMA TO THE DEALER TO ENSURE I WAS PART OF THE RECALL. THE DEALER IS AT 3275 SW 8TH STREET, ,MIAMI,, FLORIDA. AND IS CALLED AUTONATION NISSAN. THE SERVICE AGENT TOTAL ME, AFTER CURSORY RESEARCH IN HIS DATA BASE, THAT WHILE MANY, MANY NISSANS WERE RECALLED IN MY MODEL YEAR AND IN MY CAR GROUP, MINE WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE SELECTION PROCESS FOR INCLUSION WENT BY SUPPLIER, AND NOT JUST BY TYPE OF CAR AND MODEL YEAR. TO ASCERTAIN IF MY CAR HAD A FAULTY AIR BAG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE FRONT SEAT, I WOULD THEREFORE HAVE TO PAY A $150 UPFRONT DIAGNOSTIC FEE, AND, IF DAMAGE WAS NOTED, I WOULD NEED TO PAY FOR REPAIRS MYSELF, AS MY CAR DID NOT HAVE THE AFFECTED PARTS WHICH WERE PROVIDED BY ONLY SELECT SUPPLIERS. THERE IS A PROBLEM. I HAVE NOTED FOR SOME TIME THAT WHEN A PASSENGER IS SEATED IN THE FRONT, RIGHT SIDE, SEAT, A BEACON LIGHT IN A SMALL SQUARE BOX ON THE DASH BOARD FLASHES ON AND CLEARLY STATES: "PASS. OFF - AIR BAG (X) PSG.. 2" THE REFERENCE FROM THE LIGHT LEAVES ONE WITH THE IMPRESSION THE AIR BAG, FOR THE PASSENGER IS NOT ACTIVATED. DURING A DRIVE, NO SET TIME PERIOD NOTED, THE LIGHT WILL GO OFF FOR A WHILE, AND LATER, COME BACK ON AGAIN. I AM CONVINCED THAT AT SOME CERTAIN POINTS THE SYSTEM IS TRYING TO TELL ME IT IS NOT ACTIVATED.. OF ALL THE CARS INVOLVED IN THE NISSAN RECALL, HOW COULD IT POSSIBLY BE THAT MINE IS EXCLUDED??? PLEASE, PLEASE TRY TO GET THIS CORRECTED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT, WHICH CAUSED THE CONTACT TO LOSE CONTROL AND CRASH INTO BALES OF HAY. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DID NOT DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

I PURCHASED A FACTORY CERTIFIED 2008 ALTIMA COUPE WITH SLIGHTLY OVER 30,000 MILES IN OCTOBER 2012 AND AT ABOUT 40,000 MILES THE PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT STARTING COMING ON WITH NO PASSENGER, THEN WENT TO THE RED AIR BAG LIGHT ON THE DASH. THE AIR BAG CONTROLLER WAS REPLACED AT 42,000 MILES AND FAILED AGAIN AT 50,000 MILES. IT HAS BEEN COVERED BY THE WARRANTY BOTH TIMES BUT CONCERNS ME THAT I HAVE DRIVEN MANY OF THE MILES ON THIS CAR WITHOUT AIR BAGS WORKING. *TR

THE OCCUPANT SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SEAT DOESN'T CORRECTLY SENSE OR CLASSIFY A PASSENGER (MORE THAN 120 LBS) WHEN THEY ARE IN THE SEAT. THIS RESULTS IN THE AIR BAG BEING INCORRECTLY DEACTIVATED (SIMILAR TO RECENT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 14V138000). THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY GIVEN TO THE DEALER TO FIX UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 08V521000. THIS STILL OCCURS AND ADJUSTING HER POSITION OR THE SEAT POSITION DOESN'T ELIMINATE THE ISSUE SO PASSENGERS WOULD NOT HAVE AIR BAG PROTECTION IN THE EVENT OF A FRONTAL IMPACT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG MAT SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 58,500.

DASHBOARD IS MELTING AND TURNED STICKY. NO LONGER HAS A MATTE FINISH AND NOW HAS A HIGH GLOSS FINISH THAT PRODUCES A GLARE THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. REFLECTION ON WINDSHIELD LOOKS LIKE A HEADS UP DISPLAY. THE AREA IS FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE TO THE PASSENGER SIDE AND INCLUDING THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG AREA. UNKNOWN IF THE AIRBAG WOULD DEPLOY PROPERLY THROUGH THE DECOMPOSING MATERIAL USED TO MANUFACTURE THE DASHBOARD. INTERNET SEARCH OF THE ISSUE SHOWS MANY OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS EXACT ISSUE WITH THE 2008 AND EARLY 2009 MODEL COUPE. ALMOST ALL HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN HOT SOUTHERN CLIMATES OF FLORIDA, TEXAS AND CALIFORNIA. NO CLEANING PRODUCTS WERE EVER USED ON THE DASHBOARD AND THE DECOMPOSITION APPEARS TO BE A RESULT OF HIGH TEMPERATURES INSIDE THE CABIN PRODUCED WHEN PARKED OUTSIDE IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT. *TR

TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON WHILE PASSENGER IS IN THE SEAT. THIS MEANS THE AIR BAG HAS TURNED OFF. THE LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF SEEMINGLY AT RANDOM. PASSENGER WAS 140 LB WOMAN 5' 7" TALL. SO, AIR BAG SHOULD BE FUNCTIONING THE ENTIRE TIME THIS PASSENGER IS IN THE SEAT. THE NISSAN DEALER TESTED THE AIR BAG AND SAID IT WAS WORKING PROPERLY. SO, WHY IS THE LIGHT COMING ON TO TURN OFF THE AIR BAG? THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. IS THE LIGHT SENSOR NOT WORKING PROPERLY OR IS THE AIR BAG SENSOR NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY? I HAVE TALKED TO NISSAN CORPORATE ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND THE FIRST THING THAT WAS SAID WAS THAT THE SEAT BELT IS THE FIRST LINE OF SAFETY IN A CRASH. THEY ALSO SAID I WOULD NEED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE IN AGAIN SO THEY COULD HAVE A DIAGNOSIS THAT WAS LESS THAN 30 DAYS OLD. SO, TAKING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AT LEAST TWICE WITHIN 5 YEARS ISN'T ENOUGH FOR THEM TO REVIEW THIS SITUATION - A SAFETY SITUATION. *TR