2011 Nissan Altima

The dashboard airbag icon has flashed continuously while the car was being driven on two different days, first with the driver as the occupant and again with the driver and a passenger. Both times, a mechanic's diagnostic device found that the passenger airbag sensor malfunctioned. Both times, he did a reset. Nissan recalled 2012 Altimas for airbag problems in vehicles manufactured in June 2011.The car with VIN [XXX] that I write about is a 2011 used Altima that had to be manufactured near that date and was bought on 10/14/12. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

The contact's father owns a 2011 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while her father was starting the vehicle, the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed that the air bags needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 31,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A TK HOLDINGS RECALL LETTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR HAD BEEN ILLUMINATING SINCE JUNE. THE VEHICLE WAS TO TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG INDICATOR WAS FLASHING AND THE TRACTION INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT IS FLASHING AND SHOWING AS TURNED OFF EVEN WHEN THE SEAT IS OCCUPIED. I SEARCHED FOR RECALLS DEALING WITH THIS SAFETY ISSUED AND FIND RECALLS FOR THIS ISSUE ON THE 2007 TO 2008 ALTIMA (RECALL 08V521000) AND A NEW RECALL IS JUST READ ABOUT ON THE 2013 TO 2016 ALTIMA,BUT NONE ON MY YEAR. I OPENED A CASE (#23576396) AND TOOK IT TO MY NISSAN DEALER AS INSTRUCTED BY THE PERSON I SPOKE WITH AT THE CORPORATE NUMBER TO HAVE THE ISSUE ANALIZED. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALER TOLD ME THE SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SEAT IS DEFECTIVE AND THE FIX IS TO REPLACE THE SEAT AT A COST OF $550.00 PLUS LABOR. I TOLD HIM I WOULD TALK TO THE CORPORATE CONTACT AND WAS CHARGED $121.50 FOR DIAGNOSIS WHEN I PICK MY CAR UP. I SPOKE TO ALLISE AT CORP. AND EXPLAINED WHAT THE SERVICE MANAGER HAD TOLD ME AND WAS TOLD THAT NISSAN'S POSITION IS THIS IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO PAY FOR. I TOLD HER I WILL FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA AS THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WHICH RENDERS THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AS UNUSABLE IN THIS CONDITION. THIS CONDITION STARTED APPROXIMATELY 3 MONTHS AGO.

"PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF" LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATES WHEN PASSENGER SEAT IS OCCUPIED BY ADULTS WEIGHING BETWEEN 120 AND 200 POUNDS, INDICATING THE AIRBAG IS DEACTIVATED, THOUGH IT SHOULD BE TURNED ON. PROBLEM HAPPENS BOTH WHILE DRIVING AND PARKED, AND HAS OCCURRED FREQUENTLY FOR THE LIFE OF THE CAR. DEALER COULD NOT REPLICATE, SO ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED, AND FAULTY SENSOR HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED. NEWER MODELS (2013'2016) WERE SUBJECTED TO A SAFETY RECALL FOR THE SAME ISSUE. OLDER MODELS SHOULD BE INCLUDED AS WELL, AS THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN FOR PASSENGERS. COMPLAINT FOR 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5 S.