Faulty Takata-made airbags aren’t the only ones posing a threat to drivers and passengers of vehicles on America’s roadways. Nissan recently announced a recall of some 3.53 million vehicles globally, including 3.2 here in the United States, warning consumers that the front passenger airbag may not deploy in the event of a serious crash, or may deploy unnecessarily in minor collisions. The blame is centered on a faulty sensor inside the airbags.
The issue is centered on a sensor in passenger-side airbags that may not properly register a person sitting in the passenger seat, leading to one of two potentially deadly scenarios. In roughly 622,000 Nissan Sentra models built between 2013 and 2016 airbags may deploy in crashes when they shouldn’t, such as when a child is in the seat.
Yet, in a number of other Nissan models, the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty despite it being occupied. As a result, the passenger frontal air bag may be turned off and not deploy in the event of a crash. Models affected by this issue include:
- 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima,
- 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, and LEAF
- 2013-2017 Nissan Pathfinder
- 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60 and Q50
- 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue
- 2015-2016 Nissan Murano
- 2013 Infiniti JX35
GM’s 2015-2016 Chevrolet City Express vehicles also are affected by the recall.
Nissan officials say they’re aware of at least three crashes involving airbags that did not function properly and resulted in moderate injuries. This is the fifth similar recall affecting Nissan vehicles since 2013.
If you own or drive one of the recalled models and have not suffered an injury or loss, take it to your nearest Nissan or GM dealership, where technicians will reprogram or replace faulty components. If you or someone you love has been injured and you believe that a safety defect of any sort is to blame, report the incident, get medical treatment and call 800-251-1111 to speak with a product liability or auto accident attorney with Jacksonville’s Harrell and Harrell.