Citing Air Bag Sensor Failure, Nissan Recalls Nearly 1 Million Vehicles
Automaker Nissan recently announced a recall of approximately 1 million vehicles, stating that an air bag sensor failure might leave a passenger unprotected in the event of a crash.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the vehicles have been recalled because the sensors in the occupant classification system may not work correctly if there is “high engine vibration” or movement in and out of the front passenger seat. If the sensors incorrectly determine that no one is sitting in the front passenger seat, they may disable the front passenger airbag, leaving the person in the seat unprotected in an accident.
Nissan reports that it has received word of several accidents, but has not yet had reports of any injuries or deaths associated with the sensor problem. About 82,000 of the vehicles affected by this recall were also recalled in April 2013 because an improperly-manufactured sensor could result in the same problem in a crash. This time, the company notes, the problem is in the software, not the sensor itself.
The recall affects 989,701 Nissan and Infiniti vehicles in model years 2013 and 2014, including the Nissan Altima, Pathfinder, and Sentra; the Infiniti JX35, QX60, and Q50; the NV200/Taxi; and the Leaf electric vehicle.
Owners of the affected vehicles may take theirs to any Nissan dealership, where the dealership will fix the software problem at no charge. Owners may also visit the NHTSA website, safercar.gov, for more information, or speak to an experienced Texas product liability attorney if they have been harmed in a crash.