Problems with 2008 Nissan Altima AIR BAGS

I t-boned another car that had run a red light. the drivers side front air bag did deploy. i was transported to the hospital. the hospital found multipule contusions, sprains and strains to my chest wall, lower back, neck, hands and wrists. my primary care doctor ran additional tests, which found no additional injuries except, both hands had a fracture of the 3rd metacarpal (the bone located in the middle of the hand) and a tear of the tfcc (triangular fibrocartilage complex) in both wrists. which is located on the outside of the wrists. since the injuries to both hands and wrists are identical and no other broken bones or soft tissue tears were found on my body, i strongly believe that the air bag deployed to forcefully causing these injuries to my hands and wrists. if the injuries to my hands and wrists had been caused by them hitting parts of the inside of the car, the injuries to my hands and wrists would have been different from each other.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 nissan altima. while driving approximately 55 mph, the front passenger side air bag warning indicator illuminated continuously. the failure occurred whenever the vehicle was in operation. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing where it was discovered that the front passenger occupancy seat sensor would need to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 53,000.

The airbag light for front seat passenger indicates "airbag is off" when an adult is sitting in the front passenger seat. adult weighs 125lbs. i have taken video of this as evidence. this happens intermittently. i have also called nissan customer service to report this. nissan says there is no recall or issue. i beg to differ. nhtsa bullietin 08v521000 list occupant classification system (ocs) "fails to recognize adult in seat and shuts off passenger airbag". shame on nissan.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 nissan altima. the contact stated that both the driver and passenger side air bag indicators illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated that the occupant classification system control unit located inside the front passenger seat failed. the seat needed to be replaced, but was not repaired. the manufacturer stated that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 08v521000 (air bags, electrical system). the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 50,000.

Passenger air bag light on. dealer reports air bag module passenger side no good. was a recall in 2008 on same issue. nissan says car not part of recall. find it hard to believe. called nissan,they never call back. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 nissan altima. the passenger side air bag indicator illuminated when the front passenger seat was unoccupied. the dealer stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 08v521000 (air bags, electrical system). the manufacturer was notified. the failure mileage was 142,000.

My passenger airbag sensor doesn't always work when a passenger is sitting there. that is while the vehicle is in park, putting it in drive doesn't matter it still says that passenger airbag is off. the only temporary fix is for the passenger to bounce in the seat and it might turn the airbag on and get rid of the message light on the center of the dash. this is in a 2008 nissan altima coupe. *tr

The red air bag/seat belt warning light on passenger seat is flashing continuously with or without passenger sitting on a passenger seat. there is also no change if seat belts are locked in or not - the red light is flashing all the time. on 17th of september my car was checked by nissan service at autonation nissan marrietta (925 cobb parkway se, marietta ga 30060). they cleared the code and monitor. on 13th of october the red air bag/seat belt warning light started flashing again and i made an appointment at autonation nissan. on 16th of october, my car was checked again by nissan service and i was told that the problem is in a sensor in a cushion seat and estimate cost is $900. they didn't have it in their inventory and i had to wait for a delivery. on 28th of october, i was informed that the cushion seat is in their facility. i checked nissan recalls list and found out that there was a recall of nissan altima 2008 because of flashing air bag red light (nhtsa campaign # 08v-521). the description fits exactly to the problem with my car. i contacted the national consumer affairs department of nissan north america and made an official complaint on 20th of october. i was informed nissan would contact me on the same day or next (on 20th or 21st of october), but no one did. i called again the national consumer affairs department of nissan north america on 28th of october and was told i would be contacted by nissan at the end of a day. i was not contacted by any nissan representative yet. i believe i should not pay for something that was recalled for this model year. *tr

My 2008 nissan altima dashboard is very sticky and melting. i called nissan and make my first complaint 2 months too late was told. since then the melting and stickiness on the complete top of the dash board is getting worse. inside the car now it?s also smelling like melted tar, which may represent a health issue when breathing it, and with it the intense glare, reflection of the glossy tar on the front window it's a severe safety hazard when driving, especially when this also could result in airbags being suppressed which could fail to provide adequate protection in the event of an accident. nissan refuses to help replace this defective dash board. last week i called nissan again. this time because the a/c?s evaporator needs to be replaced.i understand the cost of this would be my responsibility to pay, but because this is under the defective dash board, this one would have to be removed in order to replace the evaporator. once removed, the melted dash board, no guarantee could be installed again, i was told by service rep at nissan. a nissan supervisor told me the same as others and suggested for me to call nhtsa and file a complaint, so they would work on a recall for this. my a/c needs to be fixed. i'm in fl where weather conditions and rainy season it's next to impossible to drive with windows down. i'm aware that a/c repair is my responsibility but i believe it's unfair to have to pay an additional 2,000 because of nissan's defective material used on dashboards. this is a known concern since others have had the same issue. if nissan doesn't do right by its consumers and or a recall is issue, there would be many consumers in the future with risks of accidents and/or possible respiratory health issues. a simple search on your page you find many other consumers with same problem. nissan makes it sound like these are isolated issues. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 nissan altima. the contact stated that the driver was traveling approximately 40-45 mph when an animal jumped in front of the vehicle and the driver lost control of the vehicle. the driver crashed into a ditch and the air bags failed to deploy. a police report was filed of the incident and there were no injuries. the vehicle was destroyed and towed to an impound lot. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 147,800. updated 9/4/14*cn updated 09/15/2014 *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 nissan altima. after starting the vehicle, the front air bag warning light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the air bag sensor possibly needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 97,000.

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 passenger side vehicle airbag light went to the off position and the air bag light on the dashboard began to flash. the dealer stated the seat cushion on the passenger seat needed to be replaced. when i contacted nissan they stated there was never a recall in my specific vin; though there was a recall for the exact same problem for my model and year vehicle in 2008. they stated they would pay 40% of the cost to replace seat cushion; which would run upwards of $800.00. i asked if it as just a coincidence that the airbag is now inoperable and they stated yes it was. the nhtsa recall campaign was 08v521000. the recall specifies that the passenger seat cushion may have been manufactured out of specification. thank you for your time... *tr

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

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

Dashboard appears to be melting. it is sticky and shiny and pieces lift off with anything that is placed on the dash. the effect causes a significant glare in the sunlight that affects driver line of sight. deterioration has also caused multiple cracks in dash surface that may potentially affect air bag deployment. *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.

My altima coupe has a melting dashboard that causes visibility issues by glaring into my windscreen. it is melted and bubbly. also my passenger seat belt light cuts on and off due to my passenger seat bracket being faulty. i have not heard back from nissan on a way to resolve these safety issues. *tr

The passenger airbag light on the center council lights up (signaling that it's off) randomly. this has even happened multiple times with an adult male sitting in the seat (approximately 180 lbs.). *js

Takata recall my passenger side airbag light has been blinking since 2014. the car was purchased new from the dealership. i called nissan at the time and they told me they would pay 40% of the repair. i told them i will not pay for an airbag replacement especially wince the takata recall was so prevalent. the dealership stated it would cost over $800.00 to repair the airbag (information i can send you, if necessary). i had a passenger in the vehicle several weeks ago and was almost in 't-boned' by another driver on the passenger side who ran a stop light. i contacted nissan and they stated they were unable to assist me in this matter because it was out of warranty and your department needs to issue the recall. so i now am asking for your assistance, so i can finally have a defective airbag replaced. i do realize i am not on any recall list but i can show documentation that the airbag has not functioned in over four years. i will gladly help in any information you may need. respectfully submitted...

The dashboard is melting and deteriorating. extremely sticky and shiny. very glary in both night and daytime driving. it's a real visibility issue. airbag deployment may possibly be affected also. nissan agreed to replace the dash but would not pay for the labor cost which was almost $300. this dashboard was constructed of inferior materials and nissan knows it. that is why they agreed to pay for the part. *tr

The passenger side air bag light stays on even when there is a passenger in the seat. ( the indicator light on the dash.) the light on the instrument panel continues to flash also.

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.

Was driving down major highway in nj and car began to slow down rapidly. was able to get to side of road before completely dying. car was towed to transmission repair place and cost 2000 to repair. now in 2015 i have the very same problem. car needed another transmission at the tune of 2000 more dollars. these transmissions are known for trouble. if someone's going down street in fast lane and this happens they can be killed. it gives no warning at all when it's about to fail. i do believe nissan should repair/replace this issue before someone is killed. could be me or my family. there are numerous posts about this i hope something is done fast. the passenger airbag light comes on saying off when an adult passenger is in car.

The dashboard of my 2008 nissan altima has been melting for over a year and a half and is now causing such a large and intense glare on the windshield that it is difficult to see during daytime hours and at night when driving under lights. the dashboard is constantly sticky and comes off in chunks when you touch it. i have searched for information about this issue and found several people with the same problem. some have even reported issues/possible issues with the airbags. it wasn't until today when i searched again, hoping others may have come up with a solution, that i found a thread on facebook (https://www.facebook.com/nissanusa/posts/10152938385130375) discussing actions to take to better this situation. one nissan owner suggested filing a complaint here. some owners have reported quotes from nissan dealerships ranging from $300 to over $2500 when nissan knows of this defect and it is not in any way caused by the car owners. please help us fix this situation. *tr updated 5/4/2016*js

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

The passenger airbag not on" light has been intermittently flashing. it now remains lit (passenger airbag off) when the seat is unoccupied and when a full grown adult or child sits in the passenger seat. i called nissan and gave them all my information and they informed me that my car was not included in the recall of campaign 08v521000, even though the conditions for repair fit the description. i want nissan to repair this malfunction so that no one his hurt in my car. *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

The "passenger airbag not on" light has been intermittently flashing. it now remains lit (passenger airbag off) when the seat is unoccupied and when a full grown adult sits in the passenger seat. in november of 2012, the airbag light began to flash on the dashboard panel. i took my car into a nissan dealership for repair after reading about campaign 08v521000. after diagnostics were ran by the technician, it was found that the srs system was off, the occupant sensory unit failed (dtc code b1018), and a new seat cushion assembly is needed to repair the malfunction. nissan was contacted about the malfunction and denied covering the repair under the recall since my vin didn't fall under the recall, even though the conditions for repair fit the description. the vehicle was not repaired. i want nissan to repair this malfunction so that i, and my passengers, can feel safe in my car. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 nissan altima. the contact stated that the air bag warning lamp illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician stated the air bag module was defective and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not offer any assistance since the vehicle was no longer under warranty. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 112,000 and the current mileage was 112,900.

The passenger airbag light displaying off ...stayed off when anyone heavier than 50lbs sat in it..i did some research on the internet and found that there was a recall involving this situation for my model..2008 nissan altima..i took it to woodbury nissan and was told that my vehicle was not affected and for approximately 1000 dollars they would fix it?!!! this was totally an unsatisfactory answer and i contacted the northeast regional service department for them to tell me the same thing?!!! i recently went on this sight to find that the recall is exactly what the issue is? please help me to get this situation rectified as it seems that nissan does not want to take responsibility for the product that they make or products installed in theyre vehicles...thank you very much [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 nissan altima. the contact stated that the air bag warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection and they stated that sensor in the seat needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified and they stated that the vehicle was not included in any recalls. the failure mileage was 42,000.

The passenger side air bag is not deactivated when my laptop or other packges are resting in the seat. the light does not come on to deactivate the air bags. *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 nissan altima. the contact stated that the passenger side air bag off warning light illuminated sporadically. the contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 08v521000 (air bags, electrical system). the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 75,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 nissan altima. while parked, the contact noticed that the passenger side air bag warning light was illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing where the technician advised that the front passenger side seat cushion, which contained the occupant classification system control unit, would have to be replaced. the contact referenced nhtsa campaign id number: 08v521000 (air bags) but was advised by the manufacturer that the vin was not included in the recall campaign. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 51,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 nissan altima. while driving approximately 10 mph, the contact crashed into the rear of another vehicle. the air bags did not deploy. the air bag warning light illuminated on the instrument panel after the crash. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for a diagnostic test. the technicians stated that the sensor may have to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 37,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 nissan altima. the contact stated that while driving approximately 30 mph, another vehicle crashed into her vehicle. the impact was received on both passenger side doors and the air bags did not deploy. the driver and the three passengers were transported to the hospital by ambulance. the vehicle was towed to an auto body shop. the police reported to the scene and a report was filed. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 78,000.

This was a one vehicle crash (total loss) that occurred when the brakes would not work causing our car to strike a brick wall (also emergency brakes did not work). none of the vehicle airbags deployed except for the drivers steering wheel airbag which deployed once the vehicle came to a stop. the accident occurred at approx. 11:45 pm, 22 october 2011. no drugs and or alcohol were involved. the car was recently purchased from a lexus dealer and the same company owns a nissan dealership which confirmed that all nissan recall items were complied with. we have several professional photographs to prove that there is still something going on with the nissan altima 2.5 brakes and air bags to allow something like this to happen. i have personally talked with[xxx] about this and left a voice mail with [xxx] at their nhtsa office. my insurance company confirmed that this car was a total loss and the vehicle has been now been removed from the towing and collision facility here in indiana and sold to a parts salvage company. i was trying to have someone inspect this car before it was destroyed, but it appears that it is now to late to do anything about this. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 nissan altima. while driving approximately 35 mph he engaged the brakes and t-boned the vehicle in front of him. the air bags did not deploy and the seat belt shoulder restraint did not restraint him during the crash. his breast bone was fractured by the steering column and he was hospitalized for 24 hours. a police report was filed. the vehicle was damaged on the right front bumper, headlights, grill and there was a dent in the hood. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 34,574 and the current mileage was 34,579. updated 05/03/11*lj

The air bag on the passenger is not working. the seat cushion of the seat is the problems ( i was told). the cushion cost $900.00. the airbag has a defect in it. i looked on the world wide web and noticed several complaints of the same problem. there is a recall on some of the altima. this is a big problems. *tr

Passenger side airbag light comes on occasionally even with an adult sitting in the passenger seat. dealer had replaced the sensor but the problem still occurs. this occurs on numerous occasions probably 2 to 3 time a month when seat is occupied. this is a major safety concern that needs to be addressed for the safety of passengers in the vehicle. i do not feel at ease when someone says that the system is functioning properly even though the light comes on. *tr

Tl* the contact owns 2008 nissan altima. the contact stated that when an adult over 150 lbs to 200 lbs occupied the passenger seat, the air bag off indicator light would illuminate indicating that the air bag was not active. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where they made repairs to the passenger air bag sensor but to no avail. the manufacturer advised the contact that the correct repairs were made to the vehicle and the air bag was not functioning because the passengers were not seated in the seat correctly. there were no further repairs. the failure mileage was 25,000 and the current mileage was 27,000.

When adult is riding in the passenger seat warning light on dash says the passenger side air bag is off. then the light goes off, after a while it will come back on and go off again. it does not matter the length of the trip it happens during every trip. this has been happening since the car was still under warranty and the dealer claims they check all the "codes" and could not find any problems. i had it back to the dealer at least 6 to 8 times for this problem with no solution.

My 2008 altima's passenger air bag light goes on intermittently. when someone is sitting in the passenger seat sometimes it says that the airbag is off. my daughter was sitting there yesterday and it did it again. she is over 100 lbs. i took it into the dealer for this in the past and they said that my vin number was not on the recall but they didn't do anything and it continues to happen. *tr

Supplemental airbag light continue to stay lite though the system is said to be working fine. i took my car in for a service recall on the airbag system. the service writer asked the tech if the light turned off. i couldn't hear the far end of the conversation. i was told the system was fine. drove off the lot and the light is still on. when i went back the service rep said my airbag was fine and if i wanted the issue resolved i'd have to pay for a service inspection; though just 15 minutes ago it was in for recall repairs. the service recall even stated that if the light was on the system may be impacted by the recall. of course my warranty was up just 300 miles ago and i am really bothered by the fact they wont at least check it out since they issued a recall. i contact nissan usa, but they have not responded to my request and the local dealer was unwilling to assist. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 nissan altima. the contact stated that the air bag warning light illuminated. the vehicle was repaired under nhtsa campaign id number: 08v521000 (electrical system: software). the failure recurred within six months. the contact stated that he would use a cushion when sitting in the seat and the dealer advised that the seat cushion could be the cause of the failure. the contact did not believe the cushion to be the culprit because the air bag light did not illuminate for six months while using the cushion. the vehicle was not further repaired. the failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 33,800. updtated 2/17/11 *cn updated 02/23/11

Approximately the last 13 months i have noticed 2-3 times a week, the passenger airbag off light was on. on several occasions while this light was on, i drove by the nissan dealer (eastside nissan of bellevue, wa) and showed the light was on even with my wife sitting square in the passenger seat. the technician drove with my wife with the light still on. however, he pulled in some sensor and stated that the system should work fine even if the light was on. they stated that they tested the sensor last year and it worked fine so they are not going to do anything about it. i have called nissan usa many times and all i would get is someone telling me that they have to replicate the issue. based on nissan's position, i am holding nissan corporation, eastside nissan, and nhtsa liable for any injuries which result from injury from an accident and also pain and suffering and any additional distress, especially if the airbag or other safety system fails. the nissan airbag system can lead to a fatality even with an adult 150+ lbs. just prior to an accident. no part have been changed out and my warranty is about to expire with no action on nissan's part except for excuses of why they cannot fix the problem. *tr

I was at a complete stop, was rear ended by a ford explorer, which therefore made me rear end the person in front of me. the driver never put on their brakes. the back glass shattered, my trunk was in my backseat, gas tank exposed. none of the airbags deployed. guess the frontal hit wasn't hard enough to make the front airbags deploy, which therefore hit my head on the steering wheel, that caused me to have a 3cm laceration above right eye, which required closing. the rear side airbags should have deployed, but didn't!! i am concerned about this because i have a child that could have been in the back seat, i had just taken her to daycare before i was on my way to work. *tr

I have a 2008 nissan altima coupe and the passenger air bag malfunctions when i have a passenger sitting in the seat. i have returned it to the dealer 4 times and they test it with a 75# weight and say they can't replicate the condition. the problem becomes more pronounced as the passenger weight increases, so it malfunctions more frequently when i have my 185# son in the passenger seat than my 120# wife. *tr

2008 nissan altima coupe 3.5se. passenger seat is occupied by 165# male and the airbag display on the dash shows that the airbag is off. one occasion the passenger repositions himself and the light went off. usually repositioning does not resolve the issue and airbag light remains off. the issue has occurred about 6 times in 12 months. *tr