1993 Nissan Altima Airbags Problems

1993 NISSAN ALTIMA WAS STRUCK WHILE PARKED. BODY SHOP & INSURANCE ESTIMATOR INDICATE VEHICLE THAT HIT THE PARKED ALTIMA WAS TRAVELING FASTER THAN 35 MPH. THE PASSIVE RESTRAINTS (SEATBELTS) FAILED TO LOCK IN PLACE, AND THE DRIVER-SIDE AIRBAG WAS NOT DEPLOYED. THE ALTIMA WAS STRUCK IN THE REAR, DRIVER-SIDE QUARTER PANEL/BUMPER - AREA SURROUNDING FUEL CAP. ODDLY ENOUGH, AFTER THE BODY WORK WAS COMPLETED, THE MERCURY SWITCH THAT IS DESIGNED TO LOCK THE PASSIVE RESTRAINTS IN PLACE DURING A CRASH HAD BEEN TRIPPED AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT BY THE DEALER. WHEN THE PASSIVE RESTRAINT SENSOR WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER UPON PICKING UP THE ALTIMA I NOTICED A RED AIRBAG LIGHT SOLIDLY ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH. WHEN I QUESTIONED THE DEALER ABOUT THIS CONDITION THAT DID NOT EXIST PRIOR TO THEIR REPLACEMENT OF THE PASSIVE RESTRAINT SENSOR IN THE TRUNK, THEY INVESTIGATED. THEY WERE ABLE TO MAKE THE LIGHT GO OFF, BUT INDICATED THAT THE "AIRBAG CONTROLLER CARD (ACC)" ESSENTIALLY A CIRCUIT BOARD WAS FAULTY - OR WOULD WORK INTERMITTENTLY UNLESS I REPLACED IT. THE MANAGER OF THE DEALERSHIP EXPLAINED THAT THE REASON IT WORKED INTERMITTENTLY WAS BECAUSE THE "ACC" WAS NOT SEALED AND AS A RESULT WAS PRONE TO TOTAL FAILURE ON A VERY HOT OR COLD DAY. THE MANAGER INDICATED FURTHER THAT WHEN HE HAD BEEN A MECHANIC HE HAD SEEN MANY ALTIMA'S, SENTRA'S AND A FEW OTHER MODELS THAT USED THE SAME VERSION "ACC" AND THAT NISSAN HAD BEEN REPLACING THEM ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER. HOWEVER, THEY CHOSE TO TELL ME THAT "NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR" WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE, AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT COVER REPLACEMENT UNDER WARRANTY OR EVEN OUTSIDE WARRANTY DESPITE IT BEING A SAFETY ISSUE. NISSAN INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS PART, AND THEY HAD NO RECORD OF THIS PART HAVING A HISTORY OF FAILURE. I DON'T WANT TO FIND OUT IF MY AIRBAG IS GOING TO WORK OR NOT THE HARD WAY.*AK

NHTSA ID

10037008

Incident

Sep 20, 2001

Mileage

99,000 mi

AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO DEALER 3 TIMES, CANNOT FIND A PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

8015060

Incident

Jul 20, 2002

WHILE PARKED, VEHICLE WAS HIT IN THE REAR QUARTER PANEL AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, ALSO WHILE AT BODY SHOP SEAT BELT SENSOR WAS DAMAGED, DEALER REPLACED SEAT BELT SENSOR, HOWEVER WHEN CONSUMER PICKED UP VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON. *AK *TT

NHTSA ID

898665

Incident

Oct 11, 2001

CONSUMER HAD ACCIDENT & AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, FILLING VEHICLE WITH SMOKE. VEHICLE SEEMED LIKE BEING ON FIRE BECAUSE OF THE VAST AMOUNT OF FUMES. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND STATED THEY NEVER HEARD OF AIRBAGS EMITTING SUCH A VAST AMOUNT OF SMOKE. ALSO, MOTORIZED SEAT BELT DIDN'T RETRACT WHEN DOOR WAS OPENED. CONUSMER HAD HARD TIME TRYING TO GET IT OUT. *AK

NHTSA ID

861926

Incident

May 8, 2000

AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR ABOUT A YEAR. CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THERE IS A BAD AIR BAG IMPACT SENSOR ON THIS VEHICLE, AND THAT'S WHY THE LIGHT IS ON. VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND DEALER REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING. *AK

NHTSA ID

849948

CONSUMER WAS IN A REAR END COLLISION THAT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO MOVE FORWARD AND HIT VEHICLE IN FRONT. DRIVER'S AIRBAG DEPLOYED, CAUSING SEVERE INJURIES. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID

831124

Incident

Jul 6, 1998

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING DURING RAINY WEATHER WHEN A VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED IN FRONT OF HER, REAR ENDED AND TOTALLED HER VEHICLE (NISSAN). THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER HAS FRACTURED RIB CAGE . *AK

NHTSA ID

823105

Incident

Apr 15, 1998

WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH HAD A HEAD-ON FRONTAL COLLISION, AND THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY, WHICH DID NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN THE ACCIDENT. *AK

NHTSA ID

822910

Incident

Apr 28, 1998

WHLE DRIVING 25MPH AND GOING OVER A SPEED BUMB THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT A FRONTAL IMPACT, CAUSING THE OCCUPANT TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. NO PRIOR PROBLEM. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PBOBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

822520

Incident

Apr 3, 1998

WHILE DRIVNG ALONG THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT FLASHED ON. THE PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED BY THE DEALER. ON JAN 26, 1998 THE AIR WARNING LIGHT FLASHED ON AGAIN. THE DEALER WILL BE CORRECTING THE PROBLEM. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT FLASHED IN ALMOST A 2 MONTH PERIOD. *AK

NHTSA ID

820897

Incident

Dec 4, 1997

DRIVING ABOUT 35MPH, WHEN WINDOWS FOGGED UP & SUN IN FACE; STARTED TO PROCEED TO SIDE OF ROAD TO CLEAR WINDOW., WHEN VEHICLE REARENDED A SEMI; UPON IMPACT, AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. FRONT OF VEHICLE TOTALED. *AK

NHTSA ID

818632

Incident

Oct 18, 1997

CONSUMER WANTS TO DEACTIVATE AIR BAG DUE TO HER SHORT STATURE AND FEAR OF INJURY.

NHTSA ID

517233

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, WHILE AT COMPLETE STOP WITH NO IMPACT INVOLVED, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. *AK

NHTSA ID

810520

Incident

Feb 28, 1997

IN A SIDE IMPACT COLLISION THERE WAS PARTIAL DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG, THERE WAS NO FRONTAL COLLISION INVOLVED. *AK

NHTSA ID

982690

Incident

Apr 10, 1996

CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILURE SEAT DID NOT LOCK. TT

NHTSA ID

978140

Incident

Jan 10, 1995

CONSUMER HAD ACCIDENT AND AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY-MINOR INJURY WAS SUSTAINED TO CONSUMER. TT

NHTSA ID

978104

DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED AND INJURED THE DRIVER'S ELBOW. TT

NHTSA ID

976077

Incident

Nov 8, 1995

AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY, SHOULDER BELT DID NOT LOCK UP DURING FRONTAL COLLISION; RAN RED LIGHT, BROADSIDED ANOTHER MOVING VEHICLE. TT

NHTSA ID

972907

Incident

Sep 30, 1995

FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S AIR BAG, CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL/ACCIDENT/INJURIES. *SKD

NHTSA ID

489697

Incident

Jan 1, 1994