Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Nissan Altima submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 35 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 35, in the owner's own words
I WAS HIT, REAR-ENDED, VERY HARD AND THE AIRBAG DEFINITELY SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN, STOPPED FOR AT LEAST 10 SECONDS WAITING FOR TRAFFIC TO CLEAR AND A CAR SLAMMED INTO THE BACK OF ME WITH NO ATTEMPT TO HIT THEIR BRAKES
THE CAR DON'T START. MY SEATBELT SHREDDING AND I WORRY THAT MY AIR BAG WON'T WORK IF MY CHILDREN AND I GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE AT A RED LIGHT ON NOVEMBER 5, 2008, THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE TRAVELED DOWN AN EMBANKMENT AND ROLLED OVER. SHE SUSTAINED INJURIES AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE NISSAN MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT THEY HAVE NOT RESPONDED IN OVER FOUR MONTHS. THE CONTACT WAS THE ONLY OCCUPANT IN THE VEHICLE AND SHE WAS WEARING HER SEAT BELT AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000. UPDATED 05/20/09.*JB
COMPLAINT REGARDING THE REPAIRS OF THE AIR BAG SYSTEM ON THE 1997 NISSAN ALTIMA.*MR THE AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHED ON THE DASH. WHILE DOING INTERNET RESEARCH THE CONSUMER CAME ACROSS TWO SERVICE BULLETINS FOR AIR BAGS. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED SOMEONE ABOUT THESE SERVICE BULLETINS AND WAS TOLD THAT THE WORK COULD BE DONE ON THE VEHICLE UNTIL 12/31/04. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER PRIOR TO THIS DATE BUT THEY REFUSED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE FREE OF CHARGE. *NM
AIR BAG LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY BLINKS WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. DEALER REPLACED THE COMPLETE AIR BAG SYSTEM ON DRIVER SIDE. *AK THE PANEL WAS REPLACED AS WELL. *JB
THE AIR BAG LIGHT ALL OF A SUDDEN STARTED BLINKING WHILE THE IGNITION IS ON. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID NEEDED NEW AIR BAG CONTROLLER. WHEN I GOT IN THE CAR THE LIGHT STOPPED FLASHING, I SPOKE WITH SERVICE REP AND HE SAID THAT THE LIGHT WILL COME ON AGAIN AND THEY HAVE A REPORT DETAILING THE CODE FROM THE COMPUTER. *NM
ON 10-12-04 MY DAUGHTER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, WHERE SHE HAD FAILED TO STOP QUICK ENOUGH AT A RED LIGHT. THERE WHERE THREE CARS AHEAD OF HER AT THE RED LIGHT. SHE WAS GOING APPROX. 10 MILES PER HOUR AND HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF HER WHICH LEAD A CHAIN REACTION INVOLVING THE OTHER TWO CARS. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR. SHE WAS RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE. SHE WAS TREATED AND RELEASED. THERE WAS NOT DAMAGE TO HER CAR AND LITTLE DAMAGE TO THE THE OTHERS CARS. THE POLICE AT THE SCENE QUESTIONED WHY THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AT SUCH A LOW SPEED. MY CONCERN AND QUESTION ARE THE SAME. WHY WOULD THE AIR BAGS DEPLOY AT SUCH A LOW SPEED AND PERHAPS CAUSE MORE TRAUMA AND INJURY. THE INSURANCE COMPANIES WILL BE INVESTIGATING THIS AS WELL.*AK
MY SON WAS IN A HEAD ON CRASH IN MY VEHICLE. HE WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WHEN HE HIT THE BACK OF ANOTHER CAR. HIS AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY NOR DID HIS SEATBELT LOCK. HIS CHIN HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. HIS HEAD AND HAND BOTH WENT INTO THE WINDSHIELD WHICH IS CRACKED. HE WAS DRIVING A 1997 NISSAN ALTIMA. I ALSO HAVE PHOTOS OF THE CAR AND THE WINDSHIELD.*AK
WHILE WAITING FOR A RED LIGHT TO CHANGE TO A GREEN LIGHT, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END AND SIDE IMPACT ACCIDENT. BOTH IMPACTS WERE ABOUT 35 TO 45 MPH, AND NEITHER OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS ISSUED. *PH *MR
FOIA FWD FM WEBMASTER REQUEST COPY OF ALL INFORMATION, DOCUMENTS, PHOTOS, DIAGRAMS, NOTES, CONSUMER COMPLAINTS TEST RESULTS, NHTSA FINDINGS FOR THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG ON THE 1997 NISSAN ALTIMA.*MR *CB *JB
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT WILL FLASH ON AND OFF. *AK
WHILE DRIVING, THE AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHTS STARTED FLICKERING. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT IS WAS RELATED TO A PART IN THE COMPUTER, THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (PART UNKNOWN). TS THE AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHTS REMAIN TO FLICKERING. SCC
WHILE TRAVELING AT 60 MPH, CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION WITH AN 18 WHEELER. CONSUMER STATES NONE OF THE FOUR AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. ALL FOUR PASSENGERS WERE INJURED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
OWNER WAS DRIVIMG HIS 1997 NISSAN ALTIMA SE ON THE CENTER LANE ALONG MEADOWBROOK PARKWAY, LONG ISLAND, NY. THE BMW 7.4 ON THE RIGHT SIDE (FIRST LANE) MERGED INTO THE CENTER LANE AND MADE A SUDDEN BRAKE. OWNER OF THE NISSAN ALTIMA APPLIED A SUDDEN BRAKE BUT BECAUSE OF THE SHORT DISTANCE IN BETWEEN TWO CARS, THE ALTIMA HIT THE BMW ON THE REAR. BOTH CARS WERE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 40-45 MILES PER HOUR. BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIRBAGS WERE NOT DEPLOY. THE PASSENGER, WHO IS 8 MONTH PREAGNANT, REQUIRED TO BE HOSPITALIZED FOR TWO DAYS. I WOULD LIKE TO NISSAN COMPANY TO CAREFULLY INVESTIGATE ON WHAT HAPPENED WHY THE AIRBAGS WERE NOT DEPLOYED DURING THE COLLISION.
WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 60MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING,HAD BLOWN OUT AND THE DUAL AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE CROSSED THE CONCRETE MEDIAN, AND HIT AN 18 WHEELER HEAD ON, THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. TS SCC
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT BEEN INVOLVED ON A COLISION AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO CALL HIM BACK NEVER DID. TS
WHILE DRIVING 55MPH HIT CAR FROM BEHIND AND AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING INJURIES.*AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 10 MPH THEN ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN INTO THE CONSUMER HEAD ON AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. CONTACTED DEALER. NLM
THE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY DURING ACCIDENT CAUSING THE DRIVER TO SUSTAIN HEAD INJURY BY KNOCKING THE FRONT MIRROR OFF, APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THIS ACCIDENT THE AIR BAG SENSOR WAS REPLACED. *YH
AIR BAG LIGHT HAS BEEN BLINKING FOR A YEAR OR MORE. DEALER WILL NOT REPLACE AIR BAG SYSTEM AT THEIR COST. ONLY SOLUTION IS A TOTAL REPLACEMENT. WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. THERE WAS NO EXPLANATION WHAT CAUSED LIGHT TO BLINK.*AK
MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL CUTS OFF ENGINE AND POWER. IF KEPT IN THE HIGHEST POSITION IT WILL START AND RUN. BUT IF ONE TRIES TO LOWER THE STEERING WHEEL, THE WHOLE CAR TURNS OFF. MOVING IT ALSO BLOWS THE IGNITION FUSE. OR THAT'S WHAT THE REPAIR MAN SAID. I AM FAIRLY SHORT AND FIND IT DIFFICULT TO DRIVE IT THIS WAY. ALSO I'M CONCERNED AS TO IF THE AIRBAG WERE TO EVER DEPLOY, IT IS NOW AIMED DIRECTLY AT MY HEAD. AS FOR THE ACCIDENT ON 1/1/1999 WE WERE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT WHEN WE WERE REAR ENDED AND RAMMED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF US. NEITHER OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED DURING OR AFTER THE INCIDENT.*AK
NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER OR PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DURING FRONT END COLLISION, THE THREE OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. NLM
WE HAVE A VIDEO SHOWING CAR DAMAGE. CAR WAS TOTALLED BY INSURANCE COMPANY (GEICO) AND ADJUSTER IS AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT AIR BAGS NOT DEPLOYING. NISSAN DEALER CONTACTED AND LAUGHED AT US (JAMES WILLIAMS). THEY GAVE A 1-800-NISSAN TO COMPLAINT TO, THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO ABOUT IT. PLEASE CONTACT US FOR A COPY OF VIDEO. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY. *AK
WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, I WAS HIT FROM THE REAR BY A CAR TRAVELING ABOUT 30MPH. UPON IMPACT THE DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSED AND CAME OFF TRACK. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. BECAUSE OF THE SEVERITY OF THE DAMAGE, I CONTACTED NISSAN TO FIND OUT WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE TO PREVENT TTHIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN BECAUSE IF MY CHILDREN WERE IN THE BACK SEAT, ANY CHILD BEHIND ME WOULD HAVE BEEN CRUSHED TO DEATH. NISSAN SAID THAT THE SEAT WAS SUPPOSED TO COLLAPSE AS A SAFTEY MECAHANISM. I AM STILL UNDERGOING THERAPY FOR INJURY TO MY LOW BACK, WHICH HURT UPON IMPACT, AND MY NECK AND SHOULDERS. I WANT THIS SEAT FIXED. I WOULD RATHER HAVE WHIPLASH, WHICH I SUSTAINED ANYWAY, THAN CRUSH ONE OF MY CHILDREN TO DEATH.*AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205/60R15 )
AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT IS ON AND WON'T GO OFF. CONSUMER THINKS THE AIR BAGS MIGHT DEPLOY WHILE DRIVING. *AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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