2011 Nissan Altima Airbags Problems

Airbag sensor flashing. Seems to be a very common issue and no recall. Found tons of articles and YouTube videos.

NHTSA ID

11566397

Incident

Oct 15, 2023

Vehicle hydroplaned from heavy rain and wet road into a ditch alongside of the main highway & the airbags did NOT deploy. This IS a safety malfunction in the airbag system on a 2011 Nissan Altima.

NHTSA ID

11479161

Incident

Aug 13, 2022

The dashboard airbag icon has flashed continuously while the car was being driven on two different days, first with the driver as the occupant and again with the driver and a passenger. Both times, a mechanic's diagnostic device found that the passenger airbag sensor malfunctioned. Both times, he did a reset. Nissan recalled 2012 Altimas for airbag problems in vehicles manufactured in June 2011.The car with VIN [XXX] that I write about is a 2011 used Altima that had to be manufactured near that date and was bought on 10/14/12. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ID

11446415

Incident

Jan 5, 2022

The contact's father owns a 2011 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while her father was starting the vehicle, the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed that the air bags needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 31,000.

NHTSA ID

11424858

Incident

Jul 14, 2021

Mileage

31,000 mi

TAKATA RECALLS. I AM EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH MY SEALS AROUND MY WINDOWS. WHEN IT RAINS MY CAR GETS WATER IN THE DOORS.STATIONARY

NHTSA ID

11102967

Incident

Sep 18, 2016

Mileage

73,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A TK HOLDINGS RECALL LETTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR HAD BEEN ILLUMINATING SINCE JUNE. THE VEHICLE WAS TO TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

NHTSA ID

11048276

Incident

Jun 1, 2017

Mileage

110,000 mi

AIRBAG SENSOR IN PASSENGERS SIDE IS STATING THAT AIRBAGS ARE OFF EVEN WHEN THERE IS A PASSENGER RIDING IN FRONT. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WHEN FIRST NOTICED. NEVER CHANGED WHEN IN MOTION OR RESTARTING VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

10992949

Incident

May 31, 2017

Mileage

106,614 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG INDICATOR WAS FLASHING AND THE TRACTION INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

NHTSA ID

10984455

Incident

May 9, 2017

Mileage

170,000 mi

THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT IS FLASHING AND SHOWING AS TURNED OFF EVEN WHEN THE SEAT IS OCCUPIED. I SEARCHED FOR RECALLS DEALING WITH THIS SAFETY ISSUED AND FIND RECALLS FOR THIS ISSUE ON THE 2007 TO 2008 ALTIMA (RECALL 08V521000) AND A NEW RECALL IS JUST READ ABOUT ON THE 2013 TO 2016 ALTIMA,BUT NONE ON MY YEAR. I OPENED A CASE (#23576396) AND TOOK IT TO MY NISSAN DEALER AS INSTRUCTED BY THE PERSON I SPOKE WITH AT THE CORPORATE NUMBER TO HAVE THE ISSUE ANALIZED. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALER TOLD ME THE SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SEAT IS DEFECTIVE AND THE FIX IS TO REPLACE THE SEAT AT A COST OF $550.00 PLUS LABOR. I TOLD HIM I WOULD TALK TO THE CORPORATE CONTACT AND WAS CHARGED $121.50 FOR DIAGNOSIS WHEN I PICK MY CAR UP. I SPOKE TO ALLISE AT CORP. AND EXPLAINED WHAT THE SERVICE MANAGER HAD TOLD ME AND WAS TOLD THAT NISSAN'S POSITION IS THIS IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO PAY FOR. I TOLD HER I WILL FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA AS THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WHICH RENDERS THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AS UNUSABLE IN THIS CONDITION. THIS CONDITION STARTED APPROXIMATELY 3 MONTHS AGO.

NHTSA ID

10895553

Incident

Jun 3, 2016

Mileage

80,000 mi

"PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF" LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATES WHEN PASSENGER SEAT IS OCCUPIED BY ADULTS WEIGHING BETWEEN 120 AND 200 POUNDS, INDICATING THE AIRBAG IS DEACTIVATED, THOUGH IT SHOULD BE TURNED ON. PROBLEM HAPPENS BOTH WHILE DRIVING AND PARKED, AND HAS OCCURRED FREQUENTLY FOR THE LIFE OF THE CAR. DEALER COULD NOT REPLICATE, SO ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED, AND FAULTY SENSOR HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED. NEWER MODELS (2013'2016) WERE SUBJECTED TO A SAFETY RECALL FOR THE SAME ISSUE. OLDER MODELS SHOULD BE INCLUDED AS WELL, AS THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN FOR PASSENGERS. COMPLAINT FOR 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5 S.

NHTSA ID

10864867

Incident

May 14, 2016

THERE IS A FAULT IN THE SENSOR FOR THE FRONT PASSENGER-SIDE SEAT AIRBAG. IT FAILS TO PROPERLY SENSE THAT AN ADULT IS OCCUPYING THE SEAT. THE AIRBAG-OFF INDICATOR LIGHT OFTEN IS LIT WHEN AN ADULT WHO WEIGHS APPROXIMATELY 102-105 POUNDS, IS SITTING IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. I BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF OUR DEALER, CLAY NISSAN OF NEWTON, MASS. IN DECEMBER 2015. THE DEALER CHARGED ME $99.99 BUT FAILED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THEIR REPORT STATED THAT THE AIRBAG SYSTEM WAS "OPERATING AS DESIGNED." OBVIOUSLY IT WASN'T. NEWER ALTIMA MODELS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM. THE 2011 ALTIMA ALSO SHOULD BE RECALLED ASAP.

NHTSA ID

10862919

Incident

Dec 9, 2015

Mileage

34,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WITH ADULT PASSENGER IN FRONT RIGHT SEAT "PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF " LIGHT WAS ON. WHEN OPERATING WITH NO PASSENGERS LIGHT IS OFF INDICATING THE AIRBAG IS WORKING. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT VEHICLE TO MY MECHANIC WHO SCANNED SYSTEM AND COULD OT FIND ANY CODES. AFTER READING SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON NHTSA REGARDING THIS ISSUE I FEEL NISSAN NEEDS TOIMPLEMENT A SERVICE RECALL. AS I AND I AM SURE OTHERS DO NOT FEEL SAFE OPERATING VEHICLE WITH MY CHILDREN. WE WERE OPERATING SAID VEHICLE ON CITY STREETS UNDER 30 MPH WHEN FIRST NOTICED HOWEVER THIS PROBLEM IS CONSISTENT ON HIGHWAYS AT HIGHER SPEEDS AS WELL.

NHTSA ID

10794814

Incident

Nov 19, 2015

Mileage

51,123 mi

WHEN PASSENGER (APPROX 150 LBS) SITTING IN PASSENGER SEAT, AIR BAG LIGHT OFF. THIS OCCURRED JANUARY 2012, NOTICED AGAIN 5/2012, BOTH TIMES TOOK TO DEALER. CONTACTED NISSAN DIRECTLY 8/2013. WANT THIS ISSUE DOCUMENTED AS IT'S NOT CONSISTENT; THEREFORE, WHEN YOU TAKE TO DEALER THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THIS AND DO NOTHING.

NHTSA ID

10763276

Incident

Jan 2, 2012

Mileage

10,000 mi

I WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WITH A 2014 DODGE RAM AND IT WAS A FRONT IMPACT COLLISION. MY CAR WAS TOTALLED ( THE IMPACT EVEN CRUMBLED THE REAR QUARTER PANEL) BUT THE AIRBAG ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DID NOT DEPLOY. THE REPAIR COMPANY WAS CONFUSED WITH THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE AND THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. II SUSTAINED INJURIES TO MY NECK, BACK AND LEFT SIDE. I STILL HAVE BACK PAIN BUT I'M GETTING BETTER. CONFUSED AS TO WHY THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10703828

Incident

Aug 9, 2014

Mileage

99,700 mi

I WAS TRAVELING WITH 2 SMALL CHILDREN ON A STRAIGHT WAY ON HWY AND THE FRONT TIRE BLEW IN THE SIDEWALL OF MY MICHELIN TIRE. I WAS PULLED ACROSS THE OTHER LANE INTO A DITCH STRIKING A STONE CULVERT AFTER GOING AIRBORNE. I HAD PURCHASED A SET OF MICHELIN TIRES AND THEY WERE A 70,000 MILE TIRE AND HAD 23,000 MILES ON THEM WHEN THIS OCCURRED. AFTER INVESTIGATION IT WAS DETERMINED A BLOWOUT AS THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO WHEEL INDICATION OF ROAD HAZARD THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED THIS TYPE OF DAMAGE TO TIRE. IN OTHER WORDS, THE TIRE AND WHEEL WERE IN PERFECT CONDITION OTHER THAT THE BLOWN PART IN THE SIDEWALL AND IF I WOULD HAVE HIT SOMETHING HARD ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE TIRE THAT TYPE OF DAMAGE, THEY SAID IT WOULD HAVE DEFINITELY AFFECTED MY WHEEL. THE TIRE HAD TO BE DEFECTIVE AS THERE IS REPORTS ARE ALL OVER INTERNET THAT THESE INCIDENTS ARE OCCURRING WITH MICHELIN TIRES. BUYER BEWARE! MY CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. I AM WITHOUT WORK AND WITHOUT A CAR NOW. *TR

NHTSA ID

10701733

Incident

Mar 16, 2015

Mileage

110,700 mi

I WAS IN A BUMPER TO BUMPER ACCIDENT AND THE FRONT END OF MY CAR WAS SMOOCHED IN. MY CHEST HIT THE STEERING WHEEL (MY SEAT BELT WAS BUCKLED) KNOCKING THE AIR OUT OF ME, BUT MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. WE HAVE TAKEN OUR CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR. EVERY TIME WE GET IT BACK WE GET THE SAME ANSWER "WE DON'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE SENSOR". WE RECENTLY TOOK OUR CAR IN 2 WEEKS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT AND WE ASKED THEM IF OUR CAR WAS ON THE AIR BAG RECALL LIST THAT WAS ALL OVER THE NEWS. THEY TOLD US NOT TO WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING BECAUSE OUR CAR WAS NOT ON THAT LIST. I ENDED UP IN URGENT CARE AFTER THE ACCIDENT WITH MUSCLES SPASMS AND A BRUISED CHEST. WHY DIDN'T MY AIRBAGS GO OFF?! *TR

NHTSA ID

10654579

Incident

Nov 8, 2014

Mileage

65 mi

PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR INDICATING NOT ON WHILE ADULT SITTING IN SEAT. TOOK CAR BACK TO DEALER SEVERAL TIME WOULD NOT DUPLICATE. 2 TIMES THEY SAID THY FIX IT. CARS SHOULD BE ON RECALL. DEALER SAID THY COULD NOT HELP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10607599

Incident

Aug 20, 2012

Mileage

24,000 mi

I HAD NOTICED THAT REGARDLESS OF OCCUPANCY, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG INDICATOR NEVER LIT UP AFTER INITIAL TESTING ON START-UP. IN LATE JAN 2014, I WAS T-BONED ON PASSENGER SIDE BY MERCEDES WHOSE SPEED WAS SUCH THAT HIS AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. EVEN THOUGH I HAD NO ONE WITH ME OCCUPYING MY PASSENGER SEAT, THE SIDE CURTAIN AND SEAT BAG DEPLOYED, ADDING MANY HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10584404

Incident

Jan 30, 2014

Mileage

12,000 mi

DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY ON MY 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5S AT ABOVE 65 MPH, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON SHOWING IT WAS OFF/ DISABLED AND STAYED OFF FOR THE WHOLE TRIP DURATION - ABOUT 45 MINUTES. AIR BAG LIGHT LOCATION IS IN THE CENTER OF DASHBOARD AND SHOULD LIGHT UP WHEN IS DISABLED OR NO PERSON IS SITTING ON PASSENGER SEAT. THIS IS CLEARLY A MALFUNCTION AND SHOULD BE CORRECTED BY THE MANUFACTURER TO PROTECT HUMAN LIVES. AIR BAGS SAVE LIVES AND THEY SHOULD WORK ALL THE TIME NOT INTERMITTENTLY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10523571

Incident

Jul 6, 2013

Mileage

38,400 mi

PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG SENSOR DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY ...NO MATTER THE WEIGHT OF THE PASSENGER UP TO 240 THE AIRBAG LIGHT REMAINS DISABLED....CONCERNED WITH THE SAFETY OF MY PASSENGERS CONSIDERING AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10519882

Incident

Aug 1, 2012

Mileage

15,000 mi

VEHICLE WAS BACKED INTO AT APPROXIMATELY 0-5MPH AT 2,100 MILES WHILE LEGALLY PARKED. SINCE THEN, NEITHER SOUTH POINT NISSAN OF AUSTIN TX OR TOWN NORTH NISSAN OF AUSTIN TX HAVE BEEN ABLE TO EXPLAIN WHY MY SRS AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON. 12+ REPAIR ATTEMPTS, ALMOST 3 MONTHS IN SERVICE (TWO DAYS FROM NOW IT'LL HAVE BEEN IN FOR A WHOLE MONTH THIS TIME ALONE) INSURANCE CARRIER BLAMES NISSAN FOR VEH. DEFECT, NISSAN BLAMES COLLISION. I HAVE FULL COVERAGE AND EXTENDED WARRANTY YOU'D THINK SOMEBODY HERE WOULD MAKE ME WHOLE. NISSAN TECH'S ARE LITERALLY "THROWING PARTS" AT THE CAR (MODULE, SENSOR, ETC) WITH NO CONCLUSIVE DIAGNOSIS IN 6 MONTHS AND NOW THEY'VE TORN MY DASHBOARD AND CAR APART TO REPLACE ALL OF THE SRS WIRING -- BUT SAID WIRING HARNESS IS ON "BACK ORDER" WITH NO ETA. LEMON LAW APPARENTLY DOESN'T COVER ME AND ATTORNEYS WONT TOUCH IT BECAUSE OF STUPID INCONSEQUENTLY PARKING LOT COLLISION WHICH DOES NOT EXPLAIN SUSPECTED MAJOR COMPONENT FAILURE OR SUSPECTED WIRING ISSUES SAFELY DEEP INSIDE THE CAR/DASHBOARD. PLEASE EXPLAIN HOW GETTING BACKED INTO DESTROYED WIRING INSIDE THE CAR. THIS IS A SERIOUS ELECTRICAL/SAFETY DEFECT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10409091

Incident

Jan 23, 2011

Mileage

2,100 mi