2011 Nissan Leaf Airbags Problems

Car throws a B1018 DTC, which is for the passenger seat occupancy sensor. The seat occupancy sensor failing poses a major safety risk, as it causes the airbags to not deploy properly in the event of a crash. This is a very well known issue for the 2011-2012 LEAF, and the only option Nissan gives to fix this is a full seat replacement, which is cost prohibitive at over $3000. Previously, a recall was issued for 2013-2016 LEAFs for a similar issue, but the 2011-2012 was not included in that recall.

NHTSA ID

11655282

Incident

Apr 17, 2025

Air bag sensor fault, passenger seat warning on dashboard. Confirmed sensor failure at repair shop. Notified by Nissan that sensors are DISCONTINUED parts. No alternative solution suggested. This means all airbags in this vehicle are disabled. Car has less than 40,000 miles and has years of service life left. How is Nissan allowed to discontinue supply of an essential safety component?

NHTSA ID

11650398

Incident

Aug 30, 2024

Please see thread: [XXX] My 2011 Nissan Leaf's OCS has failed randomly. I pulled the code via an Bluetooth OBD reader and the LeafSpy Pro app installed on my phone: B1018-00 09 AIR BAG Occupant Sens [Unit Fail] SRC-41. I took the car to a local dealership and was quoted over $4k for a full seat replacement with no ETA as the part is on back order. There is no option to simply replace the OCS alone and there is no workaround from Nissan to re-enable the passenger airbag without paying the $4k for the new seat. Opened a case with Nissan Consumer Affairs who advised they could do nothing for me. The repair is more expensive than the value of the vehicle. Because Nissan offers no workaround other than paying $4k for a new seat, consumers are incentivized to bypass the airbag sensor using a 3rd-party box (see here [XXX] rather than properly repair it. This is a safety issue and Nissan should do the right thing in making the repair affordable or making an official way to bypass the sensor/enable the airbags. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11602884

Incident

Jun 25, 2024

Supplemental air bag warning light started blinking on 9/24/2023. It blinks regardless of whether the front passenger seat is occupied. The OCS sensor for the passenger seat failed. This should have been covered by a recall. The dealer wants over $3,000.00 to replace the seat cushion. I declined the repair. Dealer assured me that driver air bag isn't affected, so I'll operate the car without a front passenger. Dealer Estimate: Denied Repair Step Step Total: $3,687.14 Correction: inspected system, dtc b1018 for occupant sensor unit failure is present. Cleared dtc, when sitting in passenger seat, dtc came back on. Inspected continuity to passenger seat occupant sensor and found ok at this time. Diagnosis says replacement of passenger occupant sensor assembly (lower seat assembly) Labor: $588.00

NHTSA ID

11546502

Incident

Sep 24, 2023

My airbag sensor light went off for no reason. I took it into the dealership and was told that it would cost $3,700 to get it repaired/replaced since the seat needs to be removed. I am concerned that this safety issue is not taken care of and have read that many 2011 Leaf's are having this same issue.

NHTSA ID

11528019

Incident

Jun 14, 2023

The airbag warning light has come on. An independent shop and the dealer say the repair is $4500 or more -- greater than the value of the vehicle, because Nissan only sells the complete passenger seat as a repair part, and requires the airbag be paired with the car at the dealer. I ask that this situation be resolved by Nissan making just the seat cushion available as a repair part, as they have for recalls of airbags on other model year cars. The SAFETY problem is that Nissan's refusal to sell a repair part, leads to a FISCAL INCENTIVE TO BYPASS THE AIRBAG. See also NHTSA #: 08V-521

NHTSA ID

11524494

Incident

Jan 1, 2023

Air bag occupant sensor in front passenger seat failure causing air bag system shut off. DTC Code: B 1018 Description: Air Bag Occupant Sensor (Unit Fail). Well documented common failure of this critical safety component on the Nissan Leaf Forum. Sensor is not available to replace the defective part and a recall campaign was issued by Nissan, but doesn't cover 2011-2012 models. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The system scan revealed the DTC Code. Code returns after code clearing. Component has not been inspected by manufacturer. Air Bag Warning indicator lamp and Air Bag Off X 2 lamp illuminated.

NHTSA ID

11480818

Incident

Aug 23, 2022

Passenger airbag sensor is not working. When car is turned on and driving, the dashboard continually displays a red flashing warning light indicating an airbag malfunction. There is also a message that the passenger air bag is off. Newer Nissan Leaf models have had the same problem and have been recalled, but not the 2011 year. It should be recalled. Estimated cost to fix is $3000. Seat bottom was replaced in 2016.

NHTSA ID

11473727

Incident

Jul 13, 2022

Airbag light comes on when it should not. Vehicle disables the passenger airbag because it has code B1018. Airbag should not disable when an adult is sitting in the passenger seat. Code can be reset, but will come back any time someone sits in the passenger seat, regardless of size.

NHTSA ID

11464595

Incident

May 12, 2022

The air bag sensor unit failed. The car only has 5271 miles on it and it was stored in a warm garage since 2011. This failure isn't due to use so it must be a manufacturing defect.

NHTSA ID

11437896

Incident

Oct 20, 2021

PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR IS NOT WORKING. WHEN CAR IS TURNED ON AND DRIVING, THE DASHBOARD CONTINUALLY DISPLAYS A RED FLASHING WARNING LIGHT INDICATING AN AIRBAG MALFUNCTION. THERE IS ALSO A MESSAGE CONTINUOUSLY DISPLAYING THAT THE PASSENGER AIR BAG IS OFF. NEWER NISSAN LEAF MODELS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND HAVE BEEN RECALLED, BUT NOT THE 2011 YEAR. IT SHOULD BE RECALLED. ESTIMATED COST TO FIX IS $3000.

NHTSA ID

11406264

Incident

Dec 15, 2020

Mileage

49,000 mi

AIRBAG LIGHT FLASHING. PASSENGER AIR BAGS ARE DISABLED. DEALER FIX IS A NEED A NEW PASSENGER SEAT AT A COST OF $3,000+. CURRENT FAULT CODE IS B1018. OCCUPANT SENSOR UNIT FAIL. SEAT IS PERFECT AND NO ONE SITS ON IT - IT JUST STOPPED WORKING. THIS IS A KNOWN IISSUE

NHTSA ID

11385388

Incident

Sep 1, 2020

Mileage

110,000 mi

2011 NISSAN LEAF HAS CODE B1018 OCCUPANT SENS(UNIT FAIL) FOLLOWING A CUP OF WATER SPILLED ON FRONT SEAT. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AT TIME. ONLY PROPOSED REMEDY IS TO REPLACE FRONT SEAT AND SENSOR FOR ~$2,624. 2013-2016 LEAF WERE RECALLED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 16V244000; PLEASE EXPAND RECALL TO 2011 & 2012 NISSAN LEAF.

NHTSA ID

11374557

Incident

Oct 1, 2020

Mileage

62,000 mi

AIRBAG LIGHT FLASHING. PASSENGER AIR BAGS ARE DISABLED. DEALER FIX IS A NEED A NEW PASSENGER SEAT AT A COST OF $3,000+. CURRENT FAULT CODE IS B1018. OCCUPANT SENSOR UNIT FAIL. NO DAMAGE TO SEAT OR CUSHION. IT JUST STOPPED WORKING. SAFETY ISSUE. SAFETY RECALL SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED.

NHTSA ID

11341967

Incident

Jul 20, 2020

Mileage

87,344 mi

AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHES INDICATING AIR BAG SYSTEM INOPERATIVE. IT CAN BE RESET BY RECYCLING THE CAR ON/OFF 3 TIME WITHIN CERTAIN TIME LIMITS. THE LIGHT STARTS FLASHING AGAIN WITHIN ABOUT 5-20 MILES OF DRIVING. SAME PROBLEM ON OTHER NISSAN LEAFS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY RECALLED. NISSAN DEALER WANTS $250 AND CHANGE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND THEN TELL ME WHAT THE SOLUTION IS, BUT EVERYBODY ALREADY KNOWS THE SOLUTION IN A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER SEAT AND SENSOR. THE NISSAN CUSTOMER AFFAIRS OFFICE INSISTS THAT I PAY THE DIAGNOSIS FEE DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE DASH BOARD LIGHT ALREADY DIAGNOSES THIS PROBLEM, WHICH ALONG WITH THE KNOW HISTORY OF NISSAN LEAF CLEARLY POINTS TO THE KNOWN PROBLEM. NISSAN CUSTOMER AFFAIRS SAYS "WE WILL CONSIDER GOOD WILL ASSISTANCE" - AFTER I PAY THE DIAGNOSIS, BUT LATER IN THE CALL NOTED THAT THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY SO IT IS CLEAR NO GOOD WILL ASSISTANCE IS BEING CONSIDERED. THE DEALER SERVICE MANAGER (HAYWARD) TELLS ME THAT HE HAS HAD A NUMBER OF LEAFS IN WITH THE AIRBAG LIGHT FLASHING AND IT COULD BE "ANYTHING FROM A LOOSE CONNECTOR TO THE WIRING HARNESS," WHICH INTERESTINGLY IS A SET OF POSSIBILITIES THAT EXCLUDES THE SENSOR/SEAT REPLACEMENT WHICH IS THE WELL KNOWN FIX. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT IS NISSAN'S RESPONSIBILITY. PLEASE RECALL THIS VEHICLE. THANKS.

NHTSA ID

11311406

Incident

Feb 25, 2020

Mileage

108,000 mi

PASSENGER AIR BAG HAS SHUT OFF. DEALER RAN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND SAID I NEED A NEW PASSENGER SEAT AT A COST OF $3,182. CURRENT FAULT CODE IS B1018.

NHTSA ID

11290303

Incident

Oct 18, 2019

THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT AND DANGER SYMBOL BEGAN FLASHING RECENTLY. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THE AIRBAG SENSOR IN THE SEAT FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE AIRBAGS WOULD NOT FUNCTION UNTIL THE REPAIR WAS COMPLETED. THIS VEHICLE HAS UNDER 60,000 MILES ON IT AND THE REPAIR PART COSTS NEARLY $3000 WHICH IS ABOVE THE KBB VALUE OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO INCIDENT TO REPORT, JUST A FAILURE ON THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11287002

Incident

Nov 9, 2019

Mileage

58,800 mi

ILLUMINATED AIRBAG WARNING LIGHTS FOR FRONT PASSENGER SEATS, DIAGNOSED BY NISSAN DEALER AS A FAILED SENSOR. WAS TOLD THE WHOLE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BOTTOM WOULD NEED TO BE REPLAED (ESTIMATE $3,185.61). ALSO TOLD THAT THE FAILURE OF THIS SENSOR MEANT THAT ALL AIRBAGS WERE DEACTIVATED.

NHTSA ID

11280868

Incident

Nov 5, 2019

Mileage

65,581 mi

2011 NISSAN LEAF. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEFECTIVE OCCUPANT SEAT SENSOR. *LD *DT *DT *JS*DT *JS*DT CONSUMER STATED I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I HEARD FROM THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP LAST NIGHT (THURSDAY) AND AM TOLD THE REPAIR HAS BEEN COMPLETED. I PLAN TO PICK UP THE CAR TONIGHT. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT SURE WHAT BECAME OF THE DEFECTIVE SEAT/SENSOR AND SAID STAFF FROM NISSAN DID ALL THE WORK, NOT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP.*JB CONSUMER UPDATE, I HEARD FROM MY LOCAL NISSAN DEALER AND WAS TOLD THEY HAVE AGREED TO REPLACE THE SEAT.*JB INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR*JB

NHTSA ID

11234415

Incident

Dec 1, 2018

THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR IS FAILING. THIS CAUSES THE PASSENGER AIRBAG TO TURN OFF AND THE WARNING LIGHTS TO FLASH ON THE DASH. THIS CONDITION MAY ALSO DISABLE THE DRIVERS AIRBAG. NISSAN ESTIMATE TO REPAIR IS OVER $3200, THE ENTIRE SEAT CUSHION ASSEMBLY MUST BE REPLACED. THIS IS OVER HALF THE VALUE OF THE CAR. NISSAN HAS RECALLED OTHER YEARS AND MODELS FOR THE SAME OR SIMILAR ISSUE, BUT NOT THE 2011 MODEL. THIS SERIOUS, KNOWN SAFETY DEFECT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY NISSAN IN A RESPONSIBLE MANNER. THE OCS SYSTEM CAN BE RESET, BUT THE TROUBLE APPEARS AGAIN IN A FEW DAYS. IT USUALLY APPEARS ON VEHICLE START-UP. THE PASSENGER SEAT MAY BE OCCUPIED, OR NOT.

NHTSA ID

11207486

Incident

Apr 20, 2019

Mileage

67,000 mi

PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG SENSOR FAILED. SAME ISSUE AS OTHER COMPLAINTANTS. VEHICLE STATIONARY. THIS IS THE SAME ISSUE AS AN EXISTING RECALL FOR LATER YEAR MODELS. WHEN IS THIS RECALL GOING TO BE EXTENDED TO EARLIER YEARS? THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NISSAN IS TRYING TO CHARGE OVER $2K TO FIX.

NHTSA ID

11196006

Incident

Mar 2, 2019

Mileage

43,749 mi

THE LIGHT FOR MY SENSOR FOR MY PASSENGER AIRBAG (OCS SENSOR) IS ON ALL THE TIME AND FLASHING RED WITH OR WITHOUT A PASSENGER IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. SEEMS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE AS I WAS TOLD ALL AIR BAGS ARE DISABLED WHEN THE LIGHT IS FLASHING. COST INVOLVES REPLACING PASSENGER SEAT TOO AND TOTAL WOULD BE $4,800. THIS IS A 2011 NISSAN LEAF WITH 78,000 MILES AND ALL 12 BARS OF RANGE STILL REMAINING (ONE REPLACEMENT BATTERY TWO YEARS AGO). I HAVE NOT HAD IT REPAIRED DUE TO COST AND IT IS NOT PART OF A RECALL OF THE SAME PROBLEM IN 2013+ LEAFS. NO 2011 RECALL FOR THIS SAFETY PROBLEM!

NHTSA ID

11193208

Incident

Mar 28, 2019

Mileage

78,300 mi

WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN, THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. A CHECK OF THE DIAGNOSTIC CODES SHOWED THAT THE PASSENGER OCCUPANCY SENSOR FAILED. THEY RESET THE CODE AND IT CLEARED FOR 2 WEEKS, THEN RE-APPEARED. WAS INFORMED THAT REPAIRS TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER OCCUPANCY SENSOR WAS $2700 + LABOR. THIS SAME PART WAS RECALLED IN 2013+, BUT NOT RECALLED ON 2011/2012. THE REPAIR IS VERY EXPENSIVE BECAUSE NISSAN WILL NOT SELL JUST THE AIRBAG SENSOR--YOU MUST PURCHASE AN ENTIRE SEAT.

NHTSA ID

11180021

Incident

Jun 14, 2018

Mileage

55,000 mi

THE LIGHT FOR MY SENSOR FOR MY PASSENGER AIRBAG (OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM OCS SENSOR) IS ON ALL THE TIME AND FLASHING, EVEN WHEN THERE IS AN ADULT PASSENGER SITTING IN THE CAR. AFTER A SEARCH ONLINE, I FOUND THAT NISSAN LEAFS FROM 2013 TO 2018 HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THAT OCS PART, BUT MY 2011 NISSAN LEAF HAS NOT. ONLINE, MANY OTHER OWNERS OF MY SAME YEAR NISSAN HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. MY DEALER TOLD ME, IN ORDER TO REPLACE THE SENSOR, SINCE IT IS OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY, IT WILL REQUIRE REPLACING THE ENTIRE PASSENGER SEAT, WHICH IS UPWARDS OF $2700, NOT INCLUDING LABOR. I CALLED NISSAN, WHO TOLD ME THAT IT IS TOO FAR OUT OF THE WARRANTY, AND THEY CANNOT HELP ME. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENT TRIED TO GET ME A COURTESY REIMBURSEMENT, BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO CONVINCE THE HIGHER-UPS, AND ALSO COULDN'T EVEN CONVINCE THEM TO REIMBURSE THE AMOUNT I HAD TO PAY TO HAVE THE DEALER CONFIRM WHAT I ALREADY KNEW ABOUT THE DEFECTIVE PART (ANOTHER $145). I AM NOW FORCED TO RIDE WITHOUT AIRBAGS FOR MY FRONT PASSENGER. IT SEEMS UNCONSCIONABLE FOR NISSAN TO ALLOW A SENSOR (A PART INTEGRAL TO THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE AND NOT AFFECTED BY NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR OF THE CAR) TO NOT BE PART OF A RECALL, ESPECIALLY WHEN SO MANY OTHER VEHICLES (NISSAN AND OTHERWISE) HAVE THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. I CAN ONLY ASSUME IT'S BECAUSE THE SENSOR IS TOO DIFFICULT TO REPLACE CHEAPLY. THEY LIKELY FIGURED OUT THE PROBLEM WITHIN THE FIRST FEW YEARS OF THE CAR'S MANUFACTURE AND CHANGED THE LOCATION OF THE SENSOR - HENCE THE REASON THEY WOULD AGREE TO REPLACE THOSE IN LATER MODELS AND NOT THEIR EARLIEST MODELS.

NHTSA ID

11176324

Incident

Feb 11, 2019

PASSENGER AIRBAG SYSTEM DISABLED BY OCCUPANT SENSOR FAILURE. THIS HAPPENED ON STARTUP. DTC B1018 AIR BAG OCCUPANT SENS [UNIT FAIL] I WANT MODEL YEAR 2011 NISSAN LEAF TO BE ADDED TO THE EXISTING RECALL FOR MODELS 2013 NISSAN LEAF.

NHTSA ID

11172159

Incident

Jan 20, 2019

Mileage

59,400 mi