RoadVitals

2011 Nissan Xterra Airbags Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Airbags reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Sep 2, 2025
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
38%
of 24 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2011 Nissan Xterra submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 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.

Owner reports naming airbag

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Airbags
Filed Sep 2, 2025

The airbag warning light started flashing. I took the car to Valley Nissan in Longmont, Colorado where I was told that they need to replace the AirBag Diagnosis Sensor and the RH side Airbag Module. Valley Nissan said that these parts were no longer being produced, so they could not complete this repair. The airbag system is not functioning which puts me and my passengers at risk if there is an accident that should activate the airbags.

NHTSA ID
11684563
Incident
Sep 2, 2025
Airbags
Filed May 31, 2023

The contact owns a 2011 Nissan Xterra. The contact received notification of the NHTSA Campaign Number: 23E012000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that an unknown dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not available for the recall repair. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and offered to buy back the vehicle however, the offer was declined. The contact was provided a case number but no further assistance. VIN tool confirms parts not available

NHTSA ID
11524634
Incident
Feb 9, 2023
Airbags
Filed May 31, 2023

Nissan consumer affairs Case #48955822 Manufacturer Recall NumberPC948 NHTSA Recall Number23E-012 Recall StatusRecall Incomplete, remedy not yet available Summary THE RESIN EMBLEM ON THE DRIVER S AIRBAG MODULE COVER IN AFFECTED VEHICLES MAY HAVE REDUCED DURABILITY DUE TO POTENTIAL SUPPLIER PRODUCTION PROCESS VARIATION. IN THIS CONDITION, OVER TIME THE POSTS OF THE EMBLEM MAY DEVELOP CRACKS, AND THE EMBLEM AND RETAINER COMPONENTS COULD DETACH IN THE EVENT OF AN AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. I attempted to reach a buy back agreement with Nissan consumer affairs and the request was denied with no reason given. I have requested a remedy to this recall with no response. I refuse to drive a vehicle that is deemed too unsafe to sell. I demand Nissan to buy this vehicle back.

NHTSA ID
11524629
Incident
May 31, 2023
Airbags
Filed Apr 17, 2023

The contact owns a 2011 Nissan Xterra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23E012000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ID
11517357
Incident
Apr 8, 2023
Airbags
Filed Mar 22, 2018

PURCHASED VEHICLE IN MARCH 2018 WITH THE PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG ALERT FLASHING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. EVERYTHING I TRIED WOULD NOT EXTINGUISH IT, CONNECTING RELEASING AND RECONNECTING THE PASSENGER SEATBELT, TURNING THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG OFF AND ON A COUPLE OF TIMES. SO I DECIDED TO CHECK ON RECALLS AND FOUND THREE OF THE FOUR COMPLAINTS FOR THIS MAKE/MODEL ARE FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID
11080806
Incident
Mar 3, 2018
Mileage
115,858 mi
Airbags
Filed Jul 17, 2016

JUST OVER 42K MILES THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT BEGAN SPONTANEOUSLY TO BLINK - THE AIRBAG SENSOR HAD FAILED. THE AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN A CRASH. THIS VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN A COLLISION OF ANY KIND. AFTER TALKING W NISSAN, THEY REFUSED TO REPAIR IT BECAUSE THE "VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY." COST TO REPAIR SO FAR IS $3,169 AND CLIMBING. THE ENTIRE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED BUT IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM - NOW THEY ARE REPLACING OTHER PARTS ONE AT A TIME BECAUSE THEY DON'T SEEM TO KNOW WHAT SENSOR HAS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS GARAGE KEPT IN MARYLAND WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED IN APRIL 2011. I HAVE LIVED IN AZ FOR 4 YRS AND STILL HAVE IT GARAGED.

NHTSA ID
10885365
Incident
Jun 29, 2016
Mileage
42,169 mi
Airbags
Filed Jun 30, 2016

PURCHASED THE VEHICLE 4/25/11 IN MD - MOVED TO AZ IN JUNE2012. THE VEHICLE HAS JUST OVER 42,000 MILES - ONE WK AGO THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON, BLINKS CONTINUOUSLY. TOOK TO THE NEAREST NISSAN DEALER - 92 MILES AWAY- WAS TOLD IT WAS THE SENSOR, THEY HAD NO PART, WOULD COST $2,000 TO REPLACE AND MIGHT NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN ANY KIND OF ACCIDENT AND HAS BEEN REGULARLY SERVICED. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM NISSAN HAS RECALLED LOTS OF OTHER MODELS FOR - THEY SHOULD COVER THIS! THIS HAPPENED WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY.

NHTSA ID
10881814
Incident
Jun 21, 2016
Mileage
42,432 mi
Airbags
Filed Apr 10, 2014

ON MARCH 3 WE STARTED OUR CAR AND THE PASSENGER'S AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON SHOWING THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THE NEXT DAY WHEN WE TOOK OUR VEHICLE INTO THE NISSAN DEALER FOR SERVICE, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE AIRBAG CONTROL MODULE WAS MALFUNCTIONING AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO ORDER ONE SINCE NONE WERE IN STOCK. WE WAITED NEARLY A MONTH AND THEN CONTACTED THE NISSAN CORPORATION CUSTOMER SERVICE. AFTER SEVERAL CALLS WE WERE INFORMED YESTERDAY THAT THERE WOULD NOT BE A MODULE AVAILABLE UNTIL THE END OF MAY. THIS MEANS THAT THE ONLY AUTOMOBILE WE HAVE NOW HAS NO AIRBAG PROTECTION FOR THE PASSENGERS. WE HAVE PAID IN ADVANCE FOR THIS PART WHICH COST $1414.35! *TR

NHTSA ID
10578920
Incident
Mar 3, 2014
Mileage
76,731 mi
Airbags
Filed Mar 19, 2012

WHILE DRIVING ON A DIRT ROAD IN MY 2011 NISSAN XTERRA PRO 4X MY SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND BOTH FRONT SEAT BELTS LOCKED AS IF IN AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE DRIVEN THAT SAME PART AT LEAST ONE DOZEN TIMES BEFORE WITHOUT ISSUE. I HAVE ALSO TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN AREAS THAT ARE VERY ROCKY WITHOUT ISSUE. THE VEHICLE HAS HIT BOTTOM ON OCCASION AND HAS DENTS AND SCRATCHES TO THE EFFECT. WHEN THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, THEY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BELIEVED THAT IT WOULD ROLL OVER WITHOUT CORRECTION IN DRIVING AND THAT WAS THE REASON FOR THE DEPLOYMENT. THERE WAS NO IMPACT THAT TOOK PLACE ON THE INCIDENT DAY YET THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT IT IS A FACTOR IN THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYING. *JS

NHTSA ID
10452293
Incident
Mar 18, 2012
Mileage
16,200 mi

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.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .