10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 21 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 15 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 24,466 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
Car in motion passager side air bag senor comes on and says off when someone setting in seat
- Joelton, TN, USA
The passenger "air bag light" does not go out when I have an adult passenger in the car. This has been a continuous problem since I purchased the car Nissan dealership says there is no problem indicated when tested. Nissan regional office says they are checking into it at this time and will not authorize any repairs, and if I continue to have a problem, go to the dealership meanwhile the "passenger air bag light" remains on when I have a passenger in the seat. I can not get any proper response from Nissan.
- Beaverton, OR, USA
The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the passenger side air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the seat belt wiring harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. In addition, there was a fracture between the firewall and the interior of the vehicle, which allowed water to enter the vehicle when it rained. The carpet was replaced, but an abnormal odor was still present in the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failures and stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 16V244000 (air bags). The failure mileage was 15,000.
- Alba, TX, USA
My Altima is only 2 months old and did not start 4X already. It seems to do this first thing in the morning when the car is cold. My steering wheel is vibrating constantly and I can feel a vibration with my foot on the accelerator. There is a loud noise like a constant dentist drill under my hood that is louder every time I turn. The dealership just replaced my power steering pump and there is no change! my passenger airbag light is on when there is a passenger in the car. It will go off during drive time. It does not matter if I have my purse, a bag, heavy books or a person-it sporadically goes off and on while I am driving. I do not feel safe knowing the airbag will not deploy in a crash! lithia Nissan has checked the sensor, but it is still doing it. I owned a 2008 Altima and 2011 Altima that never required service other than oil changes and air in my tires. I am very disappointed with this 2015 piece of junk! I can hear wind noise no matter what speed I am driving. I feel like I am in a crash test every time I slow down. Nissan tech said it is the new cvt transmission. Honda, Lexus, Toyota, Mercedes and Audi have cvt and it is a smooth ride! why does Nissan cvt jerk you around? the car is so cheaply made the speakers are popped up and paint is chipping. I have reported my issues to Nissan Corp. And BBB. The newest issue is the RPM rev up as I sit at red lights. I want Nissan to rebuy this car back!
- Grants Pass, OR, USA
The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that when the passenger side seat was occupied, the air bag sensor failed to recognize that the passenger was in the seat. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the passenger side air bag sensor needed to be recalibrated. The vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was unavailable.
- North Fort Myers, FL, USA
Pass air bag off with 115 pound passenger in seat. Fifth time. Must stop car pass gets out then back in and light goes out. Dealer finds no error message and can not find problem. Car demonstrates this problem when first entering car. Because the light goes through a test mode you may not notice problem until underway. Dealer unable to duplicate problem. I am very concerned for passenger safty we live in ct, usa problem started at <5,000 miles. Now over 10,000 miles with same proble. Not temperature related.
- Shelton, CT, USA
The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Altima. While driving 65 mph, the passenger side air bag warning light illuminated when a passenger was present. The failure occurred constantly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the air bag sensor failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 16,665.
- Oakland, CA, USA
Passenger front airbag intermittently deactivates even with a 120 pound adult sitting in the seat. Warning light that the air bag is deactivated comes on. On other random trips the air bag appears to be armed, with no warning light. Car is a rental vehicle.
- Glen Ellyn, IL, USA
When stationary and driving, the front passenger side airbag says off when my wife is sitting in the front passenger seat. She weighs 106 lbs. The light will go off eventually but comes on all the time she is sitting in the seat. It goes on whether on a city street or highway at any speed.
- Gaithersburg, MD, USA
The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the passenger side air bag indicated that the passenger side seat was occupied when there was no occupant. Prior to the failure, the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the air bag senor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 19,875.
- Oakland, CA, USA
The passenger side front seat sometimes will not detect an adult occupying the seat and disables the air bag for that passenger. Adults ranging in weights from 115 pounds to 120 pounds. It appears like a manufacturing defect.
- Troy, MI, USA
After starting the vehicle while still stationary, the front passenger airbag is disarmed despite there being a passenger in the seat. The vehicle must be restarted frequently until the light indicates the airbag is armed. I have taken it to the dealer on two separate occasions but both times they found nothing wrong and could only re-calibrate the sensor. If someone were to not notice the light it could potentially be a dangerous situation for the passenger.
- Bowie, MD, USA
The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Altima. While driving 55 mph, the vehicle changed gears without notice. The vehicle shifted into neutral without warning. The vehicle was placed into gear and resumed normal operation. The contact stated that the keyless entry failed and the air bag warning light illuminated. The failures recurred several times. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it could not be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failures. The failure mileage was 4,500. The VIN was not available.
- Houston, TX, USA
The front passenger airbag light comes on while the vehicle is moving and while there is an adult in the seat. The dealership checked the system and stated there were no problems detected. The system has continued to malfunction. The concern is the bags won't deploy when needed.
- Imperial, CA, USA
The passenger airbag sensor occasionally malfunctions and the "air bag off" light will illuminate when the passenger seat is indeed occupied by an adult. This happens approximately 10% of the time the seat is occupied. This is a commonly recurring complaint on the NHTSA site. Nissan has recalled approximately 140 Altima, but mine was not in this group after running my VIN.
- Bloomington, IN, USA
My air bag says it is off when someone is sitting in the seat. It doesn't do it ever time but it has done it quite a bit. When I took it to my dealership I bought it from they told me there isn't anything they could do because the light was working properly when I took it to them.
- Lawrenceburg, KY, USA
From time to time the warning light that states that the front passenger air bag is not working comes on. When this occured the passengere was an adult at a weight greater than 150 pounds. The only way to get the light to go off and have the air bag work was to turn the car off and then start it again. This has been back to the dealer and they can find nothing wrong and Nissan will not do anything. This happened too on an a 2013 model of the Altima as well. No one was hurt - the air bag did not open, just this supplemental system stated that it was not working..
- Palm Beach Gardens, FL, USA
The passenger air bag sensor intermittently does not sense a passenger therefore the passenger air bag warning system stays off. My worry is, if in an accident will my wife of 54 years be saved by the air bag deploying or not. The vehicle was taken in to future Nissan of roseville, on 03/24/15, inspected, stated could not duplicate problem. We were told no recall or reports from other owners are known. The problem is still happening. We have heard of the same issue occurring with others. My wife and I are very concerned with our safety.
- Auburn, CA, USA
Since the purchase of the vehicle in Sept 2014, I have had recurring issues with the passenger side air bag. When my daughter, who is 5'9" and weighs 150 lbs is in the seat the "air bag off" light will randomly illuminate. She is not fidgeting in her seat. She is sitting evenly in the seat and not moving. I have taken it to the Nissan dealer 4 times. The first two times they claimed to have read the error messages and reprogrammed it. The issue continued, the third time it was in, they replaced the sensor in the seat. The problem persisted after the sensor was replaced. I was then directed by the dealer to file a claim with Nissan. I did so and they dispatched a dealer service technician to evaluate the car. He claimed that he could not recreate the issue and that there was nothing that Nissan could do. His report indicated that the "system is working as designed". I received a copy of a technical service bulletin dated August 29, 2014 which states that occupant classification system (OCS) responds to different seating posture and may be operating normally. I was also told by the technician that if it happens to have the passenger get out and get back in to reset the system. I have never had a car where the passenger had to sit a certain way or get out of the car to make the air bags work properly!! I requested to have my case escalated to the next level and was told there was not a next level. The safety of my children is of extreme importance to me and I have no assurance that the system will work if tested. Unfortunately, the only way to test it would be to get in an accident. I do not want to take that chance!! I have requested a buy back from Nissan and am awaiting their response.
- St. Louis, MO, USA
- Copperhill, TN, USA