1999 Nissan Altima Airbags Problems

Your 1999 Nissan Altima was involved in a crash at 25 mph when another vehicle turned left into your lane. Both the driver and passenger front airbags deployed during the collision, and you were injured enough to require medical attention. The vehicle was totaled. Nissan was aware of an airbag recall on your vehicle but had not addressed it before the crash.

Your airbags failed to deploy in multiple head-on collisions, and your seat belts did not lock during impact. You've filed prior reports about this issue since 2004, and it has occurred in at least two subsequent collisions in your 1999 Nissan Pathfinder without resolution. The airbag system may need to be inspected, tested, or replaced to restore proper deployment function.

The owner is expressing concerns about airbag recall reporting procedures and whether safety recalls are being properly documented and reported to NHTSA. They are questioning whether repairs are only reported if covered under warranty, whether recalls in other countries are being reported for identical vehicles sold in the USA, and whether death statistics related to recalled parts are being accurately counted and reported.

You're expressing serious concern about multiple safety issues affecting Nissan vehicles, including problems with airbags, seat belts, steering, brakes, and acceleration. You feel that Nissan has not adequately recalled or acknowledged these issues despite similar problems being recalled in other countries, and you're frustrated that your own injury from these defects isn't reflected in safety reports. Addressing these issues would require Nissan to conduct investigations, issue safety recalls, and potentially redesign or replace affected components like airbag systems, seat belt assemblies, and brake components.

When the airbag deploys, if your hands are positioned at the traditional 10 and 2 o'clock position on the steering wheel, the airbag can throw your left arm against the windshield and its frame, potentially causing broken arms and wrists. The owner believes there should be a warning about this risk.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO STOP HER VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. HER AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE CONTACT SUFFERED A HEAD INJURY. THE PURCHASE DATE AND ENGINE SIZE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 153,875 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 153,855.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH OF THE VEHICLE'S FRONT AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN A CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS STRUCK HEAD ON BY ANOTHER VEHICLE WHO CROSSED AN INTERSECTION AT 35 MPH. THERE WAS PRE-IMPACT BRAKING PRIOR TO THE FRONTAL IMPACT. THE OCCUPANTS WERE WEARING SEAT BELTS, AND THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW YARD WHO DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ON 07/26/06 AND A COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WILL BE INSPECTED BY THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE AGENCY ON 07/28/06. THERE ARE PICTURES AND A POLICE REPORT AVAILABLE.

(1) I TURNED LEFT INTO A PARKING FROM SITTING STILL IN A TURN LANE. APPROX. 3 CAR LENGTHS INTO THIS PARKING LOT BOTH OF THE FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED IN MY AUTOMOBILE. THERE WAS NO IMPACT. THE POLICE WERE NOTIFIED AND THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT BECAUSE THERE WAS NO VEHICLE DAMAGE ETC. THERE WASN'T ANYTHING FOR THEM TO DO. THEY THEN REFERRED ME TO THIS SITE TO FILL OUT A COMPLAINT. (2) ALL THREE OCCUPANTS HAD TO BE SEEN IN THE ER. (3) NISSAN WAS CONTACTED; THEY SENT OUT A VEHICLE INSPECTOR AND THEN NISSAN ISSUED A LETTER STATING THAT BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY DEFAULTED PARTS THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST IN THE REPAIRS OR HOSPITAL COSTS. PERSONAL AUTOMOTIVE INSURANCE COVERED THE INCIDENT. AS FAR AS I KNOW, ALL PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TO THE TUNE OF $4,000.00 JUST TO REPAIR THE AUTOMOBILE. *AK

THE VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, ALSO THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT, WHICH RESULTED IN INJURIES. *JB

AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY IN A 45 MPH FRONT COLLISION. NISSAN CAME AND TOOK THE AIR BAGS FROM THE VEHICLE FOR TESTING. PRIOR TO TESTING, NISSAN WAS FRIENDLY AND HELPFUL. AFTER TESTING WAS COMPLETED, THEY WILL NOT RETURN OUR CALLS OR LET US KNOWN WHAT THEY FOUND OUT. COMMUNICATION HAS CEASED FROM THEIR END. *JB ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS****760744

AIRBAG LIGHT BLINKS ON AND OFF. THE DEALER SAYS IT IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. *YH

WHILE DRIVING ON STREET VEHICLE IN FRONT STOPPPED SUDDENLY, AND CONSUMER REARENDED VEHICLE IN FRONT. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. *AK

VEHICLE WAS IN A COLLISION WHERE IT WAS REAR ENDED AT 50 MPH. VEHICLE WAS PUSHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE, CAUSING THE DRIVER'S SEATBACK TO COLLAPSE AND FALL BACK INTO A RECLINING POSITION. ALSO, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING FORTY MILES PER HOUR THIS VEHICLE REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE FRONT END WAS TOTALLY SMASHED, BUT NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACED. DRIVER SUFFERED A BRUSED CHEST, AND SEVERE HEADACHES. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 25 MPH, VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK