2007 NISSAN ALTIMA HYBRID Complaints

PASSENGER AIRBAG IS DEACTIVATED AT RANDOM TIMES (SOMETIMES FOR ENTIRE 20+ MINUTE TRIPS) REGARDLESS OF THE WEIGHT OF PASSENGER (ALL MORE THAN 100 POUNDS, SOME MORE THAN 200 POUNDS). I BELIEVE THE SENSOR IS DEFECTIVE. NISSAN HAS RECALLED SEVERAL VEHICLES OF MY MODEL YEAR, 2007, AND EVEN MY MODEL, ALTIMA HYBRID, HAS A RECALL, BUT MY VIN IS NOT INCLUDED. I BELIEVE THAT MY CAR HAS THE DEFECT THAT LED TO THE RECALL, AND EVEN THOUGH I'VE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER AT LEAST THRICE, THEY DON'T DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN RUN IT ON THE COMPUTER FOR ERROR CODES. GOD FORBID WE HAVE AN ACCIDENT AND THE AIRBAG DOES NOT INFLATE. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW AND IS ONGOING. THANKFULLY WE HAVE NOT NEEDED THE AIRBAG. *TR

2007 NISSAN ALTIMA HYBRID. PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT ILLUMINATES,INDICATING AIRBAG IS OFF, WHENEVER MY WIFE (5FT 3IN , 118LBS) IS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. HAVE TAKEN IT TO DEALER WHO TELL ME THAT SENSOR IS FUNCTIONING "ACCORDING TO NISSAN'S SPECIFICATIONS." WOULD LIKE SOME DIRECTION ON WHAT TO DO NEXT. *TR

THE PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF LIGHT RANDOMLY GOES ON WHEN SOMEONE IS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND THE CAR IS DRIVING. IT WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALER FOUR TIMES - ONCE WHILE IT WAS HAPPENING BUT SERVICE WAS CLOSED ON THAT SATURDAY AFTERNOON. THREE OTHER TIMES THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE PROBLEM. WAS TOLD IT WOULDN'T EFFECT SAFETY OF PASSENGER. JUST GOT RECALL IN MAIL (1-9-2009) AND READ ONLINE THAT THE RECALL WAS BACK IN NOVEMBER, HAD I KNOWN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER LEMON LAW. *TR

ON 6/2/2008, I REPORTED TO THE NISSAN DEALER THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG ALERT LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED ON SEVERAL INTERMITTENT OCCASIONS WHEN AN ADULT WAS FULLY SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THE DEALER CHECKED THE VEHICLE AND REPORTED: "INSPECTED EVERYTHING WORKING AS DESIGNED". ON 10/2/2008, NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V521000 REPORTED A RECALL FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. I RETURNED TO THE DEALER ON 12/4/2008 AND THE DEALER PERFORMED NISSAN'S TEST FOR THE PROBLEM UNDER THE RECALL. THE DEALER REPORTED THAT NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND. ON THE NEXT DAY AND TWICE MORE IN THE FOLLOWING SEVERAL DAYS, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG ALERT LIGHT WAS AGAIN ILLUMINATED WHEN AN ADULT WAS FULLY SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. I RETURNED TO THE DEALER ON 1/7/2009 AND THE DEALER AGAIN CHECKED THE VEHICLE ACCORDING TO NISSAN'S PROCEDURES AND STATED THAT NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND. IT SEEMS CLEAR THAT NISSAN'S PROCEDURE EMPLOYED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE RECALL IS NOT FULLY RELIABLE IN DIAGNOSING THE CONDITION THAT CAUSES THE AIR BAG FAILURE. THIS LEAVES FRONT SEAT PASSENGERS IN POTENTIAL DANGER. *TR

AIR BAG FAILURE NISSAN HYBRID-- THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG AUTOMATICALLY DEACTIVATED ITSELF EVEN WHEN ADULT (EG. 110 POUNDS AND 5FEET 2 INCHES TALL) SITS UPRIGHT. IT ALSO DEACTIVATES OR ACTIVATES FREQUENTLY WHEN THE PASSENGER IS NOT ADJUSTING HIS/HER POSITION AND THERE IS NO NOTICEABLE CHANGE IN ROAD CONDITION. THE BEHAVIOR IS ERRATIC AND HAPPENS 75% OF THE TIME. I AM AFRAID FOR THE LACK OF PROTECTION BY THE AIR BAG SYSTEMS IN THE CASE OF DISASTER. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE BY NISSAN SO FAR. 2 DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT AREN'T ABLE TO EXPLAIN THE SYMPTOMS. ONE DEALERSHIP SAYS IT SHOULD WORK BEYOND 120 POUNDS. NISSAN'S GUIDELINE IS FIFTY POUNDS AND NOT 100. THE OTHER DEALERSHIP RAN AN ELECTRONIC DIAGNOSTIC ON THE CIRCUITRY AND DIDN'T IDENTIFY ANY MALFUNCTION. *TR

THE DRIVER SEAT ON MY 2007 NISSAN ALTIMA HYBRID IS LOOSE IN ITS TRACKS. THE DEALER ALLEGEDLY CHANGED THE TRACKS AT APPROX 5K MILES. I NOW HAVE 9K MILES ON THE CAR AND THE DEALER REFUSED TO DO ANY MORE, STATING 'WE CHANGED THE SEAT TRACK"..AND WENT AS FAR AS TELLING ME ITS NOT A PROBLEM, AND REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM, EVEN AS WE LOOK AT A COMPARABLE 2008 MODEL. THE SEAT MOVES WHEN TAKING CORNERS, CREATING A POTENTIAL LOSS OF CONTROL, AND A CERTAIN ANNOYANCE. *TR