NHTSA Complaint #10043655 — 1994 INFINITI J30

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG UNEXPECTEDLY DEPLOYED. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR UNDER CONTROL AND SAFELY PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I SUSTAINED SCRAPES AND BRUISES ON MY LEFT FOREARM. OTHER PASSENGERS (1 ADULT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND A CHILD IN A CHILD SEAT IN THE BACK SEAT WERE UNINJURED). SEVERAL MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT HAD PERMANENTLY ILLUMINATED. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE, AT WHICH TIME THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM IN THE DEPLOYMENT SYSTEM AND THAT, IF NOT FIXED, THE AIRBAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY EVEN IN AN ACCIDENT. DUE TO THE COST OF THE REPAIR, IT WAS DECIDED NOT TO REPAIR THE AIR BAG SYSTEM AT THE TIME. *AK