NHTSA Complaint #10254053 — 2007 NISSAN ALTIMA HYBRID

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