NHTSA Complaint #10959173 — 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA HYBRID

THE PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR TO DETECT AN OCCUPANT AND ENABLE/DISABLE THE PASSENGER AIRBAG FAILED. THIS IS AN ITEM CRITICAL TO OCCUPANT SAFETY THAT IS NOT A WEAR-AND-TEAR ITEM AND ONE WHICH SHOULD REASONABLY BE EXPECTED TO LAST THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS WILL NOT WORK AS INTENDED WHEN OCCUPIED BY AN OCCUPANT OF THE APPROPRIATE WEIGHT PER THE SENSOR'S SETTING. IT IS APPARENT THAT MANY ALTIMA VEHICLES, MODELS BEFORE AND AFTER MY 2009 YEAR MODEL, HAVE EXPERIENCED FAILURE OF THE SAME EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE COMPONENT. NISSAN IS NOT WILLING TO ADDRESS THIS ITEM VOLUNTARILY; THEREFORE, NISSAN SHOULD BE ORDERED BY THE NHTSA TO REPLACE THIS CRITICAL SAFETY COMPONENT THROUGH A RECALL. FAILURE OF THE NHTSA TO ACT WILL LIKELY LEAD TO MANY INJURIES OR FATALITIES DUE TO THE FAILURE OF A PART WHICH SHOULD NOT HAVE A LIMITED WARRANTY AND WHICH NISSAN, AS A RESPONSIBLE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER, SHOULD REPAIR/REPLACE AT NO COST TO ITS CUSTOMERS WHO PURCHASED ITS VEHICLES DUE TO THEIR ADVERTISED SAFETY RATINGS.