NHTSA Complaint #701109 — 1996 NISSAN ALTIMA

PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ANY DEFECT IN THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED, THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT WAS FLASHING CONTINIOUSLY. AFTER THE BODY WORK WAS REPAIR, THE BODY SHOP TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FLASHING INDICATOR LIGHT. THEY LEARNED THAT THE SENSOR MODULE WAS DAMAGED. OUR INSURANCE COMPANY PAID AN ADDITIONAL $500+ TO REPLACE THIS. HOWEVER, WHEN THEY REPLACED IT, AN ERROR MESSAGE WAS RECEIVED WHICH SAID: "PASSENGER AIRBAG DISENGAGED." THUS, THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED FROM THE ACCIDENT, ALTHOUGH THE AUTO BODY REPAIR SHOP SAID THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT SUSTAINED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE AIRBAG SYSTEM BECAUSE THEY FEEL THAT IF THE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY, IT WAS DEFECTIVE FROM THE FACTORY. THEIR LOGIC IS THAT THE IMPACT COULDN'T HAVE CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. NISSAN REFUSES TO ABSORB THE COST BECAUSE OUR VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. AT PRESENT, WE ARE STILL WITHOUT OUR VEHICLE. IT HAS BEEN 3 MONTHS AND THIS IS OUR ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION.