VOLUNTARY SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN 2005-2013 FRONTIER, PATHFINDER, AND XTERRA; DRIVER AIR BAG COVER CAMPAIGN ID #: PC945 and PC948 APPLIED VEHICLES: 2005-2013 Frontier (D40) 2005-2012 Pathfinder (R51) 2005-2013 Xterra (N50) Check Service COMM or Dealer Business Systems (DBS) National Service History to confirm campaign eligibility. INTRODUCTION Nissan is conducting this voluntary safety recall campaign on certain specific model year 2005-2012 Pathfinder, and 2005-2013 Frontier and Xterra vehicles to inspect and, if necessary, replace the Driver Air Bag Cover. This service will be performed at no charge to the customer for parts or labor. IDENTIFICATION NUMBER Nissan has assigned identification
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2007 Nissan Pathfinder airbags problems
severe 18 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
18
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
3crashes
4injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 18 airbags complaints filed for the 2007 Nissan Pathfinder, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 150,000+ mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 5 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
SERVICE INFORMATION Changes or modifications to the front seat assembly trim materials may affect the proper operation of the Front Seat-Mounted Side-Impact Supplemental Air Bags and Passenger Occupant Classification Sensor and could result in serious personal injury or death. Nissan STRONGLY RECOMMENDS AGAINST making any change to seat trim materials from the factory equipped condition. This specifically applies to replacing the seat trim with non-factory materials; adding leather/cloth seat covers, seat pads, or seat storage pouches, etc. around or over the seat back and the passenger seat cushion. See this bulletin for further detail.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗IF YOU CONFIRM: Squeal/Squeak noise from the front brakes: While moving forward or reverse, with very light brake application (pedal pressure), after the vehicle has been sitting, typically overnight ("cold" brakes), at speeds less than 10 MPH, while traveling straight or turning. ACTION: Replace the hardware on both front brake calipers with the kit listed in the Parts Information in this bulletin. See this bulletin for further detail.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗NISSAN: SRS PRECAUTIONS DURING SERVICE;IMPROPER MAINTENANCE, INCLUDING INCORRECT REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION OF THE SRS, CAN LEAD TO A SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH CAUSED BY UNINTENTIONAL ACTIVATION OF THE SRS ON ALL NISSAN MODELS WITH THE SRS SYSTEMS. UPDATED 2/21/14.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗SERVICE INFORMATION Information necessary to service the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) safely is included in the "RESTRAINTS" section of the Electronic Service Manual (ESM) for each vehicle. IMPORTANT: Turn the ignition switch OFF, disconnect both battery terminals, and wait at least 3 minutes before performing any service on the SRS. See this bulletin for further detail.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2007 Nissan Pathfinders report six distinct airbag problems. Most common are persistent warning lights—some stay solid, others blink continuously—often appearing at startup or during routine driving with no collision history. Repair shops and dealers offer conflicting diagnoses: occupancy sensors, circuit spiral cables, or indeterminate faults. One owner was quoted $800 to repair a blinking light, with warning that the airbag would not deploy until fixed.
More serious are deployment failures in actual crashes. One driver was in a head-on collision at 45 mph with no airbag deployment, sustaining head trauma; another had both front airbags fail during a two-vehicle impact. A third reported curtain airbags in the third row failed to deploy during a rear-end collision that crushed rear seats and blew out windows.
The most alarming complaint involves spontaneous passenger-side airbag deployment at 70 mph with no collision or vehicle damage. Nissan and the dealer investigated, found minor undercarriage scratches, and claimed the motion sensor misinterpreted this as rollover risk. The owner disputed this explanation but Nissan replaced the entire sensor system and later acknowledged the malfunction, though the root cause remains unclear.
Several owners mention recall notices or believe defects should be part of the Takata airbag recall, but dealers deny applicability.
Same Nissan Pathfinder airbags reports on nearby years: 2005 · 2006 · 2008 · 2010
Failure modes owners describe
Unexplained spontaneous airbag deployment
Passenger-side impact airbags deployed while driving at highway speed with no collision, no road hazard, and no known vehicle damage. Dealer and Nissan attributed it to motion sensors falsely detecting rollover risk from minor undercarriage marks, but owners dispute this explanation.
When: 70 mph highway driving
Symptoms owners cite: Passenger-side impact airbags deployed suddenly; Loud explosive noise during deployment; Airbag warning light illuminated and remained on after incident; No visible vehicle damage at time of deployment; Minor scratches and dents found underneath driver-side foot rail
Repairs/costs cited: Nissan replaced entire airbag sensor system at no charge; replacement of seat, airbags, and roof liner cited as necessary, costing thousands
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan took responsibility, replaced sensor system under goodwill (not warranty), attributed deployment to motion sensor misinterpretation of undercarriage damage
Airbag warning light illumination (persistent or blinking)
Airbag warning light stays on or blinks continuously without airbag deployment or known collision history. Owners report independent mechanics and dealers cannot always determine root cause. One dealer cited circuit spiral cable decline; another cited faulty occupancy detection sensor; repair costs cited at $800.
When: Varies; one complaint at 9,200 miles on new vehicle; another at 150,000 miles; others unspecified
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light on and will not turn off; Airbag warning light blinking continuously; Light illuminates on startup and persists while driving; No prior accident or collision
Repairs/costs cited: $800 quoted repair cost; dealer advised airbag would not deploy until light repaired. Replacement of sensor system performed by Nissan in at least one case.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: One owner reports dealer stated Nissan refuses to add vehicle to recall callback; another mentions awareness of recall but dealer denies applicability
Airbag failure to deploy in crash
Front and curtain airbags failed to deploy during significant impact collisions including head-on crashes at highway/urban speeds and rear-end impacts. One owner was injured and hospitalized with head trauma.
When: On-demand during crashes; one at 28,000 miles, one with head-on impact at ~45 mph zone, one rear-end collision
Symptoms owners cite: No airbag deployment on driver side during head-on collision at ~45 mph; Front airbags did not deploy during second crash impact from front; Curtain airbags in third row did not deploy during rear-end collision with third-row crushing; Driver and passengers unprotected; one owner sustained head trauma requiring hospitalization
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicles destroyed in crashes; one owner noted fuel pump began to leak after impact
Faulty occupancy detection sensor
Front passenger airbag warning light illuminated when seat occupied and recurred when seat unoccupied, indicating occupancy sensor malfunction.
When: At approximately 35 mph while front passenger seat occupied; recurred with unoccupied seat
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning indicator illuminated while front passenger seat occupied; Warning light recurred when front passenger seat unoccupied
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle not repaired by owner
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Authorized dealer advised malfunction was due to faulty occupancy detection sensor; manufacturer notified
Indeterminate airbag system fault
Airbag warning light illuminated on startup; independent mechanic performed diagnostic test but could not determine cause. No repair attempted.
When: At approximately 150,000 miles on startup
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light illuminated upon starting vehicle
Repairs/costs cited: No repair performed; diagnostic cause not determined
Circuit spiral cable decline (reported by dealer)
Airbag warning light blinking continuously; Nissan dealer attributed fault to circuit spiral cable decline rather than sensor issue, and refused to include vehicle in Takata recall callback.
When: Unspecified
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light continues to blink and does not turn off
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer estimate for repair not provided; owner questions if defect should be part of Takata recall
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan refuses to add vehicle to Takata recall callback; dealer states fault is circuit spiral cable decline, not sensor
Synthesized from 18 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Is turn on light emergency to airbags .the car it is in home
Had airbags trouble with your 2007 Nissan Pathfinder?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2007 Nissan Pathfinder?
It's a meaningful issue. 18 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Across the 10 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most airbags failures cluster between 28,000 and 150,000 miles, with the median around 118,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 28,000; a quarter make it past 150,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2007/Nissan/Pathfinder.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.