VOLUNTARY SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN 2004-2012 ARMADA, TITAN, AND 2004-2009 QUEST; DRIVER AIR BAG COVER CAMPAIGN ID #: PC944, PC946, PC947, PC949 APPLIED VEHICLES: 2004-2012 Armada (TA60) 2004-2009 Quest (V42) 2004-2012 Titan (A60) 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 2004-2012 Armada, 2004-2012 Titan, and 2004-2009 Quest 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 identific
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2008 Nissan Titan airbags problems
severe 13 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
13
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
5crashes
7injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 13 airbags complaints filed for the 2008 Nissan Titan, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 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
Among the 9 model years of Nissan Titan in our records for airbags problems, this one ranks #2 by owner-complaint volume.
No new NHTSA airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 11 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.
Air Bag Control Unit Reprogram Voluntary Service Campaign UPDATE January 5, 2018 The announcement from October 6, 2017 has been revised: - Dealers may now use revised TSB NTB17-070 to resume repair of 2004-2006 model year vehicles. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN 2004-2011 TITAN, AND 2005-2011 FRONTIER AND XTERRA; AIR BAG DIAGNOSIS SENSOR UNIT This bulletin has been amended. The reprogramming procedure has been revised. No other changes have been made. Discard all previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Air Bag Control Unit Reprogram Voluntary Service Campaign Temporary suspension of this campaign on all affected 2004-2006 model year vehicles. Nissan is aware of reprogramming concerns on 2004-2006 models subject to P7318 Air Bag Control Unit Reprogramming and is working diligently with the supplier to provide a solution. In the interim, Nissan recommends dealers suspend reprogramming activity on all 2004-2006 models until a software remedy is available. These models will continue to be identified in Service Comm and DBS National Service History with an open P7318 campaign. Nissan will provide an update as soon as revised software is available. Please discard previous versions of this bullet
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Air Bag Control Unit Reprogram Voluntary Service Campaign ***** Campaign Summary***** Nissan is committed to customer satisfaction. Nissan is conducting a Voluntary Service Campaign to reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) in 2004-2014 Titan, 2005-2014 Frontier, and 2005-2014 Xterra vehicles. The current ACU rollover-sensing calibration logic could allow for unintended curtain air bag deployment in rare instances occurring under certain unique driving scenarios, usually involving unpaved roads or off-road where one side of the vehicle is higher than the other. The ACU reprogramming will improve rollover-sensing calibration to address certain unique driving scenarios, and help prevent unin
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners report five distinct airbag failures on the 2008 Nissan Titan. Most serious: in a low-speed 15 mph collision, the driver-side airbag deployed and shot the metal clip holding the steering wheel emblem into the driver's face, causing lacerations near the eye. The owner states he narrowly avoided permanent vision loss.
Multiple owners report airbags failing to deploy when they should have. One owner hit another vehicle at 45 mph in a frontal collision with heavy damage—no airbag deployment but white smoke and gunpowder smell. Another had a 30 mph head-on crash while stationary; neither driver nor passenger bag deployed. A third hit a horse at 50 mph with no deployment; the vehicle was totaled and the owner sustained major injuries.
Airbag warning lights stay on continuously or flash persistently. One owner at 120,000 miles found the crash zone sensor corroded with defective internal sealing. Another at 167,000 miles had a dealer diagnose a manifold replacement, but work was not completed. One dealer told an owner nothing was wrong despite the warning light being on constantly.
Nissan's responses have been sparse. One case, matching NHTSA Campaign 08V690000, saw the manufacturer decline to assist. Another claim that the airbag system functioned properly came despite photos and dashcam video of the non-deployment.
Same Nissan Titan airbags reports on nearby years: 2006
Failure modes owners describe
Metal emblem clip projectile during airbag deployment
In a low-speed collision (15 mph), driver-side airbag deployed and ejected the metal clip holding the plastic Nissan emblem at the center of the steering wheel. The clip struck the owner's face near the eye at high velocity, causing facial trauma and lacerations matching the clip's shape.
When: Low-speed (15 mph) collision
Symptoms owners cite: Metal clip ejected from steering wheel center during airbag deployment; Facial trauma and lacerations near eye; Metal projectile traveling at airbag deployment speed (approximately 200 mph)
Airbag system non-deployment in frontal collisions
Multiple owners report airbags failed to deploy during frontal crashes of sufficient severity. One 30 mph head-on collision with a stationary vehicle saw neither driver nor passenger airbag deploy. Another 45 mph frontal impact produced white smoke and gunpowder smell but no visible airbag deployment despite heavy vehicle damage.
When: Various speeds: 30 mph head-on, 45 mph frontal impact, 50 mph turn collision
Symptoms owners cite: No airbag deployment during frontal collisions; White smoke and gunpowder smell without visible bag deployment; Severe vehicle damage without corresponding airbag activation; Owner injuries from lack of restraint deployment
Repairs/costs cited: Nissan responded to one case claiming airbag system and seat belts functioned properly despite no deployment
Persistent airbag warning light illumination
Owners report airbag warning light staying on continuously or flashing repeatedly. In several cases, attempts to reset or diagnose the light failed. One dealer found nothing wrong; another diagnosed a manifold replacement as needed but did not perform it.
When: At various mileages: 120,000 miles, 167,000 miles, unknown mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Red/airbag warning light illuminated and flashing; Warning light remains on after vehicle shutdown and restart; Persistent warning despite multiple reset attempts
Repairs/costs cited: One owner found corroded airbag sensor (reported at 120,000 miles); another dealer identified manifold requiring replacement (at 167,000 miles)
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified in one case but did not assist; vehicle was not repaired
Airbag sensor corrosion and sealing defects
Owner discovered crash zone sensor (P/N 98581-ZT08A) was defective due to internal corrosion and defective sealing of internal electronics. This failure resulted in loss of airbag system function and illuminated the airbag warning light.
When: At 120,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light illuminated; Corroded sensor visible upon inspection; Complete loss of airbag system function
Repairs/costs cited: Crash zone sensor P/N 98581-ZT08A identified as defective due to corrosion and poor sealing
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Failure matches NHTSA Campaign Number 08V690000 (Airbags); manufacturer did not assist owner
Steering wheel center cap splitting without airbag deployment
Owner reported steering wheel center cap split as if airbag should have deployed after hitting a pothole. No documentation of actual impact severity or diagnostic findings provided.
When: Unknown mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel center cap split/damaged; No airbag deployment during pothole impact
Synthesized from 13 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 4 most recent
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Nissan titan. While driving approximately 45 MPH, the contact crashed the vehicle into another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained injuries that required medical attention. The vehicle was inspected by the insurance company and towed away from the scene. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified…
Air bag light on indicating airbag malfunction. *tr
While driving down the road a pot hole was hit and the center cap of steering wheel split as if airbag should have deployed.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Nissan titan. While driving different speeds and upon starting the vehicle, a noise was detected from the front passenger side of the vehicle. The contact also mentioned that the air bag warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to grainger Nissan (1550 chatham pkwy, savannah, ga 31408, (912) 480-6996) where it was diagnosed that the manifold needed to be…
Had airbags trouble with your 2008 Nissan Titan?
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 2008 Nissan Titan?
It's a meaningful issue. 13 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 11 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most airbags failures cluster between 60,000 and 160,000 miles, with the median around 96,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 60,000; a quarter make it past 160,000. 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/2008/Nissan/Titan.
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.