Takata recall... I was hit from behind by a commercial trk doing 50 MPH I was going 5 MPH getting ready to make a left hand turn, when hit. No airbags deployed & the shoulder harness on the seat belt failed to lock. Resulting in concussion, serious back, neck & hip injuries.. Two complete safety failiers when hit at 50+ MPH. This is completely unacceptable. ## VIN failed ## Nissan altima 2009…
2009 Nissan Altima airbags problems
critical 83 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
83
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
9crashes
7injuries
1fatality
When does it fail?
Of the 83 airbags complaints filed for the 2009 Nissan Altima, 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
Owners have filed 83 airbags complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
No new NHTSA airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 7 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: The 2009 Altima has a widespread occupant sensor failure that disables the passenger airbag unpredictably, leaving occupants unprotected in crashes. Multiple owners report airbags failing to deploy in actual collisions. Nissan has not recalled this model despite issuing recalls for earlier and later model years with the same defect—stay away.
Eighty-three complaints center on the passenger occupant detection system: the airbag warning light comes on or flashes, indicating the passenger airbag is disabled, even with adults weighing 110–188 lbs seated correctly. The problem starts early in ownership and persists intermittently or constantly, across multiple owners and seating scenarios.
Owners took vehicles to dealers repeatedly; diagnostics often found nothing wrong during test drives, or identified a faulty seat sensor (B1018). Replacement attempts—first the sensor alone, then the entire seat cushion—often failed to fix the issue. Nissan claims the system works as designed. However, the 2007–2008 and 2013–2014 model years were recalled for this exact defect; 2009 VINs are reportedly excluded.
Several owners reported actual crashes where frontal airbags did not deploy at speeds of 15–65 mph, resulting in injuries. One rollover at 65 mph saw only partial side-bag deployment.
A secondary but recurring complaint involves the dashboard melting and turning sticky, creating a severe glare and possible interference with airbag deployment per dealership remarks. Repair costs for the sensor or seat assembly run $2,500–$3,100, and Nissan refuses warranty coverage once the vehicle is out of warranty.
Same Nissan Altima airbags reports on nearby years: 2007 · 2008 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012
Failure modes owners describe
Passenger Occupant Detection System (OCS) / Seat Sensor Malfunction
Passenger airbag warning light illuminates or flashes intermittently or continuously, indicating the airbag is disabled, despite an adult passenger of adequate weight (over 110 lbs) seated correctly in the passenger seat. The occupant sensor embedded in the seat cushion fails to properly detect passenger presence, creating a safety gap where the airbag may not deploy in a collision.
When: Begins early in ownership (months to first year); intermittent initially, often becomes persistent. Reported from 70,297 miles to 166,000 miles, with complaints spanning 3-4+ years of ownership.
Symptoms owners cite: Passenger airbag off/disabled warning light on or flashing on dashboard; Light comes on with adult passenger seated in seat; Supplemental airbag warning light flashing (sometimes both lights affected); Problem occurs intermittently or constantly; Occurs regardless of passenger weight (110-188 lbs confirmed) and seating position; Does not correlate with road conditions or vehicle movement
Codes mentioned: B1018 (Occupant Sensor failure)
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers replace seat occupant sensor (initial attempts); later advised entire passenger seat cushion assembly must be replaced ($399–$2,879 reported by owners; dealerships cite $2,500–$3,100+ costs). Some owners report replacement of sensor alone did not resolve issue. One owner documented replacement three years ago; second OEM sensor subsequently failed after ~62,000 miles.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan states system is working as designed. 2007–2008 model years were recalled (08V521000); 2013–2014 models later recalled for same issue. 2009 model VINs are reportedly excluded from recalls despite identical complaint pattern. Nissan advises vehicles are out of warranty; no TSB or recall applied to 2009 Altima for this defect. Dealership diagnostics often inconclusive (unable to replicate in test drive).
Airbag Non-Deployment in Crashes
Front driver or passenger airbags fail to deploy during collision events, or deploy with insufficient force/timing. Occupants struck vehicles at 15–65 mph without airbag protection or with incomplete airbag response.
When: At time of collision. Mileage at failure: 27,000–160,000 miles.
Symptoms owners cite: Frontal/rear-end collision at moderate to high speed (15–65 mph); Driver or passenger airbags do not deploy; Side/door airbags deploy partially or not at all (rollover incident); Occupants sustain injury (head, neck, back, face, chest, wrist)
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicles declared total loss or towed. One owner's Takata recall history mentioned; another had shoulder harness seatbelt fail simultaneously with airbag non-deployment.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: In one case, Nissan advised airbag sensor location (relative to battery/strike zone) was not close enough to trigger deployment. No recalls initiated for these specific VINs; no repair offered.
Dashboard Melting / Deformation with Glare
Dashboard material degrades, becomes sticky and tacky, and develops cracks near passenger airbag area and instrument cluster. Creates severe windshield glare that impairs forward visibility and may relate to airbag deployment issues per dealership communication.
When: Occurs over vehicle life; reported at 12 years and low mileage (86,000 miles). Not tied to specific accident or environmental abuse.
Symptoms owners cite: Dashboard surface tacky and sticky to touch; Cracks appear near vents, seams, and airbag housing; Melting/warping of dash material; Extreme glare on windshield reducing daytime visibility; Distortion of night visibility from oncoming headlights; Not cleanable; reappears after cleaning attempts
Repairs/costs cited: Nissan has issued revised dash part number with different materials for later production. Dealership replacement cost not explicitly stated but out-of-warranty vehicles refused. One owner noted forums indicate melting dash may prevent airbag deployment.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan acknowledges replacement dash part exists (different part number) but refuses warranty coverage on out-of-warranty vehicles. No recall issued.
Synthesized from 83 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Had airbags trouble with your 2009 Nissan Altima?
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 2009 Nissan Altima?
It's a serious issue. 83 complaints have been filed, including 9 reports involving a crash and 1 fatality(ies). We've classified it as critical based on NHTSA's reported outcomes.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Across the 54 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most airbags failures cluster between 30,982 and 110,000 miles, with the median around 70,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 30,982; a quarter make it past 110,000. 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/2009/Nissan/Altima.
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.