Free. Instant. No signup. Pulls recalls and complaints for your exact vehicle.
Couldn't find that VIN. Check the digits and try again.
severe 76 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Of the 13 model years of Nissan Murano we track for airbags problems, this one carries the most owner complaints on file — 76.
All 2 active airbags recalls on this vehicle land at critical or severe — none classified moderate.
This could result in the passenger air bag not inflating in a crash in which it was designed to do so, and increasing the risk of injury.
This could result in the passenger air bag being suppressed which could fail to provide adequate protection in the event of a crash.
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 ↗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.
Owners describe a recurring passenger-seat occupant sensor failure that disables airbag protection without warning. The warning light flashes or stays on, and dealers confirm the airbag won't deploy if you're in a crash. The sensor is soldered into the seat cushion, so fixing it means buying an entire new seat bottom—typically $2,500 to $5,000.
Nissan issued recall 08V-521 back in 2008 for this exact problem, covering 204,361 vehicles including the 2009 Murano. But owners with identical symptoms and model years say their VINs aren't on the recall list. Dealers reset the light temporarily; it comes back within days. When owners push back, they're told the vehicle is out of warranty and the recall doesn't apply to them—even though the dealership's own diagnostics match the recall description. Several owners opened cases with Nissan Consumer Affairs and were denied or offered 50% cost-share, leaving them paying $900+ out of pocket.
More concerning: multiple owners reported their airbags didn't deploy during actual crashes at 15–45 mph. One crash resulted in a pregnant passenger with stomach injuries and a fractured fetus leg. Another saw injuries to driver, front passenger, and rear passenger at 25 mph. Police reports were filed, and manufacturers were notified, but no further recalls were issued.
Parts scarcity compounds the problem. Dealers say OCS sensors and passenger seat assemblies are no longer available from Nissan or aftermarket suppliers. Even salvage yards can't help—the part has to match your exact VIN. One owner from January 2023 couldn't find parts anywhere and couldn't trade or sell the vehicle with a known safety defect undisclosed.
Same Nissan Murano airbags reports on nearby years: 2006 · 2007 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012
Passenger seat occupant sensor fails, triggering airbag warning light and disabling passenger-side airbag deployment. OCS control units with out-of-spec varistors interrupt signal flow between OCS and airbag control unit (ACU). Owners report the sensor is built into the seat cushion, requiring replacement of the entire seat bottom.
When: Typically 50,000–120,000 miles; one case reported at 7,000 miles; failures span vehicle ages from 5 months to 10+ years of ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light flashes or remains illuminated on dashboard; Flashing resumes within days after dealer resets light; Passenger-side airbag will not deploy in a crash; Both driver and passenger airbags may be disabled when OCS fails
Codes mentioned: B1018, B1032, NTB08-095 (recall bulletin for OCS varistor issue)
Repairs/costs cited: Entire passenger seat bottom/cushion replacement required; owners cite repair costs of $2,500–$5,000. Dealers report some OCS sensors and seat assemblies no longer available from Nissan or aftermarket. In one case, $912 balance due after Nissan paid half. Another owner paid $3,700 after sensor replacement alone did not resolve issue.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan issued NHTSA Campaign 08V-521 (NTB08-095, issued 11/4/2008) covering 204,361 vehicles including 2009 Murano with Continental OCS units; however, many affected VINs are excluded from the recall scope. Nissan has denied warranty coverage citing out-of-warranty status. Consumer Affairs cases (#7357731, #37964757, #48254432, #29877528, others) opened but denied or partially approved (50% cost-share). Dealers told owners VINs do not match recall list despite identical symptoms and model year. One case notes Nissan said OCS 'somehow different' from recalled units despite same test findings.
Cracks develop in dashboard material, particularly on the front panel near the passenger airbag housing. Cracks worsen over time. A protruding square deformation visible where the passenger airbag sits.
When: December 2014 complaint; unspecified onset, but progressing
Symptoms owners cite: Visible cracks in dashboard front panel and side where passenger airbag located; Cracks worsening progressively; Protruding square visible at passenger airbag location; Owner concerned airbag may not deploy or dash may become sticky
Repairs/costs cited: No repair attempted or cost cited. Owner noted similar issue reported on Toyota, Ford, and other Nissan models in media coverage.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan declined to address, citing out-of-warranty status and attributing cracks to normal wear or sun damage without investigation or photos. Refused to provide consumer email for documentation submission.
Passenger-side (or both) airbags fail to deploy during frontal collisions despite vehicle impact. Occurs when airbag warning light is active (indicating system failure) or as separate malfunction. Multiple crashes at speeds 15–40 mph with confirmed non-deployment; injuries sustained.
When: Multiple incidents across different mileages (51,000–146,000 miles); one case at 109,000 miles, another at ~75,000
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag light illuminated or flashing before crash; Airbags do not deploy upon impact; Passenger and/or driver airbag failure in same incident; Injuries to occupants (face, stomach, legs, head, back, cervical, arm) requiring medical attention
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicles not diagnosed post-crash (taken to body shop only) or not repaired. Police reports filed in multiple cases.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified but took no corrective action on unrepaired vehicles. One case noted manufacturer advised issue would be 'sent to a third party.' No recall issued for non-deployment failures.
Passenger-side airbag assemblies and OCS sensor parts no longer manufactured by Nissan, preventing repairs. Aftermarket salvage parts unsuitable because vehicle requires exact original make/model match. Recall repair parts also unavailable despite active recall campaign.
When: Reported January 2023; also cases from 2009–2014; ongoing as of later complaints
Symptoms owners cite: Dealer states parts not available through Nissan; Aftermarket/salvage dealer parts incompatible or unavailable; Vehicle cannot be repaired despite known defect; Vehicles remain undrivable with active airbag warning light
Repairs/costs cited: No repair completed. One dealer (ACME Nissan) confirmed seat sensor parts K8820-1AL0A and 873A2-3Z53A no longer available. Consumer unable to trade or sell vehicle due to safety defect disclosure.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan customer service stated 'cannot do anything' and parts no longer available. Recall campaign (08V066000) parts also not available; Carr Nissan confirmed delays exceeding reasonable timeframe, manufacturer unable to confirm availability date.
Dealers reset or turn off airbag warning light temporarily, but light reactivates within days or next vehicle operation. Repeat visits required; dealer eventually states light cannot be turned off further or that replacement of seat/sensor is only permanent solution.
When: Mileage varies; some cases less than 6 months apart; one occurred twice within one complaint
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light illuminates; Dealer resets light multiple times; Light reactivates after 1–14 days; Dealer advises permanent fix requires expensive seat/sensor replacement
Repairs/costs cited: Temporary resets cited; permanent repairs quoted at $2,500–$5,000 for seat replacement but owners declined due to cost and warranty denial.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan denied coverage citing out-of-warranty status. No technical bulletin or updated remedy offered for repeated failures.
Synthesized from 76 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
Blinking airbag sign in my Nissan Murano since week. Reset did not work by mechanic..
It's a meaningful issue. 76 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
Across the 55 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most airbags failures cluster between 51,000 and 94,000 miles, with the median around 80,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 51,000; a quarter make it past 94,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
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.
Yes — 2 active recall(s) cover airbags issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.