My passenger seat belt light started blinking and the dealer said I needed a new chip in the seat at a cost of $8,000. I went online to see what other Infiniti car owners were experiencing and it turns out this is happening with all their cars. I can not tell if the airbag is working or will work if I have an accident. This seems like it should be covered by a recall. Please advise.
2011 INFINITI G37 airbags problems
moderate 49 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
49
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
1crash
1injury
When does it fail?
Of the 49 airbags complaints filed for the 2011 INFINITI G37, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 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
Airbags accounts for 49% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 5 categories tracked.
Owners have filed 49 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.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: The 2011 Infiniti G37 has a widespread occupant sensor defect that disables passenger airbag deployment and can suppress all airbags in a crash. Repairs cost $4,200–$15,000 and are not covered by recall or warranty—Infiniti will not assist owners out of warranty, leaving drivers stuck paying the full seat-replacement bill for a safety failure they did not cause.
Owners report the front passenger occupant sensor consistently fails without warning or accident, triggering an airbag warning light that stays on permanently. The sensor fails to detect occupants or signal the airbag control unit, rendering the passenger airbag and often the entire supplemental restraint system non-functional. Owners describe the light illuminating at mileage ranging from 23,500 to 100,000 miles and remaining lit regardless of whether anyone sits in the passenger seat.
Dealer diagnostics point to the occupant sensor unit (OCS) with error code B1018. The only factory repair is full passenger seat replacement because the sensor is integrated into the seat assembly and cannot be serviced separately. Quotes from Infiniti dealers range from $4,200 to $15,000, with most clustered between $6,000 and $8,000 for parts alone, plus labor. Infiniti USA declines financial assistance once the vehicle is outside factory warranty, leaving owners liable for the entire cost. One complaint references an earlier 2008 Infiniti recall (08V521000) for a similar OCS varistor defect, raising the question why the 2011 G37 was not included. Online forums and owner communities confirm this is not isolated—owners report seeing the same failure across many G37s and other Nissan/Infiniti models, yet no recall has been issued for the 2011 G37 despite the safety criticality.
Same INFINITI G37 airbags reports on nearby years: 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2012 · 2013
Failure modes owners describe
Occupant Classification System (OCS) Sensor Failure
The occupant sensor in the front passenger seat fails to detect occupants or properly communicate with the airbag control unit, causing the passenger airbag warning light to illuminate and remain on. This prevents passenger airbag deployment in a crash, even when an adult is seated.
When: Between 23,500 and 100,000 miles; failures reported as spontaneous with no accident or impact trigger
Symptoms owners cite: Passenger airbag warning light illuminated or flashing on dashboard; Airbag warning light remains on regardless of whether passenger is seated; Dashboard display shows 'passenger airbag off' even with occupant in seat; Light will not extinguish and returns immediately after being cleared; In rare cases, warning light present at startup
Codes mentioned: B1018 (OCS unit failure / Occupant Sensor Unit Failure), DTC B1018
Repairs/costs cited: Infiniti dealers quote $4,200–$15,000 to repair, with most quotes in the $6,000–$8,000 range. Repair requires replacement of entire front passenger seat assembly (seat bottom/seat cushion containing the OCS hardware) because the sensor cannot be replaced independently. Labor typically quoted as 1–2 hours but the part cost dominates. Owners report independent mechanics confirm similar pricing ($6,500 for part alone). Extended warranty programs do not cover the failure.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Infiniti USA declined financial assistance, citing vehicles are out of factory warranty. One complaint references a prior 2008 Infiniti recall (08V521000) for passenger airbag deployment due to a varistor in the OCS control unit manufactured out of specifications by Continental Automotive Systems; however, the 2011 G37 was apparently not included in that remedy. One owner reports Infiniti USA offered a partial discount, reducing repair cost from ~$10,000 to $7,000, but no full recall has been issued for the 2011 G37.
Total SRS System Shutdown
Occupant sensor failure causes complete suppression of airbags across the vehicle—not only passenger but driver and side airbags as well. With the warning light on, dealers advise that none of the airbags will deploy in a crash.
When: Varies; one report at 62,251 miles; failures sporadic across model year
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light illuminated or flashing; All airbags rendered non-functional or suppressed; Dashboard indicates airbag system is compromised; Dealer confirms entire SRS cannot be certified as functional until sensor is replaced
Codes mentioned: B1018
Repairs/costs cited: Entire passenger seat replacement ($4,200–$15,000). Dealers state all airbags remain inoperable until repair is completed.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall issued. Manufacturer offers no financial assistance outside warranty period.
Intermittent Airbag Off Warning with Passenger Present
Passenger occupancy sensor intermittently reports airbag as off even when an adult occupant is correctly seated, creating unpredictable failure that owners cannot verify between trips.
When: Sporadic; can occur repeatedly or intermittently throughout driving
Symptoms owners cite: Passenger airbag light flashes on and off during driving with passenger in seat; Warning light shows airbag is off even when seat is occupied; Light appears random and inconsistent; Affects passenger detection regardless of occupant weight or position
Codes mentioned: B1018
Repairs/costs cited: Passenger seat replacement ($6,000–$8,000 range). Owners report clearing the code does not resolve the underlying sensor issue.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No warranty coverage. No recall. Manufacturer declined involvement in cases reviewed.
Synthesized from 49 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 12 most recent
My Infiniti has 100,000 miles on it. Nothing at all happened to cause my problem - no accident, nothing special. It just suddenly, for no apparent reason, now has a flashing indicator that represents a problem with the passenger air bag that will cause it to fail massachusetts state inspection. I took it to the dealership in Infiniti of nashua in nh. I was told that it was a sensor problem,…
Airbag light flashing when vehicle is turned on and remains on throughout driving until vehicle is shut off. Vehicle was not in an accident or any modifications performed on vehicle.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Infiniti g37. The contact stated that while driving the vehicle, the passenger's side air bag warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to sandy sansing Nissan located at 3100 s. Mckenzie st, foley, al 36535 who diagnosed that the air bag sensor was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the…
Airbag sensor for the passenger side has gone bad resulting in the airbag not deploying if in an accident. Stationary. Repair cost os over $9,000.00. After research have found that this seems to be a manufactures defect but no recall has been issued for the year and model.
Airbag warning light came on. Took the car to the dealer and they gave me an estimate of $10,858.62 to repair the airbag! I feel that this is a defect and should be a recall item as I have since read several complaints of the same exact problem! This car has been kept in the garage and only driven when the weather is beautiful! it only has 29,100 miles on it. We bought it from the Infinity…
Airbag warning light flashing. Dealer evaluation showed occupant seat sensor unit failure. Told whole bottom seat assy needs to be replaced. Part alone is $6500+ I feel this should be covered by the manufacturer. There was no accident, collision, trauma, etc. Warning light began in august 2019. Extended warrantee expired 7/31/19
Takata recall: Infiniti recalled an entire line of cars with faulty air bags/seat sensors, but did not cover all cars. I have a 2011 Infiniti g37x with only 50k miles that I am being charged 7k to replace a seat cushion that has a failed sensor. This problem is widely known in a significant number of infinitis, yet the manufacturer will not repair obviouly faulty parts that were installed.…
The airbag warning light is blinking in the dashboard and the passenger airbag is registering as off even when an adult is sitting in the passenger seat. Infiniti identified the issues as a faulty sensor in the passenger seat and is charging upwards of $7,000 for a repair for something that is a pure safety issue.
Passenger airbag not active light on dashboard on all the time regardless if someone is sitting in the seat with seat belt latched . I have 25,500 miles on the vehicle and I am concerned the passenger is at risk if the airbag will not operate in a crash. Seat sensor defective per on-line forums and a $6,000.00 fix to replace passenger seat w sensor built in to correct it.
Had airbags trouble with your 2011 INFINITI G37?
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 2011 INFINITI G37?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 49 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $1,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Across the 27 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most airbags failures cluster between 47,000 and 77,000 miles, with the median around 60,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 47,000; a quarter make it past 77,000. 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/2011/INFINITI/G37.
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.