AIRBAG LIGHT FLASHING. PASSENGER AIR BAGS ARE DISABLED. DEALER FIX IS A NEED A NEW PASSENGER SEAT AT A COST OF $3,000+. CURRENT FAULT CODE IS B1018. OCCUPANT SENSOR UNIT FAIL. SEAT IS PERFECT AND NO ONE SITS ON IT - IT JUST STOPPED WORKING. THIS IS A KNOWN IISSUE
2011 nissan Leaf airbags problems
moderate 35 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100
Complaints
35
Recalls
0
Crashes
0
Avg fix
$1,100
What owners are reporting 9 most recent
PASSENGER AIR BAG HAS SHUT OFF. DEALER RAN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND SAID I NEED A NEW PASSENGER SEAT AT A COST OF $3,182. CURRENT FAULT CODE IS B1018.
SO, APPARENTLY THE 2012 - 2014 NISSAN LEAF HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR AND IS COVERED BY RECALL, BUT NOT THE FIRST YEAR MODELS, 2011. IS THIS TO ASSUME THAT THE SENSOR IS DIFFERENT FROM THE FIRST TO THESE SUBSEQUENT YEARS.
THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT AND DANGER SYMBOL BEGAN FLASHING RECENTLY. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THE AIRBAG SENSOR IN THE SEAT FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE AIRBAGS WOULD NOT FUNCTION UNTIL THE REPAIR WAS COMPLETED. THIS VEHICLE HAS UNDER 60,000 MILES ON IT AND THE REPAIR PART COSTS NEARLY $3000 WHICH IS ABOVE THE KBB VALUE OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO INCIDENT TO REP…
OCCUPANT SENSOR FAILURE IS PREVENTING THE PASSENGER AIR BAG FROM DEPLOYING. THE CODE IS REPORTED AS A B1013. AS THIS MODEL WAS DESIGNED WITH A SENSOR WITHIN THE SEAT, THE OFFICIAL ACTION IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE SEAT, FOR AN ESTIMATE OF $3133.51. THIS IS HIGHLY COST PROHIBITIVE FOR A SAFETY FEATURE THAT SHOULD NOT PREVENT AN AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT.
ILLUMINATED AIRBAG WARNING LIGHTS FOR FRONT PASSENGER SEATS, DIAGNOSED BY NISSAN DEALER AS A FAILED SENSOR. WAS TOLD THE WHOLE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BOTTOM WOULD NEED TO BE REPLAED (ESTIMATE $3,185.61). ALSO TOLD THAT THE FAILURE OF THIS SENSOR MEANT THAT ALL AIRBAGS WERE DEACTIVATED.
2011 NISSAN LEAF HAS CODE B1018 OCCUPANT SENS(UNIT FAIL) FOLLOWING A CUP OF WATER SPILLED ON FRONT SEAT. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AT TIME. ONLY PROPOSED REMEDY IS TO REPLACE FRONT SEAT AND SENSOR FOR ~$2,624. 2013-2016 LEAF WERE RECALLED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 16V244000; PLEASE EXPAND RECALL TO 2011 & 2012 NISSAN LEAF.
The air bag sensor unit failed. The car only has 5271 miles on it and it was stored in a warm garage since 2011. This failure isn't due to use so it must be a manufacturing defect.
PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG ON/OFF SWITCH SENSOR NEEDS REPLACEMENT ACCORDING TO NISSAN DEALER. PASSENGER AIRBAG "OFF" LIGHT IS FLASHING EVEN WITH 125 POUND PASSENGER IN SEAT. NISSAN COULDN'T TELL ME WHETHER OR NOT PASSENGER AIRBAG WAS REALLY ON OR OFF. QUOTED $2400 TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG SWITCH AND SEAT ASSEMBLY BECAUSE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY ACCORDING TO NISSAN. THIS APPEARS TO…
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2011 nissan Leaf?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 35 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?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
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.
Other problem areas on this vehicle
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. 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.