If you're an owner of an old Nissan vehicle, then you might want to reconsider putting those keys in the ignition. The company is urging drivers not to operate their old vehicles. It's all due to a faulty air bag that can and will kill you.
You know it's a scary sign when a car manufacturer is actively telling customers not to drive their vehicles. However, that's exactly what happening for 84,000 owners of older vehicles. These vehicles have Takata air bag inflators. Takata air bag inflators have a risk of exploding in a crash. This causes metal fragments to potentially pierce the driver and occupants.
The air bag inflator had already killed one person when it exploded. It's also injured 58 others since 2015. "Due to the age of the vehicles equipped with defective Takata air bag inflators, there is an increased risk the inflator could explode during an air bag deployment, propelling sharp metal fragments which can cause serious injury or death," Nissan said in a statement.
So what vehicles are affected? Nissan says certain 2002 through 2006 Sentra small cars fall under this warning. Likewise, owners of some 2002 through 2004 Pathfinder SUVs, and 2002 and 2003 Infiniti QX4 SUVs should also be concerned. If you want to know about your own vehicle, go to nissanusa.com/takata-airbag-recall or infinitiusa.com/takata-airbag-recall and put in your 17-digit vehicle identification number.
Nissan Issues Warning
If your vehicle falls under the warning, you should contact your local dealer. Nissan is replacing the inflators for free. It's also offering free towing to local dealers as well. "Even minor crashes can result in exploding Takata air bags that can kill or produce life-altering, gruesome injuries," the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a statement. "Older model year vehicles put their occupants at higher risk, as the age of the air bag is one of the contributing factors."
The news comes following a 2020 recall in which Nissan said 736,422 vehicles were affected by the air bag inflators. Despite attempts to reach owners, Nissan says over 80,000 vehicles remain unrepaired. In 2018, a driver of a 2006 Sentra died when the air bag exploded sending metal fragments into them.
In the U.S., a total of 27 people died from faulty air bags. Worldwide, 35 people died from Takata inflators. The news comes after Ford is recalling nearly 500,000 vehicles.
