The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that owners of nearly 84,000 older Nissan vehicles in the United States should immediately stop driving them due to a safety hazard. The agency’s warning came after Nissan issued an alert for certain models with unrepaired Takata airbags.
The vehicles affected include the 2002-2006 Nissan Sentra, 2002-2004 Nissan Pathfinder, and 2002-2003 Infiniti QX4, which were recalled in 2020 but remain unfixed. NHTSA emphasized, “If you have one of these vehicles, do not drive it until the repair is completed and the defective airbag is replaced.” In some locations, Nissan dealers offer free towing, mobile repair, and loaner vehicles.
Over the past decade, over 100 million Takata airbag inflators have been recalled worldwide, including 7 million in the United States. This recall is the largest in auto safety history. Since 2009, over 30 deaths and 400 injuries have been linked to Takata airbag inflators, which can explode and release metal shrapnel.
The airbag issues are caused by propellant degradation after long-term exposure to temperature fluctuations and humidity. NHTSA warned that even minor crashes can explode Takata airbags, causing fatal or severe injuries.
Last year, Stellantis, Chrysler’s parent company, warned owners of 29,000 2003 Dodge Ram pickups to stop driving their vehicles after a fatal Takata airbag incident. Similarly, in January, Toyota urged owners of 50,000 older models, including the 2003-2004 Corolla, 2003-2004 Corolla Matrix, and 2004-2005 RAV4, to get immediate recall repairs to prevent potential airbag explosions.
