Nissan has issued an urgent warning to owners of older vehicle models concerning the potential danger of exploding airbag inflators which can cause serious injury or even death. The Japanese automaker is advising owners of certain vehicles from model years 2001 through 2003 to stop driving them immediately until they can be repaired.
The models affected by this significant recall include the Maxima, Pathfinder, Sentra, Versa sedan and the Infiniti I35 and QX4. Tentative investigations have pointed towards defective airbag inflators manufactured by Takata, a now-defunct supplier that produced millions of such inflators with a propellant that could degrade over time, especially in humid areas, leading to overly aggressive combustion upon airbag deployment. This can cause the inflator casing to rupture, projecting metal fragments into the vehicle’s cabin.
Nissan’s notification to their customers follows a series of tragic incidents and exhaustive recalls affecting many automakers worldwide. To address this issue, Nissan has promised to provide free replacements for the affected airbag components, with dealerships prioritizing repairs for these high-risk vehicles.
The company requests that owners of these Nissan and Infiniti vehicles immediately verify if their vehicle is affected by entering the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) in the recall look-up tool on Nissan’s or NHTSA’s website. For cars confirmed as under recall, Nissan urges not to drive them except straight to a dealer for repairs.
While some might feel an inconvenience or concern over such warnings, safety must take precedence. Nissan’s proactive approach highlights the critical nature of recall responsiveness and underlines the importance of regularly checking for recalls on one’s vehicle irrespective of its age or model. It serves as a reminder to all drivers that staying informed about your car can have serious safety implications.
