2004 Nissan Maxima Air Bags & Restraints Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

MY 3 GIRLS AND 1 OF THEIR FRIENDS WERE IN MY VEHICLE AND THEY WERE RAN OFF THE ROAD AND THE CAR WENT OFF THE ROAD INTO AN EMBANKMENT. THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY BUT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DID AND IT BROKE MY DAUGHTER'S NOSE. I CONTACT NISSAN ABOUT THE AIRBAG NOT DEPLOYING AND WAS TOLD IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHERE MOST OF THE DAMAGE OF THE CAR IS (ALL OF THE DAMAGE WAS ON THE DRIVER FRONT SIDE). EVERYONE WAS TAKING TO THE ER AND THE DAUGHTER WITH THE WORST INJURY WAS REFERRED TO A SPECIALIST BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT AND BECAUSE THE AIRBAG SHATTERED THE INSIDE OF HER NOSE INTO PIECES IT WAS NOTHING TO DO TO REPAIR. MY DAUGHTER PLAYS BASKETBALL AND I COULDN'T EVEN GET A NOSE BRACE FOR PROTECTION. THIS WAS A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE FOR THE GIRLS AND I WISH NO PARENT WILL EVER HAVE TO EXPERIENCE ANYTHING LIKE THIS. I SAW THE STORY ON THE CBS EVENING NEWS (AIRED 10/2/14) WHERE THE LONG LADY IS SUING HONDA BECAUSE OF THAT WHAT AIRBAG DID TO HER). AIRBAGS APPEARS TO DO MORE HARM THAN GOOD. ALTHOUGH MY CAR WAS A TOTAL LOST, I AM THANKFUL THAT THE GIRLS ARE STILL ALIVE. *TR

MY COMPLAINT IS NOT ABOUT A PART FAILING, BUT IN NISSAN'S RESPONSE TO REPLACE A PART. MY 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WHERE THE SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. IN THE REPAIR WORK, THE AIRBAG MODULE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED (ORDERED). THE PART WAS ORDERED ON OCT. 12, 2011 AND AFTER MORE THAN TWO MONTHS OF THE PART BEING ORDERED, THE PART HAS STILL NOT BEEN PRODUCED BY NISSAN. FIRST I WAS TOLD IT WAS A BACK-ORDER ISSUE, BUT THEN I LOST MY PATIENCE AFTER 2 MONTHS AND CALLED NISSAN CORPORATE, I WAS TOLD THAT IT IS A COMPONENT DISTRIBUTION ISSUE, WHICH TELLS ME ABSOLUTELY (WAIT FOR IT) NOTHING. THE MOST FRUSTRATING THING FOR ME IS THAT I AM BEING TOLD THAT THE DELIVERY OF THE PART IS INDEFINITE, SO MY CAR SITS AT THE COLLISION SHOP BASICALLY IN LIMBO. I HAVE RESEARCHED AND CANNOT FIND ANY RECALL INFORMATION FOR MY VEHICLE RELATING TO THIS PART. FROM WHAT I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GATHER, THERE SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH THE TESTING OF THE PART, THEREFORE THE PART IS NOT BEING PRODUCED. IN MY OPINION THIS IS DISCREETLY BEING KEPT QUIET AND DISGUISED AS A BACK-ORDER ISSUE BY NISSAN. I SEE RECALL ISSUES FOR THIS PART FOR THE ALTIMAS, BUT NOT THE MAXIMAS. IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS A BIGGER ISSUE THAN NISSAN IS WILLING TO ACKNOWLEDGE. I AM TRYING TO FIND ALL AVENUES TO MAKE THIS COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS MATTER AND HOPE THAT IT REGISTERS. *TR

ON MAY 06, 2011 I WAS INVOLVED IN A MAJOR CAR ACCIDENT. MY DRIVER AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WHERE NO ONE WAS SITTING DEPLOYED. I WAS 8-MONTHS PREGNANT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND DUE TO THE AIRBAG NOT DEPLOYING I SUSTAINED INJURIES TO MY STOMACH ALMOST CAUSING A EARLY LABOR (PRE-MATURE) I WAS FORTUNATE THAT THE DOCTORS WERE ABLE TO STOP MY BABY FROM COMING. IF MY AIRBAG WOULD HAVE GONE OFF PROPERLY IT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED MY STOMACH FROM HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL. I CONTACTED NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IT IS "NORMAL" FOR A AIRBAG TO NOT DEPLOY WHEN IN A MAJOR CAR ACCIDENT. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS IS CORRECT BECAUSE I PAID FOR THIS PRODUCT TO WORK. *TR

I ALSO SEEM TO BE HAVING TRANSMISSION JERK PROBLEMS WITH MY NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CAR HAS 100000 MILES ON IT. I GET A JERKING MOTION WHEN THE CAR SHIFTS FROM 1ST TO 2ND THAT REALLY HURTS MY NECK. IT JERKS ESPECIALLY HARD WHEN MAKING A TURN AND THE CAR SLOWS DOWN AND PICKS UP SPEED AGAIN. AND, IN MY CASE IT ALSO JERKS ONE DAY AND BEHAVES OK ANOTHER DAY. ALSO THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO HAPPEN MORE WITH A WARMER ENGINE, AND IS RARELY HAPPENING WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD. *TR

I HAVE A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA THAT A FRIEND WAS DRIVING ON SUNDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 23,2007. THERE WAS 3 OF US IN THE CAR. WE WERE GOING THROUGH A TRAFFIC LIGHT THAT WAS GREEN WHEN A COP RAN THE RED LIGHT AND WE BASICALLY T-BONED HIM RIGHT IN THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE POLICE CAR. THE OFFICER WAS IN CHASE OF A STOLEN CAR. THE WHOLE FRONT END HAS DAMAGE ON MY CAR. YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE THE AIRBAG SENSORS IN FRONT BUT THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED! I AM WONDERING WHY THIS WOULD BE AND WHAT CAN BE DONE? *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED THE DRIVER SIDE OF HER VEHICLE INTO THE REAR END OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. SHE STATED THAT ONLY THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT'S HEAD STRUCK THE STEERING WHEEL, WHICH CAUSED HER TO HAVE A HEADACHE. THE DEALER HAS NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 70,000.

I WAS INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT WITH A DRUNK DRIVER WHILE TRAVELING 65 MPH ON HIGHWAY AND ANOTHER TRUCK WAS COMING IN MY DIRECTION IN THE MEDIAN AT NIGHT WITH LIGHTS ON. AFTER I PASSED THE TRUCK I SAW A PARKED DARK CAR IN THE LEFT LANE WITH NO LIGHTS ON AND TRIED TO SLOW DOWN, BUT I HIT IT PRETTY MUCH WITH THE FRONT OF MY 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA SL. UPON IMPACT, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. LUCKILY, I WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT, BUT I SUSTAINED SOFT TISSUE INJURIES. I FILED A REQUEST TO HAVE NISSAN INVESTIGATE, AND RECEIVED A LETTER SAYING THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT DECELERATION OF YOUR VEHICLE TO INFLATE THE AIR BAG. I FIGURED I WOULD GET THESE RESULTS SINCE NISSAN MADE THE DECISION THEMSELVES. I AM FRUSTRATED BECAUSE I FELT THEY SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. *AK

A SMALL PICKUP TRUCK GOING SOUTH FAILED TO YIELD ON COMING TRAFFIC MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN AT AN INTERSECTION, AN TURNED INTO MY VEHICLE SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGING THE FRONT LEFT SIDE OF MY VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND I SUSTAINED A BRUISED LEFT ELBOW FROM HOLDING ONTO THE STEERING WHEEL AS WE CRASHED. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY AND AT INAPPROPRIATE TIMES. ON OCCASION, THE VEHICLE'S DOORS OFTEN WOULD LOCK AUTOMATICALLY WITHOUT THE CONTACT'S EFFORTS. SOMETIMES THIS OCCURRED WITH THE DRIVER DOOR AND OTHER TIMES WITH ALL DOORS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE WHERE THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE DOORS DID NOT AUTOMATICALLY LOCK WHILE DRIVING ALSO THE REAR SEAT BELT WENT INTO SAFETY CATCH/LOCK MODE WHEN SOMEONE BARELY FLICKED THE SEAT BELT. THE CONSUMER COULD OPEN THE DOOR AT ANY TIME, THE DOORS WOULD NOT LOCK AT TIMED. UPDATED 09/13/06. *JB

MY NISSAN MAXIMA 2004 MET WITH AN ACCIDENT, MAY CAR HIT THE SUV IN THE FRONT BADLY. THE DAMAGE IS EXTENSIVE. LEFT LIGHT IS GONE, RADIATOR IS BROKEN, HOOD IS UP, MUDGUARD IS DOWN AND OTHER DAMAGES. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY INSPITE OF HEAVY DAMAGE. *NM

MY CAR SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD WHILE PARKING (MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE). THE CAR STRUCK A HIGH CURB BACKED UP BY A BERM WHICH BROUGHT IT TO A STOP. I BANKED MY HEAD ON THE WINDSHIELD (AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY). AIR DAM WAS TORN OFF. NO OTHER OBVIOUS DAMAGE. THE CAR HAS NOT YET BEEN INSPECTED BY DEALER.*AK

CONSUMER ORDERED A SEAT BELT REPLACEMENT PART ON DECEMBER 30, 2003 FROM HAIL NISSAN, JEFFERSON AVENUE, NEWPORT NEWS, VA 23185, SERVICE MANAGER JEFF EVANS. IT HAS BEEN A MONTH AND NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE.*AK

THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RELEASE FROM THE BUCKLE. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. *NM THE DRIVER AND RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELTS WERE FOUND TO BE DIFFERENT. THE SEAT BELT WOULD BIND WHEN PULLED OUT OR WHEN TIGHTENED UP. *SC *JB