Nissan has issued a “do not drive” warning to owners of more than 80,000 older cars because of a possible increased risk of injury due to defective Takata airbag inflators.
The automaker made the announcement on Wednesday, reporting one death and 58 injuries due to an airbag inflator-related rupture, according to Dominique Bizor, Nissan’s director of product public relations.
“Nissan’s do-not-drive warning is the latest effort in a larger, multi-year campaign to inform drivers of the risks of driving vehicles with defective Takata inflators and urge them to complete free recall repairs,” Viser said in a statement to USA Today.
Certain vehicles of the following models and years are affected by the “Do Not Drive” warning:
- 2002-2006 Nissan Sentra
- 2002-2004 Nissan Pathfinder
- 2002-2003 Infiniti QX4
A total of 83,920 Nissan vehicles are affected by this notice.
Viser said owners of recalled vehicles are urged to stop driving immediately and contact their local Nissan or Infiniti dealer to schedule a free repair. For drivers’ convenience, Nissan will be offering free towing options, on-site repairs or loaner vehicles in certain locations.
“Nissan Group strongly advises drivers not to drive the affected vehicles until the free repairs have been completed,” Biser said.
To find out if your vehicle is affected by this safety recall, visit the official Nissan or Infiniti recall webpage at Nissanusa.com/takata-airbag-recall or infinitiusa.com/takata-airbag-recall and enter your vehicle identification number (VIN).
Here’s what you need to know:
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Applicable vehicle models
Prior to Wednesday’s Nissan recall, the following vehicles were already listed on the NHTSA website as being subject to a Takata airbag recall:
Infinity
- 2003-2008 Infiniti FX
- 2001 Infiniti I30
- 2002-2004 Infiniti I35
- 2006-2010 Infiniti M
- 2002-2003 Infiniti QX4
Nissan
- 2001-2003 Nissan Maxima
- 2002-2004 Nissan Pathfinder
- 2002-2006 Nissan Sentra
- 2007-2012 Nissan Versa
Takata airbag defects
Millions of cars with Takata airbags have been recalled in recent years because exposure to high temperatures and humidity can cause the airbags to explode upon deployment, increasing the risk of injury or death, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
NHTSA confirms deaths from Takata airbags
The NHTSA said in a news release that it has confirmed that defective Takata airbags have exploded, killing 27 people in the U.S. At least 400 people have reported injuries caused by exploding Takata airbag inflators.
Additionally, drivers of older model cars may put their passengers at higher risk, as outdated airbags can be a contributing factor in serious injuries or deaths, NHTSA said.
How many vehicles were repaired?
Of the 1.07 million Nissan vehicles equipped with the problematic airbags, 1.02 million have been repaired, according to NHTSA data.
Ajane Forbes is a reporter for USA Today’s National Trends team. Ajane covers breaking news, auto recalls, crime, health, lottery and public policy. Email her at email addressInstagram, Threads, and X (Twitter).
