1999 NISSAN MAXIMA Air Bags Problems

POSSIBLE "TAKATA RECALL." THESE PARTICULAR MAKE, MODELS AND YEAR, VEHICLES HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO HAVE PROBLEMS WHERE THE AIRBAGS HAVE NOT DEPLOYED AFTER HAVE HIGH SPEED ACCIDENTS. I AM VERY SCARED TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT IS ON AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY AN AUTHORIZED NISSAN DEALER AND TWO OTHER SEPARATE AUTOMOBILE REPAIR SHOPS THAT THE AIR BAGS MUST BE REPLACED, AT A COST OF OVER $500.00, TO INSURE THEIR INTEGRITY AND THAT THEY WILL PROPERLY DEPLOY IN THE UNFORTUNATE CASE OF AN ACCIDENT. RIGHT NOW I CAN'T EVEN DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE IT WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION DUE TO THE FACT THE FAILED AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED! I HAVE SEEN THAT THERE ARE TOO MANY CARS OF THIS SAME MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR THAT HAVE COMPLAINTS OF THIS SAME NATURE, EXHIBITING THE SAME AIRBAG FAILURE WARNING LIGHT ANOMALIES AND WORST OF ALL, MANY OF THEM NOT DEPLOYING AFTER HIGH SPEED ACCIDENTS WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE! PLEASE INCLUDE THESE VEHICLES IN THE TAKATA RECALLS, AS IT HAS SHOWN TO HAVE AN SIGNIFICANT MANUFACTURES DEFECT, WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY CLAIM SOME LIVES IF NOT ADDRESSED ASAP; PLEASE DO NOT LET ME OR SOMEONE ELSE LOSE THEIR LIFE DUE TO THIS ISSUE NOT BEING ADDRESSED APPROPRIATELY AND IMMEDIATELY! I TRUST THAT THIS INFORMATION WILL LAND ON THE DESK OF SOMEONE WHO WILL ESTABLISH THE FACTS I HAVE PRESENTED HERE TODAY AND TAKE THE PUBLIC'S SAFETY TO HEART AND DON'T LEAVE THIS ISSUE UP TO WHATEVER FATE MAY COME OF IT! THANK YOU FOR HEARING MY VOICE, IT REPRESENTS MANY OTHERS WHO STILL DRIVE THIS SAME VEHICLE; EVEN THOUGH THE NUMBERS OF US ARE MUCH LESS AT THIS TIME THAN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS FIRST MANUFACTURED; WE STILL DESERVE THE SAME CONSIDERATION GIVEN TO ALL OF THE NEWER VEHICLES ARE RECEIVING ESPECIALLY DUE TO THE FACT THAT NUMBERS OF THOSE VEHICLES AND DRIVERS ARE MUCH GREATER! SINCERELY, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TAKATA RECALL.

MY 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA SE HAD ONE COIL REPLACED IN 2003. THIS YEAR I REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AS WELL. MY AIRBAG LIGHT FLASHES CONSTANTLY AND MY CLOCK GOES IN AND OUT OF SERVICE. MY SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR RUNS VERY ROUGH. WHEN IDLING IT SOUNDS LIKE A CHOKING PIECE OF CRAP AND ON THE HILLS THE LIGHT FLASHES. I WAS TOLD I HAD A BAD COIL AGAIN AND TOOK IT FOR A DIAGNOSTIC THAT SAID MULTIPLE MISFIRE AND REPLACE ALL SIX COILS. I HAVE READ COMPLAINT AFTER COMPLAINT ABOUT COILS. WHEN I BOUGHT MY MAXIMA NEW I THOUGHT I WAS BUYING A CAR THAT WAS RELIABLE BUT I AM HEARING THAT COIL REPLACEMENT IS THE RULE NOT THE EXCEPTION. I ALSO HAVE REAR BRAKE NOISE....SINCE YEAR THREE OF OWNING THE CAR. I HAVE REPLACED TWO SETS OF BRAKE PADS AS WELL. *TR

I WAS IN A FRONT IMPACT ACCIDENT GOING APPROXIMATELY 15-30 MPH. THE PERSON I REAR ENDED WAS STATIONARY AND HIS AIR BAG DEPLOYED. MY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DAMAGE TO MY CAR WAS EXTENSIVE CAUSING THE HOOD TO FOLD INTO AN INVERTED "V" SMASHING IN THE RADIATOR ETC. I WAS VERY CONCERNED THAT MY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I WAS NOT INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT. *JB

Mileage: 100,000

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE ENTIRE AIR BAG SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 5/30/2006 - THE BRAKES MADE NOISE IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE TCS LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE A/C DIDN'T SEEM COLD ENOUGH TO THE CONSUMER.*NM

Mileage: 91,000

I HAVE A 99 NISSAN MAXIMA SE AND I WISH I HAD KNOWN ABOUT THIS WEBSITE BEFORE PURCHASING. AFTER READING THE MULTIPLE AND CONSISTENT COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE FLASHING "AIRBAG" AND "CHECK ENGINE SOON" LIGHTS, I CAN'T BELIEVE THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL. THE DEFECTS REPORTED ARE THE SAME ON EACH INDIVIDUAL 99 MAXIMA LISTED. MY VEHICLE HAS 90,000 MILES ON IT, NO WRECKS, REGULAR MAINTANENCE AS RECOMMENDED AND HAVE SPENT WAY TOO MUCH MONEY ON REPAIRS FOR SENSORS, CYLINDER FAILURE AND NOW THE AIRBAG MALFUNCTION! THE SERVICE FOLKS WANT $600.00 TO FIX THAT. I HAVE READ THE TECHNICAL NOTICES THAT WENT OUT AND OBVIOUSLY THE DEFECTS WERE NOT CORRECTED ON THE CARS WHOSE OWNERS ARE FILING THE COMPLAINTS NOW. I ALSO HAVE A 1993 MAXIMA WITH 217,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE NOW SPENT MORE MONEY IN REPAIRS ON THE 1999 THAT I HAVE HAD FOR 2 YEARS THAN I EVER DID ON THE 1993 IN THE ENTIRE 13 YEARS I HAVE OWNED IT! THE 1999 MODEL OBVIOUSLY HAS SOME SERIOUS FAILURES. AGAIN, REVIEW THE TECHNICAL NOTICES! NISSAN NEEDS TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND DO THE RIGHT THING. IF NOT A RECALL, THEN AT THE VERY LEAST TAKE CARE OF THE ONES HERE WHO HAVE TAKEN THEIR TIME, ENERGY AND MONEY AND FIX THE DEFECTS AT NISSAN'S EXPENSE. IF NOT THEN I'M WITH THE GUY WHOSE NEXT PURCHASE WILL BE A HONDA OR A TOYOTA! *NM

Mileage: 68,000

A WEEK AFTER THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS FLASHING I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER TO GET IT CHECK. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE RIGHT AIR BAG MODULE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT I GOT WHEN I BOUGHT MY CAR A YEAR AGO DID NOT COVER THIS TYPE OF REPAIR. I WOULD HAVE TO COME UP WITH $500 TO REPLACE THE AIR BAG. THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT THEREFORE I CONSIDER THIS A DEFECTIVE PART ON NISSAN. *NM

DT: 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE SIDE AIR BAG MODULE WAS DEFECTIVE. THE AIR BAG INDICATOR WAS BLINKING . TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS A BAD AIR BAG. THE DEALER WOULD NOT GIVE ANY INFORMATION. THERE WAS NO RECALL. *AK *JB

Mileage: 100,000

THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT HAD ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TOT HE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE AIR BAG HAD SHORTED OUT. *NM THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE REMAINING AIR BAGS WILL NOT WORK UNTIL THEY WERE REPLACED AT CONSUMERS EXPENSE SINCE WARRENTY HAS BEEN REACHED. *TC

Mileage: 85,846

I OWN A 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE AIRBAG LIGHT STARTED TO FLASH FOR NO APPARENT REASON. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TYNANS NISSAN IN FT. COLLINS, CO ON JULY 2, 2004 FOR DIAGNOSTICS. WAS INFORMED THAT A MODULE WAS DEFECTIVE, AUTHORIZED ORDERING NEW MODULE ($450). RETURNED ON 7/20/04 FOR REPLACEMENT, WAS TOLD THAT THE ERROR WAS MISDIAGNOSED AND A SERVICE BULLETIN (NTB00-043) STATED THAT " IF A 1998 OR 1999 MAXIMA HAS THE SRS LIGHT FLASHING... INSTALL A SRS SIDE AIR BAG MODULE OF THE TYPE INDICATED IN THE PARTS INFORMATION TO RESOLVE THIS INCIDENT. THIS NEW SIDE AIR BAG MODULE (WITH LONG HARNESS) REPLACES BOTH THE AIR BAG MODULE AND THE SEAT SUB-HARNESS." I REFUSED TO AUTHORIZE THIS REPAIR, THE DEALERSHIP THEN REPLACED THE ORIGINAL PARTS. THE PROBLEM THEN WENT AWAY. ROOT CAUSE IS THE MANUFACTURER ORIGINALLY USED A TWO PIECE WIRE HARNESS THAT MAY (IN MY CASE DOES) BECOME DISCONNECTED WHEN THE SEAT IS MOVED THROUGHOUT ITS RANGE OF MOTION. THE REPLACEMENT HARNESS IS LONGER AND HAS A DIRECT CONNECTION ACCORDING TO NISSAN. I STRONGLY FEEL THAT THIS SAFETY ISSUE SHOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OEM NOT THE CONSUMER DUE TO THE FLAW IN DESIGN. IF SOMEONE NOT AS TECHNICAL AS MYSELF (ELECTRONICS AND MANUFACTURING ENGINEER) WAS TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM THEY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR OVER $1000 IN COST DUE TO NISSANS POOR DESIGN. *AK

Mileage: 65,000

WHILE DRIVING AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT AIR BAG MODULE FAILED, AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED. *AK NO REPAIR HAVE BEEN MADE AT THIS TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY BY ONLY TWO WEEKS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED FOR A GOODWILL SERVICE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO OBTAIN SPECIAL ASSISTANCE OF EVEN PARTIAL COVERAGE OF THE REPLACING THE AIR BAG MODULE. *NM

TWO SUCESSIVE AIR BAG DISCONNECT FAILURES ON A 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA. ON 3/29/03 AT 36,834 MILES THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND I WENT TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS, THE TOLD ME THE BAG CIRCUITRY WAS "OPEN" AND THE BAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY. THEY REPLACED THE DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG MODULE UNDER WARRANTY. ON APRIL 20TH 2004 AT 50,300 MILES THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND I WENT BACK TO THE DEALER. THIS TIME THEY TOLD ME THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG CIRCUITRY WAS " OPEN" AND THE RIGHT SIDE MODULE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. INITIALLY ,THEY TOLD ME IT WAS STILL WITHIN THE 60 MONTH WARRANTY, SUBSEQUENT TO THAT STATEMENT THEY HAVE INSISTED IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND I HAVE TO PAY $422 . MY COMPLAINT IS THAT A EXPENSIVE CAR WITH ONLY 36,000 MILES HAS A AIR BAG FAILURE AND THEN AGAIN AT 50,300 MILES THE OPPOSITE SIDE FAILS AGAIN. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW AND THE CIRCUITRY COULD BE IN THE FAILURE MODE AND THE LIGHT MAY NOT COME ON OR THE ACCIDENT COULD OCCUR AND THE AIR BAGS NOT DEPLOY. I THINK THERE SHOULD BE AN INVESTIGATION BY NISSAN AND AT LEAST HAVE THE WARRANTY EXTENDED . *AK

Mileage: 50,300

9/02 - WITHIN A 90 MILE DRIVE:TACHOMETER, SPEEDOMETER AND TEMPERATURE GAUGE SHUT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS. AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ALSO FLASHING. THEN THEY WOULD EITHER TURN BACK ON BY THEMSELVES OR WHILE I WAS STANDING STILL THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD BE STUCK AT 100MPH. FURTHER INTO THE DRIVE ENGINE WOULD SHUT OFF BY ITSELF LOSING BRAKES AND POWER STEERING DRIVING AT SPEEDS 0-40MPH. FIRST WE REPACED THE BATTERY THEN TOOK IT TO NISSAN WHERE THEY FOUND "INTERNAL FAILURE DASH CIRCUIT BOARD" WHICH WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH THE LEFT SIDE SEAT AIR BAG HARNESS. 1/03 - BATTERY AND BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON. THE CAR BEGAN SPUTTERING AND EVERY OTHER WARNING LIGHT WAS LIT. THEN THE CAR WOULD DRIVE FINE AND DID NOT SHUT OFF. THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED THIS TIME. 7/6/03 - SPEEDOMETER,TACHOMETER AND ODOMETER SHUT OFF FOR ENTIRE 2 1/2 HOUR TRIP. TODAY 7/7 EVERYTHING IS FINE (SO FAR).*AK

Mileage: 95,804

CONSUMER STATES OF HAVING PROBLEMS WITH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AFTER BEEN INVOLVED ON A FRONT COLLISION. DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. TS

CONSUMER STATES THAT HAS BEEN ON A FRONT COLLISION AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. TS

WHEN TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH AN ACCIDENT OCURRED AND THERE WAS A CRASH. DURING THIS OCCURRENCE, DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG, AS WELL AS THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. ALSO, SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD CONSUMER, CAUSING HIS CHEST TO HIT THE WINDSHIELD. *AK

NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG DURING VEHICLE COLLISION, RESULTING INJURY (BACK). NLM

VEHICLE INVOVED IN A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE WHICH RAN IN FRONT OF CONSUMER, AND CAUSED CONSUMER TO HIT THE OTHER VEHICLE ON DRIVER SIDE; CONSUMER'S AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. SEEKING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM NHTSA IN THIS MATTER. *AK