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Nissan Altima Air Bag Defect Blinds Passengers

On April 24, 2003 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced an agreement by Nissan to replace dangerous passenger side airbags in 1994 and some models of 1995 Nissan Altimas. As Public Citizen and the Center for Auto Safety pointed out over two years ago, these airbags pose an unreasonable risk of blinding or inflicting severe eye injury on passengers, even in low speed crashes. Consumers who own these vehicles should immediately go to their Nissan dealership to have their passenger side airbag modules replaced free of charge.  No one should ride in the passenger side of these Altimas until the airbag is fixed.

Click here to read NHTSA’s Office of Defect Investigation's 4-24-03 report on the 1994-95 Nissan Altima.
Click here to read Nissan's draft letter to owners of Nissan Altimas describing their passenger-side airbag replacement campaign.

While this is a good result, it took far too long for Nissan to admit the hazards of its airbag and to act to protect consumers - - at least 79 people have suffered eye injuries from these airbags, yet Nissan dithered and delayed.

Read the Victims' Statements:
Click here to read the statement of Kevin Nero, a Nissan Altima airbag victim. "...as a result of this air bag defect, I will live with the painful result of this accident, which has damaged my eye forever."
 Click here to read the statement of Norma Brainerd, a Nissan Altima airbag victim. "It became apparent that this issue was larger than just my injury."
Click here to read Nissan’s 2001 denial of Altima airbag hazards.

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