Engine vibration can apparently fool the software into thinking the seat is empty.
Nissan North America is conducting a recall on almost one million Nissan and Infiniti 2013 and 2014 models because defective software can prevent the passenger-side airbag from working during an accident. Affected are some of the company’s most popular vehicles including the Altima, Pathfinder, Sentra as well as Infiniti Q50 and QX60 vehicles, which were built in Japan, Mexico and the U.S.
The safety defect is caused by software that thinks the passenger seat is empty when it is occupied. Failure of the airbag to deploy during a crash of sufficient intensity could increase the risk of injury to the passenger. It is the latest example of how computer programming of electronics is a growing problem in not only safety matters but also hurting customer satisfaction ratings.
In the required NHTSA safety defect filing Nissan said, “The Occupant Classification System (OCS) algorithm may not properly classify an adult passenger front seat occupant. More specifically, a combination of factors such as high engine vibration at idle when the seat is initially empty and then becomes occupied, or unusual occupant seating postures immediately upon being seated may cause the OCS to classify an occupied front passenger seat as empty. In some instances, the OCS may properly re-classify the passenger seat status if the vehicle comes to a stop and begins to idle again with lower vibration.”
Dealers and owners will be notified in mid-April. This is an expansion of a recall that Nissan started in April of 2013.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
