2016 Nissan Altima Airbags Problems
NHTSA lists 70 airbag complaints for the 2016 Nissan Altima, 13% of that year's 553 total complaints. These include 12 crashes, 1 fire, and 15 injuries, with a median failure mileage of 52,000. A related recall, 16V244000, covers Takata airbag inflators on this model year.
- Airbags complaints
- 70
- 13% of 553
- Crashes reported
- 12
- Fires reported
- 1
- Injuries reported
- 15
- Median mileage
- 52,000 mi
- Related recalls
- 1
Typical airbag symptoms owners report
- Airbags fail to deploy in frontal crashes, including collisions with deer and fixed objects at highway speeds.
- Airbags do not deploy in rear-end collisions even when the vehicle is struck while stopped.
- Airbag warning light illuminates and dealers report the module or occupant sensor needs replacement, often outside warranty.
- Passenger seat occupant sensor malfunctions, keeping the passenger airbag disabled while the seat is occupied.
- Drivers and passengers sustain injuries such as neck, back, shoulder, and seatbelt-related bruising when airbags fail to fire.
When 2016 Nissan Altima airbag complaints were filed
First complaint May 2, 2016, latest Jul 30, 2026.
Airbags recalls for the 2016 Nissan Altima
- NHTSA 16V244000Apr 26, 2016Airbags3,296,947 vehicles
Air bags:sensor:occupant classification
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and Infiniti Q50, 2015-2016 Nissan Murano, Murano Hybrid, and Chevrolet City Express, 2014-2015 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid, and 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles. In these vehicles, the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty despite it being occupied. As a result, the passenger frontal air bag may be turned off and not deploy in the event of a crash.
Risk: If the passenger frontal air bag does not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, the passenger is at an increased risk of injury.
Remedy: Nissan will notify their owners. Chevrolet City Express owners will be notified by General Motors. Dealers will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in Altima, Maxima, Murano, Rogue, and Sentra vehicles, and replace the OCS ECU in LEAF, NV200, NV200 Taxi, Pathfinder, Infiniti Q50, JX35, and QX60 and Chevrolet City Express vehicles, free of charge. Interim notices were sent to owners on May 31, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669, Infiniti customer service at 1-888-833-3216 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.
Airbags complaints by Altima model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- Does the 2016 Nissan Altima have an airbag recall?
- Yes. Recall 16V244000 covers Takata airbags on the 2013-2016 Altima and other Nissan models, addressing inflator issues that can prevent proper deployment.
- How many airbag complaints does NHTSA list for the 2016 Altima?
- NHTSA lists 70 airbag complaints for the 2016 Altima, which is 13% of all 553 complaints filed for that model year.
- What is the most common airbag problem reported?
- Owners most often report that airbags failed to deploy during crashes, including collisions with deer, other vehicles, and rear-end impacts, sometimes resulting in injuries.
- At what mileage do airbag problems typically appear?
- The median mileage at failure for airbag complaints on the 2016 Altima is 52,000 miles.
- Were there any injuries or fires linked to airbag issues?
- NHTSA data shows 15 injuries, 12 crashes, and 1 fire tied to airbag complaints for the 2016 Altima.