Problems · by component

2015 Nissan Sentra air bags problems

44 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2015 Nissan Sentra cite air bags, 13% of all 352 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 2 recalls on this component.

Complaints
44
13% of all complaints
Crashes
16
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
17
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the air bags

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“When a passenger sits in the passenger seat it doesn't register them in the seat and doesn't turn passenger airbag on. It always stays off and my air bag light on the dash never turns off. It's been like that since I bought the car in May of 2025. So any additional details are unknown.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 2, 2026Air bagsODI 11708284
“My wife was rear ended and side collision accident. She was injured with side airbags both arm was severely cut. The steering airbag did not deploy as a result she had head injury and the upper teeth was push up when her head hit the steering wheel. She had to be pry out with a Crowbar tool.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 22, 2025Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11675400
“On [XXX] I was driving my 2015 Nissan Sentra S (manual transmission) in Los Angeles, CA. While traveling at a moderate speed on a city street, another vehicle crossed into my lane, resulting in a direct, head-on collision. The impact caused severe damage to the entire front end of my vehicle: the hood crumpled, the front bumper and grille detached, and internal components such as the radiator support and crash bar were visibly deformed. The damage was so extensive that vehicle two’s (at-fault driver’s) insurance company declared the car a total loss. Despite the severity of the frontal impact, none of the airbags deployed. This was unexpected, as the collision was strong enough to stop both vehicles instantly—pushing my vehicle backwards until both vehicles came to a halt, resulting in significant structural deformation. There were no warning lamps, error messages, or previous issues with the airbag system prior to the accident. Photographs and video footage of the incident are available. As a direct result of the airbag non-deployment, my head and jaw made contact with the steering wheel, causing chest, jaw, neck, back, and shoulder pain, as well as severe…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 1, 2025Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11670434
“1. Front passenger side seat fails to activate the air bag once a passenger has occupied the seat, and buckled up. The airbag "off" indication light remains illuminated at all times, and if it isn't being activated, may cause bodily harm, injury, or death to any passenger of the vehicle in the unfortunate event of a collision. Vehicle was requested to be checked out at Lorenzo Nissan in Ft. Lauderdale, FL in November 2023, but was refused. FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG, FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG INDICATION LIGHT ••••••••••••••••••••••• 2. 2015 Sentra CVT transmission slips, shakes and stalls. On numerous occurrence this has caused near tragic collisions with multiple vehicles. One such instance forced the vehicle into 'limp mode' in a high speed area of a busy freeway and nearly caused numerous vehicles to collide into the stalled Sentra at rates of speed over 70 MPH. Furthermore, the 2015 Sentra has an issue shifting from park, and will not move out of park, even with the brake applied, unless the gear release button is applied. Vehicle was requested to be examined by Lorenzo Nissan in November 2023, but the dealership refused to inspect any…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 27, 2024Power train, Air bags, SeatsCrash reportedODI 11574140
“The contact called on behalf of her son who owned a 2015 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that her son was driving at an unknown MPH, when he crashed into a concrete structure. There were no warning lights illuminated. The air bags did not deploy. Her son had a concussion but later started driving to his residence; then was assisted by a police officer. The contact was not sure if a police report was filed. The police notified the contact regarding the accident. Her son was sent to the hospital with bruised lungs, and other minor injuries. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to the salvage lot. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 21, 2022Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11475189
“The airbag sensor fails to register the weight of a grown adult in the passenger seat. I have brought my car into a Nissan dealership to get this issue checked out, but I was told that there is no issue. I first noticed this issue approximately 5 years ago and has occasionally occured since. If the airbag sensor does not light up when there is a passenger (who is over 100 lbs and over 13 y/o) and does not deploy the airbag in the event of an accident, the passenger of my car could be seriously injured or killed.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 3, 2021Air bagsODI 11439259

Showing 6 of 44 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

2 recalls on this component

Air bags: occupant classification

Remedy pending

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.

Air bagsReported Apr 26, 2016NHTSA 16V244000

Air bags: occupant classification

Free remedy

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Sentra vehicles manufactured June 4, 2012, to April 9, 2016. The front passenger seat belt bracket may become deformed if it is used to secure a Child Restraint System (CRS). The deformed seat bracket may cause the Occupant Classification System (OCS) to incorrectly classify the installed CRS, resulting in the front passenger air bag to not be turned off as designed when a CRS is in the seat.

Air bagsReported Apr 26, 2016NHTSA 16V242000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 3, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.