Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2018 Nissan Altima owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was rear-ended in my car while at a red light. The car hit me 35 mph plus., Pushing me into the Tahoe in front of me. My shoulder strap driver side DID NOT restrain me and NONE of the air bags deployed. I flew forward towards the steering wheel and dash. Do to me being very short I didn't get hurt, just stiff neck, shoulders. The collision company who did my work stated that the seatbelt should have restrained me and at least 1 airbag should have deployed. I contacted Nissan and I was told that the air bags and seatbelts are only suppose to work in a roll over to prevent from being thrown from the vehicle and that the airbags and seatbelts are working properly. Nissan never offered to check to make sure that the safety components are working properly. There were no warning lights on before or after the accident. Over $10,000 worth of damage was done.
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the passenger's side air bag warning light was turned off, and the contact was informed that the front passenger's side air bag was adjusted; however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the air bag needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 13,000.
On February 7, 2022, my daughter was driving her 2018 Nissan Altima and was involved in an accident. It was a head-on collision, but the airbags didn't deploy and, as a result, she was thrown forward into the steering wheel which caused severe trauma to her head.
Shortly after purchasing my 2018 Nissan Altima (new), there was a recall concerning the passenger side airbag. I took the car to the dealer and had it serviced. Months later, there was a second recall and I took it back promptly; however, the dealer said that nothing was wrong. It was already serviced. I indicated that I had received a second notice. Some time passed, and the same airbag light indicator came on and stayed on. I took my vehicle back to the dealer. This time, they wanted to charge me thousands of dollars. I indicated that this is the same problem from the beginning and I was going to file a lawsuit. The dealer claimed to have fixed the sensor and told me it was a complimentary charge based on "goodwill". The same sensor light is on again. I have had no accidents and I have not had my car serviced for any electrical issues. …
The passenger side airbag warning light first appeared within the first year of ownership. During that visit, the dealership did not repair the defect. They only reset the warning light and told me it was not a problem. No diagnostic documentation or repair explanation was provided, and the underlying issue was not addressed. The warning light returned in April 2026, showing the same unresolved defect. The dealership stated the repair would cost approximately $2,000 and said neither the Certified Pre Owned warranty nor the extended warranty would cover the airbag system. This contradicts the nature of the failure and the prior visit, where the defect was dismissed instead of repaired. This is a repeat failure involving a federally regulated safety component. …
The airbag safety system has failed in my car. When a passenger or driver is in the car. The weight sensors and seatbelt sensors that activate the the airbag system fail to activate. This is something that I caught and mentioned it to a Nissan dealer when my car was in for service on another recall for hood latches. This is something that not only puts risk to passenger and driver in my car. But puts others at risk as well. Nissan and the extended warranty company have failed to correct the issue. As my safety is now at risk if I get into an accident and my airbags do not deploy. The issue is that the weight sensors and modulator have gone bad. The total cost just for those two things is around $585, by the time you add in airbag system replacement it comes to around $5000 to $7000. …
While driving my Nissan Altima 2018 on Sunday 2-1 the indicator light came on. I looked it up in the manual to the car and it stated it was something with the air bag. I took it to the Larry Miller Nissan Mesa AZ. Wednesday, 2-4. According to them I was told the light indicated the air bag would not deployed if I were in an accident. That is life threating. This is report I got from them: They checked for codes found code B0020-13 store din air bag followed the diagnosis procedure as per the ESM to inspect the air bag seta harness to be okay connected first step is to replace the LH side air bag module as per the DTC. They told me it would cost $3,247.44 to fix. I know there was a recall on the air bag for my make and model but unknown to me when it was posted. My car have always ran like a new vehicle to this day until this happen. …
I'm getting an Air Bag warning light showing up on my dash. i took it to the Nissan dealer and its error code B0020-13 which comes up as a Left seat side air bag open error. Apparently the wiring going from the connector under the seat up to the side air bag is intermittently opening up depending what position the seat is in. Nissan said the entire top part of the seat needs to be replaced, very expensive, $2,500.00 to $3,000. This is a big safety problem since this is a common problem with this model from all the research I have done. This is obviously an engineering problem with how the cable is ran or quality of the cable and should be Nissans responsibility not the owner of the vehicle.
My car's airbag light came on and would not go off. I took it to the dealership and was told that the sensor in my passengar seat that detects the weight of some one in the seat is not working. Because of this sensor failing, my air bags will not deploy if the car is involved in an accident. It puts me at a safety risk because air bags will not provide protection to me or passengars riding in my vehicle if I am in a accident. This problem has been confirmed by the dealership. I don't know if the manufacter has inspected the issue or not. There were no other warning lights, messages, or other symptoms prior to this issue.
OCS system is faulty causing the airbags for the passenger to disengage. I am out of warranty for mileage at the time of the problem by 6,000. The car was 3 years old and it is an on going problem again. OCS switch showing improper voltage and cannot be reset unless the factory mechanic does the reset which holds me, the owner, responsible for the diagnostic fee. Additionally, the faulty parts may have to be replaced at my expense as well if it turns out to be a more than a software glitch. There has been recalls for 2016 and prior for the same issue and a recall for 2018 models is happening again.
NHTSA investigations
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
Airbag complaints in other Altima years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2018 Nissan Altima?
NHTSA has 36 complaints about the air bags of the 2018 Nissan Altima, 16% of the model year's 226 complaints. The component named most often is sensor › occupant classification (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2018 Nissan Altima airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 2018 Nissan Altima, though it has 2 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2018 Nissan Altima airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 55,000 miles, and 17% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to air bags problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.