Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2011 Nissan Rogue owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2011 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the contact noticed that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed with the passenger's side seat needing to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The contact was and informed that the VIN was not under recall. There was no further assistance provided. The failure mileage was approximately 16,109. The consumer stated noticed a safety issue because of the disabled flashing airbag warning light on the dashboard while driving at any speed. The vehicle was taken into a local Nissan dealer where it was diagnosed as a faulty OCS (Occupant classification sensor mat passenger seat bottom) which can cause the air bags to improperly deploy. …
The contact's daughter owns a 2011 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light intermittently illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the air bag sensor needed to be replaced however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000. The contact stated that the light came on intermittently at first but now it is on all the time. There is no recall on this issue so the contact would have to pay out of pocket for the repairs.
The contact owns a 2011 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated the air bag warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who diagnosed that the seat occupant classification module for the passenger's side seat failed. The contact stated that in the event of a crash, the air bag would not deploy. The contact did not provide the dealer information. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 95,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the air bag warning light illuminated continuously. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the passenger's side air bag sensor occupant classification system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 125,000.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Code: B1018, OCS Sensor failure in passenger seat which controls the passenger airbags. Passenger side airbag light kicks on thinking there is a "child" or something light in the front seat which disables the airbag. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Passenger side airbag light kicks on thinking there is a "child" or something light in the front seat which disables the airbag. This is a known issue of the manufacturer but yet the refuse to include other years of these vehicles in their recall. There even has been a lawsuit on their "fix" because they just continue to use the same sensors even when replacing the recalled vehicles sensors. They also expect you to pay 2700 to replace an ENTIRE seat cushion to replace said sensor. …
I am the 2nd owner of a 2011 Nissan Rogue purchased in 2016. I have had four problems with the vehicle, the major one being the transmission that will not cool and overheats as soon as the temperature goes up. With the most recent heat wave, I have experienced no power going to the wheels. I had no power steering and had to push my car off the road with a friend with in the car. I also experienced a short in the system where it had no power at all and seemed to have no battery power, it clearly is an electrical short. The fourth issue is the passenger seat airbag. I have never received any notice from Nissan about any of these issues since I purchased the car used in 2016. When I called today, I was told that there were no recalls on my car and hung up on by Nissan America. I clearly saw four recalls that had been issued over the years on all four of these issues. …
Passenger seat Occupant sensor has failed. Yes, available for inspection. This sensor communicates with the Airbag system. The front passenger airbag is disabled due to the fault. The problem has been reproduced, I have followed the process of resetting the DTC and 2 weeks later the DTC has returned. No inspection beyond owner. Vehicle producing DTC B1018 This relates to the occupant sensor which shuts off the airbag when the seat is occupied by a child or small enough adult. Nissan has had several recalls for this sensor in other models and years of this vehicle. Due to poor design the only repair is replacing the entire passenger seat at a cost of over $2000.
Passenger seat Occupant sensor has failed. Yes, available for inspection. This sensor communicates with the Airbag system. The front passenger airbag is disabled due to the fault. The problem has been reproduced, I have followed the process of resetting the DTC and 2 weeks later the DTC has returned. No inspection beyond owner. Vehicle producing DTC B1018 This relates to the occupant sensor which shuts off the airbag when the seat is occupied by a child or small enough adult. Nissan has had several recalls for this sensor in other models and years of this vehicle. Due to poor design the only repair is replacing the entire passenger seat at a cost of over $2000.
I purchased the vehicle from seventy 7 auto on mahoning avenue in Youngstown Ohio I was never told that the car didn't have airbags it has a oil leak and bad catalytic converter after I took it back to the dealer they checked it and said it was good to go as I was leaving the dealer ship I was on the highway driving at the speed limit which is 60 mph then my vehicle did a hard jerk making interrupt the flow of traffic and proceeded to jerk until I was able to make it off the highway and it was never any lights on to tell me my engine oil was leaking or that the car didn't have any airbags at all
With no clear reason the passenger seat airbag system became defective. It did not detect passenger and always stays off. Took it to a certified Nissan dealer and they said it is a common issue, and the only fix is to reset it electrically or pay 2,500 for a new passenger seat. I opted to reset it electrically which cost $150 and was a temporary fix as the system resumed being defective after a few days. The defect is very dangerous as is disables the passenger airbag completely and will not deploy in the event of an accident which can be deadly.
Airbag complaints in other Rogue years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2011 Nissan Rogue?
NHTSA has 45 complaints about the air bags of the 2011 Nissan Rogue, 12% of the model year's 363 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2011 Nissan Rogue airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 2011 Nissan Rogue, 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 2011 Nissan Rogue airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 90,000 miles, and 7% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 5 crashes, 0 fires and 2 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.