Didn't Go Well

Well, I'm went for service on Monday regarding the "passenger airbag off" light on the console. My wife is 5'3" and weighs 110 pounds. If the car sits in the cool air this light comes on and stays on, indicating that the air bag will not function. But when the car is warm (out of the garage) no problem. So this is not a how much do you weigh issue or are you sitting up straight issue. There is something else going on here.

We got the car in Sept and this was not a problem until cooler weather began. Now, several days ago when this happened, I pulled aside and switched places with her. I weigh 155 and the light did not go out. From what I researched, it is connected to a sensor in the seat cushion. Something is definitely in need of an adjustment.

Tech said that my Rogue has no problems in this system. I say it does. I told the Service Manager that I do not have small children or pets that need protected, only a wife who should not have her airbag turned on and off by a system that has no problems.

I requested that the detection system be turned off. He has a call into Nissan to find out what has to be done.

BTW, coming home from shopping today I was alone. I deliberately put one small grocery bag and 3 bottles of wine on the passenger seat so that I could observe this system working "properly." The turn-off light did not come on!! LOL

Part TwoService just called back and said NO, we will not disconnect this system. The check system diagnostics said no error and we have no place to look. And since no one else is complaining the car is fine, it is you and your 110 pound wife that is the problem. She is too small to have an airbag anyways!!! Unless we can recreate the problem we cannot fix it.

I am leaving them the car after Thanksgiving. Can any of you give me input about this problem in other Nissan products and how it was fixed.

Part Three

I filed a complaint with the NHTSA today and I am really fuming about this. I have mentally drawn up letters to Nissan Divisions including engineering for the construction of safety features that do not work properly. Also I am planning on notifying my insurance company of safety features not operating as sold (to me and them). Plus, after 3 failed attempts to fix this, I will quality for Lemon Law procedures in PA!! I might even give an interview to the Pittsburgh papers.

If any of you observe this problem, please post so that I know about the problem elsewhere.

Thanks for sharing this issue with us.

Sorry to hear that you are frustrated by this... I would be angry myself.

My understanding was always that the airbag deployment switch was in fact based on the weight of the person in the front seat. Theoretically, a smaller person (child, pre-teen) would not weigh enough to trigger the bags to turn on.The other thing that I thought was a trigger was distance from the airbag (you're supposed to be at least 10 inches away from the bag to maintain safety).

I'm baffled by the idea that your light seems to be triggered by temperatures inside or outside... That clearly seems to be broken.

I would push hard to get some answers.. you'll be doing all of us a favor.. please let us know how your work turns out.

btw.. if you don't get anywhere.. I believe you can have a manual switch installed on your own.. http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_....html

Wow that is crazy! Sit someone in the front seat and take a video camera and another person in the back seat and get a shot of it happening. SMOKING GUN!

Hi all,I don't think I have the same problem as the original poster, ie. temperature related, but here is what happened to us.

The day we picked up the car, the passenger airbag was disabled (light turned on) when the car doors were opened for a while after ignition was turned on (salesman was showing us features etc. before the handover). I asked about it. He could not figure it out. We opened the manual and read it with the salesman and could not figure out what happened. I am 5'4" and 115 lbs. It was the car salesman in the passenger seat when the system was disabled. He is not a large man but I would say about 140, 150 lbs. The problem has not occurred again...so far. We restarted the car and the system worked fine. I am not sure if it was a fluke.

My husband has the car and he's not home so I cannot quote the manual. However, I remember reading that it is timed. I think when you turned on the ignition, the sensor will detect the weight and decide if the system will be disabled or not. It has only so many seconds to do this. So if the passenger does not get into the seat within that time frame, the system is disabled. To activate it again, I think you have to turn off the ignition and restart the car.

Let me know if that works for you.

I had the same problem with my Rogue and they said that nothing shows up. They tested it out and it all looked good. The light would randomly go off and on.

I was pissed and said that I will wait. About 2 weeks later, the airbag light on my front dash starting flashing.

I took it to Nissan and they did a check. Apparently the module that connects all the airbags and controls whether it gets deployed and how died.

I had to drive for 3 days without any airbags and they would not even give me a rental.

It was complete and utter BS.

They replaced the module and it seems like all the airbag issues went away. It could be just a warning that the full airbag system is going to fail.

Thank you for that input. One of the comments made by my service manager after speaking to Nissan was that no one else has this problem, so it is not a problem.

Your service was done in what city of Manitoba?

I too have noticed random flashing. At first I thought I was crazy. But I think one of the previous posters was right, if no one's in the seat after so much time then it stays off. I think...

I live in Winnipeg Manitoba Canada

If you want I can check my invoice for the code that it registered at. Not a 100% sure if the code is there

desiguy wrote:I live in Winnipeg Manitoba Canada

If you want I can check my invoice for the code that it registered at. Not a 100% sure if the code is there

Please do that for me. I am really pleased and annoyed about this airbag off light.Annoyed that it was happening on my new Rogue, of course.Pleased, because it has not happened since I had the car in for that check-up that revealed nothing.

With nothing occurring, how can I possibly take the car into the shop and ask that they replicate and fix. I am watching all though the holiday.

Count me in as someone wondering what that code for the defective module is.

I've had my Rogue for a couple of months, and I've had that light turn on (passenger bag turned off) when someone is in the passenger seat.

At first I thought it was because her weight was less, but the light even came on when I was in the passenger seat and I'm around 160 lbs.

This all happens at highway speeds.

I brought the car in earlier today for its first oil/change, and not surprisingly, the service department checked on it and said there was nothing wrong with it.

I would've asked them to take a test drive with me at the time so I could've hopefully shown them exactly what was going on, but I was pressed for time and had to leave right after.

Sorry it took me a while to get back. This is what it said on my invoice.

Complaint: Customer indicates that the SRS light is illuminated.Cause: Checked for Code with PGM TesterCorrection: Sensor and Diagnosis RQ29AA 1.8 HD/32 Code: B1015 Conmtrol Unit RQ666A 0.2

K8820-JM100 Module was replaced.

Hope this helps. This seems to have fixed my passenger airbag light not shutting plus the flashing airbag light on the front dash. I had the passenger aribag since day 3.

I had a similar thing happen on my 06 Civic but it was a recall with the ODS airbag and they replaced it free of charge.

I had this happen once while driving with my partner in the passenger seat. Randomly the "Airbag Off" light went on for about a minute and then turned off. The same thing happened when I had my brother in the passenger seat. The problem with him, though, is that he doesn't sit back in the seat. He slouches so much that the seat isn't able to weigh him properly. He said the same thing happens when he sits in his wife's Lexus....

I had the light coming on in my Rogue. I could reciprocate it by seating at the edge of the passenger sit. I called the Nissan dealer service manager, and after discussing it with him he acknowledged that if you don't sit exactly square in the seat, the programing shuts the air bag off. That's the way they set it up. i can bring it in for them to confirm it's doing it, but ultimate they can't modify it because it's working the way the Factory intended. However, if enough people complain to Nissan they might arrive at at solution. The Number to call is 1-800-647-7261. You have to navigate through a bunch of phone transfers and then wait for a representative. They suggest you have your VIN number listed when you call. Let make calls to resolve the safety issue in the Rogue.

I too am having this same problem, and ITS NOT WEGHT, It's my car (I weigh110) but it mostly happens when hubby is in passengers seat (he's 225), had the exact same problem on the 2004 BMW X3 that I got rid of for the Rogue, they immediatly replaced the whole seat and it was leather, Rogue is not, I better not find out that service after the sale is the biggest difference between a BMW and a Nissan, calling the dealer NOW

Have any of you had any luck getting this fixed? Unfortunately I haven't.

Update:

I called the 800 number in an earlier post and a representative asked me to bring the car to another dealership for a second diagnosis.

I just got back from the second dealership, and they weren't able to fix the problem. They basically told me that the codes checked out, and everything was running as it should, even though I had given them the recommended codes from an earlier post in this thread.

The first dealership admitted that the light was coming on, but the service rep also admitted that other Rogues on the lot were doing the same thing. He kept on assuring me that this was "normal" and that the airbag system is on. I asked if it's on even though the light turned on, and he answered yes.

I'm about to call the 800 number again to see what else I need to do.

For those that are still having problems with this issue, have you filed a complaint with NHTSA?

My wife and I seem to be having this same problem. except in reverse; shes the driver, im the passanger and around 200lbs. The passanger airbag light is sometimes on and other times, its off. Theres really no rhyme or reason to it. We've had the Rogue for 3 weeks now!

first of all, saying every car on the lot have the same problem does not make it normal.

I too have the same problem. As I went through a several posts, I don't think the weight on the seat is the issue. I have put my notebook bag there and the light goes on and off.

Does anyone know where the sensor is located or how it is activated? I'm starting to think it's how the weight on the seat is distributed. I said that because once I noticed my girl friend was in the seat sitting side way to take a nap, the light goes on. when she turned around and sat straght, the light goes off.

with that said, I'm going to do a little experienment this afternoon by putting weights on differnet area of the seat and record the results. I will post again if there's any find.

albertwang16 wrote:I noticed my girl friend was in the seat sitting side way to take a nap, the light goes on. when she turned around and sat straght, the light goes off.

Yes, I have seen the same thing. However if anyone sits in the seat normally, I have never had a problem with the light going on/off. The sensor itself is a pad that covers most of the cushion.

My Rogue has 300 miles on it and for the last 100 or so all I've had in the passenger seat is my briefcase and the Off light has not come on. Is there a break in period for this or something?

mx6bfast wrote:My Rogue has 300 miles on it and for the last 100 or so all I've had in the passenger seat is my briefcase and the Off light has not come on. Is there a break in period for this or something?

There isn't a 'break-in' period. Airbag system design and operation is strictly governed by federal law. It has to work as designed from the day it leaves the factory. This includes the passenger 'occupant classification sensor' or weight sensor built into the seat.

philipa_240sx wrote:
There isn't a 'break-in' period. Airbag system design and operation is strictly governed by federal law. It has to work as designed from the day it leaves the factory. This includes the passenger 'occupant classification sensor' or weight sensor built into the seat.

Thanks. I haven't had a new car in a very long time so I wasn't sure. I noticed today the light comes on when I start the car, but goes off after a second or 2 as if someone is in the passenger seat at all times. Looks like I will be taking it to the dealer.

mx6bfast wrote:Thanks. I haven't had a new car in a very long time so I wasn't sure. I noticed today the light comes on when I start the car, but goes off after a second or 2 as if someone is in the passenger seat at all times. Looks like I will be taking it to the dealer.

From page 1-46 of the owner's manual:

Status light:The front passenger air bag status light is located on the instrument panel below the air conditioner controls. The light operates as follows:. Unoccupied passenger seat: The light is OFF and the front passenger air bag is OFF and will not inflate in a crash.. Passenger’s seat occupied by a small adult, child or child restraint as outlined in this section: The light illuminates to indicate that the front passenger air bag is OFF and will not inflate in a crash.. Occupied passenger seat and the passenger meets the conditions outlined in this section: The light is OFF to indicate that the front passenger air bag is operational.

Thus, there is nothing wrong with your vehicle. The light is designed to go out after about 7 seconds after starting, and will be OFF (not lit) if the seat is (a) occupied by an adequate sized adult (and the airbag WOULD inflate), or (b) empty (and the airbag would NOT inflate). If occupied by a small adult, child, or a load of laundry, it should be ON (lit) to indicate that something is in the seat and the airbag is NOT going to inflate.

The only time you need to worry about this light is if you have a normal sized adult in the seat and the light turns on anyway showing the airbag is deactivated. Even then, you need to make sure the occupant is sitting properly and there's nothing under the seat.

The airbag light in the gauges (around the spedometer and such) should flash if there's a malfunction in the system itself.

Always read the manual....

Al

I am having the same issue... while driving it will randomly shut offHere i thought my Rogue was a lemon since i am on my second transmission and experiencing the rattle again, and the passenger air bag issue... awesome quality control here Nissan!

I got same problem, the air bag off sign goes on for no reason, even when my friend who is 200lbs seating there. lol

I have the same problem with the airbag randomly turing off. Its usually my wife sitting in the passenger seat. She is 5.4, 110 lbs. I would say it is fairly infrequent at this point. 10% of the time maybe.

I have a 2009 Murano LE AWD and my Passanger Air bag seems to work in reverse. The light that says AIR BAG OFF is always off. Indicating that the Passager Air Bag is active. But when someone sits in the passanger seat, the light lights indicating that the air bag is off....I have an appt on November 20th. I will follow up.

Isn't this what the recall is to fix?

daytrippr wrote:Isn't this what the recall is to fix?

Yes! How did all these posters miss that?

The recall was just issued in October. Most of these posts were made before then.