2017 Nissan Altima Air Bags Problems

Source: NHTSA · Updated Oct 14, 2026 · 73 complaints analyzed

Owners have filed 73 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the 2017 Nissan Altima, 19% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 65,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “air bag” (27% of reports).

What owners describe

Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.

  • Air bag: mentioned in 20 of 73 complaints (27%)
  • Passenger seat: mentioned in 8 of 73 complaints (11%)
  • Never accident: mentioned in 6 of 73 complaints (8%)
  • Driver side airbag: mentioned in 6 of 73 complaints (8%)

How much does it cost to fix?

Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical air bags repair on the 2017 Nissan Altima at $2,750, and half of them between $1,050 and $3,100.

Based on 13 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2020–2025), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.

At what mileage do air bags problems happen?

Based on 17 complaints that reported the odometer reading.

Under 10k miles1 · 6%
10k–25k miles0 · 0%
25k–50k miles5 · 29%
50k–75k miles7 · 41%
75k–100k miles4 · 24%
100k–150k miles0 · 0%
150k+ miles0 · 0%

How serious are the reports?

Of 73 complaints, 10 mention a crash, 9 an injury.

Nissan Altima air bags complaints by model year

Peak: 2013, with 514 complaints
1995: 6119951996: 371997: 351998: 1519981999: 132000: 142001: 1520012002: 342003: 282004: 1120042005: 472006: 432007: 6320072008: 1422009: 912010: 6120102011: 212012: 572013: 51420135142014: 2082015: 1772016: 7120162017: 732018: 362019: 1120192020: 82021: 22022: 320222024: 22025: 1

n = 1,894 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Model yearAir Bags complaintsShare of that yearMedian miles
2025 Altima114%—
2024 Altima25%3,200
2022 Altima310%5,600
2021 Altima23%—
2020 Altima85%67,000
2019 Altima115%27,806
2018 Altima3616%46,478
2017 Altima7319%65,000
2016 Altima7113%52,000
2015 Altima17719%30,400
2014 Altima20819%22,000
2013 Altima51422%14,000
2012 Altima5713%51,000
2011 Altima219%38,400
2010 Altima6116%50,000
2009 Altima916%65,500
2008 Altima14214%71,700
2007 Altima6313%54,000
2006 Altima435%93,000
2005 Altima474%90,000
2004 Altima114%107,000
2003 Altima283%70,500
2002 Altima343%72,750
2001 Altima159%75,000
2000 Altima149%80,000
1999 Altima1315%75,500
1998 Altima1512%70,000
1997 Altima3532%61,500
1996 Altima3740%78,075
1995 Altima6134%103,000

When owners reported it

Peak: 2023, with 18 complaints
2017: 3201732018: 2201822019: 1201912020: 4202042021: 8202182022: 7202272023: 182023182024: 152024152025: 8202582026: 720267

n = 73 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Related recalls (0)

No safety recall lists air bags for the 2017 Nissan Altima. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.

What owners report

Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.

The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving 80 MPH, the air bag warning light illuminated and remained illuminated. The dealer was contacted and diagnosed the vehicle with an electrical fault inside the air bag, and it was determined that the air bag inside the seat…

Received Sep 10, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11763413

I was driving home from the store like 4 blocks away and on the road there’s dip n the road you can’t avoid it so after i drive over it the airbag light comes on with hitting anything.

Received Aug 11, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11756382

The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle with a passenger inside the vehicle, the air big warning light illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to two separate dealers to be inspected, and it was determined that the air…

Received Jul 21, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11751795
Nissan Altima
A 2023 Nissan Altima SR I photographed in Lompoc, California. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: LukaCali, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Frequently asked questions

Do all 2017 Nissan Altimas have air bags problems?

No. NHTSA has 73 owner complaints about air bags for the 2017 Nissan Altima (19% of the 392 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.

Was there a recall on the 2017 Nissan Altima air bags?

No recall currently lists air bags for this vehicle.

At what mileage do air bags problems start?

The median reported mileage is 65,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.

How much does it cost to fix air bags problems on the 2017 Nissan Altima?

Owners report a typical cost of $2,750 (half paid between $1,050 and $3,100), from 13 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.

What do owners say about air bags problems on the 2017 Nissan Altima?

The most frequent phrase is “air bag”, in 20 of 73 complaints, followed by “passenger seat” (8).

Other 2017 Nissan Altima problems

See all 2017 Nissan Altima problems or air bags problems across all Altima years.