Nissan Xterra Air Bags Problems

Source: NHTSA · Updated Jul 2, 2026 · 177 complaints analyzed

Owners have filed 177 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the Nissan Xterra across 14 model years. The 2007 model year has the most (26). The words owners use most often: “air bag” (33% of reports).

What owners describe

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

  • Air bag: mentioned in 59 of 177 complaints (33%)
  • Failed deploy: mentioned in 11 of 177 complaints (6%)
  • Bags contacted: mentioned in 10 of 177 complaints (6%)
  • Airbags deployed: mentioned in 10 of 177 complaints (6%)

At what mileage do air bags problems happen?

Based on 106 complaints that reported the odometer reading.

Under 10k miles10 · 9%
10k–25k miles10 · 9%
25k–50k miles12 · 11%
50k–75k miles17 · 16%
75k–100k miles20 · 19%
100k–150k miles20 · 19%
150k+ miles17 · 16%

How serious are the reports?

Of 177 complaints, 63 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 48 an injury.

Nissan Xterra air bags complaints by model year

Peak: 2007, with 26 complaints
2000: 152000152001: 8200182002: 192002192003: 102003102004: 4200442005: 192005192006: 202006202007: 262007262008: 232008232009: 6200962010: 112010112011: 9201192012: 4201242014: 320143

n = 177 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Model yearAir Bags complaintsShare of that yearMedian miles
2014 Xterra330%79,500
2012 Xterra425%—
2011 Xterra938%42,432
2010 Xterra1129%83,800
2009 Xterra632%78,000
2008 Xterra2319%58,250
2007 Xterra265%90,150
2006 Xterra203%90,000
2005 Xterra192%80,000
2004 Xterra45%65,500
2003 Xterra1014%18,000
2002 Xterra1912%91,804
2001 Xterra85%80,000
2000 Xterra157%65,000

When owners reported it

Peak: 2023, with 17 complaints
2000: 320002001: 42002: 920022003: 62004: 820042005: 42006: 520062007: 102008: 120082009: 102010: 520102011: 32012: 420122013: 82014: 1020142015: 152016: 1220162017: 102018: 720182019: 62020: 120202021: 52022: 320222023: 17172024: 420242025: 52026: 22026

n = 177 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Related recalls (4)

Air bags:frontalFeb 10, 2023 · NHTSA campaign 23V067000 · 404,690 vehicles

Model years: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011

Problem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2008-2011 Titan, Frontier, Xterra, Pathfinder, Armada, and 2008-2009 Quest vehicles. The resin emblem on the driver's air bag cover may develop cracks and detach during air bag deployment.

Risk: A detached emblem can become a projectile during air bag deployment, increasing the risk of injury to vehicle occupants.

Fix: Dealers will replace the driver’s airbag cover. Owner letters were mailed December 8, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall are PC944, PC945, and PC946.

Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive; steering:gear box:shaft sectorMar 24, 2010 · NHTSA campaign 10V115000 · 4,038 vehicles

Model years: 2010

Problem: Nissan has notified nhtsa of a defect in certain model year 2010 frontier, pathfinder, and xterra vehicles manufactured from february 22, 2010 to march 13, 2010. On some of the potentially affected vehicles, the fasteners securing the passenger front air bag module, and also the fasteners securing the steering shaft positioning bracket may not have been tightened to the proper torque specification.

Risk: In the event of a crash, the passenger front air bag deployment trajectory might be affected. The fasteners could possibly come out of the steering column positioning bracket increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will inspect the steering column and the passenger front air bag fasteners and any missing fasteners will be replaced and all loose fasteners will be retightened to the proper torque specifications free of charge. The safety recall began on april 19, 2010. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

Air bags:frontalDec 29, 2008 · NHTSA campaign 08V690000 · 242,720 vehicles

Model years: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009

Problem: Nissan is recalling 242,720 my 2005-2009 pathfinder, frontier and xterra vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia. In those areas of the country which use heavy concentrations of road salt in the winter, a mixture of snow/water and salt can enter into the front crash zone sensor (czs) housing. If this occurs, the czs may internally rust resulting in a signal interruption. If this happens, the red air bag warning light will illuminate to alert the vehicle operator.

Risk: This issue could result in the non-deployment of the driver and passenger front air bags in a crash, increasing the risk of personal injury.

Fix: Dealers will replace the front czs with a redesigned sensor. The recall began on january 26, 2009. Owners in the other states will receive extended warranty coverage for the sensor to 10 years. These owners will be notified of the warranty extension by mail and will receive a sticker to place in their warranty booklet explaining the extended warranty coverage. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator moduleFeb 27, 2003 · NHTSA campaign 03V061000 · 64,562 vehicles

Model years: 2002

Problem: On certain vehicles, the electrical connector for the driver air bag may come loose. If the connector comes loose, the supplemental air bag warning light flashes intermittently.

Risk: The driver side air bag will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of personal injury.

Fix: Dealers will install a retaining clip on the clock spring electrical connector. Owner notification began april 21, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

What owners report

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

The side curtain airbags on my 2014 Nissan Xterra deployed unexpectedly, without any collision or impact. Nissan's Dispute Resolution Programs team is currently investigating (Incident #56613207). I was currently driving and luckily was able to pull over without any further issues but it could've…

Received Jul 2, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11747910

I took my car to complete Recall NumberPC945, I was told that my car has an issue with the driver side air Bag - Clockspring Assembly / Spiral Cable: REPLACE SPIRAL CABLE - C1163/B1049 and also another issue related to the driver side airbag that is under the steering wheel. I was quoted over $2000…

Received Mar 6, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11722570

I took my 2007 Nissan Xterra to the dealer on 08/04/2025 to complete the air bag safety recall. The dealer performed the recall service, but the recall status has not been updated in the system or on the NHTSA website. It still shows as “incomplete.” Because the recall remains listed as open, I…

Received Oct 6, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11691704

The airbag warning light started flashing. I took the car to Valley Nissan in Longmont, Colorado where I was told that they need to replace the AirBag Diagnosis Sensor and the RH side Airbag Module. Valley Nissan said that these parts were no longer being produced, so they could not complete this…

Received Sep 2, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11684563

I have been in three accidents, of decent speed, and my airbags never deployed. I was told to report that.

Received Aug 9, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11679591
Nissan Xterra
Nissan Xterra (N50) Washington DC, USA. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: OWS Photography, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Frequently asked questions

Do all Nissan Xterras have air bags problems?

No. NHTSA has 177 owner complaints about air bags for the Nissan Xterra. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.

Was there a recall on the Nissan Xterra air bags?

Yes: 4 safety recalls list air bags. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.

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

The most frequent phrase is “air bag”, in 59 of 177 complaints, followed by “failed deploy” (11).

Other Nissan Xterra problems

See all Nissan Xterra problems.