Detroit, MI: Nissan Motor Co is recalling 1,053,479 vehicles globally, approximately 990,000 in the United States and 60,000 in Canada, to fix a software defect that could deactivate the front passenger airbag.
The recall involves the 2013-2014 Altima sedan and Sentra small car and Pathfinder SUV; 2013-2014 Leaf electric car; the 2013 Infiniti JX35 crossover vehicle; and the 2014 Infiniti Q50 sedan and QX60 crossover; as well as the 2013 Nissan NV 200 cargo van, according to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) documents.
According to NHTSA reports, the vehicle occupant classification system software may incorrectly classify the passenger seat as empty, deactivating the airbag and increasing the risk of an injury in a crash.
Nissan has identified two accidents in which the passenger airbag did not deploy, according to NHTSA documents. The recall, is expected to begin in mid-April, and will involve updating the software free of charge.
