2011 Nissan Leaf Air Bags & Restraints Problems

Car throws a B1018 DTC, which is for the passenger seat occupancy sensor. The seat occupancy sensor failing poses a major safety risk, as it causes the airbags to not deploy properly in the event of a crash. This is a very well known issue for the 2011-2012 LEAF, and the only option Nissan gives to fix this is a full seat replacement, which is cost prohibitive at over $3000. Previously, a recall was issued for 2013-2016 LEAFs for a similar issue, but the 2011-2012 was not included in that recall.

Air bag sensor fault, passenger seat warning on dashboard. Confirmed sensor failure at repair shop. Notified by Nissan that sensors are DISCONTINUED parts. No alternative solution suggested. This means all airbags in this vehicle are disabled. Car has less than 40,000 miles and has years of service life left. How is Nissan allowed to discontinue supply of an essential safety component?

Please see thread: [XXX] My 2011 Nissan Leaf's OCS has failed randomly. I pulled the code via an Bluetooth OBD reader and the LeafSpy Pro app installed on my phone: B1018-00 09 AIR BAG Occupant Sens [Unit Fail] SRC-41. I took the car to a local dealership and was quoted over $4k for a full seat replacement with no ETA as the part is on back order. There is no option to simply replace the OCS alone and there is no workaround from Nissan to re-enable the passenger airbag without paying the $4k for the new seat. Opened a case with Nissan Consumer Affairs who advised they could do nothing for me. The repair is more expensive than the value of the vehicle. Because Nissan offers no workaround other than paying $4k for a new seat, consumers are incentivized to bypass the airbag sensor using a 3rd-party box (see here [XXX] rather than properly repair it. This is a safety issue and Nissan should do the right thing in making the repair affordable or making an official way to bypass the sensor/enable the airbags. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Supplemental air bag warning light started blinking on 9/24/2023. It blinks regardless of whether the front passenger seat is occupied. The OCS sensor for the passenger seat failed. This should have been covered by a recall. The dealer wants over $3,000.00 to replace the seat cushion. I declined the repair. Dealer assured me that driver air bag isn't affected, so I'll operate the car without a front passenger. Dealer Estimate: Denied Repair Step Step Total: $3,687.14 Correction: inspected system, dtc b1018 for occupant sensor unit failure is present. Cleared dtc, when sitting in passenger seat, dtc came back on. Inspected continuity to passenger seat occupant sensor and found ok at this time. Diagnosis says replacement of passenger occupant sensor assembly (lower seat assembly) Labor: $588.00

My airbag sensor light went off for no reason. I took it into the dealership and was told that it would cost $3,700 to get it repaired/replaced since the seat needs to be removed. I am concerned that this safety issue is not taken care of and have read that many 2011 Leaf's are having this same issue.

The airbag warning light has come on. An independent shop and the dealer say the repair is $4500 or more -- greater than the value of the vehicle, because Nissan only sells the complete passenger seat as a repair part, and requires the airbag be paired with the car at the dealer. I ask that this situation be resolved by Nissan making just the seat cushion available as a repair part, as they have for recalls of airbags on other model year cars. The SAFETY problem is that Nissan's refusal to sell a repair part, leads to a FISCAL INCENTIVE TO BYPASS THE AIRBAG. See also NHTSA #: 08V-521

Air bag occupant sensor in front passenger seat failure causing air bag system shut off. DTC Code: B 1018 Description: Air Bag Occupant Sensor (Unit Fail). Well documented common failure of this critical safety component on the Nissan Leaf Forum. Sensor is not available to replace the defective part and a recall campaign was issued by Nissan, but doesn't cover 2011-2012 models. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The system scan revealed the DTC Code. Code returns after code clearing. Component has not been inspected by manufacturer. Air Bag Warning indicator lamp and Air Bag Off X 2 lamp illuminated.

Passenger airbag sensor is not working. When car is turned on and driving, the dashboard continually displays a red flashing warning light indicating an airbag malfunction. There is also a message that the passenger air bag is off. Newer Nissan Leaf models have had the same problem and have been recalled, but not the 2011 year. It should be recalled. Estimated cost to fix is $3000. Seat bottom was replaced in 2016.

Airbag light comes on when it should not. Vehicle disables the passenger airbag because it has code B1018. Airbag should not disable when an adult is sitting in the passenger seat. Code can be reset, but will come back any time someone sits in the passenger seat, regardless of size.

The air bag sensor unit failed. The car only has 5271 miles on it and it was stored in a warm garage since 2011. This failure isn't due to use so it must be a manufacturing defect.

PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR IS NOT WORKING. WHEN CAR IS TURNED ON AND DRIVING, THE DASHBOARD CONTINUALLY DISPLAYS A RED FLASHING WARNING LIGHT INDICATING AN AIRBAG MALFUNCTION. THERE IS ALSO A MESSAGE CONTINUOUSLY DISPLAYING THAT THE PASSENGER AIR BAG IS OFF. NEWER NISSAN LEAF MODELS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND HAVE BEEN RECALLED, BUT NOT THE 2011 YEAR. IT SHOULD BE RECALLED. ESTIMATED COST TO FIX IS $3000.

2011 NISSAN LEAF HAS CODE B1018 OCCUPANT SENS(UNIT FAIL) FOLLOWING A CUP OF WATER SPILLED ON FRONT SEAT. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AT TIME. ONLY PROPOSED REMEDY IS TO REPLACE FRONT SEAT AND SENSOR FOR ~$2,624. 2013-2016 LEAF WERE RECALLED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 16V244000; PLEASE EXPAND RECALL TO 2011 & 2012 NISSAN LEAF.

AIRBAG LIGHT FLASHING. PASSENGER AIR BAGS ARE DISABLED. DEALER FIX IS A NEED A NEW PASSENGER SEAT AT A COST OF $3,000+. CURRENT FAULT CODE IS B1018. OCCUPANT SENSOR UNIT FAIL. SEAT IS PERFECT AND NO ONE SITS ON IT - IT JUST STOPPED WORKING. THIS IS A KNOWN IISSUE

AIRBAG LIGHT FLASHING. PASSENGER AIR BAGS ARE DISABLED. DEALER FIX IS A NEED A NEW PASSENGER SEAT AT A COST OF $3,000+. CURRENT FAULT CODE IS B1018. OCCUPANT SENSOR UNIT FAIL. NO DAMAGE TO SEAT OR CUSHION. IT JUST STOPPED WORKING. SAFETY ISSUE. SAFETY RECALL SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED.

AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHES INDICATING AIR BAG SYSTEM INOPERATIVE. IT CAN BE RESET BY RECYCLING THE CAR ON/OFF 3 TIME WITHIN CERTAIN TIME LIMITS. THE LIGHT STARTS FLASHING AGAIN WITHIN ABOUT 5-20 MILES OF DRIVING. SAME PROBLEM ON OTHER NISSAN LEAFS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY RECALLED. NISSAN DEALER WANTS $250 AND CHANGE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND THEN TELL ME WHAT THE SOLUTION IS, BUT EVERYBODY ALREADY KNOWS THE SOLUTION IN A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER SEAT AND SENSOR. THE NISSAN CUSTOMER AFFAIRS OFFICE INSISTS THAT I PAY THE DIAGNOSIS FEE DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE DASH BOARD LIGHT ALREADY DIAGNOSES THIS PROBLEM, WHICH ALONG WITH THE KNOW HISTORY OF NISSAN LEAF CLEARLY POINTS TO THE KNOWN PROBLEM. NISSAN CUSTOMER AFFAIRS SAYS "WE WILL CONSIDER GOOD WILL ASSISTANCE" - AFTER I PAY THE DIAGNOSIS, BUT LATER IN THE CALL NOTED THAT THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY SO IT IS CLEAR NO GOOD WILL ASSISTANCE IS BEING CONSIDERED. THE DEALER SERVICE MANAGER (HAYWARD) TELLS ME THAT HE HAS HAD A NUMBER OF LEAFS IN WITH THE AIRBAG LIGHT FLASHING AND IT COULD BE "ANYTHING FROM A LOOSE CONNECTOR TO THE WIRING HARNESS," WHICH INTERESTINGLY IS A SET OF POSSIBILITIES THAT EXCLUDES THE SENSOR/SEAT REPLACEMENT WHICH IS THE WELL KNOWN FIX. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT IS NISSAN'S RESPONSIBILITY. PLEASE RECALL THIS VEHICLE. THANKS.

THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT AND DANGER SYMBOL BEGAN FLASHING RECENTLY. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THE AIRBAG SENSOR IN THE SEAT FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE AIRBAGS WOULD NOT FUNCTION UNTIL THE REPAIR WAS COMPLETED. THIS VEHICLE HAS UNDER 60,000 MILES ON IT AND THE REPAIR PART COSTS NEARLY $3000 WHICH IS ABOVE THE KBB VALUE OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO INCIDENT TO REPORT, JUST A FAILURE ON THE VEHICLE.

ILLUMINATED AIRBAG WARNING LIGHTS FOR FRONT PASSENGER SEATS, DIAGNOSED BY NISSAN DEALER AS A FAILED SENSOR. WAS TOLD THE WHOLE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BOTTOM WOULD NEED TO BE REPLAED (ESTIMATE $3,185.61). ALSO TOLD THAT THE FAILURE OF THIS SENSOR MEANT THAT ALL AIRBAGS WERE DEACTIVATED.

PASSENGER AIR BAG HAS SHUT OFF. DEALER RAN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND SAID I NEED A NEW PASSENGER SEAT AT A COST OF $3,182. CURRENT FAULT CODE IS B1018.

THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR IS FAILING. THIS CAUSES THE PASSENGER AIRBAG TO TURN OFF AND THE WARNING LIGHTS TO FLASH ON THE DASH. THIS CONDITION MAY ALSO DISABLE THE DRIVERS AIRBAG. NISSAN ESTIMATE TO REPAIR IS OVER $3200, THE ENTIRE SEAT CUSHION ASSEMBLY MUST BE REPLACED. THIS IS OVER HALF THE VALUE OF THE CAR. NISSAN HAS RECALLED OTHER YEARS AND MODELS FOR THE SAME OR SIMILAR ISSUE, BUT NOT THE 2011 MODEL. THIS SERIOUS, KNOWN SAFETY DEFECT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY NISSAN IN A RESPONSIBLE MANNER. THE OCS SYSTEM CAN BE RESET, BUT THE TROUBLE APPEARS AGAIN IN A FEW DAYS. IT USUALLY APPEARS ON VEHICLE START-UP. THE PASSENGER SEAT MAY BE OCCUPIED, OR NOT.

THE LIGHT FOR MY SENSOR FOR MY PASSENGER AIRBAG (OCS SENSOR) IS ON ALL THE TIME AND FLASHING RED WITH OR WITHOUT A PASSENGER IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. SEEMS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE AS I WAS TOLD ALL AIR BAGS ARE DISABLED WHEN THE LIGHT IS FLASHING. COST INVOLVES REPLACING PASSENGER SEAT TOO AND TOTAL WOULD BE $4,800. THIS IS A 2011 NISSAN LEAF WITH 78,000 MILES AND ALL 12 BARS OF RANGE STILL REMAINING (ONE REPLACEMENT BATTERY TWO YEARS AGO). I HAVE NOT HAD IT REPAIRED DUE TO COST AND IT IS NOT PART OF A RECALL OF THE SAME PROBLEM IN 2013+ LEAFS. NO 2011 RECALL FOR THIS SAFETY PROBLEM!