2015 Nissan Sentra · symptom sheet
Airbag warning light or recall
- 44owner reports
- 17,389median miles
- 16involved a crash
Newest report Jan 2, 2026 · checked Sep 9, 2026
44 of the 351 complaints on this car describe airbag.
Tick what matches of 44 reports
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the occupant sensor (10 reports).
Recalls and investigations
2 recalls on the airbags cover the 2015 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and Infiniti Q50, 2015-2016 Nissan Murano, Murano Hybrid, and Chevrolet City Express, 2014-2015 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid, and 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles. In these vehicles, the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty despite it being occupied. As a result, the passenger frontal air bag may be turned off and not deploy in the event of a crash.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: Nissan will notify their owners. Chevrolet City Express owners will be notified by General Motors. Dealers will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in Altima, Maxima, Murano, Rogue, and Sentra vehicles, and replace the OCS ECU in LEAF, NV200, NV200 Taxi, Pathfinder, Infiniti Q50, JX35, and QX60 and Chevrolet City Express vehicles, free of charge. Interim notices were sent to owners on May 31, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669, Infiniti customer service at 1-888-833-3216 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Sentra vehicles manufactured June 4, 2012, to April 9, 2016. The front passenger seat belt bracket may become deformed if it is used to secure a Child Restraint System (CRS). The deformed seat bracket may cause the Occupant Classification System (OCS) to incorrectly classify the installed CRS, resulting in the front passenger air bag to not be turned off as designed when a CRS is in the seat.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will reinforce the seat belt bracket as well as reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU), free of charge. The recall began on June 13, 2016. Owners are warned not to install a CRS in the front seat. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669.
NHTSA investigations into the airbags on the Sentra
Desiccated air bag inflator rupture. Open.
NHTSA summary
Occupant classification system failure. Closed may 2, 2017, led to recall 15V-681.
NHTSA summary
Occupant classification system failure. Closed sep 1, 2015.
NHTSA summary
Air bag inflator rupture. Open, led to recall 14V-668.
NHTSA summary
Air bag inflator rupture. Closed mar 2, 2015, led to recall 13V-172.
NHTSA summary
None of these investigations covers the 2015 model year.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 5,000 and 35,700 miles, from the 23 reports that gave a mileage.
What owners wrote
“When a passenger sits in the passenger seat it doesn't register them in the seat and doesn't turn passenger airbag on. It always stays off and my air bag light on the dash never turns off. It's been like that since I bought the car in May of 2025. So any additional details are unknown.”
Filed Jan 2, 2026
“My wife was rear ended and side collision accident. She was injured with side airbags both arm was severely cut. The steering airbag did not deploy as a result she had head injury and the upper teeth was push up when her head hit the steering wheel. She had to be pry out with a Crowbar tool.”
Filed Jul 22, 2025
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 16 of 44 reports involved a crash and 17 people were hurt. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation.
Other problems on this car
- Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard 63 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 57 reports
- Transmission fails or needs replacement 37 reports