NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Engineering Analysis EA09-005: Non-deployment of Side Thorax Air Bags
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Engineering Analysis EA09-005 on April 1, 2009, the day it closed Preliminary Evaluation PE08-067, whose summary cites it, and closed it on April 3, 2012. NHTSA's investigations file lists the Infiniti Q45 and M45 for it and links recall 12V-079 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- EA09-005 (also written EA09005)
- Investigation type
- Engineering Analysis A more detailed stage of a defect investigation, opened when NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation decides an issue merits further review, often after a Preliminary Evaluation or a Recall Query; it can include vehicle testing, surveys and further information requests.
- Status
- Closed April 3, 2012
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Nissan North America, Inc.
- Component
- Air Bags — Side/Window
- Recall linked by NHTSA
- 12V-079: SIDE AIR BAG NON-DEPLOYMENT, reported
- Vehicles and equipment
- Infiniti Q45 and M45
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Engineering Analysis EA09-005.
try.vin does not copy NHTSA's investigation documents; NHTSA's investigation record lists the ones NHTSA has published.
The subject vehicles are equipped with seat-mounted, side thorax air bags for the driver and front passenger.
This investigation revealed that faulty side air bag module electrical connectors located under the driver and front passenger seats can cause an interruption in the electrical circuit that will drop the input voltage below the specified range.
As a result, the air bag warning lamp illuminates on the instrument panel and the affected side air bag becomes deactivated.
In June 2009, Nissan conducted a service campaign to repair the defective air bag electrical connectors in the subject vehicles (both Infiniti Q45 and M45 models).
In June 2010, Nissan sent a second notification concerning the 2009 campaign to owners of vehicles that have not been remedied.
Nissan is now conducting a safety recall of the Q45 vehicles not remedied under the service campaign (approximately 1,349 vehicles; see NHTSA Safety Recall No. 12V-079 for further details).
The M45 vehicles are not included in the recall; however, Nissan is re-notifying owners of M45 vehicles that were not remedied under the previous service campaign.
See attached report for more information.
A safety-related defect trend has not been identified in the Infiniti M45 vehicles at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.
Accordingly, this investigation is closed.
The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that no safety-related defect exists.
The agency will monitor the issue and reserves the right to take future action if warranted by the circumstances.
The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed online at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification (ODI) numbers: 10327196 and 10402282
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Engineering Analysis EA09-005. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.
What an NHTSA investigation is
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.
An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.
To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Infiniti VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for EA09-005
Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.