Nissan is recalling 46 model year 2002 Nissan Pathfinder and Infiniti QX4 vehicles manufactured from August 24, 2001 through August 28, 2001. The air bag inflator contains propellant wafers that are required to properly deploy the front passenger air bag. Due to improper propellant wafer installation during the air bag inflator assembly process, some air bag inflators may be missing one of the wafers. As a result, the remaining wafers in the inflator used for the deployment of the front passenger air bag may, over time, break up into powder due to normal vibration experienced while driving. This causes the combustion rate of the propellant to increase inside the inflator, which can lead to internal pressure rising suddenly during air bag deployment. The inflator housing may rupture, causing an irregular deployment and some possibility of producing loose metal fragments, increasing a risk of injury to the front passenger. 10V-312.

Apparently, the quality control programs in place at the air bag supplier were not good enough to catch these defects during the air bag inflator manufacturing process.

Subaru is recalling 73,698 model year 2010 Subaru Outback and Subaru Legacy passenger vehicles manufactured from February 16, 2009 through April 12, 2010. The wiring in the steering column electrical roll connector located behind the vehicle’s steering wheel may develop stress cracks and eventually break. If this were to happen, certain electrical components may not operate as intended. Possible circuits affected are the driver’s frontal airbag, paddle shifter function, cruise control, horn control and radio functions, increasing the risk of a crash.

One interesting aspect of this air bag safety recall is that Subaru first received notification about this problem back on October 1, 2009, about 9 months before announcing this recall.  Apparently, internal grease within the steering wheel roll connector (sometimes called a clockspring) can chemically degrade the internal flat ribbon which is used to carry electrical current to several steering wheel-mounted devices, including the driver air bag.

The safety recall is expected to begin on or before July 1, 2010. 10V-283. Subaru has internally designated this recall with the number WVR-28.

Nissan is recalling 134,215 model year 2005 through 2007 Infiniti G35 sedans manufactured from March 29, 2004 through August 25, 2006 and Infiniti G35 coupes manufactured from April 1, 2004 through May 30, 2007. The wire harness connecting the Belt Tension Sensor (BTS) and the Occupant Detection Sensor (ODS) control unit under the front passenger seat can experience relative movement which can cause wear and oxidization of the terminals and may cause interruption of the signal. In the event of a crash, the airbag may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury. 10V-175.

Nissan is recalling 134,215 model year 2005 through 2007 Infiniti G35 sedans manufactured from March 29, 2004 through August 25, 2006 and Infiniti G35 coupes manufactured from April 1, 2004 through May 30, 2007. The wire harness connecting the belt tension sensor (BTS) and the occupant detection sensor (ODS) control unit under the front passenger seat can experience relative movement which can cause wear and oxidization of the terminals and may cause interruption of the signal. In the event of a crash, the airbag may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.  10V-175.

Honda is recalling 1,854 model year 2010 Acura ZDX passenger cars manufactured between November 12, 2009 and March 22, 2010. During the manufacturing process, the dashboard covering material may have not been properly laser scored to allow complete deployment of the front passenger’s SRS airbag. In the event of a crash, the airbag will not deploy properly, increasing the risk of injury. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about April 21, 2010. 10V-145.

Honda’s supplier informed Honda on March 24, 2010 of the fact that the dashboard covers were not properly scored during manufacturing. Then, about two weeks later, Honda determined that this was a safety defect and notified the government by letter dated April 9, 2010. The improperly manufactured dashboards (instrument panels) did not receive laser cuts on the underside of the cover at the passenger side air bag. Without those laser cuts, both the timing of the passenger air bag deployment and its force level are affected. The problem was so serious that Honda issued a “Stop Order” to its dealerships prohibiting from selling any of those vehicles until they are inspected and, if necessary, repaired. Honda then told its dealerships that if they violate this, they will be required to indemnify Honda for any damages it has to pay to someone injured as a result of the failure to inspect and repair.

Nissan has notified NHTSA of a defect in 4,038 model year 2010 Nissan Frontier, Nissan Pathfinder, and Nissan Xterra vehicles manufactured from February 22, 2010 to March 13, 2010. In 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. 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. The safety recall is expected to begin during April 2010. 10V-115.

Hyundai is recalling 515 model year 2010 Hyundai Tucson vehicles. Properly seated adult right front seat passengers weighing over approximately 240 pounds cause the Passive Occupant Detection System (PODS) module program to illuminate the “air bag” warning lamp. If the “air bag” warning lamp is illuminated, the passenger air bag will deploy if a crash of sufficient force to require front air bag deployment is experienced, and will not be deactivated if a child is seated in the right front seating position, which may increase the risk of injury to a child front passenger. Hyundai anticipates owners will be notified by telephone and/or by mail during February 2010. 10V-061.

Chrysler is conducting a safety improvement campaign involving 312,442 model year 2005-2006 Dodge Caravan, Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Alaska and the District of Columbia.

The front crash sensors may crack under certain environmental conditions and allow water to enter into the sensor. This can cause the sensor to become inoperative and illuminate the airbag warning light. The crash sensor was supplied by Robert Bosch Corporation in Farmington Hills, Michigan. This recall demonstrates yet another problem Chrysler had with its up-front crash sensors, continuing a pattern from prior defective air bag sensors.

These sensors were added to enhance the performance of the airbag system in certain frontal crashes. If the front crash sensors become inoperative, the driver is immediately alerted by illumination of the airbag warning light and the vehicle should be promptly serviced. Until the vehicle is repaired, the airbags may not provide the enhanced protection in the event of a crash. Chrysler will replace the front airbag sensors with a new design. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety improvement campaign will begin during June 2010. Chrysler’s campaign number is J38. 10V-008.

Honda is recalling 379,000 model year 2001-2002 Honda Accord 2 and 4-door, model year 2001-2003 Honda Civic 4-door, model year 2001-2002 Honda Civic 2-door, model year 2002-Honda CRV, model year 2002 Honda Odyssey, model year 2003 Honda Pilot, model year 2002-2003 Acura 3.2TL and model year 2003 Acura 3.2CL passenger vehicles. The driver’s airbag inflator could produce excessive internal pressure. If an affected airbag deploys, the increased internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture. Metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material possibly causing injury or fatality to vehicle occupants. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before February 25, 2010. 10V-041.

Chrysler is recalling 2,990 model year 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee passenger vehicles (designated by Chrysler as WK-Body vehicles) manufactured from October 22 through November 12, 2009. The passenger side airbag may not properly deploy through the instrument panel tear seam. The airbag may not properly protect the passenger in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury. The campaign is expected to begin in December 2009. 09V-454

The supplier who manufactured the part was Masonico LLC in Fraser, Michigan. A quality control (continuing conformance test) at Masonico on November 11, 2009 revealed an improper deployment of the passenger air bag. The very next day, additional testing revealed that the passenger air bag was not deploying properly during both cold-temperature and ambient-temperature. That caused the assembly plant (Chrysler’s Jefferson North Assembly Plant) to stop production. Although it was determined that defective parts may have been installed in vehicles that were built as early as October 22, 2009, their failure to detect the defective parts for nearly three weeks raises serious questions about the effectiveness of their quality control program.

Changes to certain welds and the way the air bag door was scored were implemented. The recall fix involves having the instrument panel top cover replaced.