What 34 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Nissan Leaf Plus (60 Kwh Battery)

THERE IS AN AIR BAG LIGHT THAT ILLUMINATES WHEN THERE IS WEIGHT ON THE PASSENGER SEAT BUT THE AIR BAG WILL NOT BE DEPLOYED, MAYBE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE THINKS THERE IS A DOG, SMALL CHILD, OR INANIMATE OBJECT SITTING IN THE SEAT. THE TROUBLE IS THAT THE "AIR BAG DISABLED LIGHT" OCCASIONALLY TURNS ON WHEN MY TEENAGE SONS SIT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE DEALER SAYS IT IS BECAUSE MY SONS DO NOT ALWAYS SIT SQUARELY TO THE BACK OF THE SEAT; THAT IS, THEY OCCASIONALLY SLOUCH IN THE SEAT. I HAVE VIDEOS OF THIS BEHAVIOR WHICH I CAN SEND TO YOU, SO YOU CAN DETERMINE IT IS IS SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO LOOK INTO. NISSAN'S RESPONSE IS AKIN TO STEVE JOBS SAYING OF THE IPHONE 4, "YOU'RE HOLDING IT WRONG." I THINK NISSAN SHOULD BUILD THEIR SENSORS FOR THE WAY PEOPLE SOMETIMES SIT IN THEIR SEATS, NOT AS THE WAY THEY WOULD LIKE THEM TO SIT UNDER IDEA CIRCUMSTANCES. THEY PROBABLY HAVE ONE SENSOR AT THE BACK OF THE SEAT, WHEN THEY ACTUALLY NEED ANOTHER IN THE MIDDLE AND MAYBE ONE AT THE FRONT TO BETTER JUDGE THE WEIGHT OF THE OBJECT IN THE SEAT.

NHTSA ODI 10723424

THIS IS A GENERAL COMPLAINT ABOUT RECENT-MODEL HEAD RESTS. IT IS NOT LIMITED TO OUR CAR. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I THINK SOMEONE AT THE TRANSPORTATION BOARD IS OVERLY ZEALOUS IN THIS. MOST NEW CARS TODAY HAVE THE HEADRESTS VERY FAR FORWARD. IT SEEMS AS IF THE TRANSPORTATION BOARD WANTS THE HEADREST TO TOUCH THE HEAD. I DO NOT LIKE THIS. MY HEAD IS JOSTLED WHEN THE HEADREST TOUCHES MY IT. I THINK EVEN ONE HALF INCH AWAY IS TOO CLOSE, AS THEN IT TOUCHES MY HAIR. THE RESULT OF HAVING IT SO FAR FORWARD IS THAT IT PUSHES MY HEAD FORWARD, TOWARDS MY CHIN, AND MY NECK AND BACK HURTS. AND UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE, I AM SURE, IS THAT MY WIFE AND I PUSH THE SEATS FORWARD AND THE BACK OF THE SEATS BACKWARDS. THIS HELPS TO KEEP THE HEADREST BACK A LITTLE BIT. BUT, I THEN HAVE TO TILT MY HEAD FORWARD TO KEEP IT VERTICAL, SO IT STILL IS A BIT UNCOMFORTABLE. I THINK YOU DO NOT REALIZE THAT IF YOU MAKE THINGS TOO UNCOMFORTABLE FOR PEOPLE, THEY WILL FIND WAYS AROUND IT AND NEGATE YOUR SAFETY SYSTEM. I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS. AND, I HOPE YOU WILL CORRECT THE ERROR AND PUSH HEADREST BACK IN THE NEAR FUTURE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10704093