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Anonymous
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Lothsahn said:
That's obscene. A scrapyard seat should cost no more than $100 - and the installation is trivial.
2011 Leaf OCS sensor failing, class action
- Thread starter elektra369
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Help Support My Nissan Leaf Forum:
That's obscene. A scrapyard seat should cost no more than $100 - and the installation is trivial.
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coleafrado said:
$250 for the seat from LKQ + installation, which involves programming the airbag with the car at typical dealer rates. That said, the dealer wasn't interested in using used parts, because dealership. I was quoted $3k. I declined, obviously.
A Volvo dealership once quoted us $3k for a new transmission for our 240DL, because it would no longer shift into overdrive (which is a separate transmission subsystem on these cars). I researched it, and paid a local independent shop $250 to replace the O/D engagement solenoid, which resides on the outside of the transmission. Problem solved. Most dealer estimates should be prefaced with the words "The most we can charge you is..."
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Anonymous
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Lothsahn said:
Programming the airbag? I guess I don't know as much about automotive airbags as I thought. They must be talking about calibrating the weight sensor and checking the seatbelt retractor. I'd have expected it to be fine after just swapping the seat, no programming needed.
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coleafrado said:
I was informed by an independent repair shop that while they would happily swap the seat, they couldn't program the airbag to the car and codes may be thrown. if so, I'd have to take it to the dealership. The dealership only wanted to use new parts, so catch 22. The occupancy sensor doesn't need pairing, but could also need calibration. What might need pairing is the side airbag located inside the seat.
Since I didn't swap my seat (yet), I don't know if any programming is required. I have extra complexity with my car as it has aftermarket Katzkin leather seats, so I would have to swap the seat, swap the leather, and (maybe?) pair the airbag.
mitrals
Well-known member
Lothsahn said:
My OCS is also failing. Did you ever replace your seat? DId it work?
mitrals
Well-known member
solartim said:
My OCS sensor thinks someone is on the seat all the time
. When I plug in the seatbelt the light goes away. I have ordered a sensor and plan to change it out. Hoping for the best.
thew
Well-known member
MasterCheech did you ever do this.. my 2011 is now in need. Did you need 2 sensors? and did you need the control box to? I wias hoping i could just swap the Sensor only..MasterCheech said:
Going on 4 years later ... did anything come of the class action initiative?
When the sensor went out in 2020, I paid for a new seat. Dealer strongly encouraged me to go with a new model instead. (This one works just fine for me, thank you.)
Now the B1018 code is back. Nissan service rep (Bourne, MA) thinks it's out of warranty, is checking with his manager and says he'll call back.
If their aim is to get me to buy another Nissan car, it's not working. Not because of the car. Because of the company.
When the sensor went out in 2020, I paid for a new seat. Dealer strongly encouraged me to go with a new model instead. (This one works just fine for me, thank you.)
Now the B1018 code is back. Nissan service rep (Bourne, MA) thinks it's out of warranty, is checking with his manager and says he'll call back.
If their aim is to get me to buy another Nissan car, it's not working. Not because of the car. Because of the company.
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bnevin said:
I am not aware of a class action initiative. I would happily join. I have not replaced the seat. There are companies out there like airbag360 that sell OCS emulators and trick the car into thinking the seat is occupied. These devices are illegal in some locations (e.g. California it's illegal to have it), while other states allow the use as long as it's been installed by the owner. Certainly remove before selling.
If you were to install such a device (and I'm not recommending you do or don't), like others earlier in the thread said, you will have to either always keep the seat belt plugged in while the seat is unoccupied otherwise the car will inform you that the passenger seat belt is not installed. There are seat belt defeat devices that you could use instead (but again, I'm not recommending for/against using them) that you plug into the seat belt receptacle. Total cost of both would be around $100.
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thew said:
The 2013 was covered by a recall and he probably didn't have to do the replacement himself. Should have been covered by the recall. The 2011/2012, as I understand it, uses a different setup and requires an ENTIRE SEAT REPLACEMENT. At least, that's what the stealership told me.
brycenesbitt
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https://www.carcomplaints.com/news/2020/nissan-leaf-passenger-airbag-off-investigation-closed.shtml
June 7, 2020 — Nissan LEAF "passenger airbag off" warnings caused federal safety regulators to open an investigation in 2019, but the investigation is now closed after the government didn't find enough evidence to indicate additional action is necessary.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a petition to investigate airbag occupancy sensor failures in LEAF cars.
The petition led to a formal investigation into 2011-2012 cars with occupant classification system (OCS) sensors that failed and deactivated the passenger airbags.
Nissan didn't include 2011-2012 LEAFs in a 2016 recall of 2013-2016 LEAFs because Nissan said the passenger airbag occupant classification systems were different.
June 7, 2020 — Nissan LEAF "passenger airbag off" warnings caused federal safety regulators to open an investigation in 2019, but the investigation is now closed after the government didn't find enough evidence to indicate additional action is necessary.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a petition to investigate airbag occupancy sensor failures in LEAF cars.
The petition led to a formal investigation into 2011-2012 cars with occupant classification system (OCS) sensors that failed and deactivated the passenger airbags.
Nissan didn't include 2011-2012 LEAFs in a 2016 recall of 2013-2016 LEAFs because Nissan said the passenger airbag occupant classification systems were different.
brycenesbitt
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I've got a 2011 Leaf with the same problem: the airbag light is on as if there's a child seat fitted, but there's not.
The quote was $4500 for a repair.
Could anyone help with a proper parts diagram? Where are the sensors, what are the part numbers?
The parts appear similar to a 2009 Nissan recall described at:
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2008/RCRIT-08V521-7546.pdf
Tool J-49787 Occupant Classification. System (OCS) Varistor
This would make the seat sensor matt a variable resistor, but there's no indication at what weight what resistance is expected.
Note that the recall notice says
"NOTE: The Service Manual may caution against disassembly of the passenger seat
cushion from the seat frame. It may also instruct that the cushion and frame be
replaced as an assembly. Due to changes in parts manufacturing and availability,
the seat cushion can now be replaced separately from the seat frame on Model and
Year vehicles affected by this campaign. "
Thus for prior years, Nissan made just the cushion available to reduce the cost of the recall.
The quote was $4500 for a repair.
Could anyone help with a proper parts diagram? Where are the sensors, what are the part numbers?
The parts appear similar to a 2009 Nissan recall described at:
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2008/RCRIT-08V521-7546.pdf
Tool J-49787 Occupant Classification. System (OCS) Varistor
This would make the seat sensor matt a variable resistor, but there's no indication at what weight what resistance is expected.
Note that the recall notice says
"NOTE: The Service Manual may caution against disassembly of the passenger seat
cushion from the seat frame. It may also instruct that the cushion and frame be
replaced as an assembly. Due to changes in parts manufacturing and availability,
the seat cushion can now be replaced separately from the seat frame on Model and
Year vehicles affected by this campaign. "
Thus for prior years, Nissan made just the cushion available to reduce the cost of the recall.
brycenesbitt
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I just filed a report at
https://www.nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem#vehicle/incident-information
On the 2011 Leaf passenger Airbag seat sensor. For prior model years, Nissan made the seat cushion available as a separate part. Because they don't for the Leaf, the repair is more expensive than the value of the vehicle.
THAT is the safety problem -- as my incentive is to bypass the airbag sensor rather than properly repair it.
https://www.nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem#vehicle/incident-information
On the 2011 Leaf passenger Airbag seat sensor. For prior model years, Nissan made the seat cushion available as a separate part. Because they don't for the Leaf, the repair is more expensive than the value of the vehicle.
THAT is the safety problem -- as my incentive is to bypass the airbag sensor rather than properly repair it.
My 2011 Leaf has the driver side airbag sensor not working. It has been about 2+ years now and I decided not to fix it because it was so expensive. I figured as long as I'm wearing a seat belt, I should be ok. I am also short so have the seat almost all the way forward and would probably get injured by the airbag. But did someone answer the question about the possibility of the airbag going off randomly if the sensor is not working?
My Leaf (also a 2011) just had it's OCS go up as well. I pulled the code via an Bluetooth OBD reader and LeafSpy Pro: B1018-00 09 AIR BAG Occupant Sens [Unit Fail] SRC-41. Took it to a local dealership, was quoted over $4k for a full seat replacement with no ETA as the part is on back order. Opened a case with Nissan Consumer Affairs who advised they could do nothing for me - not even help with paying the dealer's diagnostic fee of $200. What a joke. I love the car but it's clear the company doesn't give a damn. Has anyone successfully started a class action for our model year? I am interested in participating or helping organize. Thanks.
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Yes, that is a really expensive repair, but the vehicle is clearly way beyond the warranty period. What is the basis for a lawsuit?
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The sensor is in the passenger seat. The driver's seat doesn't have an occupancy sensor.
I believe if the sensor in the passenger seat fails, it will never deploy the passenger airbag, but I don't know for sure. It's certainly not going to cause the airbag to spontaneously deploy. The failing sensor (in this thread) tells the car if an adult, child, or nobody is sitting in the passenger seat.
There's a possibility the failing passenger sensor could disable all the airbags in the car, which would really suck. But again, I just don't know how it's designed.
I'd recommend looking at the workarounds I posted above in the thread.
