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Campaign 16V244 Posted April 26, 2016 3,296,947 units

2013-2017 Nissan Multi-Model Recall 16V244: OCS Air Bag

RN
Reviewed by the RecallNotify editorial team
Published May 31, 2026

Recall 16V244 affects 3,296,947 2013-2017 Nissan vehicles for an OCS defect that can disable the passenger air bag. Repair will be free once available.

Nissan is recalling 3,296,947 2013-2017 vehicles, including Altima, Rogue, Sentra, Pathfinder, Maxima, Leaf, and NV200 models, because the front passenger Occupant Classification System can misclassify an adult as a child or an empty seat. If that happens, the passenger frontal air bag can stay off in a crash, which increases injury risk; the dealer repair will be free once available.

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What's wrong?

The front passenger Occupant Classification System is the seat sensor system that decides who is sitting in the front passenger seat. It is supposed to tell the vehicle whether the seat is empty, occupied by a child, or occupied by an adult, so the passenger frontal air bag is enabled or disabled correctly.

On affected 2013-2017 Nissan vehicles, that system can classify an adult passenger as a child or classify an occupied seat as empty. When that happens, the vehicle turns the passenger frontal air bag off even though an adult is sitting there. In a crash, that air bag would not deploy for the front passenger.

The Passenger Airbag Indicator light will turn on when the system classifies the passenger as a child and disables the air bag. If the system classifies the seat as empty, there is no warning sign for the person sitting there.

Who's affected?

Scope spans Nissan, INFINITI, and Chevrolet nameplates across 2013-2017, all tied to the same air bag system.

2016 Nissan Murano Hybrid air bag system
2015 Nissan Murano Hybrid air bag system
2016 INFINITI QX60 Hybrid air bag system
2015 INFINITI QX60 Hybrid air bag system
2016 INFINITI Q50 Hybrid air bag system
Units affected3,296,947

A matching year and model does not guarantee inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether this recall applies to your specific vehicle.

What's the safety risk?

If the passenger frontal air bag is suppressed in a crash, it will not deploy as intended and the passenger faces an increased risk of injury. The Passenger Airbag Indicator light alerts you when the system treats the passenger as a child, but if it reads the seat as empty, the occupant gets no alert. Repair will be free at any franchised Nissan dealer once available.

What should I do?

  1. Check your VIN to confirm your 2013-2017 Nissan vehicle is included in this recall.
  2. Wait for Nissan's follow-up repair notice before scheduling the final dealer repair.
  3. Contact Nissan customer service or a franchised Nissan dealer with recall number 16V244 if you need status for your VIN.
  4. Ask whether the free OCS software update or ECU replacement is open for your vehicle; the repair addresses an occupant sensor error that can turn off the passenger frontal air bag.
  5. Bring the recall notice to the dealer once the repair opens.

What happens at the repair

The final dealer remedy is still under development. Nissan sent interim notices on May 31, 2016, and owners were told a second notice would follow when remedy parts became available. Once the repair opens, a Nissan technician will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit and OCS Electronic Control Unit on Altima, Maxima, Murano, Rogue, and Sentra vehicles. For Leaf, NV200, NV200 Taxi, Pathfinder, JX35, QX60, Q50, and City Express vehicles, the technician will replace the OCS Electronic Control Unit. The final dealer repair will be free once available. Nissan's general reimbursement plan is on file for related out-of-pocket repairs paid before the recall notice. Keep repair paperwork and ask customer service how to submit a claim.

ReimbursementReimbursement available

Timeline

April 26, 2016 NHTSA published the recall
May 24, 2016 Dealer notification began
May 24, 2016 Dealer notification ended
June 10, 2016 Owner notification mailed

Frequently asked questions

What is recall 16V244?

Recall 16V244 covers 3,296,947 2013-2017 Nissan vehicles with an Occupant Classification System defect in the front passenger seat. The system can classify an adult passenger as a child or an empty seat, which can turn off the passenger frontal air bag in a crash.

What should I do if my 2013-2017 Nissan vehicle is on this recall?

Check your VIN to confirm your specific vehicle is included in recall 16V244. If it is, contact a franchised Nissan dealer and reference recall number 16V244. The dealer will reprogram or replace the affected air bag control parts for free once the remedy is available for your vehicle.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the defect at no cost. For recall 16V244, dealers will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit and Occupant Classification System control unit, or replace the affected control unit, free of charge.

What is the safety risk in recall 16V244?

The safety risk is reduced front passenger air bag protection in a crash. If the Occupant Classification System turns the passenger frontal air bag off while an adult is seated there, the air bag will not deploy as intended, increasing injury risk for that passenger.

What if I bought this Nissan vehicle used?

The free recall repair still applies. Federal recall repairs follow the vehicle, not the original owner. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific vehicle is included, then call a franchised Nissan dealer and reference recall number 16V244.

More information

NHTSA campaign pagenhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/16V244000
Nissan customer service1-800-867-7669
NHTSA recall #16V244
NHTSA recall # (full)16V244000

Source documents

This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on May 31, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →