It's possible that airbags in 74,702 Nissan Rogues could deploy unexpectedly. To find out, the NHTSA is launching its own investigation into the matter.
Specifically, the problem lies in 2015 model year Rogue examples only. According to the NHTSA, they've already received several Early Warning Reports (EWR) about the problem. The airbags in question are the side curtain airbags, and they apparently deploy at times as a result of someone closing or slamming the door hard.
The potential problem raises concerns about occupant safety. If someone is sitting next to the airbag, its unexpected deployment could cause harm. In addition, driving without a functioning airbag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash. As a result, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) will begin a "preliminary evaluation" to determine the scope, frequency and severity of the problem.
It's possible that this could lead to a full recall of affected vehicles. The NHTSA doesn't say how it came up with the number it did, so there's no telling if it could grow or shrink in a potential future recall. Of course, it's also possible that no recall will be necessary in the end.
Perhaps not surprisingly, airbag-related issues are one of the largest complaint areas for the Rogue on the NHTSA website. At the time of writing, there are 80 such entries. Interestingly, most of them don't involve airbag deployments. Instead, several note that the airbag light illuminates even when there's a person in the passenger seat.
Source: Carscoops
