Component
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
225 NHTSA complaints about air bags:sensor:occupant classification:front passenger issues across 26 makes and 95 models.
Data updated August 2026
NHTSA ODI component intake brief
ODI category AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
225 filings · 95 models · 26 makes · vintage August 2026
- FILINGS SPARSE 225 ODI rows
- MODELS 95 nameplates citing this part
- MAKES 26 manufacturers in corpus
- CRASH 0.4% 1 crash-flagged
- RANK #253 of 696 categories
- SEV QUIET 0 deaths · 0 injuries
Filing-volume peers
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER sits SPARSE on ODI intake volume (#253 of 696 standardized categories) with a QUIET severity stamp (0 reported fatalities across 95 models). Open SUBARU FORESTER (category leader) →
The air bags:sensor:occupant classification:front passenger is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 225 filings from 26 manufacturers and 95 distinct vehicle models, a footprint large enough that defect engineers can isolate part-family patterns across different platforms that share the same supplier or the same federal motor vehicle safety standard.
Among filings citing this component, owners have reported 1 crash, 1 fire, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the SUBARU FORESTER with 31 filings, followed by MINI COOPER and SUBARU IMPREZA. These severity counters are what separates a nuisance complaint trend from a pattern NHTSA is likely to escalate into a Preliminary Evaluation.
Component-level analysis is how the Office of Defects Investigation spots cross-manufacturer supplier issues, the same airbag inflator, the same takata-style ignition switch, the same brake hose material, before they become industry-wide recalls. When you see a single component accumulating large complaint volume across several unrelated nameplates, that is usually a signature of a shared supplier or a shared federal standard being stressed by real-world conditions. Use the affected-vehicles table below to see whether the pattern is concentrated on a handful of models or distributed evenly, and cross-reference each model's full recall and investigation history before drawing conclusions about any one nameplate.
Most Affected Vehicles
| # | Vehicle | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SUBARU FORESTER | 31 |
| 2 | MINI COOPER | 14 |
| 3 | SUBARU IMPREZA | 11 |
| 4 | NISSAN ALTIMA | 11 |
| 5 | BMW 328I | 11 |
| 6 | BMW X3 | 10 |
| 7 | PONTIAC SOLSTICE | 6 |
| 8 | BMW X5 | 6 |
| 9 | SUBARU OUTBACK | 4 |
| 10 | BMW 528I | 4 |
| 11 | BMW 328XI | 4 |
| 12 | BMW 325I | 4 |
| 13 | TESLA MODEL Y | 3 |
| 14 | NISSAN MAXIMA | 3 |
| 15 | MINI COOPER S | 3 |
| 16 | AUDI A6 | 3 |
| 17 | NISSAN ROGUE | 2 |
| 18 | NISSAN MURANO | 2 |
| 19 | MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE | 2 |
| 20 | MINI COOPER CLUBMAN | 2 |
| 21 | MERCEDES-BENZ C300 | 2 |
| 22 | INFINITI G35 | 2 |
| 23 | HONDA CR-V | 2 |
| 24 | CHEVROLET VOLT | 2 |
| 25 | CHEVROLET IMPALA | 2 |
| 26 | BMW Z4 | 2 |
| 27 | BMW I3 | 2 |
| 28 | BMW 535XI | 2 |
| 29 | BMW 530XI | 2 |
| 30 | BMW 530I | 2 |
Recent Complaints
The contact owns a 2020 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted with the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) and El
See attached document for complaint.
The contact owns a 2011 BMW 335I. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the front passenger’s side air bag sensor warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to t
See attached document for complaint
See attached document for complaint
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Murano. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the passenger’s side air bag warning light illuminated the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken
The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that the front passenger’s side occupant sensor failed to recognize a petite, smaller individual seated in the front passenger’s seat. The d
The contact owns a 2009 Mini Cooper. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the passenger occupant sensor light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where
The contact owns a 2008 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent me
The contact owns a 2013 Mini Cooper. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the air bag warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failur
Passenger seat air bag sensor doesn't work.
The contact owns a 2012 BMW X5. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "Passenger Restraint System Malfunction" was displayed. The contact stated that the failure had be
The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH, the air bag warning light fluctuated on and off. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic, but the mechan
The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that the passenger’s side air bag failed to turn on while the front passenger's side seat was occupied. The contact stated that the failure re
The contact owns a 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact stated that the passenger’s side air bag warning light was illuminated with and without a passenger seated in the seat. Recently, the
The contact owns a 2014 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that the passenger’s side air bag warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where a diagnostic te
The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that the front passenger’s side seat belt warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that after buckling the passenger’s side seat belt,
The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet SS. The contact stated that the service air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that th
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that the front passenger’s side seat was not sensing his wife seated in the seat due to her weight. The contact stated that his wife was 102 l
Related Vehicle Components
Data Sources
Vehicle complaint data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints database. Includes consumer-reported safety issues filed with NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Severity counts cross-reference NHTSA FARS (Fatality Analysis Reporting System) for fatal incidents where a corresponding FARS record exists.
Component categories are standardized by NHTSA. Crash-test ratings where shown are drawn from the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Complaint counts, crash reports, fire reports, and fatality data reflect consumer-submitted reports and may not represent all incidents.
Disclaimer: This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for vehicle purchase decisions. NHTSA complaint data is self-reported by consumers and has not been verified or investigated. A high complaint count does not necessarily indicate a defect. Always consult a qualified mechanic and check official NHTSA recall notices before making safety-related decisions.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. Component figures are computed directly from NHTSA complaint data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.