You Had One Job, Occupant Classifcation System

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The occupant classification system (OCS) in many Infiniti vehicles is so unreliable for the front passenger seat that you should probably think twice before calling 'shotgun.'

The OCS is a system of sensors that’s one job is to detect if there’s a child or an adult in the seat, or if the seat is empty. OCS technology is important because airbags are dangerous for children and should be turned off. Of course, you’re not letting a child sit in the front seat anyway – right? Right.

In other words, OCS is a fancy, automated on/off switch for the airbags.

How OCS Works

Seat sensors measure data such as weight, seat distance from the dash, and seat belt tension before sending the information to an Electronic Control Unit (ECU). The ECU determines the passenger type and passes that information along to the airbag system.

The airbag system will turn off for children. For adults, the OCS can combine with split-second information from crash sensors to determine the force at which the airbag should be deployed.

It’s all very fancy and, in the case of some Nissan and Infiniti vehicles, completely unreliable.

Infiniti owners often complain that their “airbag disabled” warning light stays on even if there’s an adult in the seat. For your passenger, that’s never a good feeling.

Infiniti OCS Recalls

The 2013 JX35 was the first to be recalled with OCS problems back in March of 2013.

Nissan says sensors within the passenger occupant detection system may have been manufactured out of specification which could cause the air bag to be suppressed permanently.

A year later, the recall expanded to include the 2014 Q50 and QX60. The JX35 was recalled again because, according to Nissan, the previous fix didn’t work. Great.

Infiniti issued a 3rd OCS recall in 2015, expanding the scope to more of the previously recalled vehicles, along with the 2015 QX60 and 2014 QX60 Hybrid.

Maybe finally admitting defeat, Infiniti issues a massive OCS recall

In April 2016, for what felt like the 73rd time, Infiniti issued an OCS recall. The big difference was this one covered 3.8 million vehicles.

Nissan says in the case of a child classification, the system is designed to illuminate the airbag light indicating the airbag is turned off. However, if the initial classification is “empty seat,” the light will not illuminate and there is no indication that the airbag is suppressed.

Vehicles involved in the various recalls

Nissan and Infiniti have reportedly struggled to keep up with OCS repairs. To date, there are still waiting for new OCS ECUs and from the office of Are You Kidding Me With This, some owners are being told to disconnect the airbag until a part can be secured.

Faulty OCS Lawsuit

The JX35, Q50, QX60, and G27 are all named in a lawsuit against Infiniti's parent company, Nissan, for an allegedly defective Occupant Classification System (OCS).

"Plaintiff Matthew Senci filed the proposed class-action lawsuit that alleges the vehicles have occupant classification system software that can incorrectly classify a front passenger seat as empty when it's occupied by an adult passenger. The error can cause the airbag to deactivate and fail to deploy in a crash."

The case is Matthew Senci v. Nissan North America, Inc..

Parts unavailable, fixes not working

Depending on how you look at it, recalls are good news – it means Nissan is acknowledging a safety issue exists and is responsible to find a solution.

However, the problem is the lack of a working solution for millions of owners. To date, owners report they are still waiting for an adequate supply of repair parts and, in some cases, have been told to disconnect the airbag until a part can be secured.

Some have noted the importance of telling your local dealership that the "yellow passenger airbag light is on even when an adult is in the passenger seat."

Airbag Warning Light Lawsuit

Shortly before the third recall, a lawsuit was filed blaming the automaker for failing to come up with a solution.

The lawsuit, Matthew Senci v. Nissan North America, Inc., said through warranty claims, owner complaints, and the early-2013 recall, it's clear the automaker has known about these issues since "at least" 2012. Yet, there doesn't appear to be a solution and the damaged OCS makes the car unsafe and hurts its resale value.


^1: More info on OCS technology from Delphi(http://delphi.com/pdf/techpapers/2006-01-1322.pdf)

Lawsuits Regarding This Problem

Lawsuits about this problem have already been filed in court. Many times these are class-action suits that look to cover a group of owners in a particular area. Click on the lawsuit for more information and to see if you're eligible to receive any potential settlements.

  • Matthew Senci v. Nissan North America, Inc.

    1. Case Filed

      This class-action lawsuit alleges the vehicles have occupant classification system software that can incorrectly classify a front passenger seat as empty when it's occupied by an adult passenger. The error can cause the airbag to deactivate and fail to deploy in a crash.

    Class Vehicles
    • 2013 JX35
    • 2014 Q50
    • 2014 QX60
    • 2013 G37
    Location
    Illinois

Generations Where This Problem Has Been Reported

This problem has popped up in the following Infiniti generations.

Most years within a generation share the same parts and manufacturing process. You can also expect them to share the same problems. So while it may not be a problem in every year yet, it's worth looking out for.

Further Reading

A timeline of stories related to this problem. We try to boil these stories down to the most important bits so you can quickly see where things stand. Interested in getting these stories in an email? Signup for free email alerts for your vehicle over at CarComplaints.com.

  1. Anyone else getting the feeling there's a major issue with Nissan and Infiniti's Occupant Classification System (OCS)?

    For roughly the 103rd time, Nissan announced an OCS recall. The difference is this one is a doozy at 3.8 million vehicles. Nissan says the occupant classification systems in the front passenger seats can turn off because the systems classify an adult as a child or classify a seat as empty even if an adult is in the seat.

    That will disable the airbags for someone who really needs it. But there's something else.…

    keep reading article "For The Love Of Everything, Another Infiniti OCS Recall"
  2. The OCS mop-up continues as complaints continue to pour in about an airbag warning light that won't shut off.

    Nissan (and Infiniti) is issuing a third recall to fix problems with airbag sensors not recognizing front-seat passengers.

    "Nissan blames the problem on a supply chain error that caused incorrect occupant classification control unit parts to be installed on vehicles that received the incorrect part after the March 2014 recall was completed. There are also vehicles that were not part of the March recall but received the wrong part from other repairs."

    The latest round includes many Nissan vehicles, as well as the 2013 JX35, 2014-15 QX60, and 2014 QX60 Hybrid.

    keep reading article "Another Month, Another OCS Recall for Nissan and Infiniti"
  3. The

    X35, Q50, QX60, and G27 are all named in a lawsuit against Infiniti's parent company, Nissan, for an allegedly defective Occupant Classification System (OCS). Plaintiff Matthew Senci filed the proposed class-action lawsuit that alleges the vehicles have occupant classification system software that can incorrectly classify a front passenger seat as empty when it's occupied by an adult passenger. The error can cause the airbag to deactivate and fail to deploy in a crash.

    Complaints and warranty claims led to the first OCS recall in March 2013, but it was limited to only 83,000 vehicles. Nissan later admitted, however, that the "fix" for that recall didn't work when they expanded the OCS recalls.

    The lawsuit, Matthew Senci v. Nissan North America, Inc., accuses the automaker of being deceptive and selling vehicles with known defects.

    keep reading article "Faulty Occupant Classification System Leads to Recall"
  4. Last year, the JX35 (along with other Nissan vehicles) was recalled because a defective sensor could fail to detect when an adult passenger was in the seat.

    Now Nissan is expanding the recall to 1 million vehicles, including the same 2013 JX35 and the 2014 Q50, and QX60. It also includes many Nissan models. The defective sensor is part of the Occupant Classification System (OCS) that determines if there's an adult, or child, in the passenger seat. When there's an adult, the airbag is supposed to get activated – except it's not working.

    "Nissan says a combination of factors could cause the problem, such as high engine vibration at idle when the seat is initially empty and then becomes occupied. Even the posture of the passenger could cause the air bag to deactivate."

    So why is the 2013 JX35 getting recalled again? Nissan admits the fix didn't work. Great. Let's hope they have better luck this time.

    keep reading article "JX35 Part of Massive Recall Expansion for More Passenger Airbag Problems"
  5. It's been a rough few months for the JX35.

    It's been investigated for sudden stops, then it was recalled for a bad gas gauge, and now the 2013 model year's faulty passenger airbag sensor is getting recalled too. Nissan says sensors within the passenger occupant detection system may have been manufactured out of specification which could cause the air bag to be suppressed permanently.

    The recall also includes Nissan vehicles and is expected to begin in April 2013.

    keep reading article "JX35 Recalled for Defective Passenger Seat Airbag Sensor"

OK, Now What?

Maybe you've experienced this problem. Maybe you're concerned you will soon. Whatever the reason, here's a handful of things you can do to make sure it gets the attention it deserves.

  1. File Your Complaint

    CarComplaints.com is a free site dedicated to uncovering problem trends and informing owners about potential issues with their cars. Major class action law firms use this data when researching cases.

    Add a Complaint
  2. Notify CAS

    The Center for Auto Safety (CAS) is a pro-consumer organization that researches auto safety issues & often compels the US government to do the right thing through lobbying & lawsuits.

    Notify The CAS
  3. Report a Safety Concern

    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is the US agency with the authority to conduct vehicle defect investigations & force recalls. Their focus is on safety-related issues.

    Report to NHTSA