US says 84,000 Nissan autos recalled with Takata airbags

Nissan issued a "Do Not Drive" warning for around 84,000 vehicles with Takata air bags for models between 2002 and 2006, US officials said this week.

"NHTSA is urging all vehicle owners to immediately check to see if their vehicle has an open Takata air bag recall," said a May 29 notice from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

"If it does, owners should contact their dealership to schedule a free repair as soon as possible and follow any warnings from the vehicle manufacturer," NHTSA said.

The models affected include the 2002-2006 Nissan Sentra, the 2002-2004 Nissan Pathfinder and the 2002-2003 Infiniti QX4.

Defects in the airbags have been linked to more than two dozen fatalities in the United States.

The Takata brand disappeared in 2018 following a bankruptcy in the wake of the airbag scandal, which affected almost every major global automaker, including Toyota and General Motors, and triggered the auto industry's biggest-ever safety recall.

The airbag defect was linked to ammonium nitrate, the chemical used as a propellant in Takata's airbag inflator canisters.

The chemical degraded, especially in humid conditions, meaning that in some cases the airbag did not inflate properly and sometimes ruptured, firing metal shrapnel at the vehicle's occupants.