
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, January 25, 1994                   TAG: 9401250086
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B-7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Newsday
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

NISSAN HAS TOLD FEDERAL AUTO SAFETY OFFICIALS

Nissan has told federal auto safety officials it will recall 65,000 cars to replace an air bag sensor, capping a government investigation into reports by some owners that their cars' air bags opened unnecessarily.

The voluntary recall, involving 1992 and early 1993 Maximas, appears to be the second-largest ever for an air-bag problem and the largest for the specific problem of "inadvertent deployment," according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which monitors safety-related recall campaigns.

Complaints from Maxima owners sparked an investigation by the administration in July. It was intensified last month, by which time there were 67 complaints on file, including three with injuries.

Nissan says the deployments in question were caused by "severe underbody impacts," such as those which occur when a car goes over a curb. The company says the new sensor is less likely to trigger the air bag in such cases. But Nissan denies there is a defect in the cars.

by CNB