• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • Forum
  • Design Studio
  • Auto Upholstery Jobs
  • Sponsors
  • Newsletter

The Hog Ring

Auto Upholstery Community

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Leaked: Nissan ‘Do Not Resew’ Policy

August 13, 2013 By Nadeem Muaddi 8 Comments

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - Nissan Do Not Resew Policy

Last year, we reported on the controversial “do not resew” tags that Nissan is attaching to seat covers in every one of its new cars. The automaker had implemented the restriction without giving an explanation as to why it had been put in place or what other repair options were available to independent auto trimmers.

After months of reaching out to Nissan, we received a partial answer. Paige Presley, a communications associate for the company, told us that due to safety concerns about vehicle airbags, only Nissan could make upholstery repairs.

Yesterday, Veronica Collins of Paymer and Phillips, an auto trim and restyling shop in Laurel, MD, forwarded us an internal memo sent from Nissan’s corporate office to its dealerships that shed more light on the issue.

With her permission, it’s posted in full below (bold/underlined text was in original email):

From: Redacted
Sent: Wednesday, July 24, 2013 6:26 PM
To: Redacted
Subject: INFORMATION – NTB00-042c – Recommendation Against Making Changes to Front Seat Assembly Trim Materials
Importance: High

The attached bulletin was released several years ago but it has been updated.  NNA does not recommend making ANY changes (e.g. installing leather) to the front seat trim materials; changes could interfere with the proper operation of air bags and occupant sensors and jeopardizes warranty coverage.

———————————————

Nissan Parts & Service Division
Electronic Field Communication

INFORMATION

Date: July 24, 2013

To: Redacted

Subject: INFORMATION – NTB00-042c – Recommendation Against Making Changes to Front Seat Assembly Trim Materials

Changes or modifications to the front seat assembly trim materials may affect the proper operation of the Front Seat-Mounted Side-Impact Supplemental Air Bags and Passenger Occupant Classification Sensor and could result in serious personal injury or death.

Nissan STRONGLY RECOMMENDS AGAINST making any change to seat trim materials from the factory equipped condition. This specifically applies to replacing the seat trim with non-factory materials; adding leather/cloth seat covers, seat pads, or seat storage pouches, etc. around or over the seat back and the passenger seat cushion.

Detailed Information:

Attached for your convenience are the following items:

1.    NTB00-042c

RECOMMENDATION AGAINST MAKING CHANGES TO FRONT SEAT ASSEMBLY TRIM MATERIALS
APPLIED VEHICLES: ALL NISSAN VEHICLES

SERVICE INFORMATION

Changes or modifications to the front seat assembly trim materials may affect the proper operation of the Front Seat-Mounted Side-Impact Supplemental Air Bags and Passenger Occupant Classification Sensor and could result in serious personal injury or death.

Nissan STRONGLY RECOMMENDS AGAINST making any change to seat trim materials from the factory equipped condition. This specifically applies to replacing the seat trim with non-factory materials; adding leather/cloth seat covers, seat pads, or seat storage pouches, etc. around or over the seat back and the passenger seat cushion.

  • Damage or failure due to changes or modifications to the front seat assembly are not covered under the warranty.
  • Damage or failure due to changes or modifications to the front seat assembly are not subject to indemnification under the Nissan Dealer Sales and Service Agreement.
  • Dealers may be obligated under their Nissan Dealer Sales and Service Agreement to indemnify Nissan for any damages, injuries, or deaths caused by modification of the front seat assemblies.
  • NMAC will not provide retail advance for any changes to the front seat trim materials from factory equipped condition.
  • Vehicles with any changes to the front seat trim materials from factory equipped condition may not be eligible for the Signature PURCHASE Plan.

SEE Section 1 of the applicable Owner’s Manual for important Warnings about modifying or tampering with the front passenger seat.

This bulletin has been amended. The Applied Vehicles and Service Information have been updated. Discard all previous copies. 2013

* * *

To summarize: the memo states that only Nissan can repair or alter the upholstery on the front seats of any Nissan vehicle for fear of independent dealerships or auto upholstery shops affecting the operation of side-impact airbags and occupant-classification sensors.

Furthermore, Nissan’s warranty will not cover any repairs or customizations made by an independent dealership or auto upholstery shop. If those changes result in injury due to improper airbag deployment, Nissan is not liable to pay compensation. If Nissan is sued, it may pass on the financial costs t0 those who made the repairs.

Basically, independent dealerships and auto upholstery shops should refrain from altering the upholstery on any Nissan front seat. Making a repair or customization puts you at risk of being sued for any deaths or injuries caused by improper airbag deployment.

Nissan is not providing independent dealerships or auto upholstery shops with any alternative but to turn away such jobs. Using airbag thread, non-enforced seams or seat covers that claim to meet OEM standards will not shield you from liability.

To download the original Nissan memo as a PDF document, click here.

Filed Under: Archive, Safety Issues, THR Favorites Tagged With: Airbags, Auto Trim, Auto Upholstery, Car Interior, Nissan Motor Company

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. aunc says

    August 14, 2013 at 10:26 pm

    Maybe that’s why Nissan seat covers cost $1900!! Just a thought. One that I have had for many years now. Kind of a supply and demand thing. They supply it and demand that you buy it from them. LAME!

    Reply
  2. Geoff says

    August 15, 2013 at 2:56 pm

    Many of the warnings on products come about because someone got sued over that situation. Like ‘don’t put your hand in a running lawnmower’. Perhaps this is a result of someone suing Nissan over airbags – one way or another (not deploying or deploying in error), and a shoddy trim job was really the problem. That would explain the forcefulness, and the paranoia over even properly restored seams.

    Reply
  3. Stitch says

    August 26, 2013 at 2:19 pm

    Doesn’t the Magnusson-Moss Act cover this? Nissan is saying you can’t even put on a set of non-Nissan seat covers, seat pad, or pocket organizer thing without voiding your warranty, if I’m reading this correctly.

    Reply
  4. David Roake says

    December 11, 2017 at 7:34 pm

    Once the seam has burst it has burst .. ( stating the obvious) to then resew it no one can guarantee its integrity that’d why manufacturers are so twitchy. Because if you get hurt after a seam has been repaired you could be responsible for the bag failing to deploy properly.. and the manufacturer would be totally correct in stating nothing to do with me……..

    Reply
    • John Jorgensen says

      July 14, 2020 at 7:29 pm

      Attorney’s will be looking for the biggest fish to fry.
      Avoiding the fry pan is sensible.
      I had a long time customer, bought a SC400 second gen with the folding hard top.
      She came by before she bought it, I advised on the eventual repair. This vehicle had the uncommon dark saddle leather. A few years later, I advised I could install the OEM part for her.
      “I’ll sign a waiver”, sure, then she sells it, no mention of the waiver and the world can fall back on you.
      She got it repaired through the new car dealer service department, Surprised me that they would take on that liability, it was done in vinyl… She thought leather… a bit of a hack job too unfortunately.
      “can you fix it?” Yes, I can install an OEM cover. They were about $975. at the time, my cost.
      She drove off. So it goes.

      Reply
  5. Ken says

    April 13, 2018 at 3:55 am

    I just work on OLD cars

    Reply
  6. Ryan says

    July 27, 2018 at 9:20 pm

    I’m sure that after a model is a few years old Nissan doesn’t even sell the seat covers. All trimmers should just not work on them period, then when customers have no options and Nissan won’t even be able to fix it they will not want to ever buy Nissans ever again.

    Reply
  7. John Jorgensen says

    July 14, 2020 at 7:18 pm

    Nissan was not the first, Honda and Acura have used similar tags for quite some time.
    Honda at one time provided leather patch panel segments, in three sizes to effect a warranty repair or over the counter sale. No more.
    Seat bolster side airbags, and on some more recent models, under knee airbags to help prevent sliding forward under the lap belt are changing much. Often those do not directly effect the cover, but there is capacity sewn into the attachment zone that cannot be ignored.
    The Nissan advisory is very conservative of course.
    Staying clear of the primary SRS deployment seam and underlying strapping is wise.
    There is no one “airbag” thread. Full stop.
    I consider it this way, I do not want to have to be called to testify as to why I thought I could outsmart the OEM engineers. Nor do I want to explain to the deceased’s heirs and executors how I should have known better but did not. I miss out on a fair number of backrest bolster repair jobs. I sleep well, and do not have to worry about that liability. There have been a few aftermarket upholstery suppliers visit to sell their wares, when I ask about the testing standards, they know I am not their customer. Plenty of new car dealers skating on thin ice too, for the lure of easy money.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

THR Sponsors

Haartz Right Rail Ad - 10
NC Sewing Machines
Miami Corporation
Top Down Group
  • GAHH Automotive
  • Douglass Interior Products
  • Kee Auto Top
  • Hyde Leather
  • Albright's Supply

THR Favorites

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - 1967 Ford Mustang

Design Studio: 1967-68 Mustang Door Panel

The Hog Ring Design Studio continues its … [more] about Design Studio: 1967-68 Mustang Door Panel

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - Trim Den

Shop Profile: Kaze Williams of Trim Den

To run a successful auto upholstery shop, you … [more] about Shop Profile: Kaze Williams of Trim Den

The Hog Ring - Smoking Weed at Work is a Chronic Mistake b

Smoking Weed at Work is a Chronic Mistake

Listen up Cheech. We’ve all seen your shop’s … [more] about Smoking Weed at Work is a Chronic Mistake

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - Faurecia flat-seam stitch

Faurecia Introduces Flat-Seam Stitching

Faurecia, one of the largest automotive … [more] about Faurecia Introduces Flat-Seam Stitching

10 Questions for Trimmer Shannon Walters

If you were to poll the hot rod community to … [more] about 10 Questions for Trimmer Shannon Walters

5 Items to Hang on Your Shop’s Walls

Most auto upholstery shops have front offices … [more] about 5 Items to Hang on Your Shop’s Walls

Categories

Footer

Recent Articles

  • Trimmer Eugene Schreiner Dies at 92
  • This Trim Shop is Growing So Fast it’s ‘Busting at the Seams’
  • Trimmer John Cooper Dies at 84
  • How to Protect Your Shop’s Online Reputation
  • U.S. Trim Shops Can Apply For Forgivable Loans Again

Recent Comments

  • Don on 5 Harbor Freight Tools that Don’t Suck
  • Ruben Alberto on 5 Harbor Freight Tools that Don’t Suck
  • Rebecca on Why Bentley Trimmers Use Forks to Wrap Steering Wheels
  • Ronald Bent on The Scoop on Carpet Binders and Sergers
  • Mario Pozadas on 5 Harbor Freight Tools that Don’t Suck

Advertise With Us!

We're always looking for companies to collaborate with. Watch this short video about the benefits of sponsorship and then email us to say hi.

anal porno
bangbros
rus porno
yaşlı porno
konulu porno
olgun porno
porno izle
sarışın porno
bakire sex
69 porno

Copyright © 2021 · THR New Media, LLC · WordPress · Log in