Latest news with #NissanCube
Miami Herald
19-06-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Nissan's Oddball Car Under Scrutiny After Airbag Injures Driver
According to the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA), frontal airbags have saved over 50,000 lives over a 30-year period, between 1987 and 2017. That's significant, but when the deployment of an airbag goes wrong, this impressive safety device can quickly turn into a lethal weapon. The NHTSA is now investigating an event where the driver of a 2009 Nissan Cube was injured when struck by an airbag module, which incorrectly detached from the steering wheel in what was a single-vehicle crash. Although only one incident was reported, the issue is serious enough for the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) to look into the matter in more detail. Airbags manufactured by Takata have been subject to a recall that affected hundreds of thousands of vehicles from various brands, many of them produced in the 2000s and 2010s. So, it should perhaps come as little surprise that the 2009 Nissan Cube involved in this latest incident is fitted with Takata PSDI-X inflators. Nissan and New Leaf LLC (previously known as Takata) have determined that the rupture was found at the weld point between the inflator cap and inflator housing. After striking the driver and causing injuries that required medical attention, the airbag module ended up in the Cube's back seat. The airbag cushion and inflator were still attached to the module housing. The Cube's issue could be separate from the wider Takata recall, as the NHTSA stated the Cube's airbag failure "appears to be inconsistent with known ruptures attributed to propellant degradation." The ODI report mentions the 2009 Cube only, but that already means 28,388 models could be affected. As of this writing, no recall has been issued, as only a completed investigation can determine whether a recall is necessary. The 2009 model year was the first of the third-gen Cube, but it was also the first Cube to be exported to North America. It is one of Nissan's most unusual designs, and it's still a bizarre sight on roads today. Hopefully, the ODI determines that this scary airbag failure is an isolated incident and not a flaw that could affect all Cubes. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Two killed in Iberia Parish crash; investigation underway
IBERIA PARISH, La. (KLFY) — Deputies are investigating a two-vehicle fatal crash that occurred at the intersection of Rip Van Winkle Rd. and LA Highway 675 During the investigation, it was revealed a 2012 Nissan Cube was traveling eastbound on Rip Van Winkle Road, and for unknown reasons the driver allegedly failed to stop at the stop sign and was stuck by a 2020 Ford F-150 traveling south on LA Highway 675, deputies said. The driver of the Nissan, identified as Donald P. Gremillion, 69, of Abbeville, along with the passenger, identified as Gerrilynn Gremillion, 69, also of Abbeville, were pronounced dead at the scene. The occupants of the Ford F-150 were uninjured, deputies said. Authorities said toxicology samples were obtained from the driver of the Nissan and submitted for analysis. The driver of the Ford F-150 submitted to a breathalyzer test which results were negative. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now This crash remains under investigation. We will update as more information is released. How rare are May tropical storms? Hunt, Hook and Cook: summer fishing in Vermilion Parish Planet Fitness offers free summer gym membership — if you're young enough Two killed in Iberia Parish crash; investigation underway Trump punts on Musk criticism of 'big, beautiful bill' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Lord Help Me I Think I Need A Stanced Nissan Cube
Nissan finally introduced a U.S. version of its goofy geometric Cube in 2009, though it sold two prior generations in Japan since 1998. I first saw the wacky Nissan Cube at the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo in my hometown of Long Beach as a kid and immediately fell in love with its funky shape. By the time Nissan was ready to bring the third-gen Cube to the U.S., its styling became slightly less cubic than the second-gen Cube I first saw at the alternative fuels expo, but it retained the same spirit as the Cube I fell in love with. It's been 16 years since the Cube first went on sale in the U.S., but my Instagram algorithm recently reminded me of its zany take on a boring economy car. I keep seeing photos of customized Cubes that have me wondering if a stanced Cube might fix me. The Cubes in question are all slammed to the ground with nice wheels that tuck neatly under the blistered wheel arches, and my favorite ones have Cube Krom–style body kits. Something about the proportions of the Cube lends itself to looking great when slammed, I think it's the way the body is stretched tightly around the long-looking wheelbase with a minimal front overhang and virtually no rear overhang. The Cube's funky yet relatively simplistic shape seems to play nicely with wacky wheel designs, and fun colors come together to just look cool. Read more: SEMA Was Full Of Wild Concepts In 2002 The original Scion xB was the first box-on-wheels sold in the U.S., and it experienced a lot of popularity on the custom scene, but I like the look of customized Cubes more. Under its funky styling was a very conventional powertrain that came directly from Nissan's plain Jane Versa. It only had a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that sent 122 horsepower and 127 pound-feet of torque through either a six-speed manual or a CVT. The Cube was actually a foot shorter than the Versa, and it had a 2.8-inch shorter wheelbase, so it was a tiny little box especially compared to its main competitors the much larger second-generation Scion xB and the Kia Soul. The Cube's diminutive size impacted its popularity, and had other eccentricities that made it a little too weird for buyers including asymmetrical styling, and a side-hinged rear cargo door. I'd argue, however, that time has been kinder to the Cube than its competitors, and that it manages to avoid the cheugy reputation of the second-gen xB and the Kia Soul. According to Nissan designers, the third-gen Cube's exterior design took inspiration from, drumroll please, a bulldog wearing sunglasses, and the interior design took inspiration from a jacuzzi. These rather obscure references came together to form a funky, upright economy car with a unique design that turned out to be quite polarizing. I always appreciated the bold looks that dared to be different, but daring to be different didn't work out so well for the quirky Cube. Its single generation lasted just five years in the U.S., but I'm glad people are celebrating the Cube's bold, weird, arguably ugly but undeniably unique design. Read the original article on Jalopnik.
