1996 NISSAN SENTRA warning

When the ignition key is in the ON or START
position, the supplemental air bag warning
light illuminates for about 7 seconds and
then turns off. This means the system is
operational.
If any of the following conditions occur, the
supplemental air bag needs servicing:
1. The supplemental air bag light does not
come on and remain on for 7 seconds
and then go off as described above.
2. The supplemental air bag light flashes
intermittently or remains on.
3. The supplemental air bag light does not
come on at all.
Under these conditions, the Supplemental
Restraint System Air Bag does not operate
properly. It must be checked and repaired.
Take your vehicle to the nearest authorized
NISSAN dealer.
Repair and replacement procedure
The supplemental air bag system is de-
signed to inflate on a one-time-only basis.
As a reminder, unless it is damaged, the
supplemental air bag light remains illumi-
nated after inflation has occurred. Repair
and replacement of the supplemental airbag system should be done only by an
authorized NISSAN dealer.
To ensure long-term functioning, the
system must be inspected 10 years after
the date of manufacture as noted on the
certification label located on the driver
side front pillar.
When maintenance work is required on the
vehicle, the supplemental air bag system
and related parts should be pointed out to
the person conducting the maintenance.
The ignition key must always be in the
LOCK position when working under the
hood or inside the vehicle.
WARNING
cOnce the supplemental air bag in-
flates, the supplemental air bag mod-
ule will not function again and must
be replaced. The supplemental air
bag module cannot be repaired.
cAfter a supplemental air bag inflates,
the front instrument panel assembly
should be replaced by your NISSAN
dealer if damaged.cThe supplemental air bag system
should be inspected by an authorized
NISSAN dealer if there is any damage
to the front end portion of the vehicle
or if the air bag has inflated.
cWhen selling your vehicle, we re-
quest that you inform the buyer about
the supplemental air bag system and
guide the buyer to the appropriate
sections in this Owner's Manual.
cIf you need to dispose of the supple-
mental air bag or scrap the vehicle,
contact an authorized NISSAN dealer.
Correct supplemental air bag dis-
posal procedures are set forth in the
appropriate NISSAN Service Manual.
Incorrect disposal procedures could
cause personal injury.
2-21
ZX

PRECAUTIONS ON SEAT BELT
USAGE
Your chances of being injured or killed in an
accident and/or the severity of injury may be
greatly reduced if you are wearing your seat
belt and it is properly adjusted. NISSAN
strongly encourages you and all of your
passengers to buckle up every time you
drive, even if your seating position includes
an air bag.
Some states, provinces or territories re-
quire that seat belts be worn at all times
when a vehicle is being driven.
WARNING
cEvery person who drives or rides in
this vehicle should use a seat belt at
all times. Children should be in ap-
propriate child restraints.
cThe belt should be properly adjusted
to a snug fit. Failure to do so will
reduce the effectiveness of the entire
restraint system and increases the
chances or severity of injury in an
accident.cDo not wear the belt inside out or
twisted. Be sure the seat belt tongue
is securely fastened to the proper
buckle.
cDo not allow more than one person to
use the same belt.
cAll seat belt assemblies including re-
tractors and attaching hardware
should be inspected after any colli-
sion at your NISSAN dealer. NISSAN
recommends that all seat belt assem-
blies in use during a collision be
replaced unless the collision was mi-
nor and the belts show no damage
and continue to operate properly.
Seat belt assemblies not in use dur-
ing a collision should also be in-
spected and replaced if either dam-
age or improper operation is noted.
cNever carry more people in the ve-
hicle than there are seat belts.
c
If the seat belt warning lamp glows con-
tinuously while the ignition is turned ON
with all doors closed and all seat belts
fastened, it may indicate a malfunction
in the system. Have the system checked
by your NISSAN dealer.cBe sure to observe the following pre-
cautions when using seat belts. Failure
to do so could increase the chance
and/or severity of injury in an accident.
cAlways route the shoulder belt over
your shoulder and across your chest.
Never run the belt under your arm or
across your neck. The belt should be
away from your face and neck, but
not falling off your shoulder.
cPosition the lap belt as low as pos-
sible AROUND THE HIPS, NOT THE
WAIST.
cSerious injury or death can occur if
seat belt is not worn properly.
CHILD SAFETY
Children need adults to help protect
them.
All U.S. states and provinces of Canada
require the use of approved child restraints
for infants and small children. (See ``Child
Restraints for Infants and Small Children''
later in this section.)
In addition, there are many types of child
restraints available for larger children which
SEAT BELTS
2-22
ZX

should be used for maximum protection.
Infant or small child
NISSAN recommends that infants or small
children be placed in child restraint systems
that comply with Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards or Canadian Motor Ve-
hicle Safety Standards. You should choose
a child restraint system which fits your ve-
hicle and always follow the manufacturer's
instructions for installation and use.
Children
Children who are too large for child restraint
systems should be seated and restrained by
the seat belts which are provided.
NISSAN recommends that children sit in the
rear seat if possible. According to accident
statistics, children are safer when properly
restrained in the rear seat than in the front
seat.
If the child's seating position has a shoulder
belt that fits close to the face or neck, the use
of a booster seat (commercially available)
may help overcome this. The booster seat
should raise the child so that the shoulder
belt is properly positioned across the top,
middle portion of the shoulder and the lapbelt is low on the hips. The booster seat
should fit the vehicle seat and have a label
certifying that it complies with Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standards or Canadian Mo-
tor Vehicle Safety Standards. Once the child
has grown enough so the shoulder belt is no
longer on or near the face and neck, use the
shoulder belt without the booster seat.
Never let a child stand or kneel on any
seat and do not allow a child in the cargo
areas while the vehicle is moving.
Pregnant women
NISSAN recommends that pregnant women
use seat belts. Contact your doctor for spe-
cific recommendations. The lap belt should
be worn snug and positioned as low as
possible around the hips, not the waist.
Injured persons
NISSAN recommends that injured persons
use seat belts. Check with your doctor for
specific recommendations.
3-POINT TYPE WITH RETRACTOR
WARNING
Every person who drives or rides in
this vehicle should wear a seat belt at
all times.
Fastening the belts
1. Adjust the seat.
MPA0002
2-23
ZX

WARNING
The seatback should not be reclined
any more than needed for comfort. Seat
belts are most effective when the pas-
senger sits well back and straight up in
the seat. If the seat is reclined, the risk
of sliding under the lap belt and being
injured is increased.
2. Slowly pull the seat belt out of the retrac-
tor and insert the tongue into the buckle
until it snaps.
The retractor is designed to lock during
a sudden stop or on impact. A slow
pulling motion permits the belt to move,
and allows you some freedom of move-
ment in the seat.
3. Position the lap belt portionlow on the
hipsas shown.
4. Pull the shoulder belt portion toward the
retractor to take up extra slack.The front seat passenger side seat belt and
rear 3-point seat belts have a cinching
mechanism for child seat installation. It is
referred to as the automatic locking mode.
When the cinching mechanism is activated
the seat belt cannot be withdrawn again
until the seat belt tongue is detached from
the buckle and fully retracted. Refer to
``Child Restraints for Infants and Small
Children'' later in this section for more infor-
mation.
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WARNING
The automatic locking mode should be
used only for child seat installation.
During normal seat belt use by a pas-
senger, the locking mode should not be
activated. If it is activated it may cause
uncomfortable seat belt tension.
Unfastening the belts
To unfasten the belt, press the button on the
buckle. The seat belt automatically retracts.
Shoulder belt height adjustment
(For front seats) (If so equipped)
The shoulder belt anchor height should be
adjusted to the position best for you. (See
``Precautions on Seat Belt Usage''.) To ad-
just, press both release buttons and move it
to the desired position so the belt passes
over the center of the shoulder. The belt
should be away from your face and neck,
but not falling off of your shoulder.
CAUTION
After adjustment, release the button
and check that it does not move up and
down to make sure the shoulder belt
anchor is securely fixed in position.
Checking seat belt operation
(3-point type with retractor)
Your seat belt retractors are designed to
lock belt movement by two separate meth-
ods:
1) When the belt is pulled quickly from the
retractor.
2) When the vehicle slows down rapidly.
To increase your confidence in the belts,
check the operation as follows:
cGrasp the shoulder belt and pull forward
quickly. The retractor should lock and
restrict further belt movement.
If the retractor does not lock during this
check or if you have any question about belt
operation, see your NISSAN dealer.
APD0630APD0617
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ZX

Selecting correct set of belts
The center seat belt buckle and tongue are
identified by the CENTER label. The center
seat belt tongue can be fastenedonlyinto
the center seat belt buckle.
SEAT BELT EXTENDERS
If, because of body size or driving position,
it is not possible to properly fit the lap-
shoulder belt and fasten it, an extender is
available which is compatible with the in-
stalled seat belts. The extender adds ap-
proximately 8 inches (200 mm) of length
and may be used for either the driver or front
passenger seating position. See your NIS-
SAN dealer for assistance if the extender is
required.
WARNING
cOnly NISSAN belt extenders, made by
the same company which made the
original equipment belts, should be
used with NISSAN belts.
cPersons who can use the standard
seat belt should not use an extender.
Such unnecessary use could result in
serious personal injury in the event
of an accident.
SEAT BELT MAINTENANCE
cTo clean the belt webbings,apply a
mild soap solution or any solution recom-
mended for cleaning upholstery or car-
pets. Then brush the webbing, wipe it
with a cloth and allow it to dry in the
shade. Do not allow the belts to retract
until they are completely dry.
cPeriodically check to see that the belt
and metal components,such as buck-
les, tongues, retractors, flexible wires
and anchors, work properly. If loose
parts, deterioration, cuts or other dam-
age on the webbing is found, the entire
belt assembly should be replaced.
APD0627
2-27
ZX

WARNING
Infants and small children shouldalwaysbe
placed in an appropriate child restraint while
riding in the vehicle. Failure to use a child
restraint can result in serious injury or death.
Children and infants should never be
carried on your lap. It is not possible for
even the strongest adult to resist the
forces of a severe accident. The child
could be crushed between the adult
and parts of the vehicle. Also, do not
put the same seat belt around both
your child and yourself.
In general, child restraints are designed
to be installed with a lap belt or the lap
portion of a three-point type seat belt.
Nissan recommends that the child re-
straint system be installed in the rear
seat. According to accident statistics,
children are safer when properly re-
strained in the rear seat than in the
front seat.
An improperly installed child restraint
could lead to serious injury or death in
an accident.Child restraints specially designed for in-
fants and small children are offered by
several manufacturers. When selecting any
child restraint, keep the following points in
mind:
1) Choose only a restraint with a label cer-
tifying that it complies with Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard 213 or Cana-
dian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213.
2) Check the child restraint in your vehicle
to be sure it is compatible with the vehi-
cle's seat belt system.
3) If the child restraint is compatible with
your vehicle, place your child in the child
restraint and check the various adjust-
ments to be sure the child restraint is
compatible with your child. Always follow
all recommended procedures.
WARNING
cNever install a rear-facing child re-
straint in the front seat. A rear-facing
child restraint must only be used in
the rear seat. See ªInstallation on
front passenger seatº for details.cFollow all of the child restraint manu-
facturer's instructions for installation
and use. When purchasing a child
restraint, be sure to select one which
will fit your child and vehicle. It may
not be possible to properly install
some types of child restraints in your
vehicle.
cImproper use of a child restraint can
result in increased injuries for both
the infant or child and other occu-
pants in the vehicle.
c
When your child restraint is not in
use, keep it secured with a seat belt to
prevent it from being thrown forward
in case of a sudden stop or accident.
cRemember that a child restraint left in
a closed vehicle can become very
hot. Check the seating surface and
buckles before placing your child in
the child restraint.
c
All U.S. states and provinces of
Canada require that infants and small
children be restrained in approved
child restraints at all times while the
vehicle is being operated.
CHILD RESTRAINTS FOR
INFANTS AND SMALL
CHILDREN
2-28
ZX

Installation on rear outboard seating
positions
WARNING
cThe 3-point belt in your vehicle is
equipped with a locking mode retrac-
tor which must be used when install-
ing a child restraint.
cFailure to do so will result in the child
restraint not being properly secured.
It could tip over or otherwise be un-
secured and cause injury to the child
in a sudden stop or collision.When you install a child restraint in a rear
outboard seat, follow these steps:
1. Position the child restraint on the seat. It
can be placed in a forward facing or rear
facing direction, depending on the size of
the child. Always follow the restraint
manufacturer's instructions.
2. Route the seat belt tongue through the
child restraint and insert it into the buckle
until you hear and feel the latch engage.
Be sure to follow the child restraint manu-
facturer's instructions for belt routing.
3. Pull on the shoulder belt until all of the
belt is fully extended and a click is heard.
At this time, the belt retractor is in the
automatic locking mode (child restraint
mode). (It reverts back to ``emergency
locking'' when the belt is fully retracted.)
4. Allow the belt to retract. A clicking sound
will be heard as the belt retracts. This
indicates that the retractor is in the auto-
matic locking mode. Pull down on the belt
to remove any slack in the belt.5. Before placing the child in the child re-
straint, use force to tilt the child restraint
from side to side, and tug it forward to
make sure that it is securely held in
place.
6. Check that the retractor is in the auto-
matic locking mode by trying to pull more
belt out of the retractor. If you cannot pull
any more belt webbing out of the retrac-
tor, the belt is in the automatic locking
mode.
7. Check to make sure that the child re-
straint is properly secured prior to each
PD1331PD1332
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