1997 NISSAN ALTIMA Owners Manual

cNo unauthorized changes should be
made to any components or wiring of
the supplemental air bag system. This
is to prevent accidental inflation of the
supplemental air bag or damage to the
supplemental air bag system.
cDo not make unauthorized changes
to your vehicle's electrical system,
suspension system or front end
structure. This could affect proper
operation of the supplemental air
bag system.
c
Tampering with the supplemental air
bag system may result in serious per-
sonal injury. Tampering includes
changes to the steering wheel and the
instrument panel assembly by placing
material over the steering wheel pad
and above the dashboard, or by install-
ing additional trim material around the
supplemental air bag system.
cWork around and on the supplemen-
tal air bag system should be done by
an authorized NISSAN dealer. Instal-
lation of electrical equipment should
also be done by an authorized NIS-
SAN dealer. The yellow SRS wiringshould not be modified or discon-
nected. Unauthorized electrical test
equipment and probing devices
should not be used on the supple-
mental air bag system.
cThe SRS wiring harnesses are cov-
ered with yellow insulation either
just before the harness connectors
or over the complete harness for
easy identification.
When selling your vehicle, we request that
you inform the buyer about the supple-
mental air bag system and guide the buyer
to the appropriate sections in this Owner's
Manual.
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ZX

Warning labels about the supplemental air
bag system are placed in the vehicle as
shown in the illustration.The supplemental air bag warning light,
displaying AIR BAG in the instrument panel,
monitors the circuits of the supplemental air
bag. The circuits monitored by the supple-
mental air bag light are the diagnosis sensor
unit, supplemental air bag modules and all
related wiring.
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.
APD0513APD0523
WARNING LABELS SUPPLEMENTAL AIR BAG
WARNING LIGHT
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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 may not operate
properly. It must be checked and repaired.
Take your vehicle to the nearest authorized
NISSAN dealer.
WARNING
If the supplemental air bag warning
light is on, it could mean that the air
bag will not operate in an accident.
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. Repairand replacement of the supplemental air
bag 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 should 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
module will not function again and
should be replaced by an authorized
NISSAN dealer. The supplemental air
bag module cannot be repaired.cThe supplemental air bag system
should be inspected by an autho-
rized NISSAN dealer if there is any
damage to the front end portion of
the vehicle.
cIf you need to dispose of a supple-
mental air bag or scrap the vehicle,
contact an authorized NISSAN
dealer. Correct supplemental air bag
disposal procedures are set forth in
the appropriate NISSAN Service
Manual. Incorrect disposal proce-
dures could cause personal injury.
2-22
ZX

PRECAUTIONS ON SEAT BELT
USAGE
If you are wearing your seat belt properly
adjusted, your chances of being injured or
killed in an accident and/or the severity of
injury may be greatly reduced. NISSAN
strongly encourages you and all of your
passengers to buckle up every time you
drive, even if your seating position includes
a supplemental air bag.
Some states and all Canadian provinces or
territories require 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 prop-
erly restrained and, if appropriate, in
a child restraint.
c
The belt should be properly adjusted
to a snug fit. Failure to do so may
reduce the effectiveness of the entire
restraint system and increase the
chance or severity of injury in an acci-
dent. Serious injury or death can occur
if the seat belt is not worn properly.cAlways route the shoulder belt over
your shoulder and across your chest.
Never run the belt behind your back,
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 and snug
as possible AROUND THE HIPS,
NOT THE WAIST. A lap belt worn too
high could increase the risk of inter-
nal injuries in an accident.
APD0658APD0718
SEAT BELTS
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cBe sure the seat belt tongue is se-
curely fastened to the proper buckle.
cDo not wear the belt inside out or
twisted. Doing so may reduce its
effectiveness.
cDo not allow more than one person
to use the same belt.
cNever carry more people in the ve-
hicle than there are seat belts.cIf the seat belt warning light glows
continuously while the ignition is
turned ON with all doors closed and
all seat belts fastened, it may indi-
cate a malfunction in the system.
Have the system checked by your
NISSAN dealer.
cAll seat belt assemblies including
retractors and attaching hardware
should be inspected after any colli-
sion at your NISSAN dealer. NISSAN
recommends that all seat belt as-
semblies in use during a collision be
replaced unless the collision was
minor 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.
APD0533
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ZX

CHILD SAFETY
Children need adults to help protect
them.
WARNING
Infants and children need special pro-
tection. The vehicle's seat belts may
not fit them properly. The shoulder belt
may come too close to the face or neck.
The lap belt may not fit over their small
hip bones. In an accident an improperly
fitting seat belt could cause serious or
fatal injury. Always use appropriate
child restraints.
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
should be used for maximum protection.
Infant or small child
NISSAN recommends that infants or small
children be placed in child restraints thatcomply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards or Canadian Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards. You should choose a
child restraint that fits your vehicle and
always follow the manufacturer's instruc-
tions for installation and use.
Children
Children who are too large for child re-
straints 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 avail-
able) may help overcome this. The booster
seat should raise the child so that the shoul-
der belt is properly positioned across the
top, middle portion of the shoulder and the
lap belt 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 thechild has grown so the shoulder belt is no
longer on or near the face and neck, use the
shoulder belt without the booster seat.
WARNING
Never let a child stand or kneel on any
seat and do not allow a child in the
cargo areas while the vehicle is mov-
ing. The child could be seriously in-
jured or killed in an accident.
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.
2-25
ZX

3-POINT TYPE WITH RETRACTOR
WARNING
cEvery person who drives or rides in
this vehicle should use a seat belt at
all times.
c
Do not ride in a moving vehicle when
the seatback is reclined. This can be
dangerous. The shoulder belt will not
be against your body. In an accident
you could be thrown into it and re-
ceive neck or other serious injuries.
You could also slide under the lap belt
and receive serious internal injuries.For most effective protection when
the vehicle is in motion, the seat
should be upright. Always sit well
back in the seat and adjust the seat
belt properly.
Fastening the belts
1. Adjust the seat.
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.
APD0500PD1023M
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3. Position the lap belt portionlow and
snug on the hipsas shown.
4. Pull the shoulder belt portion toward the
retractor to take up extra slack.
The front passenger side seat belt and rear
3-point seat belts have a cinching mecha-
nism 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 further
until the seat belt tongue is detached from
the buckle and fully retracted. Once re-
tracted, the seat belt is in the emergencylocking mode. Refer to ``Child Restraints for
Infants and Small Children'' later in this
section for more information.
The automatic locking mode should be
used only for child seat installation. Dur-
ing normal seat belt use by a passenger,
the locking mode should not be acti-
vated. 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.
Checking seat belt operation
(3-point type with retractor)
Seat belt retractors are designed to lock belt
movement using two separate methods:
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 their operation as follows:
cGrasp the shoulder belt and pull quickly
forward. The retractor should lock and
restrict further belt movement.
If the retractor does not lock during this
check or if you have any questions about
belt operation, see your NISSAN dealer.
PD1024M
2-27
ZX