1997 NISSAN FRONTIER Owners Manual

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 passenger side seat belt has a
cinching mechanism for child seat installa-
tion. It is referred to as the automatic locking
mode.
When the cinching mechanism is activated
the seat belt cannot be extracted again until
the seat belt tongue is detached from the
buckle and the seat belt is fully retracted.
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 belt
To unfasten the belt, press the button on the
buckle. The seat belt automatically retracts.
Checking seat belt operation
Seat belt retractors are designed to lock belt
movement by 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 the operation as follows:
cGrasp the shoulder belt and pull quicklyforward. 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
seat belt operation, see your NISSAN
dealer.
Replacing front seat belt (3-point
type only)
The front passenger seat belt is an energy
absorber type. Replace the belt when the
loop has been pulled out and ``REPLACE
BELT'' is visible. This indicator means the
seat belt has been loaded and must be
replaced.
PD1024M
2-22
ZX

2-POINT TYPE WITHOUT
RETRACTOR (Center of bench
seat and jump seats)
On bench seat equipped models, the center
seat belt buckle and tongue are identified by
the CENTER mark. The center seat belt
tongue can be fastened only into the center
seat belt buckle.
Fastening the belt
1. Insert the tongue into the buckle until it
snaps.2. To lengthen, hold the tongue at a right
angle to the belt and pull on the belt. To
shorten, pull the free end of the belt away
from the tongue, then pull the belt clip to
take up the slack.3. Position the lap beltlow on the hipsas
illustrated.
Unfastening the belt
To unfasten the belt, press the button on the
buckle.
APD0105ICM021APD0106
2-23
ZX

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 right
passenger seating position. See your
NISSAN dealer for assistance if the ex-
tender 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 seat belt webbings,apply
a mild soap solution or any solution rec-
ommended for cleaning upholstery orcarpets. Then brush, wipe with a cloth
and allow it to dry in the shade. Do not
allow the seat belts to retract until they
are completely dry.
cIf dirt builds up in the shoulder belt
guideof the seat belt anchors, the seat
belts may retract slowly. Wipe the shoul-
der belt guide with a clean, dry cloth.
cPeriodically check to see that the seat
belt and the metal components,such
as buckles, tongues, retractors, flexible
wires and anchors, work properly. If
loose parts, deterioration, cuts or other
damage on the webbing is found, the
entire seat belt assembly should be re-
placed.
WARNING
cInfants and small children should
always be placed in an appropriate
child restraint while riding in the ve-
hicle. Failure to use a child restraint
can result in serious injury or death.
cChildren 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.
APD0660
CHILD RESTRAINTS FOR
INFANTS AND SMALL
CHILDREN
2-24
ZX

cAn improperly installed child re-
straint could lead to serious injury or
death in an accident.
In general, child restraints are designed to
be installed with a lap belt or the lap portion
of a 3-point type seat belt. Child restraints
specially designed for infants and small
children are offered by several manufactur-
ers. 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 and seat belt system. Choose
a child restraint that meets the guidelines
of the Society of Automotive Engineers
recommended practice J1819 for child
restraint installation.
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 of the recommended procedures.All U.S. states and provinces of Canada
require that infants and small children be
restrained in an approved child restraint
at all times while the vehicle is being
operated.
WARNING
cDo not install a child restraint in the
jump seats (King Cab model). These
seats are not suitable for child re-
straint installation.
cImproper use of a child restraint can
result in increased injuries for both
the infant or child and other occu-
pants in the vehicle.
cFollow all of the child restraint
manufacturer's instructions for in-
stallation and use. When purchasing
a child restraint, be sure to select
one which will fit your child and
vehicle as it may not be possible to
properly install some types of child
restraints in your vehicle.
cIf the child restraint is not anchored
properly, the risk of a child being
injured in a collision or a sudden
stop greatly increases.cAdjustable seatbacks should be po-
sitioned to fit the child restraint, but
as upright as possible.
c
After attaching the child restraint,
test it before you place the child in it.
Tilt it from side to side. Try to tug it
forward and check to see if the belt
holds the restraint in place. If the
restraint is not secure, tighten the
belt as necessary, or put the restraint
in another seat and test it again.
cFor a front facing child restraint,
check to make sure the shoulder belt
does not go in front of the child's
face or neck. If it does, put the shoul-
der belt behind the child restraint.
cWhen your child restraint is not in
use, keep it secured with a seat belt
to prevent it from being thrown
around in case of a sudden stop or
accident.
CAUTION
Remember 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.
2-25
ZX

INSTALLATION ON FRONT
PASSENGER SEAT
(3-point type with retractor)
WARNING
cThe 3-point belt in your vehicle is
equipped with a locking mode re-
tractor which must be used when
installing a child restraint.cFailure to use the retractor's locking
mode will result in the child restraint
not being properly secured. The re-
straint could tip over or otherwise be
unsecured and cause injury to the
child in a sudden stop or collision.
If you choose to install a child restraint,
follow these steps:
1. Position the child restraint on the front
passenger seat. It can be placed in a
forward facing or rear facing direction,
depending on the size of the child. Al-
ways follow the restraint manufacturer's
instructions.
2. Route the seat belt tongue through the
child restraint and insert the belt tongue
into the buckle until you hear and feel the
latch engage. Be sure to follow the child
restraint manufacturer's instructions for
belt routing.3. Pull upward on the lap belt until all of the
belt is fully extended and a click is heard.
At this time, the lap belt retractor is in the
automatic locking mode (child restraint
mode). It reverts back to emergency
locking mode when the belt is fully re-
tracted.
4. Allow the belt to retract. A clicking sound
is heard as the belt retracts. This indi-
cates that the retractor is in the automatic
locking mode. Pull up on the belt to
remove any slack in the belt.
PD1335PD1336
2-26
ZX

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 it is securely held in place.
6. Ensure the retractor is in the automatic
locking mode by trying to pull more belt
out of the retractor. If you cannot pull any
more belt webbing out of the retractor,
the belt is in the automatic locking mode.
7. Check to make sure the child restraint is
properly secured prior to each use. If the
lap belt is not locked, repeat steps 3
through 6.
After the child restraint is removed and the
seat belt is allowed to wind back into the
retractor, the automatic locking mode (child
restraint mode) is canceled; the emergency
locking retractor may be used as normal
and will only lock during a sudden stop or
impact.
INSTALLATION IN CENTER OF
BENCH SEAT
(2-point type without retractor)
When you install a child restraint in the
center of the bench seat, follow these steps:
1.
Position the child restraint on the seat, as
illustrated. It can be placed in a forward
facing or rear facing direction, depending
on the size of the child. Always follow the
child 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. Remove all slack in the lap belt for a very
tight fit by pulling forcefully on the lap belt
adjustment.
4. 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 it is securely held in place.
5. If the child restraint is not secure, try to
tighten the belt again, or put the restraint
in the passenger seat.
6. Check to make sure the child restraint is
properly secured prior to each use.
APD0710APD0709
2-27
ZX

TOP STRAP CHILD RESTRAINT
If your child restraint has a top strap, install
the anchor bracket to one of the provided
anchor points. Secure the child restraint with
either the 2-point or 3-point seat belt and
latch the top strap hook onto the appropriate
anchor bracket. If using the 3-point seat belt,
make sure the shoulder belt is placed be-
tween the seat back and child restraint. To
install the anchor bracket, a metric bolt of the
dimensions listed below must be used.
Bolt diameter: 8.0 mm
Bolt length: more than 1.18 in (30 mm)
Thread pitch: 1.25 mmThe top strap should be secured to the
attaching belt which provides the straightest
installation of the top strap.
WARNING
Child restraint anchor points are de-
signed to withstand only those loads
imposed by correctly fitted child re-
straints. Under no circumstances are
they to be used for adult seat belts or
harnesses.
APD0711
2-28
ZX

Anchor point locations
Anchor points are located under the rear
window. On King Cab models, the back
panel carpet is perforated to allow access to
the anchor points.
Your NISSAN dealer can assist you with the
installation of your child restraint.
Tilt operation
Pull the lock lever down and adjust the
steering wheel up or down to the desired
position.
Push the lock lever up firmly to lock the
steering wheel in place.
WARNING
Do not adjust the steering wheel while
driving. You could lose control of your
vehicle and cause an accident.
APD0707APD0700
TILTING STEERING WHEEL
(if so equipped)
2-29
ZX