1997 NISSAN MAXIMA Owners Manual

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 pas-
sengers to buckle up every time you drive,
even if your seating position includes a supple-
mental air bag.
Some states, provinces or territories re-
quire that seat belts be worn at all times
when a vehicle is being driven.
IEvery person who drives or rides in
this vehicle should use a seat belt at
all times. Children should be properly
restrained and, if appropriate, in a
child restraint.
IThe belt should be adjusted properly
and 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
accident. Serious injury or death can
occur if the seat belt is not worn
properly.
IAlways route the shoulder belt over
your shoulder and across your chest.
Never run the belt behind your backs
under your arm or across your neck.
The belt should be away from your
face and neck, but not falling off your
shoulder.
IPosition the lap belt as low and snug
SPA0506SPA0485
SEAT BELTS
2-24
Z01.2.1/A32-DX

as possible AROUND THE HIPS, NOT
THE WAIST. A lap belt worn too high
could increase the risk of internal
injuries in an accident.
IBe sure the seat belt tongue is se-
curely fastened to the proper buckle.
IDo not wear the belt inside out or
twisted. Doing so may reduce its ef-
fectiveness.
IDo not allow more than one person to
use the same belt.
INever carry more people in the ve-
hicle than there are seat belts.
IIf the seat belt warning lamp glows
continuously while the ignition is
turned ªONº 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.
IAll seat belt assemblies including re-
tractors and attaching hardware
should be inspected by your NISSAN
dealer after any collision. 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.
CHILD SAFETY
Children need adults to help protect them.
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 re-
quire the use of approved child restraints for
infants and small children. (See ªChild re-
straints for infants and small childrenº 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 that com-
ply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Stan-
dards or Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Stan-
dards. You should choose a child restraint that
fits your vehicle and always follow the manu-
SPA0486
2-25
Z01.2.1/A32-DX

facturer'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 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 Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards. Once the child has grown 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. The
child could be seriously injured or killed
in an accident.
PREGNANT WOMEN
NISSAN recommends that pregnant women
use seat belts. Contact your doctor for specific
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, depending on the injury. Check
with your doctor for specific recommendations.
3-POINT TYPE SEAT BELT WITH
RETRACTOR
Every person who drives or rides in this
vehicle should wear a seat belt at all
times.
Fastening the belts
1. Adjust the seat.
SPA0492
2-26
Z01.2.1/A32-DX

Do not ride in a moving vehicle when the
seatback is reclined. This can be dan-
gerous. The shoulder belt will not be
against your body. In an accident you
could be thrown into it and receive neck
or other serious injuries. You could also
slide under the lap belt and receive se-
rious internal injuries.
For most effective protection when the
vehicle is in motion, the seat should be
upright. Always sit well back in the seatand adjust the seat belt properly.
2. Slowly pull the seat belt out of the retractor
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 will permit the belt to move, and
allow you some freedom of movement in
the seat.
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
SPA0493PD1024M
2-27
Z01.2.1/A32-DX

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 ªChild restraints for
infants and small childrenº later in this section
for more information.
The automatic locking mode should be
used only for child seat installation. During
normal seat belt use by a passenger, 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 will automatically retract.
Checking seat belt operation
(3-point type with retractor)
Your 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.
You can check their operation as follows:
IGrasp the shoulder belt and pull quickly
forward. The retractor should lock and re-
strict further belt movement.
If the retractor does not lock during this check
or if you have any questions about belt opera-
tion, see your NISSAN dealer.
Shoulder belt height adjustment
(For front seats)
The shoulder belt anchor height should be
adjusted to the position best for you. (See
ªPrecautions on seat belt usageº.) To adjust,
squeeze the release buttons, and then move it
to the desired position, so that 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.
PD1321-A
2-28
Z01.2.1/A32-DX

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.
2-POINT TYPE WITHOUT
RETRACTOR (center position of
rear seat)
Selecting correct set of belts
The center seat belt buckle and tongue are
identified by the CENTER mark. The center
seat belt tongue can be fastenedonlyinto the
center seat belt buckle.
Fastening the belts
1. Insert the tongue into the buckle marked
CENTER until it snaps.
SPA0281SPA0278
2-29
Z01.2.1/A32-DX

2. To lengthen, hold the tongue at a right
angle to the belt and pull on the belt. To
shorten, pull the end of the belt attached to
the belt clip away from the tongue, and then
pull the belt clip to take up the slack.3. Position the lap beltlow and snug on the
hipsas illustrated.
Unfastening the belts
To unfasten the belt, press the button on the
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 installed seat belts. The
extender adds approximately 8 inches (200
mm) of length and may be used for either the
driver or front passenger seating position. See
your NISSAN dealer for assistance if the ex-
tender is required.
IOnly NISSAN belt extenders, made by
the same company which made the
original equipment belts, should be
used with NISSAN belts.
IPersons 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.SPA0469SPA0280
2-30
Z01.2.1/A32-DX

SEAT BELT MAINTENANCE
ITo clean the seat belt webbings,apply a
mild soap solution or any solution recom-
mended for cleaning upholstery or carpets.
Then brush the webbing, wipe it with a cloth
and allow it to dry in the shade. Do not allow
the seat belts to retract until they are com-
pletely dry.
IIf dirt builds up in the shoulder belt guide of
the seat belt anchors, the seat belts may
retract slowly. Wipe the shoulder belt guide
with a clean, dry cloth.
IPeriodically check to see that the seat
belt and the metal componentssuch 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 belt assembly
should be replaced.
IInfants and small children should al-
ways 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.
IChildren 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.
INissan recommends that the child
restraint be installed in the rear seat.
According to accident statistics, chil-
dren are safer when properly re-
strained in the rear seat than in the
front seat.
IAn improperly installed child re-
straint could lead to serious injury or
death in an accident.
In general, child restraints are designed to beinstalled with a lap belt or the lap portion of a
three-point type seat belt.
Child restraints specially designed for infants
and small children are offered by several
manufacturers. When selecting any child re-
straint, keep the following points in mind:
1) Choose only a restraint with a label certify-
ing that it complies with Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard 213 or Canadian
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213.
2) Check that child restraint in your vehicle to
be sure it is compatible with the vehicle's
seat and seat belt system. Choose a child
restraint that meets the guidelines of the
Society of Automotive Engineers recom-
mended practice J1819 for child restraint
installation.
3) If the child restraint is compatible with your
vehicle, place your child in the child re-
straint and check the various adjustments
to be sure the child restraint is compatible
with your child. Always follow all recom-
mended procedures.
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 oper-
ated.
CHILD RESTRAINTS FOR
INFANTS AND SMALL CHILDREN
2-31
Z01.2.1/A32-DX