1998 NISSAN ALTIMA Owners Manual

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
three-point seat belts have a cinching
mechanism for child restraint installation. It
is referred to as the automatic locking mode.
When automatic locking mode 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the seat belt cannot be withdrawn further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. See ``Child Restraints'' later
in this section for more information.
The automatic locking mode should be
used only for child restraint installation.
During normal seat belt use by a passen-
ger, the locking mode should not be
activated. If it is activated it may cause
uncomfortable seat belt tension.
Unfastening the seat belts
To unfasten the belt, press the button on the
buckle. The seat belt automatically retracts.
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Checking seat belt operation
(Three-point type seat belt with re-
tractor)
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 an authorized NISSAN
dealer.
Shoulder belt height adjustment
(For front seats)
The shoulder belt anchor height should be
adjusted to the position best for you. (See
``Precautions on Seat Belt Usage'' earlier in
this section.) To adjust, pull out the adjust-
ment button and move the shoulder belt
anchor 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.
Release the adjustment button to lock the
shoulder belt anchor into position.
WARNING
cAfter adjustment, release the adjust-
ment button and try to move the
shoulder belt anchor up and down to
make sure it is securely fixed in
position.
cThe shoulder belt anchor height
should be adjusted to the position
best for you. Failure to do so may
reduce the effectiveness of the en-
tire restraint system and increase
the chance or severity of injury in an
accident.
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2-POINT TYPE WITHOUT
RETRACTOR (rear center lap belt)
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.
Fastening the belts
1. Insert the tongue into the buckle until it
clicks. Both the tongue and the buckle
are marked CENTER.2. Tighten the belt by pulling the free end of
the belt away from the tongue, then pull
the belt clip to take up the slack.
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3. Position the lap beltlow and snug on
the hipsas illustrated.4. Loosen the belt by holding the tongue at
a right angle to the belt, then pull on the
belt.Unfastening the belt
To unfasten the seat belt, press the button
on the buckle.
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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 an extender is
required.
WARNING
cOnly NISSAN seat belt extenders,
made by the same company which
made the original equipment belts,
should be used with NISSAN seat
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 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 completely dry.
cIf dirt builds up on 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.
cInfants and small children should
never be carried on your lap. It is not
possible for even the strongest adult
to resist the forces of a severe acci-
dent. 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.
cNever install a rear-facing child re-
straint in the front seat. An inflating
supplemental air bag could seri-
ously injure or kill your child. A rear-
facing child restraint must only be
used in the rear seat.
cNissan recommends that the child
restraint 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.
CHILD RESTRAINTS
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cAn improperly installed child re-
straint could lead to serious injury or
death in an accident.
cIn general, child restraints are de-
signed to be installed with a lap belt
or the lap portion of a three-point
type seat belt.
Child restraints for infants and children of
various sizes are offered by several manu-
facturers. 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 iscompatible with your child. Always follow
all recommended 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
operated.
WARNING
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 manu-
facturer's instructions for installa-
tion 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.
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, if
the seat position where it is installed
has a three-point type lap/shoulder
belt, check to make sure the shoul-
der belt does not go in front of the
child's face or neck. If it does, put
the shoulder belt behind the child
restraint. If you must install a front-
facing child restraint in the front
seat, see ``Installation on front pas-
senger seat'' later in this section for
details.
c
When 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.
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CAUTION
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.
Front facing installation on rear seat
Center lap belt
When you install a child restraint in a rear
center seat, follow these steps:
1. Position the child restraint on the seat as
illustrated. 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.
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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 it is not secure, try to tighten the belt
again, or put the restraint in another seat.
6. Check to make sure the child restraint is
properly secured prior to each use.Rear facing installation on rear seat
Center lap belt
When you install a child restraint in a rear
center seat, follow these steps:
1. Position the child restraint on the seat as
illustrated. Always follow the restraint
manufacturer's instructions.
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