2003 NISSAN ALTIMA warning

s3Position the lap belt portionlow and snug
on the hipsas shown.
s4Pull the shoulder belt portion toward the
retractor to take up extra slack. Make sure
the shoulder belt is routed over your shoul-
der and is snug across your chest.
The front passenger seat belt and the 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seat belt cannot be withdrawn again until the seat
belt tongue is detached from the buckle and fully
retracted. Once retracted, the seat belt is in theemergency locking 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 acti-
vated. If it is activated it may cause uncom-
fortable seat belt tension.
WARNING
When fastening the seat belts, be certain
that the seatbacks are completely se-
cured in the latched position. If they are
not completely secured, passengers may
be injured in an accident or sudden stop.
Unfastening the seat belts
s1To unfasten the seat belt, press the button on
the buckle. The seat belt automatically re-
tracts.
Checking seat belt operation
Seat belt retractors are designed to lock seat belt
movement by two separate methods:
cWhen the seat belt is pulled quickly from the
retractor.
cWhen the vehicle slows down rapidly.
To increase your confidence in the seat belts,
check the operation as follows.
WRS0138WRS0139
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s2Move the shoulder belt anchor to the desired
position so the belt passes over the center of
the shoulder.
WARNING
cAfter adjustment, release the adjust-
ment button and try to move the shoul-
der 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 effec-
tiveness of the entire restraint system
and increase the chance or severity of
injury in an accident.
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 ex-
tender adds approximately 8 inches (200 mm) of
length and may be used for either the driver or
front passenger seating position. See a NISSAN
dealer for assistance if an extender is required.
WARNING
cOnly NISSAN seat belt extenders, made
by the same company which made the
original equipment seat belts, should
be used with NISSAN seat belts.
cAdults and children 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.
cNever use seat belt extenders to install
child restraints. If the child restraint is
not secured properly, the child could be
seriously injured in a collision or a sud-
den stop.
SEAT BELT MAINTENANCE
cTo clean the seat belt webbing,apply a
mild soap solution or any solution recom-
mended for cleaning upholstery or carpet.
Then wipe with a cloth and allow the seat
belts 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 shoulder
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 as-
sembly should be replaced.
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PRECAUTIONS ON CHILD
RESTRAINTS
WARNING
cInfants and small children should al-
ways be placed in an appropriate child
restraint while riding in the vehicle.
Failure to use a child restraint can re-
sult in serious injury or death.
WARNING
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 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.cNever install a rear-facing child re-
straint in the front seat. An inflating
supplemental front 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 re-
straint be installed in the rear seat. Ac-
cording to accident statistics, children
are safer when properly restrained in
the rear seat than in the front seat.
cAn improperly installed child restraint
could lead to serious injury or death in
an accident.
In general, child restraints are designed to be
installed with the lap portion of a three-point type
seat belt. In addition, this vehicle is equipped with
a universal child restraint lower anchor system,
referred to as the LATCH (Lower Anchors and
Tether for Children) system. Some child re-
straints include two rigid or webbing-mounted
attachments that can be connected to these
lower anchors. For details, see the “LATCH
(Lower Anchors and Tether for Children) system”
later in this section.
Child restraints for infants and small children of
various sizes are offered by several manufactur-
ers. When selecting any child restraint, keep the
following points in mind:
ARS1098WRS0256
CHILD RESTRAINTS
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cChoose only a restraint with a label certifying
that it complies with Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard 213 or Canadian Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard 213.
cCheck the child restraint in your vehicle to be
sure it is compatible with the vehicle’s seat
and seat belt system.
cIf the child restraint is compatible with your
vehicle, place your child in the child restraint
and check the various adjustments to be
sure the child restraint is compatible 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 an approved child restraint at
all times while the vehicle is being oper-
ated.
WARNING
cImproper use of a child restraint can
increase the risk or severity of injury for
both the child and other occupants of
the vehicle.cFollow all of the child restraint manu-
facturer’s instructions for installation
and use. When purchasing a child re-
straint, 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 in-
jured in a collision or a sudden stop
greatly increases.
cAdjustable seatbacks should be posi-
tioned to fit the child restraint, but as
upright as possible.
cAfter 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. The child restraint
should not move more than 1 inch. If the
restraint is not secure, tighten the belt
as necessary, or put the restraint in an-
other 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 shoulder belt behind the
child restraint. If you must install a front
facing child restraint in the front seat,
see “Installation on front passenger
seat” later in this section.
cWhen your child restraint is not in use,
keep it secured with a seat belt to pre-
vent 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.
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INSTALLATION ON REAR SEAT
CENTER OR OUTBOARD
POSITIONS
WARNING
cThe three-point seat belt in your vehicle
is equipped with an automatic locking
mode retractor 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.
Front facing
When you install a child restraint in the rear seat,
follow these steps:
1. Position the child restraint on the seat. It can
be placed in a front facing direction, de-
pending on the size of the child. Always
follow the restraint manufacturer’s instruc-
tions.
Front Facing (outboard) — step 1
WRS0248
Front Facing (center) — step 1
WRS0249
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LATCH (lower anchors and tether for
children) SYSTEM
WARNING
cAttach LATCH system compatible child
restraints only at the locations shown. If
a child restraint is not secured properly,
your child could be seriously injured or
killed in an accident.
cDo not secure a child restraint in the
center rear seating position using the
LATCH system anchors. The child re-
straint will not be secured properly.cThe LATCH system anchors are de-
signed to withstand only those loads
imposed by correctly fitted child re-
straints. Under no circumstance are
they to be used for adult seat belts or
harnesses.
Some child restraints include two rigid or
webbing-mounted attachments that can be con-
nected to two anchors located at certain seating
positions in your vehicle. This system is known as
the LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tether for Chil-
dren) system. This system may also be referred to
as the ISOFIX or ISOFIX compatible system.
With this system, you do not have to use a vehicle
seat belt to secure the child restraint. Your vehicle
is equipped with special anchor points that are
used with LATCH system compatible child re-
straints. Check your child restraint for a label
stating that it is compatible with the LATCH sys-
tem. This information may also be in the child
restraint owner’s manual. If you have such a child
restraint, refer to the illustration for the seating
positions equipped with LATCH system anchors
which can be used to secure the child restraint.
The LATCH system anchors are located at the
rear of the seat cushion near the seatback. A
label is attached to the seatback to help you
locate the LATCH system anchors.LATCH child restraints generally require the use
of a top tether strap. See “Top tether strap child
restraint” later in this section for installation in-
structions.
When installing a child restraint, carefully read
and follow the instructions in this manual and
those supplied with the child restraint.
When you install a LATCH system compatible
child restraint to the lower anchor attachments,
follow these steps:
WARNING
Inspect the lower anchors by inserting
your fingers into the lower anchor area
and feeling to make sure there are no
obstructions over the LATCH system an-
chors, such as seat belt webbing or seat
cushion material. The child restraint will
not be secured properly if the LATCH sys-
tem anchors are obstructed.
1. To install the LATCH system compatible
child restraint, insert the child restraint
LATCH system anchor attachments into the
anchor points on the seat. If the child re-
straint is equipped with a top tether, see
“Top tether strap child restraint” later in this
section for installation instructions.WRS0172
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2. After attaching the child restraint and before
placing the child in it, use force to tilt the
child restraint from side to side and tug it
forward to make sure that the child restraint
is securely held in place. It should not move
more than 1 inch.
3. Check to make sure that the child restraint is
properly secured prior to each use.
TOP TETHER STRAP CHILD
RESTRAINT
If your child restraint has a top tether strap, it must
be secured to the provided anchor point. First,
secure the child restraint with the rear seat belt.
Flip up the anchor cover from the anchor point
which is located directly behind the child seat.
Secure the top tether strap to the anchor bracket
which provides the straightest installation of the
tether strap. Tighten the strap according to the
manufacturer’s instructions to remove any slack.
WARNING
Child restraint anchor points are designed
to withstand only those loads imposed by
correctly fitted child restraints. Under no
circumstances are they to be used for
adult seat belts or harnesses.
Anchor point locations
Anchor points are located on the rear parcel shelf
finisher.
If you have any questions when installing a
top strap child restraint on the rear seat,
consult your NISSAN dealer for details.
WRS0173
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INSTALLATION ON FRONT
PASSENGER SEAT
WARNING
cNever install a rear-facing child re-
straint in the front passenger seat.
Supplemental front air bags inflate with
great force. A rear-facing child restraint
could be struck by the supplemental
front air bag in a crash and could seri-
ously injure or kill your child.cNISSAN recommends that child re-
straints be installed in the rear seat.
However, if you must install a forward-
facing child restraint in the front pas-
senger seat, move the passenger seat
to the rearmost position.
cA child restraint with a top tether strap
should not be used in the front passen-
ger seat.
cThe three-point seat belt in your vehicle
is equipped with an automatic locking
mode retractor 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.
WRS0256WRS0255
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