2003 NISSAN PATHFINDER Owners Manual

PRECAUTIONS ON
SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT
SYSTEMThis Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) sec-
tion contains important information concerning
the driver and passenger front impact supple-
mental air bags, front seat side-impact supple-
mental air bags, curtain side-impact air bags and
front seat pre-tensioner seat belts.
Supplemental front impact air bag system:
This system can help cushion the impact force to
the face and chest of the driver and front
passenger in certain frontal collisions.
Supplemental side-impact air bag system
(if so equipped):This system can help cushion
the impact force to the chest area of the driver
and front passenger in certain side impact colli-
sions. The front seat side-impact supplemental
air bags are designed to inflate on the side
where the vehicle is impacted.
Supplemental curtain side-impact air bag
system (if so equipped):This system can help
cushion the impact force to the head of occu-
pants in front and rear outboard seating posi-
tions in certain side impact collisions. The cur-
tain side-impact air bags are designed to inflate
on the side where the vehicle is impacted.
These supplemental restraint systems are de-
signed tosupplementthe crash protectionprovided by the driver and passenger seat belts
and arenot a substitutefor them. Seat belts
should always be correctly worn and the occu-
pant seated a suitable distance away from the
steering wheel, instrument panel, door finishers
and side roof rails. (See “Seat belts” later in this
section for instructions and precautions on seat
belt usage.)
After turning the ignition key to the ON
position, the supplemental air bag warning
light illuminates. The supplemental air bag
warning light will turn off after about 7
seconds if the systems are operational.SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT
SYSTEM1-10
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WARNING

The supplemental front air bags ordi-
narily will not inflate in the event of a
side impact, rear impact, roll over, or
lower severity frontal collision. Al-
ways wear your seat belts to help
reduce the risk or severity of injury in
various kinds of accidents.

The seat belts and the supplemental
front air bags are most effectivewhen you are sitting well back and
upright in the seat. Front air bags
inflate with great force. If you are
unrestrained, leaning forward, sitting
sideways or out of position in any
way, you are at greater risk of injury
or death in a crash. You may also
receive serious or fatal injuries from
the supplemental front air bag if you
are up against it when it inflates.
Always sit back against the seatback
and as far away as practical from thesteering wheel or instrument panel.
Always use the seat belts.

Keep hands on the outside of the
steering wheel. Placing them inside
the steering wheel rim could increase
the risk that they are injured when
the supplemental front air bag in-
flates.
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WARNING

Never let children ride unrestrained
or extend their hands or face out of
the window. Do not attempt to hold
them in your lap or arms. Some ex-
amples of dangerous riding positions
are shown in the previous illustra-
tions. Preteens and children should
be properly restrained in the rear
seat if possible.

Children may be severely injured or
killed when the supplemental front
air bags, side or curtain side-impact
air bags (if so equipped) inflate if
they are not properly restrained. Pre-
teens and children should be prop-
erly restrained in the rear seat if pos-
sible.

Also never install a rear facing child
restraint in the front seat. An inflating
supplemental front air bag could se-
riously injure or kill your child. For
additional information, see “Child re-
straints” later in this section.
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WARNING
Supplemental side air bag and curtain
side-impact air bag (if so equipped):

The supplemental side air bag and
curtain side-impact air bag ordinarily
will not inflate in the event of a fron-
tal impact, rear impact, rollover or
lower severity side collision. Always
wear your seat belts to help reduce
the risk or severity of injury in various
kinds of accidents.
The seat belts, the supplemental side
air bag and curtain side-impact air
bag are most effective when you are
sitting well back and upright in the
seat. The side air bag and curtain
side-impact air bag inflate with great
force. Do not allow anyone to place
their hand, leg or face near the side
air bag on the side of the seatback of
the front seat or near the side roof
rails. Do not allow anyone sitting in
the front seat or rear outboard seatsto extend their hand out of the win-
dow or lean against the door. Some
examples of dangerous riding posi-
tions are shown in the previous illus-
trations.

When sitting in the rear seat, do not
hold onto the seatback of the front
seat. If the supplemental side air bag
inflates, you may be seriously in-
jured. Be especially careful with chil-
dren, who should always be properly
restrained.
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Do not use seat covers on the front
seatbacks. They may interfere with
supplemental side air bag inflation.
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1. Supplemental front air bag modules
2. Supplemental side air bag modules
3. Supplemental curtain side-impact air bags
4. Supplemental curtain side-impact air bag
modules5. Diagnosis sensor unit
6. Seat belt pre-tensioner retractor
7. Satellite sensors
Supplemental front air bag systemThe driver supplemental air bag is located in the
center of the steering wheel; the front passenger
supplemental air bag is mounted in the instru-
ment panel above the glove box. These systems
are designed to meet optional certification re-
quirements under U.S. regulations. They are also
permitted in Canada. The optional certification
allows front air bags to be designed to inflate
somewhat less forcefully than previously.How-
ever, all of the information, cautions and
warnings in this manual still apply and
must be followed.The front air bags are
designed to inflate in higher severity frontal
collisions, although they may inflate if the forces
in another type of collision are similar to those of
a higher severity frontal impact. They may not
inflate in certain frontal collisions. Vehicle dam-
age (or lack of it) is not always an indication of
proper supplemental air bag operation.
When the supplemental front air bag inflates, a
fairly loud noise may be heard, followed by
release of smoke. This smoke is not harmful and
does not indicate a fire. Care should be taken
not to inhale it, as it may cause irritation and
choking. Those with a history of a breathing
condition should get fresh air promptly.
Supplemental front air bags, along with the use
of seat belts, helps to cushion the impact force
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on the face and chest of the front occupants.
They can help save lives and reduce serious
injuries. However, an inflating front air bag may
cause facial abrasions or other injuries. Front air
bags do not provide restraint to the lower body.
The seat belts should be correctly worn and the
driver and passenger seated upright as far as
practical away from the steering wheel or instru-
ment panel. The supplemental front air bags
inflates quickly in order to help protect the front
occupants. Because of this, the force of the front
air bag inflating can increase the risk of injury if
the occupant is too close to, or is against, the air
bag module during inflation. The air bag will
deflate quickly after the collision is over.
After turning the ignition key to the ON
position, the supplemental air bag warning
light illuminates. The supplemental air bag
warning light will turn off after about 7
seconds if the system is operational.
WARNING

Do not place any objects on the
steering wheel pad or on the instru-
ment panel. Also, do not place any
objects between any occupant and
the steering wheel or instrumentpanel. Such objects may become
dangerous projectiles and cause in-
jury if the supplemental front air bag
inflates.

Right after inflation, several air bag
system components will be hot. Do
not touch them; you may severely
burn yourself.

No unauthorized changes should be
made to any components or wiring of
the supplemental front air bag sys-
tem. This is to prevent accidental in-
flation of the air bag or damage to
the air bag system.

Do 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.

Tampering with the supplemental
front air bag system may result in
serious personal injury. Tampering
includes changes to the steering
wheel and the instrument panel as-sembly by placing material over the
steering wheel pad, above the dash-
board, or by installing additional trim
material around the air bag system.

Work around and on the supplemen-
tal front air bag system should be
done by a NISSAN dealer. Installa-
tion of electrical equipment should
also be done by a NISSAN dealer.
The yellow and orange Supplemental
Restrain System (SRS) wiring and
connectors should not be modified or
disconnected. Unauthorized electri-
cal test equipment and probing de-
vices should not be used on the air
bag system.

A cracked windshield should be re-
placed immediately by a qualified re-
pair facility. A cracked windshield
could affect inflation of the supple-
mental air bag system.

The SRS wiring harness connectors
are yellow and orange for easy
identification.
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