2004 NISSAN MAXIMA Owners Manual

ACTIVE HEAD RESTRAINT (front
seats)
WARNING
cAlways adjust the head restraints prop-
erly as specified in the previous section.
Failure to do so can reduce the effec-
tiveness of the active head restraint.
cActive head restraints are designed to
supplement other safety systems. Al-
ways wear seat belts. No system can
prevent all injuries in any accident.cDo not attach anything to the head re-
straint stalks. Doing so could impair
active head restraint function.
The head restraint moves forward utilizing the
force that the seatback receives from the occu-
pant in a rear-end collision. The movement of the
head restraint helps support the occupant’s head
by reducing its backward movement and helping
absorb some of the forces that may lead to whip-
lash type injuries.
Active head restraints are effective for collisions
at low to medium speeds in which it is said that
whiplash injury occurs most.
Active head restraints operate only in certain
rear-end collisions. After the collision, the head
restraints return to their original positions.
Properly adjust the active head restraints as de-
scribed earlier in this section.
PRECAUTIONS ON
SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT
SYSTEM
This Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) sec-
tion contains important information concerning
the driver and passenger supplemental front air
bags, supplemental side air bags, curtain side-
impact air bags and pre-tensioner seat belts.
Supplemental front impact air bag system:
This system can help cushion the impact force to
the head and chest of the driver and front pas-
senger in certain frontal collisions.
Supplemental side-impact air bag system:
This system can help cushion the impact force to
the chest area of the driver and front passenger in
certain side impact collisions. The supplemental
side air bag is designed to inflate on the side
where the vehicle is impacted.
Supplemental curtain side-impact air bag
system:This system can help cushion the im-
pact force to the head of occupants in front and
rear outboard seating positions in certain side
impact collisions. The curtain 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 protection pro-
vided by the driver and front passenger seat belts
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SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT
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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 and door finish-
ers. (See “Seat belts” later in this section for
instructions and precautions on seat belt usage.)
The supplemental air bags operate only
when the ignition switch is in the ON or
START position.
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
cThe supplemental front air bags ordi-
narily will not inflate in the event of a
side impact, rear impact, rollover, or
lower severity frontal collision. Always
wear your seat belts to help reduce the
risk or severity of injury in various kinds
of accidents.cThe seat belts and the supplemental
front air bags are most effective when
you are sitting well back and upright in
the seat. The 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 the steering wheel or instrument
panel. Always use the seat belts.
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cThe driver and front passenger seat belt
buckles are equipped with sensors that
detect if the seat belts are fastened. The
air bag system monitors the severity of
a collision and then inflates the air bags
based on belt usage. Failure to properly
wear seat belts can increase the risk or
severity of injury in an accident.
cKeep hands on the outside of the steer-
ing wheel. Placing them inside the
steering wheel rim could increase the
risk that they are injured when the
supplemental front air bag inflates.
WARNING
cNever 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 examples of
dangerous riding positions are shown
in the illustrations.
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WARNING
cChildren may be severely injured or
killed when the supplemental front air
bags, side air bags or curtain side-
impact air bags inflate if they are not
properly restrained. Pre-teens and chil-
dren should be properly restrained in
the rear seat, if possible.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. See “Child
restraints” later in this section for
details.
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WARNING
Supplemental side air bag and curtain
side-impact air bag:
cThe supplemental side air bag and cur-
tain side-impact air bag ordinarily will
not inflate in the event of a frontal im-
pact, rear impact, rollover or lower se-
verity side collision. Always wear your
seat belts to help reduce the risk or
severity of injury in various kinds of
accidents.
WARNING
cThe seat belts, the supplemental side
air bags and curtain side-impact air
bags 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 seats or rear out-
board seats to extend their hand out of
the window or lean against the door.
Some examples of dangerous riding
positions are shown in the previous
illustrations.
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WARNING
cWhen sitting in the rear seat, do not
hold onto the seatback of the front seat.
If the side air bag inflates, you may be
seriously injured. Be especially careful
with children, who should always be
properly restrained. Some examples of
dangerous riding positions are shown
in the illustrations.
cDo not use seat covers on the front
seatbacks. They may interfere with
supplemental side air bag inflation.
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1. SRS curtain side-impact air bag (right)
2. Supplemental side air bag modules
3. SRS curtain side-impact air bag mod-
ule
4. Satellite sensors
5. Seat belt pre-tensioner retractor6. Diagnosis sensor unit
7. Supplemental front air bag modules
8. Crash zone sensor
9. SRS curtain side-impact air bag (left)
10. Seat belt buckle switches
Supplemental front air bag system
The driver supplemental front air bag is located in
the center of the steering wheel. The passenger
supplemental front air bag is mounted in the
instrument panel above the glove box.
These systems are designed to meet optional
certification requirements under U.S. regulations.
They are also permitted in Canada. The optional
certification allows the front air bags to be de-
signed to inflate somewhat less forcefully than
previously.However, all of the information,
cautions and warnings in this manual still
apply and must be followed.
The supplemental front air bag system is de-
signed to inflate in higher severity frontal colli-
sions, although it may inflate if the forces in an-
other type of collision are similar to those of a
higher severity frontal impact. It may not inflate in
certain frontal collisions. Vehicle damage (or lack
of it) is not always an indication of proper supple-
mental front air bag system operation.
The supplemental air bag system has dual stage
inflators for both the driver and passenger air
bags. The system monitors information from the
crash zone sensor, the diagnosis sensor unit and
seat belt buckle sensors that detect if the seat
belts are fastened. Inflator operation is based on
the severity of a collision and whether the seat
belts are being used. Only one front air bag may
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