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.
This vehicle is equipped with a universal child
restraint lower anchor system, referred to as the
LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHil-
dren) system. Some child restraints include two
rigid or webbing-mounted attachments that can
be connected to these lower anchors. For details,
see “LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for
CHildren) system” later in this section.
If you do not have a LATCH compatible child
restraint, the vehicle seat belts can be used. See
“Child restraint installation using the seat belts”
later in this section. In general, child restraints are
also designed to be installed with a lap/shoulder
seat belt.Several manufacturers offer child restraints for
infants and small children of various sizes. When
selecting any child restraint, keep the following
points in mind:
●Choose only a restraint with a label certifying
that it complies with Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard 213 or Canadian Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard 213.
●Check the child restraint in your vehicle to be
sure it is compatible with the vehicle’s seat
and seat belt system.
●If 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. Choose a child restraint that is
designed for your child’s height and weight.
Always follow all recommended procedures.
All U.S. states and Canadian provinces or
territories require that infants and small
children be restrained in an approved child
restraint at all times while the vehicle is
being operated. Canadian law requires the
top tether strap on front-facing child re-
straints be secured to the designated an-
chor point on the vehicle.
LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers
for CHildren) SYSTEM
Your vehicle is equipped with special anchor
points that are used with LATCH (Lower Anchors
and Tethers for CHildren) system compatible
child restraints. 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.
should illuminate. If this
light is not illuminated seeFront passenger
air bag and status lightin this section.
Move the child restraint to another
seating position.Have the system
checked by a NISSAN dealer.
After the child restraint is removed and the seat
belt is fully retracted, the ALR mode (child re-
straint mode) is canceled.
WARNING
The front passenger air bag is designed to
automatically turn OFF under some con-
ditions. Read this section carefully to
learn how it operates. Proper use of the
seat, seat belt and child restraints is nec-
essary for most effective protection. Fail-
ure to follow all instructions in this
manual concerning the use of seats, seat
belts and child restraints can increase the
risk or severity of injury in an accident.
is
located on the instrument panel above the radio
controls. The light operates as follows:
●Unoccupied passenger’s seat: The
is
OFF and the front passenger air bag is OFF
and will not inflate in a crash.
●Passenger’s seat occupied by a small adult,
child or child restraint as outlined in this
section: The
illuminates to indicate
that the front passenger air bag is OFF and
will not inflate in a crash.
●Occupied passenger seat and the passen-
ger meets the conditions outlined in this
section: The light
is OFF to indicate
that the front passenger air bag is opera-
tional.
Front passenger air bag
The front passenger air bag is designed to auto-
matically turn OFF when the vehicle is operated
under some conditions as described below in
accordance with U.S. regulations. If the front
passenger air bag is OFF, it will not inflate in a
crash. The driver air bag and other air bags in your
vehicle are not part of this system.
The purpose of the regulation is to help reduce
the risk of injury or death from an inflating air bagto certain front passenger seat occupants, such
as children, by requiring the air bag to be auto-
matically turned OFF.
The occupant classification sensor (pattern sen-
sor) is in the front passenger seat cushion and is
designed to detect an occupant and objects on
the seat. For example, if a child is in the front
passenger seat, the Advanced Air Bag System is
designed to turn the passenger air bag OFF in
accordance with the regulations. Also, if a child
restraint of the type specified in the regulations is
on the seat, the occupant classification sensor
can detect it and cause the air bag to turn OFF.
Front passenger seat adult occupants who are
properly seated and using the seat belt as out-
lined in this manual should not cause the passen-
ger air bag to be automatically turned OFF. For
small adults it may be turned OFF, however if the
occupant does not sit in the seat properly (for
example, by not sitting upright, by sitting on an
edge of the seat, or by otherwise being out of
position) , this could cause the sensor to turn the
air bag OFF. Always be sure to be seated and
wearing the seat belt properly for the most effec-
tive protection by the seat belt and supplemental
air bag.
NISSAN recommends that pre-teens and chil-
dren be properly restrained in a rear seat.
NISSAN also recommends that appropriate childrestraints and booster seats be properly installed
in a rear seat. If this is not possible, the occupant
classification sensor is designed to operate as
described above to turn the front passenger air
bag OFF for specified child restraints as required
by the regulations. Failing to properly secure
child restraints and to use the ALR mode (child
restraint mode) may allow the restraint to tip or
move in an accident or sudden stop. This can
also result in the passenger air bag inflating in a
crash instead of being OFF. See “Child re-
straints” earlier in this section for proper use and
installation.
If the front passenger seat is not occupied, the
passenger air bag is designed not to inflate in a
crash. However, heavy objects placed on the
seat could result in air bag inflation, because of
the object being detected by the occupant clas-
sification sensor. Other conditions could also
result in air bag inflation, such as if a child is
standing on the seat, or if two children are on the
seat, contrary to the instructions in this manual.
Always be sure that you and all vehicle occupants
are seated and restrained properly.
Using the passenger air bag status light, you can
monitor when the front passenger air bag is au-
tomatically turned OFF with the seat occupied.
The light will not illuminate when the front pas-
senger seat is unoccupied.
1-52Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system
REVIEW COPY—2009 Altima(alt)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
09/08/08—debbie