2008 NISSAN VERSA light

The Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) mode
allows the seat belt to extend and retract to allow
the driver and passengers some freedom of
movement in the seat. The ELR locks the seat belt
when the vehicle slows down rapidly or during
certain impacts.
The Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) mode
(child restraint mode) locks the seat belt for child
restraint installation.
When the ALR mode is activated, the seat belt
cannot be extended again until the seat belt
tongue is detached from the buckle and fully
retracted. The seat belt returns to the ELR mode
after the seat belt fully retracts. See “Child re-
straints” later in this section for more information.
The ALR mode should be used only for
child restraint installation. During normal
seat belt use by a passenger, the ALR mode
should not be activated. If it is activated it
may cause uncomfortable seat belt ten-
sion. It can also change the operation of
the front passenger air bag. See “Front
passenger air bag and status light” later in
this section.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.
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5. Check to make sure the child restraint is
properly secured prior to each use. If the
child restraint is loose, repeat steps 2
through 4.
CHILD RESTRAINT INSTALLATION
USING THE SEAT BELTS
WARNING
cEven with the NISSAN Advanced Air
Bag System, never install a rear-facing
child restraint in the front passenger
seat. Front air bags inflate with great
force. A rear-facing child restraint could
be struck by the front air bag in a crash
and could seriously 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. Also, be sure
the front passenger air bag status light
is illuminated to indicate the passenger
air bag is OFF. See “Front passenger air
bag and status light” later in this sec-
tion for details.
cThe three-point seat belt in your vehicle
is equipped with an Automatic Locking
Retractor (ALR) which must be used
when installing a child restraint.
cFailure to use the ALR mode will result
in the child restraint not being properly
secured. The restraint could tip over or
otherwise be unsecured and cause in-
jury to the child in a sudden stop or
collision. Also, it can change the opera-
tion of the front passenger air bag. See
“Front passenger air bag and status
light” later in this section.
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11. If the child restraint is installed in the front
passenger seat, turn the ignition switch to
the ON position. The front passenger air bag
status light
should illuminate. If this
light is not illuminated see9Front passenger
air bag and status light9in 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.
Rear-facing
Follow these steps to install a rear-facing child
restraint using the vehicle seat belt in the rear
seats:
1.Child restraints for infants must be
used in the rear-facing direction and
therefore must not be used in the front
seat.Position the child restraint on the seat.
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 manufacturer’s in-
structions for belt routing.
Front facing – step 11
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7. If the booster seat is installed in the front
passenger seat, turn the ignition switch to
the ON position. The front passenger air bag
status light
may or may not illuminate,
depending on the size of the child and the
type of booster seat being used. See “Front
passenger air bag and status light” later in
this section.
PRECAUTIONS ON
SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT
SYSTEM
This Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) sec-
tion contains important information concerning
the following systems:
cDriver and passenger supplemental front-
impact air bag (NISSAN Advanced Air Bag
System)
cFront seat-mounted side-impact supple-
mental air bag
cRoof-mounted curtain side-impact supple-
mental air bag
cSeat belt with pretensioner
Supplemental front- impact air bag system:
The NISSAN Advanced Air Bag System can help
cushion the impact force to the head and chest of
the driver and front passenger in certain frontal
collisions.
Front seat-mounted side-impact supple-
mental 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 front seat-mounted side-impact
supplemental air bags are designed to inflate on
the side where the vehicle is impacted.Roof-mounted curtain side-impact supple-
mental air bag system:This system can help
cushion the impact force to the head of occu-
pants in front and rear outboard seating positions
in certain side impact collisions. The roof-
mounted curtain side-impact supplemental 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
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” earlier 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.
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WARNING
cThe front air bags ordinarily will not
inflate in the event of a side impact, rear
impact, rollover, or lower severity fron-
tal collision. Always wear your seat
belts to help reduce the risk or severity
of injury in various kinds of accidents.
cThe front passenger air bag will not
inflate if the passenger air bag status
light is lit or if the front passenger seat
is unoccupied. See “Front passenger air
bag and status light” later in this
section.cThe seat belts and the 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. Even
with the NISSAN Advanced Air Bag Sys-
tem, if you are unrestrained, leaning
forward, sitting sideways or out of posi-
tion 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
front air bag if you are up against it
when it inflates. Always sit back against
the seatback and as far away as practi-
cal from the steering wheel or instru-
ment panel. Always use the seat belts.cThe driver and front passenger seat belt
buckles are equipped with sensors that
detect if the seat belts are fastened. The
Advanced Air Bag System monitors the
severity of a collision and seat belt us-
age then inflates the air bags. Failure to
properly wear seat belts can increase
the risk or severity of injury in an
accident.
cThe front passenger seat is equipped
with an occupant classification sensor
(pressure sensor) that turns the front
passenger air bag OFF under some
conditions. This sensor is only used in
this seat. Failure to be properly seated
and wearing the seat belt can increase
the risk or severity of injury in an acci-
dent. See “Front Passenger air bag and
status light” later in this section.
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 front
air bag inflates.
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1. Crash zone sensor
2. Supplemental front-impact air bag mod-
ules
3. Air bag Control Unit (ACU)
4. Front seat-mounted side-impact
supplemental air bag modules
5. Roof-mounted curtain side-impact
supplemental air bag inflators
6. Side satellite sensor
7. Seat belt with pretensioner
8. Seat belt buckle switches on driver’s
and passenger’s sideNISSAN Advanced Air Bag System
(front seats)
This vehicle is equipped with the NISSAN Ad-
vanced Air Bag System for the driver and front
passenger seats. This system is designed to
meet certification requirements under U.S. regu-
lations. It is also permitted in Canada.However,
all of the information, cautions and warn-
ings in this manual still apply and must be
followed.
The driver supplemental front-impact air bag is
located in the center of the steering wheel. The
passenger supplemental front-impact air bag is
mounted in the dashboard above the glove box.The front air bags are designed to inflate in higher
severity frontal collisions, although they may in-
flate 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 damage (or lack of it) is not always an
indication of proper front air bag system opera-
tion.
The NISSAN Advanced Air Bag System has dual
stage inflators. It also monitors information from
the crash zone sensor, the Air bag Control Unit
(ACU) , seat belt buckle sensors, occupant clas-
sification sensor (pressure sensor) and passen-
ger seat belt tension sensor. Inflator operation is
based on the severity of a collision and seat belt
usage for the driver. For the front passenger, it
additionally monitors the weight of an occupant
or object on the seat and seat belt tension. Based
on information from the sensors, only one front air
bag may inflate in a crash, depending on the
crash severity and whether the front occupants
are belted or unbelted. Additionally, the front
passenger air bag may be automatically turned
OFF under some conditions, depending on the
weight detected on the passenger seat and how
the seat belt is used. If the front passenger air bag
is OFF, the passenger air bag status light will be
illuminated (if the seat is unoccupied, the light will
not be illuminated, but the air bag will be off) . See
“Front passenger air bag and status light” later in
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this section for further details. One front air bag
inflating does not indicate improper performance
of the system.
If you have any questions about your air bag
system, please contact NISSAN or your NISSAN
dealer. If you are considering modification of your
vehicle due to a disability, you may also contact
NISSAN. Contact information is contained in the
front of this Owner’s Manual.
When a front air bag inflates, a fairly loud noise
may be heard, followed by the release of smoke.
This smoke is not harmful and does not indicate a
fire. Care should be taken to not inhale it, as it may
cause irritation and choking. Those with a history
of a breathing condition should get fresh air
promptly.
Front air bags, along with the use of seat belts,
help to cushion the impact force 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.
Even with NISSAN air bags, seat belts should be
correctly worn and the driver and passenger
seated upright as far as practical away from the
steering wheel or instrument panel. The front air
bags inflate quickly in order to help protect the
front occupants. Because of this, the force of thefront air bag inflating can increase the risk of
injury if the occupant is too close to, or is against,
the front air bag module during inflation.
The front air bags deflate quickly after a collision.
The front air bags operate only when the
ignition switch is in the ON or START posi-
tion.
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.
Front passenger air bag and status light
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.
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Status light
The front passenger air bag status light
is
located near the climate controls. The light oper-
ates as follows:
cUnoccupied passenger’s seat: The
is
OFF and the front passenger air bag is OFF
and will not inflate in a crash.
cPassenger’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.
cOccupied passenger seat and the passen-
ger meet the conditions outlined in this sec-
tion: The light
is OFF to indicate that
the front passenger air bag is operational.
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 bag
to certain front passenger seat occupants, suchas children, by requiring the air bag to be auto-
matically turned OFF. Certain sensors are used
to meet the requirements.
One sensor used is the occupant classification
sensor (pressure sensor) . It is in the bottom of the
front passenger seat cushion and is designed to
detect an occupant and objects on the seat by
weight. It works together with seat belt sensors
described later. For example, if a child is in the
front passenger seat, the Advanced Air Bag Sys-
tem 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 regula-
tions is on the seat, its weight and the child’s
weight can be detected and cause the air bag to
turn OFF. Occupant classification sensor opera-
tion can vary depending on the front passenger
seat belt sensors.
The front passenger seat belt sensors are de-
signed to detect if the seat belt is buckled and the
amount of tension on the seat belt, such as when
it is in the Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)
mode (child restraint mode) . Based on the
weight on the seat detected by the occupant
classification sensor and the belt tension de-
tected on the seat belt, the Advanced Air Bag
System determines whether the front passenger
air bag should be automatically turned OFF as
required by the regulations.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 takes his/her weight off the seat cush-
ion (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. In addition, if the occupant
improperly uses the seat belt in the ALR mode,
this could cause the air bag to be turned OFF.
Always be sure to be seated and wearing the seat
belt properly for the most effective 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 child
restraints and booster seats be properly installed
in a rear seat. If this is not possible, the occupant
classification sensor and seat belt sensors are
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 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
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