2009 NISSAN SENTRA warning light

PRECAUTIONS ON
SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT
SYSTEM
This Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) sec-
tion contains important information concerning
the following systems:
●Driver and passenger supplemental front-
impact air bag (NISSAN Advanced Air Bag
System)
●Front seat-mounted side-impact supple-
mental air bag
●Roof-mounted curtain side-impact supple-
mental air bag
●Seat 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 and pelvic
area of the driver and front passenger in certain
side impact collisions. The side air bags are de-
signed 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 curtain 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 placing the ignition switch in 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.
SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT
SYSTEM
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WARNING
●The 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.
●The 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.●The 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.●The 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.
●The 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.
●Keep 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.
WRS0031
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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 inthis 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 advanced air bags, seat belts
should be correctly worn and the driver and pas-
senger 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, theforce of the front 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 placing the ignition switch in 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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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.Status light
The front passenger air bag status lightoris located near the climate controls. The
light operates as follows:
●Unoccupied passenger’s seat: The
oris 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
orilluminates to
indicate that the front passenger air bag is
OFF and will not inflate in a crash.●Occupied passenger seat and the passen-
ger meet the conditions outlined in this sec-
tion: The light
oris OFF to in-
dicate 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, such
as 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-
Type A
LRS0351
Type B
LRS0316
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until you have confirmed with your dealer that
your air bag is working properly, reposition the
occupant or child restraint in a rear seat.
The air bag system and passenger air bag status
light will take a few seconds to register a change
in the passenger seat status. For example, if a
large adult who is sitting in the front passenger
seat exits the vehicle, the passenger air bag
status light will go from OFF to ON for a few
seconds and then to OFF. This is normal system
operation and does not indicate a malfunction.
If a malfunction occurs in the front passenger air
bag system, the supplemental air bag warning
light
, located in the meter and gauges area
in the center of the instrument panel, will blink.
Have the system checked by a NISSAN dealer.
Other supplemental front-impact air bag
precautions
WARNING
●Do not place any objects on the steer-
ing wheel pad or on the instrument
panel. Also, do not place any objects
between any occupant and the steering
wheel or instrument panel. Such ob-
jects may become dangerous projec-
tiles and cause injury if the front air
bags inflate.●Immediately after inflation, several
front air bag system components will be
hot. Do not touch them; you may se-
verely burn yourself.
●No unauthorized changes should be
made to any components or wiring of
the supplemental air bag system. This is
to prevent accidental inflation of the
supplemental air bag or damage to the
supplemental air bag system.
●Do not make unauthorized changes to
your vehicle’s electrical system, sus-
pension system or front end structure.
This could affect proper operation of
the front air bag system.
●Tampering with the front air bag system
may result in serious personal injury.
Tampering includes changes to the
steering wheel and the instrument
panel assembly by placing material
over the steering wheel pad and above
the instrument panel or by installing
additional trim material around the air
bag system.●Modifying or tampering with the front
passenger seat may result in serious
personal injury. For example, do not
change the front seats by placing mate-
rial on the seat cushion or by installing
additional trim material, such as seat
covers, on the seat that are not specifi-
cally designed to assure proper air bag
operation. Additionally, do not stow any
objects under the front passenger seat
or the seat cushion and seatback. Such
objects may interfere with the proper
operation of the occupant classifica-
tion sensor (pressure sensor) .
●No unauthorized changes should be
made to any components or wiring of
the seat belt system. This may affect the
front air bag system. Tampering with
the seat belt system may result in seri-
ous personal injury.
Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-51
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practical from the door finishers and side roof
rails. The side air bags and curtain air bags inflate
quickly in order to help protect the front and rear
outboard occupants. Because of this, the force of
the side air bag and curtain air bag inflating can
increase the risk of injury if the occupant is too
close to, or is against, these air bag modules
during inflation. The side air bags and curtain air
bags will deflate quickly after the collision is over.
The side air bags and curtain air bags op-
erate only when the ignition switch is in the
ON or START position.
After placing the ignition switch in 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 near the seat-
back of the front seats. Also, do not
place any objects (an umbrella, bag,
etc.) between the front door finisher
and the front seat. Such objects may
become dangerous projectiles and
cause injury if a side air bag inflates.●Right after inflation, several side air bag
and curtain 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 side air bag and curtain air bag
systems. This is to prevent damage to or
accidental inflation of the side air bag
and curtain air bag or damage to the
side air bag and curtain air bag systems.
●Do not make unauthorized changes to
your vehicle’s electrical system, sus-
pension system or side panel. This
could affect proper operation of the
side air bag and curtain air bag systems.
●Tampering with the side air bag system
may result in serious personal injury.
For example, do not change the front
seats by placing material near the seat-
backs or by installing additional trim
material, such as seat covers, around
the side air bag.●Work around and on the side air bag
and curtain air bag systems should be
done by a NISSAN dealer. Installation
of electrical equipment should also be
done by a NISSAN dealer. The SRS wir-
ing harnesses* should not be modified
or disconnected. Unauthorized electri-
cal test equipment and probing devices
should not be used on the side air bag
system.
* The SRS wiring harness connectors are yellow
and orange for easy identification.
When selling your vehicle, we request that you
inform the buyer about the side air bag and
curtain air bag systems and guide the buyer to
the appropriate sections in this Owner’s Manual.
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Seat belts with pretensioners (front
seats)
WARNING
●The pretensioners cannot be reused af-
ter activation. They must be replaced
together with the retractor and buckle
as a unit.
●If the vehicle becomes involved in a
frontal collision but a pretensioner is
not activated, be sure to have the pre-
tensioner system checked and, if nec-
essary, replaced by your NISSAN
dealer.
●No unauthorized changes should be
made to any components or wiring of
the pretensioner system. This is to pre-
vent damage to or accidental activation
of the pretensioners. Tampering with
the pretensioner system may result in
serious personal injury.
●Work around and on the pretensioner
system should be done by a NISSAN
dealer. Installation of electrical equip-
ment should also be done by a NISSAN
dealer. Unauthorized electrical test
equipment and probing devices should
not be used on the pretensioner system.●If you need to dispose of a pretensioner
or scrap the vehicle, contact a NISSAN
dealer. Correct pretensioner disposal
procedures are set forth in the appropri-
ate NISSAN Service Manual. Incorrect
disposal procedures could cause per-
sonal injury.
The pretensioner system activates in conjunction
with the front air bag system. Working with the
seat belt retractor, it helps tighten the seat belt
when the vehicle becomes involved in certain
types of collisions, helping to restrain front seat
occupants.
The pretensioner is encased within the seat belt
retractor. These seat belts are used the same way
as conventional seat belts.
When a pretensioner activates, smoke is re-
leased and a loud noise may be heard. 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.
After pretensioner activation, load limiters allow
the seat belt to release webbing (if necessary) to
reduce forces against the chest.If any abnormality occurs in the pretensioner sys-
tem, the supplemental air bag warning
light
will not come on, will flash intermit-
tently or will turn on for 7 seconds and remain on
after the ignition switch has been placed in the
ON or START position. In this case, the preten-
sioner system may not function properly. They
must be checked and repaired. Take your vehicle
to the nearest NISSAN dealer.
When selling your vehicle, we request that you
inform the buyer about the pretensioner system
and guide the buyer to the appropriate sections
in this Owner’s Manual.
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1. SRS Front Air Bag Warning Labels
2. SRS Side Air Bag Warning Label
SUPPLEMENTAL AIR BAG
WARNING LABELS
Warning labels about the supplemental front-
impact air bag, front seat-mounted side-impact
supplemental air bag and roof-mounted curtain
side-impact supplemental air bag systems are
placed in the vehicle as shown in the illustration.
SUPPLEMENTAL AIR BAG
WARNING LIGHT
The supplemental air bag warning light,
displaying
in the instrument panel, moni-
tors the circuits of the supplemental front-impact
air bag, front seat-mounted side-impact supple-
mental air bag, roof-mounted curtain side-impact
supplemental air bag and seat belt pretensioner
systems. The monitored circuits include the Air
bag Control Unit (ACU) , crash zone sensor, sat-
ellite sensors, occupant classification system,
front air bag modules, side air bag modules,
curtain air bag modules, pretensioners and all
related wiring.When the ignition switch is placed in the ON or
START position, the supplemental air bag warn-
ing light illuminates for about 7 seconds and then
turns off. This means the system is operational.
If any of the following conditions occur, the front
air bag, side air bag, curtain air bag and preten-
sioner systems need servicing:
●The supplemental air bag warning light re-
mains on after approximately 7 seconds.
●The supplemental air bag warning light
flashes intermittently.
●The supplemental air bag warning light does
not come on at all.
Under these conditions, the front air bag, side air
bag, curtain air bag or pretensioner systems may
not operate properly. They must be checked and
repaired. Take your vehicle to the nearest
NISSAN dealer.
WARNING
If the supplemental air bag warning light
is on, it could mean that the front air bag,
side air bag, curtain air bag and/or preten-
sioner systems will not operate in an ac-
cident. To help avoid injury to yourself or
others, have your vehicle checked by a
NISSAN dealer as soon as possible.
LRS0695LRS0100
Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-55
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