2011 INFINITI EX Owners Manual

WARNING
●The front air bags ordinarily 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 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 INFINITI Ad-
vanced Air Bag System, if you are unre-
strained, 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 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. Al-
ways use the seat belts.
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●The driver and front passenger seat belt
buckles are equipped with sensors that de-
tect if the seat belts are fastened. The Ad-
vanced Air Bag System monitors the severity
of a collision and seat belt usage then in-
flates the air bags as needed. Failure to prop-
erly 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 (pattern sen-
sor) 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 in-
crease the risk or severity of injury in an
accident. See “Front passenger air bag and
status light” later in this section.
● Keep hands on the outside of the steering
wheel. Placing them inside the steering
wheel rim could increase the risk of injury if
the supplemental front air bag inflates.
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WARNING
●Never let children ride unrestrained or ex-
tend 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.
● Children may be severely injured or killed
when the front air bags, side air bags or
curtain air bags inflate if they are not prop-
erly restrained. Pre-teens and children
should be properly restrained in the rear
seat, if possible.
● Even with the INFINITI Advanced Air Bag Sys-
tem, never install a rear facing child restraint
in the front seat. An inflating front air bag
could seriously injure or kill your child. See
“CHILD RESTRAINTS” earlier in this section
for details.
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WARNING
Front seat-mounted side-impact supplemental
air bags and roof-mounted curtain side-impact
supplemental air bags:
●The side air bags and curtain air bags ordi-
narily will not inflate in the event of a frontal
impact, rear impact, rollover or lower sever-
ity 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 side air bags and curtain
air bags are most effective when you are
sitting well back and upright in the seat. The
side air bags and curtain air bags inflate with
great force. Do not allow anyone to place
their hand, leg or face near the side air bags
on the side of the seatback of the front seat
or near the side roof rails. Do not allow any-
one sitting in the front seats or rear outboard
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.
● When sitting in the rear seat, do not hold
onto the seatback of the front seat. If the
side air bags inflates, you may be seriously
injured. Be especially careful with children,
who should always be properly restrained.
Some examples of dangerous riding posi-
tions are shown in the illustrations.
● Do not use seat covers on the front seat-
backs. They may interfere with side air bags
inflation.
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1. Crash zone sensor
2. Supplemental front-impact air bag mod-ules (INFINITI Advanced Air Bags)
3. Front seat-mounted side-impact supple- mental air bag modules 4. Occupant classification sensor (pattern
sensor)
5. Occupant classification system control unit
6. Roof-mounted curtain side-impact supplemental air bags 7. Roof-mounted curtain side-impact supple-
mental air bag inflators
8. Air bag Control Unit (ACU)
9. Satellite sensors
10. Seat belt pretensioner
INFINITI ADVANCED AIR BAG SYSTEM
(front seats)
This vehicle is equipped with the INFINITI Ad-
vanced Air Bag System for the driver and front
passenger seats. This system is designed to
meet certification requirements under U.S.
regulations. It is also permitted in Canada.
However, all of the information, cautions and
warnings 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 instrument panel above the
glove box. The front air bags are designed to
inflate in higher severity frontal collisions, al-
though 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 damage (or
lack of it) is not always an indication of proper
front air bag operation.
The INFINITI Advanced Air Bag System has dual
stage air bag inflators. The system monitors
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information from the crash zone sensor, the Air
bag Control Unit (ACU), the diagnosis sensor
unit, seat belt buckle sensors and the occupant
classification sensor (pattern sensor). Inflator
operation is based on the severity of a collision
and seat belt usage for the driver. For the front
passenger, the occupant classification sensor is
also monitored. 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 un-
belted. Additionally, the front passenger air bag
may be automatically turned OFF under some
conditions, depending on the information pro-
vided by the occupant classification sensor. If
the front passenger air bag is OFF, the passen-
ger air bag status light will be illuminated (if the
seat is unoccupied, the light will not be illumi-
nated, but the air bag will be off). (See “Front
passenger air bag and status light” later in this
section for further details.) One front air bag
inflating does not indicate improper perfor-
mance of the system.
If you have any questions about your air bag
system, contact INFINITI or an INFINITI retailer. If
you are considering modification of your vehicle
due to a disability, you may also contact
INFINITI. 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 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.
Front air bags, along with the use of seat belts,
help to cushion the impact force on the head
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 INFINITI advanced 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 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 front air bags deflate quickly after a colli-
sion.
The front air bags operate only when the ignition
switch is in the ON position.
After pushing the ignition switch to the ON posi-
tion, the supplemental air bag warning light illu-
minates. The supplemental air bag warning light
will turn off after about 7 seconds if the system is
operational.
Safety — Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-43

Front passenger air bag and status
light
WARNING
The front passenger air bag is designed to au-
tomatically turn OFF under some conditions.
Read this section carefully to learn how it oper-
ates. Proper use of the seat, seat belt and child
restraints is necessary for most effective pro-
tection. Failure 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 light
is located under the climate controls. After the
ignition switch is placed in the ON position, the
front passenger air bag status light illuminates
for about 7 seconds and then turns off or
illuminates depending on the front passenger
occupied status. The light operates as follows:
●
Unoccupied passenger seat: The
is
OFF and the front passenger air bag is OFF
and will not inflate in a crash.
● Passenger 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 passenger
meets 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
automatically turn OFF when the vehicle is
operated under some conditions as described
below as permitted by 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
automatically 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 sen-
sor 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
outlined in this manual should not cause the
passenger 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 effective protection by the seat belt
and supplemental air bag.
Front passenger air bag status light
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INFINITI recommends that pre-teens and chil-
dren be properly restrained in a rear seat.
INFINITI 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 is designed
to operate as described above to turn the front
passenger air bag OFF for specified child re-
straints. Failing to properly secure child re-
strains 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 RESTRAINTS”
earlier in this section for proper use and instal-
lation.)
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
classification 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
automatically turned OFF with the seat occu-pied. The light will not illuminate when the front
passenger seat is unoccupied.
If an adult occupant is in the seat but the
passenger air bag status light is illuminated
(indicating that the air bag is OFF), it could be
that the person is a small adult, or is not sitting
on the seat properly.
If a child restraint must be used in the front
seat, the passenger air bag status light may or
may not be illuminated, depending on the size
of the child and the type of child restraint being
used. If the passenger air bag status light is not
illuminated (indicating that the air bag might
inflate in a crash), it could be that the child
restraint or seat belt is not being used properly.
Make sure that the child restraint is installed
properly, the seat belt is used properly and the
occupant is positioned properly. If the passen-
ger air bag status light is still not illuminated,
reposition the occupant or child restraint in a
rear seat.
If the passenger air bag status light will not
illuminate even though you believe that the
child restraint, the seat belts and the occupant
are properly positioned, the system may be
sensing an unoccupied seat (in which case the
air bag is OFF). Your INFINITI retailer can check
that the system is OFF by using a special tool.
However, until you have confirmed with yourretailer that your air bag is working properly,
reposition the occupant or child restraint in a
rear seat.
The INFINITI Advanced Air Bag System and
passenger air bag status light will take a few
seconds to register a change in the passenger
seat status. However, if the seat becomes un-
occupied, the air bag status light will remain
off.
If a malfunction occurs in the front passenger
air bag system, the supplemental air bag warn-
ing light
, located in the meter and
gauges area will blink. Have the system
checked by an INFINITI retailer.
Other supplemental front-impact air
bag precautions
WARNING
● Do not place any objects on the steering
wheel pad or on the instrument panel. Also,
do not place any objects between any occu-
pant and the steering wheel or instrument
panel. Such objects may become dangerous
projectiles and cause injury if the front air
bag inflates.
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