2011 INFINITI QX Owners Manual

●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. Failure to properly wear
seat belts can increase the risk or severity of
injury in an accident.
● The front passenger seat is equipped with
occupant classification sensors (weight sen-
sors) that turn 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 front air bag inflates.
SSS0007
SSS0006
SSS0008
SSS0009
1-52Safety — Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system

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 and rollover air bags inflate if they
are not properly 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 re-
straint in the front seat. An inflating front air
bag could seriously injure or kill your child.
See “CHILD RESTRAINTS” earlier in this sec-
tion for details.
SSS0099
SSS0100
SSS0832
SSS0833
Safety — Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-53

WARNING
Front seat-mounted side-impact supplemental
air bags and roof-mounted curtain side-impact
and rollover supplemental air bags:
●The side-impact supplemental air bags ordi-
narily will not inflate in the event of a front
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 curtain side-impact and rollover supple-
mental air bags ordinarily will not inflate in
the event of a front impact, rear impact, or
lower severity 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
and rollover air bags are most effective when
you are sitting well back and upright in the
seat. The side air bags and curtain and rollover
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 anyone sitting in the front seats or rear
outboard seats to extend their hand out of the
window or lean against the door. Some ex-
amples 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.
SSS0140
SSS0162
SSS0159
1-54Safety — Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system

1. Crash zone sensor
2. Supplemental front-impact air bag mod-ules (INFINITI Advanced Air Bags)
3. Roof-mounted curtain side-impact and rollover supplemental air bag inflators 4. Front seat-mounted side-impact supple-
mental air bag modules
5. Roof-mounted curtain side-impact and rollover supplemental air bags
6. Seat belt pre-tensioners 7. Satellite sensors
8. Buckle pretensioners
9. Diagnosis sensor unit
10. Occupant classification sensors (weight
sensors)
11. Occupant classification system control unit
INFINITI ADVANCED AIR BAG SYSTEM
(front seats)
WARNING
To ensure proper operation of the passenger’s
advanced air bag system, please observe the
following items.
●Do not allow a passenger in the rear seat to
push or pull on the seatback pocket.
● Do not place heavy loads heavier than 9 lbs.
(4 kg) on the seatback, head restraint or in
the seatback pocket.
● Do not store cargo behind the seat that can
press into the seatback.
SSS1098
Safety — Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-55

●Do not position the front passenger seat so it
contacts the rear seat. If the front seat does
contact the rear seat, the air bag system may
determine a sensor malfunction has oc-
curred and the front passenger air bag sta-
tus light may illuminate and the supplemen-
tal air bag warning light may flash.
● If a forward facing child restraint is installed
in the front passenger seat, do not position
the front passenger seat so the child re-
straint contacts the instrument panel. If the
child restraint does contact the instrument
panel, the system may determine the seat is
occupied and the passenger air bag may de-
ploy in a collision. Also the front passenger
air bag status light may not illuminate. See
“CHILD RESTRAINTS” earlier in this section
for information about installing and using
child restraints.
● Confirm the operating condition with the
front passenger air bag status light.
● If you notice that the front passenger air bag
status light is not operating in accordance
with the above description, please take your
vehicle to your INFINITI retailer to check the
passenger seat advanced air bag system. ●
Until you have confirmed with your retailer
that your passenger seat advanced air bag is
working properly, position the occupants in
the rear seating positions.
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
information from the Air bag Control Unit (ACU),
seat belt buckle sensors and the occupant
classification sensors (weight sensors). Inflator
operation is based on the severity of a collision
and seat belt usage for the driver. For the front
passenger, the occupant classification sensors
are 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 sensors. 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.
1-56Safety — Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint 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 canincrease 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.
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.
Front passenger air bag status light
SSS1099
Safety — Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-57

Status light :
The front passenger air bag status light
is located on the instrument panel.
The light operates as follows:
●Unoccupied passenger seat: The
light
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
light illuminates to indi-
cate 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 sensors (weight
sensors) are on the seat cushion frame under
the front passenger seat and are 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 sensors 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.
INFINITI recommends that pre-teens and chil-
dren be properly restrained in a rear seat.
INFINITI also recommends that appropriatechild restraints and booster seats be properly
installed in a rear seat. If this is not possible,
the occupant classification sensors are de-
signed to operate as described above to turn
the front passenger air bag OFF for specified
child restraints. Failing to properly secure child
restrains 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 passen-
ger air bag inflating in a crash instead of being
OFF. (See “CHILD RESTRAINTS” 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
classification sensors. 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.
1-58Safety — Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system

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 your
retailer 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
bags inflate. ●
Do not place objects with sharp edges on the
seat. Also, do not place heavy objects on the
seat that will leave permanent impressions
in the seat. Such objects can damage the
seat or occupant classification sensors
(weight sensors). This can affect the opera-
tion of the air bag system and result in seri-
ous personal injury.
● Do not use water or acidic cleaners (hot
steam cleaners) on the seat. This can dam-
age the seat or occupant classification sen-
sors. This can also affect the operation of the
air bag system and result in serious personal
injury.
● Immediately after inflation, several front 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 supplemen-
tal air bag system. This is to prevent acciden-
tal 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, suspension sys-
tem or front end structure. This could affect
proper operation of the front air bag system.
Safety — Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-59