2011 NISSAN ALTIMA seats

NISSAN 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 air bag inflators. It also monitors informa-
tion from the crash zone sensor, the Air bag
Control Unit (ACU) , seat belt buckle sensors and
the occupant classification sensor (pattern sen-
sor) . 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
unbelted. Additionally, the front passenger air
bag may be automatically turned OFF under
some conditions, depending on the information
provided by the occupant classification sensor. 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 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 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, 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 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 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.
1-50Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system

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 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.
If an adult occupant is in the seat but the passen-
ger 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 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 air
bag status light is not illuminated, reposition the
occupant or child restraint in a rear seat.
If the passenger air bag status light will not illu-
minate 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 NISSAN dealer can check that the
system is OFF by using a special tool. However,
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. However, if the seat
becomes unoccupied, the air bag status light will
remain off.
If a malfunction occurs in the front passenger air
bag system, the supplemental air bag warning
light

●Do not place objects with sharp edges
on the seat. Also, do not place heavy
objects on the seat that will leave per-
manent impressions in the seat. Such
objects can damage the seat or occu-
pant classification sensor (pattern sen-
sor) . This can affect the operation of the
air bag system and result in serious
personal injury.
● Do not use water or acidic cleaners (hot
steam cleaners) on the seat. This can
damage the seat or occupant classifica-
tion sensor. 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 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. ●
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.
● 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. ●
Work on and around the front air bag
system should be done by a NISSAN
dealer. Installation of electrical equip-
ment should also be done by a NISSAN
dealer. The Supplemental Restraint
System (SRS) wiring should not be
modified or disconnected. Unauthor-
ized electrical test equipment and prob-
ing devices should not be used on the
air bag system.
● A cracked windshield should be re-
placed immediately by a qualified re-
pair facility. A cracked windshield could
affect the function of the supplemental
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 front air bag system
and guide the buyer to the appropriate sections
in this Owner’s Manual.
Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-53

Front seat-mounted side-impact
supplemental air bag and roof-
mounted curtain side-impact
supplemental air bag systems
The side air bags are located in the outside of the
seatback of the front seats. The curtain air bags
are located in the side roof rails. These systems
are designed to meet voluntary guidelines to help
reduce the risk of injury to out-of-position occu-
pants.However, all of the information, cau-
tions and warnings in this manual still ap-
ply and must be followed. The side air bags
and curtain air bags are designed to inflate in
higher severity side collisions, although they may inflate if the forces in another type of collision are
similar to those of a higher severity side impact.
They are designed to inflate on the side where the
vehicle is impacted. They may not inflate in cer-
tain side collisions.
Vehicle damage (or lack of it) is not always an
indication of proper side air bag and curtain air
bag operation.
When the side air bags and curtain air bags
inflate, a fairly loud noise may be heard, followed
by the release of smoke. This smoke is not harm-
ful 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 con-
dition should get fresh air promptly.
Side air bags, along with the use of seat belts,
help to cushion the impact force on the chest and
pelvic area of the front occupants. Curtain air
bags help to cushion the impact force to the head
of occupants in the front and rear outboard seat-
ing positions. They can help save lives and re-
duce serious injuries. However, an inflating side
air bag and curtain air bag may cause abrasions
or other injuries. Side air bags and curtain air
bags do not provide restraint to the lower body.
The seat belts should be correctly worn and the
driver and passenger seated upright as far as
practical away from the side air bag. Rear seat
passengers should be seated as far away as
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 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 bag will deflate quickly
after the collision is over.
The side air bags and curtain air bags op-
erate only when the ignition switch is
placed in the ON 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.

●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 system 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
or curtain 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.
Seat belts with pretensioners (Front
seats)

●The front air bag, side air bag, curtain
air bag systems and the pretensioner
system should be inspected by a
NISSAN dealer if there is any damage to
the front end or side portion of the
vehicle.
● If you need to dispose of a supplemen-
tal air bag or pretensioners or scrap the
vehicle, contact a NISSAN dealer. Incor-
rect disposal procedures could cause
personal injury.
1-58Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system

MEMO
Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-59

Seat belt warning light andchime
The light and chime remind you to fasten your
seat belts. The light illuminates whenever the
ignition switch is placed in the ON or START
position and remains illuminated until the driver’s
seat belt is fastened. At the same time, the chime
sounds for about 6 seconds unless the driver’s
seat belt is securely fastened.
The seat belt warning light may also illuminate if
the front passenger’s seat belt is not fastened
when the front passenger’s seat is occupied. For
7 seconds after the ignition switch is placed in
the ON position, the system does not activate the
warning light for the front passenger.
Refer to “Seat belts” in the “Safety—Seats, seat
belts and supplemental restraint system” section
for precautions on seat belt usage.