2011 NISSAN Consumer Safety & Air Bag Information Guide 3
EFFECTIVE USE OF SEAT BELTS AND AIR BAGS
Seat belts and supplemental air bags are most effective when vehicle occupants are sitting
upright and well back in the seat with both feet on the floor. Keep in mind that air bags
inflate with great force. Being unrestrained, leaning forward, sitting sideways, or being out
of position in any way puts you at a greater risk of injury or death in a crash. You may also
receive serious or fatal injuries from the air bag system if you are up against it when it
inflates. Always sit back against the seatback with both feet on the floor and as far away as
practical from the steering wheel or dashboard and always wear your seat belt. Please see
the SEAT BELT SAFETY section of this guide and the vehicle owner’s manual for more
information.
HOW AND WHEN FRONT AIR BAGS WORK
While the inner workings of a supplemental front air bag system are complicated,
understanding what makes the front air bags deploy is rather easy: the vehicle’s front air
bag sensor system is designed to detect rapid deceleration usually associated with
moderate to severe frontal collisions within a limited range of angles. The vehicle’s
deceleration rate is related to various factors, such as speed of the vehicles involved, the
weight and stiffness of the vehicles/objects involved, contact locations, and the angle of
impact, to name a few. Once the sensor system is activated, the front air bags inflate with a
harmless gas almost instantly.
2011 NISSAN Consumer Safety & Air Bag Information Guide 4
The front air bags will not usually activate in side-impact collisions, rear-end collisions,
rollovers, while driving on rough roads, or during hard braking. However, deceleration rates
in some situations can be similar to those found in frontal impacts and may result in front
air bag activation.
WHEN THE FRONT AIR BAGS INFLATE
Please remember, for the supplemental front air bags to be most effective, you must always
buckle up and sit at a suitable distance back to allow room for the air bags to inflate. For
the front air bags to do their job, they must inflate with great force. As mentioned earlier in
this guide, this may cause serious or even fatal injury if, for example, you are sitting or
leaning too close to the steering wheel or dashboard during inflation. Even when seated
properly, there is a possibility of injury from an inflating front air bag. This usually consists of
minor skin abrasions or burns, but may be more serious. Overall, these injuries are minimal
compared to the injuries the front air bags are designed to prevent. After the front air bags
have inflated, you may notice a light smoke within the cabin. This is a normal by-product of
the rapid chemical reaction necessary to inflate the front air bags and, although harmless, it
may cause minor irritations.
REPLACING THE AIR BAGS
Air bags are not reusable. After a collision in which your air bags have activated, have the
respective air bag system inspected and replaced by your NISSAN dealer as soon as
possible.
OTHER SPECIFICS ABOUT AIR BAGS
ƒ If the air bag warning light continues to remain on or flashes after you start the vehicle,
see your NISSAN dealer as soon as possible.
ƒ After inflation, air bag components are hot, so avoid contact.
ƒ Do not place objects on or near the steering wheel or dashboard where the air bags
inflate.
ƒ Never place a rear-facing child restraint in the front passenger seat of a vehicle
equipped with a front passenger air bag.
ƒ See the vehicle owner’s manual for other important information.
WELL BACK AND UPRIGHT
