2016 INFINITI QX50 sensor

2016 INFINITI Consumer Safety & Air Bag Information Guide 2
THE INFINITI ADVANCED AIR BAG SYSTEM
All 2016 INFINITI vehicles are equipped with the INFINITI Advanced Air Bag System (AABS) for the
driver and front passenger seats.
Typically, this system incorporates dual-stage inflators*, and
monitors information from various crash sensors, the front seat belt buckle sensors, and the
occupant classification sensor.

The front passenger air bag may be automatically turned OFF under some conditions, depending
on the weight detected by the occupant classification sensors in the passenger seat. See the
vehicle owner’s manual for more information. If the front passenger air bag is OFF, the front
passenger air bag status light will be illuminated.**

The front passenger air bag status light does not indicate a malfunction of the front passenger air
bag. If the front passenger air bag status light is illuminated while an adult occupies the seat,
the occupant may need to shift his or her seating position so the system can turn ON the front
passenger air bag and turn OFF the status light. See your owner’s manual for proper seating
positions.

Remember, all air bags are supplemental restraint systems. You must properly use seat belts
and child restraints, as explained in the vehicle owner’s manual and your child restraint
manufacturer’s instructions.

THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF AN AIR BAG: YOUR SEAT BELT
Your chances of surviving a collision will improve greatly if one simple piece of advice is
followed: always wear your seat belt. Do not count on just the air bags for occupant protection;
they are merely a
supplemental restraint system.

Seat belts help to protect the occupants of your vehicle during collisions in which the air bags
are not designed to activate. In addition, in situations where the air bags are activated, seat
belts enhance their effectiveness and can help reduce the risk of injury from an inflating air bag.
Seat belts will also help protect the occupants of your vehicle during multiple-impact collisions,
while the air bags work only one time if a collision is severe enough to activate them. Please see
the SEAT BELT SAFETY and CHILD SAFETY sections of this guide and the vehicle owner’s manual
for more information.


*Dual-stage inflators vary the inflation rate based on the severity of the collision (for example, less forceful

inflation for moderate impacts and a higher inflation force for more severe impacts). In addition, based on

information from the seat belt buckle sensors that detect whether the seat belts are fastened, the

deployment of the front air bags is adjusted. Only one front air bag may inflate in a crash, depending on

the severity of the crash and whether the front occupants are belted or unbelted.

**
When the system detects that the seat is unoccupied, the passenger air bag status light will not

illuminate even though the front passenger air bag is OFF.

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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 instrument panel 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 THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM WORKS

The front passenger seat is equipped with an Occupant Classification Sensor that turns the front
passenger air bag OFF under some conditions. The occupant classification sensor detects an
occupant and objects on the seat by weight. 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 U.S. regulations. In addition, if a child restraint of the type specified in the regulations is on

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the seat, the occupant classification sensors can detect it and cause the air bag to turn OFF. This
sensor is only used in the front passenger seat. Failure to be properly seated and wearing the
seat belt can increase the risk or severity of injury in an accident.

Front passenger seat adult occupants who are properly seated and using the seat belt as
outlined in the vehicle’s owner manual should not cause the passenger air bag to be
automatically turned OFF. However if the occupant takes his/her weight off the seat cushion (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. Nissan recommends that pre-teens and children be properly restrained in
the rear seat.
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 the
occupant classification sensor detects the weight. 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 the vehicle’s owner’s manual.
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 not sitting on the seat
properly or not using the seat belt 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 the seat belt is not being used properly. Make sure that the
child restraint is installed properly, the seat belt is being used properly and the occupant is
positioned properly. If the air bag status light is not illuminated, reposition the occupant or child
restraint in the rear seat.
If the front 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.

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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. For example, if a large adult who is sitting in
the 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. The passenger air bag status light will not illuminate when the front passenger seat
is unoccupied.
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
. Air bags are designed not to deploy in low-severity
collisions. 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.
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 unrestrained, out of
position in any way, 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. When a
front air bag inflates, a fairly load 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 not to inhale it, as it may
cause temporary irritation and choking. Those with a history of a breathing condition should get
fresh air promptly.

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 INFINITI retailer as soon as possible.

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has expressed concern regarding
reports of counterfeit replacement air bags installed in vehicles. Visit www.nhtsa.gov for more
information. INFINITI recommends the replacement of air bags by your INFINITI retailer to ensure
that you receive new original equipment replacement parts. Counterfeit replacement air bags
may not be made to the standards of quality, reliability and durability of Genuine INFINITI
parts. The use of counterfeit replacement air bags or used or salvaged air bags is a potential
serious safety problem and may not provide the same level of protection in a crash.

OTHER SPECIFICS ABOUT AIR BAGS

Do not position the front passenger seat so it contacts the rear seat. If the front passenger
seat does contact the rear seat, the air bag system may determine a sensor malfunction has
occurred and the front passenger air bag status light may illuminate and the supplemental air
bag warning light may flash.
 If the supplemental air bag warning light in the instrument panel continues to remain ON or
flashes after you start the vehicle, see your INFINITI retailer as soon as possible.
 After inflation, air bag components are hot, so avoid contact.
 Do not place objects on or near the steering wheel or instrument panel where the air bags
inflate.
 Never install a rear-facing child restraint in the front passenger seat of a vehicle.
 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
the occupant classification sensor. 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 classification sensors. This can also affect the operation of the air bag
system and result in serious personal injury.
 Modifying or tampering with the front passenger seat may result in serious personal injury.
For example, do not change the front seats by placing material on the seat cushion or by
installing additional trim material, such as seat covers, on the seat that are not specifically
designed to assure proper air bag operation. Additionally, do not stow any objects under the
front passenger seat, or on the seat cushion, or store luggage behind the seat that may
contact the seatback, or hang heavy objects from the seatback, or the seatback pocket. Such
objects may interfere with the proper operation of the occupant classification sensor.
 See the vehicle owner’s manual for other important information on safety, seats, seat belts,
and the supplemental restraint system. WELL BACK AND UPRIGHT