2016 INFINITI Consumer Safety & Air Bag Information Guide 10
SIDE-IMPACT, CURTAIN SIDE-IMPACT, AND CURTAIN SIDE-IMPACT/ROLLOVER AIR BAG
SYSTEMS
Supplemental side-impact air bags, curtain side-impact air bags, and curtain side-
impact/rollover air bags are available on many 2016 INFINITI vehicles. Side-impact air bags are
located on the outboard side of the front seat backs. Curtain side-impact air bags and curtain
side-impact/rollover air bags (if so equipped) are located in the left and right side roof rails or in
the upper part of the front door panels.
Side-impact air bags and curtain side-impact air bags are designed to inflate in higher-severity
side collisions, on the side where the vehicle is impacted. However, they may inflate if the forces
in another type of collision are similar to those of a higher-severity side-impact. Curtain side-
impact/rollover air bags are designed to inflate in certain types of side-impact collisions and
rollovers.
Curtain side-impact air bags and curtain side-impact/rollover air bags are different mainly in
their sensing systems: curtain side-impact air bags are activated primarily in a lateral collision,
whereas curtain side-impact/rollover air bags are activated in either a lateral collision or a
rollover. Since a rollover event lasts longer than a side-impact event, curtain side-impact/rollover
air bags are designed to remain inflated longer than curtain side-impact air bags.
Side-impact air bags and curtain side-impact air bags, along with proper use of seat belts, help
to cushion the impact force to the head and chest of the front occupants. In most INFINITI
vehicles, curtain side-impact air bags also help to cushion the impact force to the head of rear
outboard-seated occupants. These air bags can help save lives and reduce serious injury.
However, an inflating side-impact air bag, curtain side-impact air bag, or curtain side-
impact/rollover air bag may cause abrasions or other injuries. Refer to your owner’s manual for
information on how your vehicle is equipped.
Seat belts should be worn correctly and vehicle occupants seated upright. These air bags inflate
quickly in order to help protect the occupants. The force of an 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.
Like front air bags, an inflated side-impact air bag as well as an inflated curtain side-impact air
bag will deflate soon after the collision is over. As noted above, an inflated curtain side-
impact/rollover air bag will remain inflated for a short time afterward. See REPLACING THE AIR
BAGS earlier in this guide.
2016 INFINITI Consumer Safety & Air Bag Information Guide 12
OTHER SPECIFICS ABOUT SIDE-IMPACT, CURTAIN SIDE-IMPACT, AND CURTAIN
SIDE-IMPACT/ROLLOVER AIR BAG SYSTEMS
Do not allow anyone sitting in the front seat to extend his or her hand out the window or lean
against the door.
When sitting in the rear, do not hold onto the seatbacks of the front seats, hang anything
from the head restraint or push or pull on the seatback pocket as this may interfere with the
proper operation of the air bag systems. Be especially careful with children, who should
always be properly seated and restrained in the rear seat.
Do not allow anyone to place their hand, leg or face near the side-impact air bag modules on
the seatbacks of the front seats or near the curtain side-impact air bag modules in the roof
rails or in the front door panels.
Curtain side-impact/rollover air bags are designed to inflate not only in rollovers, but also in
certain near rollover situations. As a result, certain vehicle movements (for example, during
severe off-road driving) may cause these air bags to inflate.
See the vehicle owner's manual for other important safety information about side-impact,
curtain side-impact, and curtain side-impact/rollover air bag systems and how your vehicle is
equipped.
WHENEVER A CHILD IS IN YOUR VEHICLE
The risk of serious or fatal injury to children in automobile collisions can be reduced with a
properly installed child restraint. Before you install a child restraint in your vehicle, please
consult the vehicle owner’s manual and the child restraint manufacturer’s instructions for proper
installation.
Child restraints for infants must be used in a rear-
facing direction and therefore must never be used in
the front seat. An inflating front passenger air bag
could seriously injure or kill your child. According to
statistics, children are safer when properly restrained
in the rear seat than in the front seat. INFINITI and the
federal government recommend that children 12 and
under should ride in the rear seat, properly secured in
child restraints, booster seats, or seat belts, according
to their size.
CHILD SAFETY
