2016 NISSAN LEAF Owners Manual

Center of rear seat
Selecting correct set of seat belts:
The center seat belt buckle is identified by the
CENTER mark
A. The center seat belt tongue
can be fastened onlyinto the center seat belt
buckle.
Shoulder belt height adjustment (front
seats)
The shoulder belt anchor height should be ad-
justed to the position that is best for you. For
additional information, refer to “Precautions on
seat belt usage” in this section.
To adjust, pull the adjustment button
1, and then
move the shoulder belt anchor to the preferred
position
2so that the belt passes over the
center of the shoulder. The belt should be away
from your face and neck, but not falling off of your
shoulder. Release the adjustment button to lock
the shoulder belt anchor into position.
WARNING
• After adjustment, release the adjust- ment button and then try to move the
shoulder belt anchor up and down to
make sure that it is securely fixed in
position.
• The shoulder belt anchor height should be adjusted to the position that
is best for you. Failure to do so may
reduce the effectiveness of the entire
restraint system and increase the
chance or severity of injury in an acci-
dent.
1-14Safety–Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system

Seat belt hooks
When the rear seat belts are not in use and when
folding down the rear seats, hook the rear outer
seat belts on the seat belt hooks.
SEAT BELT EXTENDERS
If, because of body size or driving position, it is
not possible to properly fit the lap/shoulder belt
and fasten it, an extender that is compatible with
the installed seat belts is available for purchase.
The extender adds approximately 8 in (200 mm)
of length and may be used for either the driver or
front passenger seating position. See a NISSAN
certified LEAF dealer for assistance with pur-
chasing an extender if an extender is required.
WARNING
• Only NISSAN seat belt extenders, made by the same company which
made the original equipment seat
belts, should be used with NISSAN
seat belts.
• Adults and children who can use the standard seat belt should not use an
extender. Such unnecessary use could
result in serious personal injury in the
event of an accident.
• Never use seat belt extenders to install child restraints. If the child restraint is
not secured properly, the child could
be seriously injured or killed in a colli-
sion or a sudden stop.
SEAT BELT MAINTENANCE
•To clean the seat belt webbing, apply a mild
soap solution or any solution recommended for
cleaning upholstery or carpets. Then wipe with
a cloth and allow the seat belts to dry in the
shade. Do not allow the seat belts to retract until
they are completely dry.
• If dirt builds up in the shoulder belt guide
of the seat belt anchors,the seat belts may
retract slowly. Wipe the shoulder belt guide with
a clean, dry cloth.
• Periodically check to see that the seat belt
and the metal components, such as buckles,
tongues, retractors, flexible wires and anchors,
work properly. If loose parts, deterioration, cuts
or other damage on the webbing is found, the
entire seat belt assembly should be replaced.
Safety–Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-15

WARNING
Do not allow children to play with the
seat belts. Most seating positions are
equipped with Automatic Locking Retrac-
tor (ALR) mode seat belts. If the seat belt
becomes wrapped around a child’s neck
with the ALR mode activated, the child
can be seriously injured or killed if the
seat belt retracts and becomes tight. This
can occur even if the vehicle is parked.
Unbuckle the seat belt to release the
child. If the seat belt cannot be unbuck-
led or is already unbuckled, release the
child by cutting the seat belt with a suit-
able tool (such as a knife or scissors) to
release the seat belt.
Children need adults to help protect them.
They need to be properly restrained.
In addition to the general information in this
manual, child safety information is available from
many other sources, including doctors, teachers,
government traffic safety offices, and community
organizations. Every child is different, so be sure
to learn the best way to transport your child. There are three basic types of child restraint
systems:
• Rear-facing child restraint
• Forward-facing child restraint
• Booster seat
The proper restraint depends on the child’s size.
Generally, infants up to about 1 year and less
than 20 lb (9 kg) should be placed in rear-facing
child restraints. Forward-facing child restraints
are available for children who outgrow rear-
facing child restraints and are at least 1 year old.
Booster seats are used to help position a vehicle
lap/shoulder belt on a child who can no longer
use a forward-facing child restraint.
WARNING
Infants and children need special protec-
tion. The vehicle’s seat belts may not fit
them properly. The shoulder belt may
come too close to the face or neck. The
lap belt may not fit over their small hip
bones. In an accident, an improperly fit-
ting seat belt could cause serious or fatal
injury. Always use appropriate child re-
straints. All U.S. states and Canadian provinces or territo-
ries require the use of approved child restraints
for infants and small children. For additional infor-
mation, refer to “Child restraints” in this section.
A child restraint may be secured in the vehicle by
using either the LATCH (Lower Anchor and Teth-
ers for CHildren) system or with the vehicle seat
belt. For additional information, refer to “Child
restraints” in this section.
NISSAN recommends that all pre-teens
and children be restrained in the rear seat.
According to accident statistics, children
are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seat than in the front seat.
This is especially important because your
vehicle has a supplemental restraint sys-
tem (air bag system) for the front passen-
ger. Refer to “Supplemental Restraint Sys-
tem (SRS)” in this section.
CHILD SAFETY
1-16Safety–Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system

INFANTS
Infants up to at least 1 year old should be placed
in a rear-facing child restraint. NISSAN recom-
mends that infants be placed in child restraints
that comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards or Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards. You should choose a child restraint
that fits your vehicle and always follow the manu-
facturer’s instructions for installation and use.
SMALL CHILDREN
Children that are over 1 year old and weigh at
least 20 lbs (9 kg) should remain in a rear-facing
child restraint as long as possible up to the height
or weight limit of the child restraint. Children who
outgrow the height or weight limit of the rear-
facing child restraint and are at least 1 year old
should be secured in a forward-facing child re-
straint with a harness. Refer to the manufactur-
er’s instructions for minimum and maximum
weight and height recommendations. NISSAN
recommends that small children be placed in
child restraints that comply with Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standards or Canadian Motor Ve-
hicle Safety Standards. You should choose a
child restraint that fits your vehicle and always
follow the manufacturer’s instructions for instal-
lation and use.
LARGER CHILDREN
Children should remain in a forward-facing child
restraint with a harness until they reach the maxi-
mum height or weight limit allowed by the child
restraint manufacturer.
Once a child outgrows the height or weight limit
of the harness-equipped forward-facing child re-
straint, NISSAN recommends that the child be
placed in a commercially available booster seat to
obtain proper seat belt fit. For a seat belt to fit
properly, the booster seat should raise the child
so that the shoulder belt is properly positioned
across the chest and the top, middle portion of
the shoulder. The shoulder belt should not cross
the neck or face and should not fall off the shoul-
der. The lap belt should lie snugly across the
lower hips or upper thighs, not the abdomen. A
booster seat can only be used in seating posi-
tions that have a three-point type seat belt. The
booster seat should fit the vehicle seat and have
a label certifying that it complies with Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standards or Canadian Mo-
tor Vehicle Safety Standards.A booster seat should be used until the child can
pass the seat belt fit test below:
• Are the child’s back and hips against the vehicle
seatback?
• Is the child able to sit without slouching?
• Do the child’s knees bend easily over the front edge of the seat with feet flat on the floor?
• Can the child safely wear the seat belt (lap belt low and snug across the hips and shoulder belt
across mid-chest and shoulder)?
• Is the child able to use the properly adjusted head restraint/headrest?
• Will the child be able to stay in position for the entire ride?
Safety–Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-17

If you answered no to any of these questions, the
child should remain in a booster seat using a
three-point type seat belt.
NOTE:
Laws in some communities may follow dif-
ferent guidelines. Check local and state
regulations to confirm your child is using
the correct restraint system before
traveling.
WARNING
Never let a child stand or kneel on any
seat and do not allow a child in the cargo
areas. The child could be seriously in-
jured or killed in an accident or sudden
stop.
PRECAUTIONS ON CHILD
RESTRAINTS
WARNING
• Failure to follow the warnings and in-
structions for proper use and installa-
tion of child restraints could result in
serious injury or death of a child or
other passengers in a sudden stop or
collision:
CHILD RESTRAINTS
1-18Safety–Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system

–The child restraint must be used and
installed properly. Always follow all
of the child restraint manufacturer’s
instructions for installation and use.
– Infants and children should never be
held on anyone’s lap. Even the
strongest adult cannot resist the
forces of a collision.
– Do not put a seat belt around both a
child and another passenger.
– NISSAN recommends that all child
restraints be installed in the rear
seat. Studies show that children are
safer when properly restrained in
the rear seat than in the front seat. If
you must install a forward-facing
child restraint in the front seat, refer
to “Forward-facing child restraint
installation using the seat belts” in
this section.
– Even with the NISSAN Advanced Air
Bag System, never install a rear-
facing child restraint in the front
seat. An inflating air bag could seri-
ously injure or kill a child. A rear-
facing child restraint must only be
used in the rear seat. –
Be sure to purchase a child restraint
that will fit the child and vehicle.
Some child restraints may not fit
properly in your vehicle.
– Child restraint anchorages are de-
signed to withstand only those
loads imposed by correctly fitted
child restraints. Under no circum-
stances are they to be used to attach
adult seat belts, or other items or
equipment to the vehicle. Doing so
could damage the child restraint an-
chorages. The child restraint will not
be properly installed using the dam-
aged anchorage, and a child could
be seriously injured or killed in a
collision.
– Never use the anchor points for
adult seat belts or harnesses.
– A child restraint with a top tether
strap should not be used in the front
passenger seat.
– Keep seatbacks as upright as pos-
sible after fitting the child restraint.
– Infants and children should always
be placed in an appropriate child
restraint while in the vehicle. •
When the child restraint is not in use,
keep it secured with the LATCH system
or a seat belt. In a sudden stop or
collision, loose objects can injure oc-
cupants or damage the vehicle.
CAUTION
A child restraint in a closed vehicle can
become very hot. Check the seating sur-
face and buckles before placing a child in
the child restraint.
This vehicle is equipped with a universal child
restraint anchor system, referred to as the LATCH
(Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) sys-
tem. Some child restraints include rigid or
webbing-mounted attachments that can be con-
nected to these anchors.
For additional information, refer to “LATCH
(Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) sys-
tem” in this section.
If you do not have a LATCH compatible child
restraint, the vehicle seat belts can be used.
Safety–Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-19

Several manufacturers offer child restraints for
infants and small children of various sizes. When
selecting any child restraint, keep the following
points in mind:
• Choose only a restraint with a label certifyingthat it complies with Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard 213 or Canadian Motor Ve-
hicle Safety Standard 213.
• Check the child restraint in your vehicle to be sure it is compatible with the vehicle’s seat and
seat belt system.
• If the child restraint is compatible with your vehicle, place your child in the child restraint
and check the various adjustments to be sure
the child restraint is compatible with your child.
Choose a child restraint that is designed for
your child’s height and weight. Always follow all
recommended procedures.
• If the combined weight of the child and child restraint is less than 65 lbs (29.5 kg) , you may
use either the LATCH anchors or the seat belt to
install the child restraint (not both at the same
time) . • If the combined weight of the child and child
restraint is greater than 65 lbs (29.5 kg) , use the
vehicle’s seat belt (not the lower anchors) to
install the child restraint.
• Be sure to follow the child restraint manufactur- er’s instructions for installation.
All U.S. states and Canadian provinces or
territories require that infants and small
children be restrained in an approved child
restraint at all times while the vehicle is
being operated. Canadian law requires the
top tether strap on forward-facing child re-
straints be secured to the designated an-
chor point on the vehicle.
LATCH (LOWER ANCHORS AND
TETHERS FOR CHILDREN) SYSTEM
Your vehicle is equipped with special anchor
points that are used with LATCH system compat-
ible child restraints. This system may also be
referred to as the ISOFIX or ISOFIX compatible
system. With this system, you do not have to use
a vehicle seat belt to secure the child restraint
unless the combined weight of the child and child
restraint exceeds 65 lbs (29.5 kg) . If the com-
bined weight of the child and child restraint is
greater than 65 lbs (29.5 kg) , use the vehicle’s
1-20Safety–Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system

seat belt (not the lower anchors) to install the
child restraint. Be sure to follow the child restraint
manufacturer’s instructions for installation.
The LATCH lower anchor points are provided to
install child restraints in the rear outboard seating
positions only. Do not attempt to install a child
restraint in the center position using the LATCH
lower anchors.
LATCH lower anchor
WARNING
Failure to follow the warnings and in-
structions for proper use and installation
of child restraints could result in serious
injury or death of a child or other passen-
gers in a sudden stop or collision:
• Attach LATCH system compatible child restraints only at the locations shown
in the illustration.
• Do not secure a child restraint in the center rear seating position using the
LATCH lower anchors. The child re-
straint will not be secured properly. • Inspect the lower anchors by inserting
your fingers into the lower anchor
area. Feel to make sure there are no
obstructions over the anchors such as
seat belt webbing or seat cushion ma-
terial. The child restraint will not be
secured properly if the lower anchors
are obstructed.
• Child restraint anchorages are de- signed to withstand only those loads
imposed by correctly fitted child re-
straints. Under no circumstances are
they to be used to attach adult seat
belts, or other items or equipment to
the vehicle. Doing so could damage
the child restraint anchorages. The
child restraint will not be properly in-
stalled using the damaged anchorage,
and a child could be seriously injured
or killed in a collision.
LATCH lower anchor location
The LATCH lower anchors are located at the rear
of the seat cushion near the seatback. A label is
attached to the seatback to help you locate the
LATCH lower anchors.
LATCH lower anchor location
Safety–Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-21