2019 INFINITI Consumer Safety & Air Bag Information Guide 5
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.
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
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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 a
child improperly placed in the front passenger
seat. 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 twelve
(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
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and include why you believe that INFINITI should be responsible for the repair. Your
request will be individually investigated and you will be informed of INFINITI’s
decision.
Please also review the Supplement to 2019 INFINITI Warranty Information Booklet &
2019 INFINITI Owner’s Manual, for important information concerning consumer rights
in your state.
INFINITI, the INFINITI Brand Symbol, and INFINITI Model Name(s) are Nissan trademarks.
Publication: April 2018
©2018 INFINITI Division of Nissan North America, Inc.
