2020 INFINITI Q50 Owner's Manual

.Do not use seat covers on the front
seatbacks. They may interfere with
side air bag inflation.
Safety — Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-45

1-46Safety — Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system
JVR0514X
1. Crash zone sensor
2. Supplemental front air bag modules(INFINITI Advanced Air Bags)
3. Front seat-mounted side-impact sup- plemental air bags
4. Occupant classification sensors (weight sensors) 5. Occupant classification system control
unit
6. Roof-mounted curtain side-impact and rollover supplemental air bags
7. Roof-mounted curtain side-impact and rollover supplemental air bag inflators
8. Pressure sensors in door 9. Air bag Control Unit (ACU)
10. Satellite sensors
11. Seat belts with pretensioners
12. Lap outer pretensioners
INFINITI ADVANCED AIR BAG
SYSTEM (front seats)
WARNING
To ensure proper operation of the pas-
senger’s Advanced Air Bag System, ob-
serve the following items.
.
Do not allow a passenger in the rear
seat to push or pull on the seatback
pocket.
. Do not place heavy loads heavier
than 9.1 lbs. (4 kg) on the seatback,
head restraint or in the seatback
pocket.
. Make sure that there is nothing
pressing against the rear of the seat-
back, such as a child restraint in-
stalled in the rear seat or an object
stored on the floor.
. Make sure that there is no object
placed under the front passenger
seat.

.Make sure that there is no object
placed between the seat cushion and
center console or between the seat
cushion and the door.
. Be sure that the front passenger seat
does not contact the rear seat, in-
strument panel, etc., or the head
restraint does not contact the roof.
. Confirm the operating condition with
the front passenger air bag status
light.
. If you notice that the front passenger
air bag status light is not operating
as described in this section, it is
recommended you visit an INFINITI
retailer to check the passenger seat
Advanced Air Bag System.
. Until you have confirmed with a
retailer that your passenger seat
Advanced Air Bag System is working
properly, position the occupants in
the rear seating positions.
. Do not position the front passenger
seat so it contacts the rear seat. If the
front 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 supple-
mental air bag warning light may flash.
This vehicle is equipped with the INFINITI
Advanced Air Bag System for the driver and
front passenger seats. This system is de-
signed to meet certification requirements
under U.S. regulations. It is also permitted in
Canada. All of the information, cautions and
warnings in this manual apply and must be
followed.
The driver supplemental front-impact air
bag is located in the center of the steering
wheel. The front passenger supplemental
front-impact air bag is mounted in the
instrument panel above the glove box. The
front air bags are designed to inflate in
higher severity frontal collisions, although
they may inflate if the forces in another type
of collision are similar to those of a higher
severity frontal impact. They may not inflate
in certain frontal collisions. Vehicle damage
(or lack of it) is not always an indication of
proper front air bag operation.
The INFINITI Advanced Air Bag System has
dual stage air bag inflators. The system
monitors information from the crash zone
sensor, the Air bag Control Unit (ACU), seat
belt buckle switches and the occupant
classification sensors (weight sensors). In-
flator operation is based on the severity of a
collision and seat belt usage for the driver. For the front passenger, the occupant
classification sensors are also monitored.
Based on information from the sensors, only
one front air bag may inflate in a crash,
depending on the crash severity and whether
the front occupants are belted or unbelted.
Additionally, the front passenger air bag
may be automatically turned OFF under
some conditions, depending on the informa-
tion provided by the occupant classification
sensors. If the front passenger air bag is
OFF, the front passenger air bag status light
will be illuminated. (See “Front passenger air
bag and status light” (P.1-48) for further
details.) One front air bag inflating does not
indicate improper performance of the sys-
tem.
If you have any questions about your air bag
system, it is recommended you visit an
INFINITI retailer to obtain information
about the system. If you are considering
modification of your vehicle due to a dis-
ability, you may also contact an INFINITI
retailer. Contact information is contained in
the front of this Owner’s Manual.
When a front air bag inflates, a fairly loud
noise may be heard, followed by 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 irritation and
choking. Those with a history of a breathing
condition should get fresh air promptly.
Safety — Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-47

1-48Safety — Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system
Front air bags, along with the use of seat
belts, help to cushion the impact force on the
head and chest of the front occupants. They
can help save lives and reduce serious
injuries. However, an inflating front air bag
may cause facial abrasions or other injuries.
Front air bags do not provide restraint to the
lower body.
Even with INFINITI advanced air bags, seat
belts should be correctly worn and the driver
and passenger seated upright as far as
practical away from the steering wheel or
instrument panel. The front air bags inflate
quickly in order to help protect the front
occupants. Because of this, the force of the
front 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.
The front air bags deflate quickly after a
collision.
The front air bags operate only when the
ignition switch is in the ON position.
After pushing the ignition switch to the ON
position, the supplemental air bag warning
light illuminates. The supplemental air bag
warning light will turn off after about 7
seconds if the system is operational.
JVR0192X
Front passenger air bag and status
light
WARNING
The front passenger air bag is designed
to automatically turn OFF under some
conditions. Read this section carefully to
learn how it operates. Proper use of the
seat, seat belt and child restraints is
necessary for most effective protection.
Failure to follow all instructions in this
manual concerning the use of seats, seat
belts and child restraints can increase
the risk or severity of injury in anaccident.

Status light:
The front passenger seat is equipped with an
occupant classification sensors (weight sen-
sors) that turn the front passenger air bag on
or off depending on the weight applied to
the front passenger seat. The status of the
front passenger air bag (ON or OFF) is
indicated by the front passenger air bag
status light
which is located on the
instrument panel.
After the ignition switch is placed in the ON
position, the front passenger air bag status
light illuminates for about 7 seconds and
then turns off or remains illuminated de-
pending on the front passenger seat occu-
pied status. The light operates as follows:
Safety — Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-49

1-50Safety — Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system
CONDITIONDESCRIPTIONPASSENGER AIR BAG STATUS LIGHT
() FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG STATUS
Empty Empty front passenger seat ON
(illuminated) INHIBITED
Nobody/Somebody Bag or Child or Child Restraint or Small
Adult in the front passenger seat ON
(illuminated) INHIBITED
Adult Adult in the front passenger seat OFF
(dark) ACTIVATED

In addition to the above, certain objects
placed on the front passenger seat may also
cause the light to operate as described
above depending on their weight.
For additional information related to the
normal operation and troubleshooting of
this occupant classification sensor system,
please refer to “Normal operation” (P.1-52)
and “Troubleshooting” (P.1-53).
Front passenger air bag:
The front passenger air bag is designed to
automatically turn OFF when the vehicle is
operated under some conditions as de-
scribed below in accordance with U.S.
regulations. If the front passenger air bag
is OFF, it will not inflate in a crash. The driver
air bag and other air bags in your vehicle are
not part of this system.
The purpose of the regulation is to help
reduce the risk of injury or death from an
inflating air bag to certain front passenger
seat occupants, such as children, by requiring
the air bag to be automatically turned OFF.
Certain sensors are used to meet the
requirements.
The occupant classification sensor in this
vehicle is a weight sensor. It is designed to
detect 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 airbag OFF in accordance with the regulations.
Also, if a child restraint of the type specified
in the regulations is on the seat, its weight
and the child’s weight can be detected and
cause the air bag to turn OFF.
Front passenger seat adult occupants who
are properly seated and using the seat belt
as outlined in this manual should not cause
the passenger air bag to be automatically
turned OFF. For small adults it may be
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.
INFINITI recommends that pre-teens and
children be properly restrained in a rear seat.
INFINITI also recommends that appropriate
child restraints and booster seats be prop-
erly installed in a rear seat. If this is not
possible, the occupant classification sensor
is designed to operate as described above to
turn the front passenger air bag OFF for
specified child restraints as required by the
regulations. Failing to properly secure child
restraints and to use the ALR mode may
allow the restraint to tip or move in a
collision or sudden stop. This can also result
in the passenger air bag inflating in a crash
instead of being OFF. For additional infor-
mation, refer to “Child restraints” (P.1-21)
for proper use and installation.
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 of the object’s weight
detected by the occupant classification
sensor. 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 this
manual. Always be sure that you and all
vehicle occupants are seated and restrained
properly.
Using the front passenger air bag status
light, you can monitor when the front
passenger air bag is automatically turned
OFF.
If an adult occupant is in the seat but the
front 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 is 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 front passenger air bag status light
may or may not be illuminated, depending on
the size of the child and the type of child
Safety — Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-51

1-52Safety — Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system
restraint being used. If the front passenger
air bag status light is not illuminated (in-
dicating that the air bag might inflate in a
crash), it could be that the child restraint or
seat belt is not being used properly. Make
sure that the child restraint is installed
properly, the seat belt is used properly and
the occupant is positioned properly. If the
front passenger air bag status light is still not
illuminated, reposition the occupant or child
restraint in a 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, it is re-
commended that you take your vehicle to an
INFINITI retailer. An INFINITI retailer can
check the system status by using a special
tool. However, until you have confirmed
with your retailer that your air bag is work-
ing properly, reposition the occupant or child
restraint in a rear seat.
The INFINITI Advanced Air Bag System and
front passenger air bag status light will take
a few seconds to register a change in the
passenger seat status. This is normal system
operation and does not indicate a malfunc-
tion.
If a malfunction occurs in the front passen-
ger air bag system, the supplemental air bag
warning light
, located in the meter and
gauges area of the instrument panel, will be illuminated (blinking or steadily lit). Have the
system checked. It is recommended you visit
an INFINITI retailer for this service.
Normal operation:
In order for the occupant classification
sensor system to classify the front passen-
ger based on weight, please follow the
precautions and steps outlined below:
Precautions
. Make sure that there are no objects
weighing over 9.1 lbs (4 kg) hanging on
the seat or placed in the seatback pocket.
. Make sure that a child restraint or other
object is not pressing against the rear of
the seatback.
. Make sure that a rear passenger is not
pushing or pulling on the back of the
front passenger seat.
. Make sure that the front passenger seat
or seatback is not forced back against an
object on the seat or floor behind it.
. Make sure that there is no object placed
under the front passenger seat.
. Make sure that the front passenger seat
head restraint does not contact the roof
when adjusting the front passenger seat.
Steps
1. Adjust the seat as outlined in “Seats” (P.1-2). Sit upright, leaning against the
seatback, and centered on the seat cushion with your feet comfortably ex-
tended to the floor.
2. Make sure there are no objects on your lap.
3. Fasten the seat belt as outlined in “Seat belts” (P.1-12). Front passenger seat belt
buckle status is monitored by the occu-
pant classification sensor system, and is
used as an input to determine occupancy
status. So, it is highly recommended that
the front passenger fastens his/her seat
belt.
4. Remain in this position for 30 seconds allowing the system to classify the front
passenger before the vehicle is put into
motion.
5. Ensure proper classification by checking the front passenger air bag status light.
NOTE:
This vehicle’s occupant classification sensor
system generally keeps the classification
locked during driving, so it is important that
you confirm that the front passenger is
properly classified prior to driving. How-
ever, the occupant classification sensor may
recalculate the weight of the occupant
under some conditions (both while driving
and when stopped), so the front passenger
seat occupant should continue to remain
seated as outlined above.