NOTE:
A system check will be performed during
which the front passenger air bag status
light will remain lit for about 7 seconds
initially.
If the light is still ON af ter this, the person
should be advised not to ride in the front
passenger seat and the vehicle should be
checked as soon as possible. It is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer for
this service.
Other supplemental front-impact air
bag precautions
WARNING
• Do not place any objects on the
steering wheel pad or on the instru-
ment panel. Also, do not place any
objects between any occupant and
the steering wheel or instrument
panel. Such objects may become
dangerous projectiles and cause in-
jury if the front air bags inflate.
• Immediately af ter inflation, several
front air bag system components will
be hot. Do not touch them; you may
severely burn yourself. •
No unauthorized changes should be
made to any components or wiring
of the supplemental air bag system.
This is to prevent accidental inflation
of the supplemental air bag or dam-
age to the supplemental air bag
system.
• Do not make unauthorized changes
to your vehicle's electrical system,
suspension system or front end
structure. This could affect proper
operation of the front air bag system.
• Tampering with the front air bag sys-
tem may result in serious personal
injury. Tampering includes changes
to the steering wheel and the instru-
ment panel assembly by placing ma-
terial over the steering wheel pad
and above the instrument panel or
by installing additional trim material
around the air bag system.
• Removing or modif ying the front
passenger seat may affect the func-
tion of the air bag system and result
in serious personal injury. •
Modif ying 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 mate-
rial, such as seat covers, on the seat
that are not specifically designed to
assure proper air bag operation. Ad-
ditionally, do not stow any objects
under the front passenger seat or the
seat cushion and seatback. Such ob-
jects may interfere with the proper
operation of the occupant classifica-
tion sensor (weight sensor).
• No unauthorized changes should be
made to any components or wiring
of the seat belt system. This may af-
fect the front air bag system. Tam-
pering with the seat belt system may
result in serious personal injury.
1-66Safety-Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system
WARNING
• Do not place any objects on the
steering wheel pad or on the instru-
ment panel. Also, do not place any
objects between any occupant and
the steering wheel or instrument
panel. Such objects may become
dangerous projectiles and cause in-
jury if the front air bag inflates.
• Immediately af ter inflation, several
front air bag system components will
be hot. Do not touch them; you may
severely burn yourself.
• No unauthorized changes should be
made to any components or wiring
of the supplemental air bag system.
This is to prevent accidental inflation
of the supplemental air bag or dam-
age to the supplemental air bag
system.
• Do not make unauthorized changes
to your vehicle’s electrical system,
suspension system or front end
structure. This could affect proper
operation of the front air bag system. •
If your vehicle has front recovery
hooks as original factory equipment
do not remove or modif y them. If it
was not equipped with front recov-
ery hooks do not install them. Either
action could affect proper operation
of the front air bag system resulting
in injury or death.
• Tampering with the front air bag sys-
tem may result in serious personal
injury. Tampering includes changes
to the steering wheel and the instru-
ment panel assembly by placing ma-
terial over the steering wheel pad
and above the instrument panel or
by installing additional trim material
around the air bag system.
• No unauthorized changes should be
made to any components or wiring
of the seat belt system. This may af-
fect the front air bag system. Tam-
pering with the seat belt system may
result in serious personal injury. •
It is recommended that you visit a
NISSAN dealer for work on and
around the front air bag. It is also rec-
ommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for installation of electrical
equipment. The Supplemental Re-
straint System (SRS) wiring harness*
should not be modified or discon-
nected. Unauthorized electrical test
equipment and probing devices
should not be used on the air bag
system.
• A cracked windshield should be re-
placed immediately by a qualified re-
pair facility. A cracked windshield
could affect the function of the
supplemental air bag system.
*The SRS wiring harness connectors are
yellow and orange for easy identifica-
tion.
When selling your vehicle, we request that
you inform the buyer about the front air
bag system and guide the buyer to the
appropriate sections in this Owner’s
Manual.
1-76Safety-Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system
WARNING
• Do not place any objects near the
seatback of the front seats. Also, do
not place any objects (an umbrella,
bag, etc.) between the front door fin-
isher and the front seat. Such objects
may become dangerous projectiles
and cause injury if a side air bag
inflates.
• Right af ter inflation, several side air
bag and curtain air bag system com-
ponents will be hot. Do not touch
them; you may severely burn
yourself.
• No unauthorized changes should be
made to any components or wiring
of the side air bag and curtain air bag
systems. This is to prevent damage
to or accidental inflation of the side
air bag and curtain air bag systems.
• Do not make unauthorized changes
to your vehicle's electrical system,
suspension system or side panel.
This could affect proper operation of
the curtain air bag systems. •
Tampering with the side air bag sys-
tem may result in serious personal
injury. For example, do not change
the front seats by placing material
near the seatbacks or by installing
additional trim material, such as seat
covers, around the side air bag.
• It is recommended that you visit a
NISSAN dealer for work on and
around the side air bag and curtain
air bag. It is also recommended that
you visit a NISSAN dealer for installa-
tion of electrical equipment. The SRS
wiring harnesses* should not be
modified or disconnected. Unauthor-
ized electrical test equipment and
probing devices should not be used
on the side air bag or curtain air bag
systems.
*The SRS wiring harness or connectors
are yellow or orange for easy identifica-
tion.
When selling your vehicle, we request that
you inform the buyer about the side air bag
and curtain air bag systems and guide the
buyer to the appropriate sections in this
Owner's Manual.
DRIVER AND PASSENGER
SUPPLEMENTAL KNEE AIR BAG
The knee air bag is located in the knee
bolster, on the driver’s and passenger’s
side. All of the information, cautions and
warnings in this manual apply and must
be followed. The knee air bag is designed
to inflate in higher severity frontal collisions,
although it may inflate if the forces in an-
other type of collision are similar to those of
a higher severity frontal impact. It may not
inflate in certain collisions.
LRS2599
Driver’s side
1-78Safety-Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system
Vehicle damage (or lack of it) is not always
an indication of proper knee air bag opera-
tion.
When the knee 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 irrita-
tion and choking. Those with a history of a
breathing condition should get fresh air
promptly.The knee air bag helps to cushion the im-
pact force on the knees of the driver and
passenger. It can help reduce serious inju-
ries. However, an inflating knee air bag may
cause abrasions or other injuries. The knee
air bag provides restraint to the lower body.
The knee air bag inflates quickly in order to
help protect the occupants. Because of
this, the force of the knee air bag inflating
can increase the risk of injury if the occu-
pant is too close to, or is against, this air bag
module during inflation. The knee air bag
will deflate quickly af ter the collision is over
OR the knee air bag will remain inflated for
a short time.
The knee air bag operates only when the
power switch is placed in the ON posi-
tion.
Af ter placing the power switch in the ON
position, the supplemental air bag warn-
ing light illuminates. The supplemental
air bag warning light will turn off af ter
about 7 seconds if the system is opera-
tional.
WARNING
• Do not place any objects between the
knee bolster and the driver’s or pas-
senger’s seat. Such objects may be-
come dangerous projectiles and
cause injury if a knee air bag inflates.
• Right af ter inflation, the knee air bag
system components will be hot. Do
not touch them; you may severely
burn yourself.
• No unauthorized changes should be
made to any components or wiring
of the knee air bag system. This is to
prevent damage to or accidental in-
flation of the knee air bag system.
• Do not make unauthorized changes
to your vehicle's electrical system or
suspension system. This could affect
proper operation of the knee air bag
system.
• Tampering with the knee air bag sys-
tem may result in serious personal
injury. For example, do not change
the driver or passenger knee bolster
or install additional trim material
around the knee air bag.
LRS3244
Passenger’s side
Safety-Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-79
•Once the automatic brake control
operates, it does not operate again if
the vehicle approaches the same
obstacle.
• The automatic brake control can only
operate for a short period of time.
Therefore, the driver must depress
the brake pedal.
• In the following situations, the RAB
system may not operate properly or
may not function sufficiently:
– The vehicle is driven in bad
weather (rain, fog, snow, etc.).
– The vehicle is driven on a steep
hill.
– The vehicle’s posture is changed
(e.g., when driving over a bump).
– The vehicle is driven on a slippery
road.
– The vehicle is turned sharply by
turning the steering wheel fully.
– Snow chains are used.
– Wheels or tires other than NISSAN
recommended are used.
– The brakes are cold at low ambi-
ent temperatures or immediately
af ter driving has started. –
The braking force becomes poor
due to wet brakes af ter driving
through a puddle or washing the
vehicle.
• Turn the RAB system off in the follow-
ing conditions to prevent the occur-
rence of an unexpected accident re-
sulting from sudden system
operation:
– The vehicle is towed.
– The vehicle is carried on a flatbed
truck.
– The vehicle is on the chassis
dynamometer.
– The vehicle drives on an uneven
road surface.
– Suspension parts other than
those designated as Genuine
NISSAN parts are used. (If the ve-
hicle height or the vehicle body in-
clination is changed, the system
may not detect an obstacle
correctly.)
• Excessive noise (e.g., audio system
volume, an open vehicle window) will
interfere with the chime sound, and it
may not be heard.SYSTEM MALFUNCTION
If the RAB system malfunctions, it will be
turned off automatically, and the RAB sys-
tem warning light will illuminate in the ve-
hicle information display.
Action to take
If the warning light illuminates, park the ve-
hicle in a safe location, turn the engine off,
and restart the engine. If the warning light
continues to illuminate, have the RAB sys-
tem checked. It is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
NOTE:
If the RAB system cannot be operated
temporarily, the RAB system warning
light blinks.
Starting and driving5-79
WARNING
The Brake Assist is only an aid to assist
braking operation and is not a collision
warning or avoidance device. It is the
driver’s responsibility to stay alert,
drive safely and be in control of the ve-
hicle at all times. • The ABLS system uses automatic brak-
ing to transfer power from a slipping drive
wheel to the wheel on the same axle with
more traction. The ABLS system applies
braking to the slipping wheel, which helps
redirect power to the other wheel.
• On 4–Wheel Drive (4WD) models the ABLS system operates in both 4H and 4LO
modes. If 4WD mode is engaged, the
ABLS system operates for both drive ax-
les. On 2–Wheel Drive vehicles, the ABLS
system operates on the drive axle only.
• The ABLS system is always on. In some conditions, the system may automati-
cally turn the ABLS system off. If the sys-
tem is automatically turned off, normal
brake function will continue. ABLS will
function even when the Vehicle Dynamic
Control system is turned off.
• The ABLS system does not operate if both wheels on a drive axle are slipping.WARNING
• The ABLS system helps provide in-
creased traction, but will not prevent
accidents due to abrupt steering op-
eration or by careless driving or dan-
gerous driving practices. Reduce ve-
hicle speed and be especially careful
when driving and cornering on slip-
pery surfaces. Always drive carefully.
• Do not modif y the vehicle’s suspen-
sion. If suspension parts such as
shock absorbers, struts, springs, sta-
bilizer bars, bushings and wheels are
not NISSAN approved for your vehicle
or are extremely deteriorated, the
ABLS system may not operate prop-
erly. This could adversely affect ve-
hicle handling performance, and the
slip indicator light may illuminate.
• If brake related parts such as brake
pads, rotors and calipers are not
NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, the ABLS sys-
tem may not operate properly and
the slip indicator light may
illuminate.
ACTIVE BRAKE LIMITED SLIP (ABLS)
SYSTEM
5-118Starting and driving
When the VDC OFF switch is used to turn off
the system, the VDC system still operates
to prevent one drive wheel from slipping by
transferring power to a non-slipping drive
wheel. The
indicator light flashes if this
occurs. All other VDC functions are off and
the
indicator light will not flash.
The VDC system is automatically reset to
ON when the ignition switch is placed in the
OFF position then back to the ON position.
The computer has a built-in diagnostic fea-
ture that tests the system each time you
start the engine and move the vehicle for-
ward or in reverse at a slow speed. When
the self-test occurs, you may hear a clunk
noise and/or feel a pulsation in the brake
pedal. This is normal and is not an indica-
tion of a malfunction.
WARNING
• The VDC system is designed to help
the driver maintain stability but does
not prevent accidents due to abrupt
steering operation at high speeds or
by careless or dangerous driving
techniques. Reduce vehicle speed
and be especially careful when driv-
ing and cornering on slippery sur-
faces and always drive carefully. •
Do not modif y the vehicle's suspen-
sion. If suspension parts such as
shock absorbers, struts, springs, sta-
bilizer bars, bushings and wheels are
not NISSAN recommended for your
vehicle or are extremely deterio-
rated, the VDC system may not oper-
ate properly. This could adversely af-
fect vehicle handling performance,
and the
indicator light may flash
or theindicator light may
illuminate.
• If brake related parts such as brake
pads, rotors and calipers are not
NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, the VDC sys-
tem may not operate properly and
the
indicator light may
illuminate.
• If engine control related parts are not
NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, the
indica-
tor light may illuminate.
• When driving on extremely inclined
surfaces such as higher banked cor-
ners, the VDC system may not oper-
ate properly and the
indicator
light may flash or theindicator
light may illuminate. Do not drive on
these types of roads. •
When driving on an unstable surface
such as a turntable, ferry, elevator or
ramp, the
indicator light may
flash or theindicator light may
illuminate. This is not a malfunction.
Restart the engine af ter driving onto
a stable surface.
• If wheels or tires other than the
NISSAN recommended ones are
used, the VDC system may not oper-
ate properly and the
indicator
light may flash or theindicator
light may illuminate.
• The VDC system is not a substitute
for winter tires or tire chains on a
snow covered road.
BRAKE FORCE DISTRIBUTION
During braking while driving through turns,
the system optimizes the distribution of
force to each of the front and rear wheels
depending on the radius of the turn.
5-120Starting and driving
WARNING
• The VDC system is designed to help
the driver maintain stability but does
not prevent accidents due to abrupt
steering operation at high speeds or
by careless or dangerous driving
techniques. Reduce vehicle speed
and be especially careful when driv-
ing and cornering on slippery sur-
faces and always drive carefully.
• Do not modif y the vehicle's suspen-
sion. If suspension parts such as
shock absorbers, struts, springs, sta-
bilizer bars, bushings and wheels are
not NISSAN recommended for your
vehicle or are extremely deterio-
rated, the VDC system may not oper-
ate properly. This could adversely af-
fect vehicle handling performance,
and the
indicator light may flash
or theindicator light may
illuminate.
• If brake related parts such as brake
pads, rotors and calipers are not
NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, the VDC sys-
tem may not operate properly and
the
indicator light may
illuminate. •
If engine control related parts are not
NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, the
indica-
tor light may illuminate.
• When driving on extremely inclined
surfaces such as higher banked cor-
ners, the VDC system may not oper-
ate properly and the
indicator
light may flash or theindicator
light may illuminate. Do not drive on
these types of roads.
• When driving on an unstable surface
such as a turntable, ferry, elevator or
ramp, the
indicator light may
flash or theindicator light may
illuminate. This is not a malfunction.
Restart the engine af ter driving onto
a stable surface.
• If wheels or tires other than the
NISSAN recommended ones are
used, the VDC system may not oper-
ate properly and the
indicator
light may flash or theindicator
light may illuminate.
• The VDC system is not a substitute
for winter tires or tire chains on a
snow covered road.
WARNING
• Never rely solely on the hill descent
control system to control vehicle
speed when driving on steep down-
hill grades. Always drive carefully and
attentively when using the hill de-
scent control system and decelerate
the vehicle speed by depressing the
brake pedal if necessary. Be espe-
cially careful when driving on frozen,
muddy or extremely steep downhill
roads. Failure to control vehicle
speed may result in a loss of control
of the vehicle and possible serious
injury or death.
• The hill descent control may not con-
trol the vehicle speed on a hill under
all load or road conditions. Always be
prepared to depress the brake pedal
to control vehicle speed. Failure to do
so may result in a collision or serious
personal injury.
The hill descent control system can only be
activated when the 4H or 4LO position is
engaged.
HILL DESCENT CONTROL SYSTEM (if
so equipped)
Starting and driving5-121