
 
2021 INFINITI Consumer Safety & Air Bag Information Guide                                                                             2 
 
THE INFINITI ADVANCED AIR BAG SYSTEM 
All 2021 INFINITI vehicles are equipped with the INFINITI Advanced Air Bag System 
(AABS) for the driver and front passenger seats.  Typically, this system incorporates 
dual-stage inflators*, and monitors information from various crash sensors, and the 
occupant classification sensor. 
 
The front passenger air bag may be automatically turned OFF under some 
conditions, depending on the information provided by the occupant classification 
sensor. If the front passenger air bag is OFF, the front passenger air bag status light 
will be illuminated (if the seat is unoccupied, the light will not be illuminated, but the 
air bag will be OFF). See your vehicle owner’s manual for additional information on 
the operation of the front passenger air bag.  
 
The front passenger air bag status light does not indicate a malfunction of the front 
passenger air bag. If the front passenger air bag status light is illuminated while an 
adult of sufficient weight occupies the seat, the occupant may need to shift his or 
her seating position so the system can turn ON the front passenger air bag and turn 
OFF the status light. If the front passenger air bag status light is still illuminated, 
reposition the small adult, child, or child restraint in a rear seat. See your owner’s 
manual for proper seating positions. 
 
Remember, all air bags are supplemental restraint systems. You must properly use 
seat belts and child restraints; as explained in the vehicle owner’s manual and your 
child restraint manufacturer’s instructions.   
 
THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF AN AIR BAG: YOUR SEAT BELT 
Your chances of surviving a collision will improve greatly if one simple piece of 
advice is followed: always wear your seat belt.  Do not count on just the air bags for 
occupant protection; they are merely a supplemental restraint system.  
 
Seat belts help to protect the occupants of your vehicle during collisions in which the 
air bags are not designed to activate. In addition, in situations where the air bags 
are activated, seat belts enhance their effectiveness and can help reduce the risk 
of injury from an inflating air bag. Seat belts will also help protect the occupants of 
your vehicle during multiple-impact collisions, while the air bags work only one time if 
a collision is severe enough to activate them. Please see the SEAT BELT SAFETY and 
CHILD SAFETY sections of this guide and the vehicle owner’s manual for more 
information.
 
 
*Dual-stage inflators vary the inflation rate based on the severity of the collision (for example, 
less forceful inflation for moderate impacts and a higher inflation force for more severe 
impacts). In addition, based on
 information from the seat belt buckle sensors that detect 
whether the seat belts are fastened, the
 deployment of the front air bags is adjusted. Based 
on the crash severity and whether or not the front occupants are belted or unbelted only one 
front air bag may inflate in a crash. 
 
  

 
2021 INFINITI Consumer Safety & Air Bag Information Guide                                                                             3 
 
 
 
EFFECTIVE USE OF SEAT BELTS AND AIR BAGS 
 
 
 
Seat belts and supplemental air bags are most effective when vehicle occupants 
are sitting upright and well back in the seat with both feet on the floor. Keep in mind 
that air bags inflate with great force. Being unrestrained, leaning forward, sitting 
sideways, or being out of position in any way puts you at a greater risk of injury or 
death in a crash. You may also receive serious or fatal injuries from the air bag 
system if you are up against it when it inflates. Always sit back against the seatback 
with both feet on the floor and as far away as practical from the steering wheel or 
instrument panel and always wear your seat belt. Please see the SEAT BELT SAFETY 
section of this guide and the vehicle owner’s manual for more information. 
 
HOW THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM WORKS 
 
The front passenger seat is equipped with an occupant classification sensor that 
turns the front passenger air bag OFF under some conditions.   The occupant 
classification sensor detects 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 may 
turn the passenger air bag OFF in accordance with U.S. regulations. In addition, if a 
child restraint of the type specified in the regulations is on the seat, the occupant 
classification sensor can detect it and cause the air bag to turn OFF.  See the vehicle  

 
2021 INFINITI Consumer Safety & Air Bag Information Guide                                                                             4 
 
owner’s manual for more information about the specific occupant classification 
system type in your vehicle.  The occupant classification sensor is only used in the 
front passenger seat. Failure to be properly seated and wearing the seat belt can 
increase the risk or severity of injury in an accident. 
 
Front passenger seat adult occupants who are properly seated and using the seat 
belt as outlined in the vehicle’s owner manual should not cause the passenger air 
bag to be automatically 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 the rear seat. 
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 the occupant classification sensor detects the weight.  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 the vehicle’s 
owner’s manual. 
 
If an adult occupant is in the seat but the 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 not 
sitting on the seat properly. 
 
If a child restraint must be used in the front seat, the passenger air bag status light 
may or may not be illuminated, depending on the size of the child and the type of 
child restraint being used.  Always make sure that the child restraint is installed 
properly, the seat belt is being used properly and the occupant is positioned 
properly. See the vehicle owner’s manual for more information about the specific 
occupant classification system type in your vehicle.  If necessary, your INFINITI retailer 
can check the system by using a special tool.  Until you have confirmed with your 
retailer that your air bag is working properly, reposition the occupant or child 
restraint in a rear seat. 
 
The INFINITI Advanced Air Bag System and 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 malfunction.   
 
 
 
 
 
  

 
2021 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 not designed 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 toxic 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