WARNING
• Even with the NISSAN Advanced Air
Bag System, never install a rear-
facing child restraint in the front seat.
An inflating front air bag could seri-
ously injure or kill your child. For ad-
ditional information, see “Child re-
straints” (P. 1-26).
ARS1044ARS1045WRS0256
1-74Safety-Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system
WARNING
Front seat-mounted side-impact
supplemental air bags and roof-
mounted curtain side-impact and roll-
over supplemental air bags:
• The side air bags and curtain air bags
ordinarily will not inflate in the event
of a frontal impact, rear impact, or
lower severity side collision. Always
wear your seat belts to help reduce
the risk or severity of injury in various
kinds of accidents.
WRS0431
Do not lean against the door.
LRS0396
Do not lean against doors or windows.
SSS0162
Do not lean against doors or windows.
Safety-Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-75
WARNING
• The seat belts, the side air bags and
curtain air bags are most effective
when you are sitting well back and
upright in the seat. The side air bag
and curtain air bag inflate with great
force. Do not allow anyone to place
their hand, leg or face near the side
air bag on the side of the seatback of
the front seat or near the side roof
rails. Do not allow anyone sitting in
the front seats or rear outboard seats
to extend their hand out of the win-
dow or lean against the door. Some
examples of dangerous riding posi-
tions are shown in the previous
illustrations.
WARNING
• When sitting in the rear seat, do not
hold onto the seatback of the front
seat. If the side air bag inflates,
you may be seriously injured. Be
especially careful with children,
who should always be properly re-
strained. Some examples of danger-
ous riding positions are shown in the
illustrations.
• Do not use seat covers on the front
seatbacks. They may interfere with
side air bag inflation.
LRS0421SSS0159
1-76Safety-Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system
WARNING
To ensure proper operation of the pas-
senger’s NISSAN Advanced Air Bag Sys-
tem, please observe the following
items.
• Do not allow a passenger in the rear
bench seats 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. •
If a forward-facing child restraint is
installed in the front passenger seat,
do not position the front passenger
seat so the child restraint contacts
the instrument panel. If the child re-
straint does contact the instrument
panel, the system may determine the
seat is occupied and the front pas-
senger air bag and front passenger
supplemental knee air bag may de-
ploy in a collision. Also the front pas-
senger air bag status light may not
illuminate. For additional informa-
tion, see “Child restraints” (P. 1-26).
• 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, get the
occupant classification system
checked. It is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
• Until you have confirmed with a
dealer that your passenger seat oc-
cupant classification system is work-
ing 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 sta-
tus light may illuminate and the
supplemental air bag warning light
may flash.
This vehicle is equipped with the NISSAN
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. However, all of the information,
cautions and warnings in this manual
still 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
dashboard 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 in-
flate in certain frontal collisions. Vehicle
1-78Safety-Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system
damage (or lack of it) is not always an indi-
cation of proper front air bag system
operation.
The NISSAN Advanced Air Bag System
monitors information from the crash zone
sensor and the Air bag Control Unit (ACU).
Inflator operation is based on the severity
of a collision and seat belt usage for the
driver. For the front passenger, the occu-
pant classification sensor is also moni-
tored. Based on the information from the
sensor, only one front air bag may inflate in
a crash, depending on the crash severity.
Additionally, the front passenger air bag
and front passenger supplemental knee
air bag may be automatically turned OFF
under some conditions, depending on the
weight detected on the front passenger
seat and how the seat belt is used. If the
front passenger air bag and front passen-
ger supplemental knee air bag are 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 ). For additional information, see
“Front passenger air bag and status light”
(P. 1-80). One front air bag inflating does not
indicate improper performance of the
system.If you have any questions about your air
bag system, it is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN dealer to obtain information
about the system. If you are considering
modification of your vehicle due to a dis-
ability, you may also contact NISSAN. Con-
tact 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 the re-
lease of smoke. This smoke is not harmful
and does not indicate a fire. Care should be
taken to not inhale it, as it may cause irrita-
tion and choking. Those with a history of a
breathing condition should get fresh air
promptly.
Front air bags, along with the use of seat
belts, help to cushion the impact force on
the face and chest of the front occupants.
They can help save lives and reduce seri-
ous injuries. However, an inflating front air
bag may cause facial abrasions or other
injuries. Front air bags do not provide re-
straint to the lower body.
Even with NISSAN Advanced Air Bags, seat
belts should be correctly worn and the
driver and front 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 in-
crease the risk of injury if the occupant is
too close to, or is against, the front air bag
module during inflation.
The front air bags deflate quickly af ter a
collision.
The front air bags operate only when the
ignition switch is in the ON position.
Af ter placing the ignition switch in the
ON position, the supplemental air bag
warning light illuminates. The supple-
mental air bag warning light will turn off
af ter about 7 seconds if the system is
operational.
Safety-Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-79
Front passenger air bag and status
light
WARNING
The front passenger air bag and front
passenger supplemental knee air bag
are designed to automatically turn OFF
under some conditions. Read this sec-
tion 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 se-
verity of injury in an accident. Status light
The front passenger air bag status light
is located near the climate controls.
Af ter the ignition switch is placed in the
"ON" position, the front passenger air bag
status light on the instrument panel illumi-
nates for about 7 seconds and then turns
off or remains illuminated depending on
the front passenger seat occupied status.
The light operates as follows:
CONDITION DESCRIPTION PASSENGER AIR BAG
STATUS LIGHT () FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG AND FRONT PASSENGER
SUPPLEMENTAL KNEE AIR BAG STATUS
Empty Empty front passenger seat ON (illuminated) INHIBITED
Nobody/Somebody Bag or Child or Child Restraint or
Small Adult in front passenger seat ON (illuminated)
INHIBITED
Adult Adult in the front passenger seat OFF (dark) ACTIVATED
LRS3091
1-80Safety-Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system
If the front passenger seat is not occupied,
the front passenger air bag and front pas-
senger supplemental knee air bag are de-
signed not to inflate in a crash. However,
heavy objects placed on the seat could re-
sult in air bag inflation, because of the ob-
ject’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 pas-
senger air bag and front passenger
supplemental knee air bag are automati-
cally turned OFF with the seat occupied.
If an adult occupant is in the seat but the
front passenger air bag status light is illu-
minated (indicating that the air bag and
front passenger supplemental knee air
bag are 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, de-
pending on the size of the child and thetype of child restraint being used. If the air
bag status light is not illuminated (indicat-
ing 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 occu-
pant is positioned properly. If the air bag
status light is 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, the
system may be sensing an unoccupied
seat (in which case the air bag is OFF). A
NISSAN dealer can check that the system is
OFF by using a special tool. However, until
you have confirmed with a dealer that your
air bag is working properly, reposition the
occupant or child restraint in a rear seat.
The NISSAN 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. For example, if a
large adult who is sitting in the front pas-
senger seat exits the vehicle, the front pas-
senger air bag status light will go from OFF
to ON for a few seconds and then to OFF.
This is normal system operation and does
not indicate a malfunction.
If a malfunction occurs in the front passen-
ger air bag system, the supplemental air
bag warning light
, located in the me-
ter and gauges area of the instrument
panel, will blink. Have the system checked. It
is recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.
Normal operation
In order for the occupant classification
sensor system to classif y the front passen-
ger based on weight, please follow the pre-
cautions 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.
1-82Safety-Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system
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.
2. If the light is OFF with a small adult, childor child restraint occupying the front
passenger seat.
This may be due to the following condi-
tions that may be interfering with the
weight sensors:
• Small adult or child is not sitting upright, leaning against the seatback, and cen-
tered on the seat cushion with his/her
feet comfortably extended to the floor.
• The child restraint is not properly in- stalled, as outlined in the “Child restraints”
section of this manual.
• An object weighing over 9.1 lbs. (4 kg) hanging on the seat or placed in the seat-
back pocket. • A child restraint or other object pressing
against the rear of the seatback.
• A rear passenger pushing or pulling on the back of the front passenger seat.
•
Forcing the front seat or seatback against
an object on the seat or floor behind it.
• An object placed under the front passen- ger seat.
• An object placed between the seat cush- ion and center console.
If the vehicle is moving, please come to a
stop when it is safe to do so. Check and
correct any of the above conditions. Re-
start the vehicle and wait 1 minute.
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 OFF af ter this, the small
adult, child or child restraint should be re-
positioned in the rear seat and the vehicle
should be checked as soon as possible. It is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service. 3. If the light is OFF with no front passenger
and no objects on the front passenger
seat, the vehicle should be checked. It is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer as soon as possible.
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 damage to
the supplemental air bag system.
1-84Safety-Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system