2023 NISSAN LEAF warning light

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 information from the sen-
sor, only one front air bag may inflate in a
crash, depending on the crash severity. Ad-
ditionally, the front passenger air bag and
front passenger supplemental knee air
bag may be automatically turned OFF un-
der some conditions, depending on the
weight detected on the passenger seat
and how the seat belt is used. If the front
passenger air bag and front passenger
supplemental knee air bag are OFF, the
passenger air bag status light will be illumi-
nated. For additional information, see
“Front passenger air bag and status light”
(P. 1-55). 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 certified LEAF dealer to ob-
tain information about the system. If you
are considering modification of your ve-
hicle due to a disability, you may also con-tact NISSAN. Contact information is con-
tained 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 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 head 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, other than the driv-
er’s and front passenger’s supplemental
knee air bags, do not provide restraint 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 air bag mod-
ule during inflation.
The front air bags deflate quickly af ter a
collision.
The front air bags operate only when the
power switch is in the ON position.
Af ter the power switch is placed 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.
1-54Safety–Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system

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 seat is equipped with
an occupant classification sensor (weight
sensor) that turns the front passenger air
bag and front passenger supplemental
knee air bag on or off depending on the
weight applied to the front passenger seat.
The status of the front passenger air bag
and front passenger supplemental knee
air bag (ON or OFF) is indicated by the front
passenger air bag status light
which
is located on the instrument panel.
Af ter the power switch is placed in the “ON”
position, the front passenger air bag status
light on the instrument panel illuminates
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 DESCRIPTIONPASSENGER AIR BAG STATUS LIGHT
() RESULT 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
In addition to the above, certain objects
placed on the front passenger seat may
also cause the light to operate as de-
scribed above depending on their weight.For additional information, see “Normal op-
eration” (P. 1-57) and “Troubleshooting”
(P. 1-58).
LRS2980
Safety–Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-55

If an adult occupant is in the seat but the
front passenger air bag status light is illu-
minated (indicating that the front passen-
ger air bag and front passenger supple-
mental 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 the
type of child restraint being used. If the
front passenger air bag status light is not
illuminated (indicating that the front pas-
senger air bag and front passenger
supplemental knee 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 in-
stalled properly, the seat belt is used prop-
erly and the occupant is positioned prop-
erly. 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
recommended that you take your vehicle
to a NISSAN certified LEAF dealer. A NISSAN
certified LEAF dealer can check system
status by using a special tool. However, un-
til 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 front passenger seat status. This is nor-
mal system operation and does not indi-
cate 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 be illuminated (blinking or
steadily lit). Have the system checked. It is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN cer-
tified LEAF 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 the 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.
Steps
1. Adjust the seat as outlined in the “Seats” (P. 1-2) section of this manual. Sit upright,
leaning against the seatback, and cen-
tered on the seat cushion with your feet
comfortably extended to the floor.
2. Make sure there are no objects on your lap.
Safety–Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-57

• The child restraint is not properly in-stalled, as outlined in the “Child re-
straints” (P. 1-22) section of this
manual.
• An object weighting over 9.1 lbs. (4 kg) hanging on the seat or placed in the
seatback pocket (if so equipped).
• A child restraint or other object press- ing against the rear or the seatback.
• A rear passenger pushing or pulling on the back of the front passenger seat.
pushing or pulling on the seatback 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 pas- senger seat.
• An object placed between the seat cushion 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 cer-
tified LEAF 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 as
soon as possible. It is recommended
that you visit a NISSAN certified LEAF
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.
• Do not place objects with sharp
edges on the seat. Also, do not place
heavy objects on the seat that will
leave permanent impressions in the
seat. Such objects can damage the
seat or occupant classification sen-
sor (weight sensor). This can affect
the operation of the air bag system
and result in serious personal injury.
• Do not use water or acidic cleaners
(hot steam cleaners) on the seat. This
can damage the seat or occupant
classification sensor. This can also
affect the operation of the air bag
system and result in serious personal
injury.
Safety–Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-59

Af ter turning the power switch to 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 systems are
operational.
WARNING
• Do not place any objects near the
seatback of the front and rear seats.
Also, do not place any objects (an
umbrella, bag, etc.) between the front
and rear door finishers and the front
and rear seats. Such objects may be-
come 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 side air bag and 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 and rear seats by placing
material near the seatbacks or by in-
stalling additional trim material,
such as seat covers, around the side
air bag.
• It is recommended that you visit a
NISSAN certified LEAF dealer for work
around and on the side air bag and
curtain air bag systems. It is also rec-
ommended that you visit a NISSAN
certified LEAF dealer for installation
of electrical equipment. The Supple-
mental Restraint System (SRS) wiring
harnesses* should not be modified or
disconnected. Unauthorized electri-
cal test equipment and probing de-
vices should not be used on the side
air bag and curtain supplemental air
bag systems. *The SRS wiring harness connectors are
yellow and orange for easy
identification.
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.
1-62Safety–Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system

Driver and front 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. Vehicle damage (or lack of it) is not always
an indication of proper knee air bag
operation.
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
position.
Af ter placing the power 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.
LRS3347
Driver’s side
LRS3250
Passenger’s side
Safety–Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-63

The pretensioner system may activate
with the supplemental air bag system in
certain types of collisions. Working with the
seat belt retractor, the pretensioner(s) help
tighten the seat belt when the vehicle be-
comes involved in certain types of colli-
sions, helping to restrain front and rear out-
board seat occupants.
The pretensioner(s) are encased with the
seat belt retractor and to the seat belt an-
chor affixed to the floor of the vehicle.
These seat belts are used the same way as
conventional seat belts.
When pretensioner(s) activate, smoke is re-
leased and a loud noise may be heard. This
smoke is not harmful and does not indi-
cate a fire. Care should be taken not to
inhale it, as it may cause irritation and
choking. Those with a history of a breath-
ing condition should get fresh air promptly.
Af ter the pretensioner(s’) activation, load
limiters allow the seat belt to release web-
bing (if necessary) to reduce forces against
the chest.The supplemental air bag warning lightis used to indicate malfunctions in the
pretensioner system. For additional infor-
mation, see “Supplemental air bag warning
light” (P. 1-66). If the operation of the supple-
mental air bag warning light indicates
there is a malfunction, have the system
checked. It is recommended that you visit a
NISSAN certified LEAF dealer for this
service.
When selling your vehicle, we request that
you inform the buyer about the preten-
sioner system and guide the buyer to the
appropriate sections in this Owner’s
Manual.
SUPPLEMENTAL AIR BAG WARNING
LABELS
LRS2620
A. Supplemental front-impact air bag sys- tem warning labels
Safety–Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-65

SUPPLEMENTAL AIR BAG WARNING
LIGHT
The supplemental air bag warning light,
displayingin the instrument panel,
monitors the circuits of the Air bag Control
Unit (ACU), satellite sensors, crash zone
sensor, occupant classification sensor, the
supplemental front-impact air bag, front
and rear outboard seat-mounted side-
impact supplemental air bag, roof-
mounted curtain side-impact supplemen-
tal air bag, knee air bag and seat belt
pretensioner systems. The monitored cir- cuits include air bag systems, pretension-
er(s) and all related wiring.
When the power switch is in the ON posi-
tion, the supplemental air bag warning
light illuminates for about 7 seconds and
then turns off. This means the system is
operational.
If any of the following conditions occur, the
front air bag, side air bag, curtain air bag,
knee air bag and pretensioner systems
need servicing:
• The supplemental air bag warning light
remains on af ter approximately 7
seconds.
• The supplemental air bag warning light flashes intermittently.
• The supplemental air bag warning light does not come on at all.
Under these conditions, the front air bag,
side air bag, curtain air bag, knee air bag
and pretensioner systems may not oper-
ate properly. They must be checked and
repaired. It is recommended that you visit
the nearest NISSAN certified LEAF dealer
for this service.
WARNING
If the supplemental air bag warning
light is on, it could mean that the front
air bag, side air bag, curtain air bag,
knee air bag and/or pretensioner sys-
tems will not operate in an accident. To
help avoid injury to yourself or others,
have your vehicle checked as soon as
possible. It is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN certified LEAF dealer for
this service.
Repair and replacement
procedure
The front air bags, side air bags, curtain air
bags, knee air bags and pretensioner(s) are
designed to activate on a one-time-only
basis. As a reminder, unless it is damaged,
the supplemental air bag warning light will
remain illuminated af ter inflation has oc-
curred. These systems should be repaired
and/or replaced as soon as possible. It is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN cer-
tified LEAF dealer for this service.
SPA1097
1-66Safety–Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system