2023 NISSAN LEAF light

Front passenger air bag
The front passenger air bag and front pas-
senger supplemental knee air bag are de-
signed to automatically turn OFF when the
vehicle is operated under some conditions
as described below in accordance with U.S.
regulations. If the front passenger air bag
and front passenger supplemental knee
air bag are 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 requir-
ing the front passenger air bag and front
passenger supplemental knee air bag to
be automatically turned OFF. Certain sen-
sors 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 NISSAN Ad-
vanced Air Bag System is designed to turn
the front passenger air bag and front pas-
senger supplemental knee air bag OFF in
accordance with the regulations. Also, if a
child restraint of the type specified in the
regulations is on the seat, its weight andthe child’s weight can be detected and
cause the front passenger air bag and
front passenger supplemental knee 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 front passenger air bag and
front passenger supplemental knee 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 sensors to turn the front
passenger air bag and front passenger
supplemental knee 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.
NISSAN recommends that pre-teens and
children be properly restrained in a rear
seat. NISSAN also recommends that ap-
propriate child restraints and booster
seats be properly installed in a rear seat. If
this is not possible, the occupant classifica-
tion sensor is designed to operate as de-
scribed above to turn the front passenger
air bag and front passenger supplemental
knee air bag OFF for specified child re-
straints as required by 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 front passenger
air bag and front passenger supplemental
knee air bag inflating in a crash instead of
being OFF. For additional information, see
“Child restraints” (P. 1-22).
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 being detected by the occu-
pant classification sensor. Other
conditions could also result in air bag infla-
tion, such as if a child is standing on the
seat, or if two children are on the seat, con-
trary to the instructions in this manual. Al-
ways be sure that you and all vehicle occu-
pants 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.
1-56Safety–Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system

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

3. Fasten the seat belt as outlined in the“Seat belts” (P. 1-11) section of this
manual. Front passenger seat belt
buckle status is monitored by the occu-
pant classification system and is used
as an input to determine occupancy
status. So, it is highly recommended that
the front passenger fasten their seat
belt.
4. Remain in this position for 30 seconds allowing the system to classif y 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 clas-
sification locked during driving, so it is
important that you confirm that the
front passenger is properly classified
prior to driving. However, the occupant
classification sensor may recalculate the
weight of the occupant under some con-
ditions (both while driving and when
stopped), so front passenger seat occu-
pants should continue to remain seated
as outlined above. Troubleshooting
If you think the front passenger air bag
status light is incorrect:
1. If the light is ON with an adult occupying
the front passenger seat:
• Occupant is a small adult — the air bag light is functioning as intended. The
front passenger air bag and front pas-
senger supplemental knee air bag are
suppressed.
However, if the occupant is not a small
adult, then this may be due to the following
conditions that may be interfering with the
weight sensors: • Occupant is not sitting upright, lean-ing against the seatback, and cen-
tered on the seat cushion with his/her
feet comfortably extended to the floor.
• A child restraint or other object press- ing 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 pas- senger seat. • An object placed between the seat
cushion and center console or be-
tween the seat cushion and the door.
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 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 certified
LEAF dealer for this service.
2. If the light is OFF with a small adult, child or 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.
1-58Safety–Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system

• 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