NISSAN 350Z 2008 Z33 Owner's Guide

possible around the hips, not the waist. Place
the shoulder belt over your shoulder and across
your chest. Never run the lap/shoulder belt over
your abdominal area. Contact your doctor for
specific recommendations.INJURED PERSONSNISSAN recommends that injured persons use
seat belts, depending on the injury. Check with
your doctor for specific recommendations.THREE-POINT TYPE SEAT BELT
WITH RETRACTOR
WARNING

Every person who drives or rides in
this vehicle should use a seat belt at
all times.

Do not ride in a moving vehicle when
the seatback is reclined. This can be
dangerous. The shoulder belt will not
be against your body. In an accident,
you could be thrown into it and re-
ceive neck or other serious injuries.
You could also slide under the lapbelt and receive serious internal inju-
ries.

For the most effective protection
when the vehicle is in motion, the
seat should be upright. Always sit
well back in the seat with both feet
on the floor and adjust the seat belt
properly.
Fastening the seat belts1. Adjust the seat. See “Seats” earlier in this
section.
2. Slowly pull the seat belt out of the retractor
and insert the tongue into the buckle until it
clicks.

The retractor is designed to lock during
a sudden stop or on impact. A slow
pulling motion will permit the belt to
move, and allow you some freedom of
movement in the seat.

If the seat belt cannot be pulled from its
fully retracted position, firmly pull the
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belt and release it. Then smoothly pull
the belt out of the retractor.
3. Position the lap belt portionlow and snug
on the hipsas shown.
4. Pull the shoulder belt portion toward the
retractor to take up extra slack. Be sure the
shoulder belt is routed over your shoulder
and across your chest.
The front passenger seat belt has two modes of
operation:

Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR)

Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)The Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) mode
allows the seat belt to extend and retract to allow
the driver and passenger some freedom of
movement in the seat. The ELR locks the seat
belt when the vehicle slows down rapidly or
during certain impacts.
The Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) mode
(child restraint mode) locks the seat belt for child
restraint installation.
When the ALR mode is activated the seat belt
cannot be extended again until the seat belt
tongue is detached from the buckle and fully
retracted. The seat belt returns to the ELR mode
after the seat belt fully retracts. For additional
information, see “Child restraints” later in this
section.
The ALR mode should be used only for
child restraint installation. During normal
seat belt use by a passenger, the ALR
mode should not be activated. If it is acti-
vated it may cause uncomfortable seat belt
tension.
WARNING
When fastening the seat belts, be cer-
tain that the seatbacks are completelysecured in the latched position. If they
are not completely secured, passengers
may be injured in an accident or sudden
stop.
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Unfastening the seat beltsTo unfasten the belt, push the button on the
buckle. The seat belt will automatically retract.Checking seat belt operationYour seat belt retractors are designed to lock
belt movement using two separate methods:

when the belt is pulled quickly from the
retractor.

when the vehicle slows down rapidly.
You can check their operation as follows:

grasp the shoulder belt and pull quickly for-ward. The retractor should lock and restrict
further belt movement.
If the retractor does not lock during this check or
if you have any questions about belt operation,
see a NISSAN dealer.
Shoulder belt armThe shoulder belt arm should be adjusted to the
position best for you. (See “Precautions on seat
belt usage” earlier in this section.)
To adjust, pull the shoulder belt arm. Pulling the
arm forward will allow an easy access to the belt.SEAT BELT EXTENDERSIf, because of body size or driving position, it is
not possible to properly fit the lap-shoulder belt
and fasten it, an extender is available. The ex-
tender adds approximately 8 in (200 mm) of
length and may be used for either the driver or
passenger seating position. See a NISSAN
SSS0326
SSS0588
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dealer for assistance if the extender is required.
WARNING

Only NISSAN seat belt extenders,
made by the same company which
made the original equipment seat
belts, should be used with NISSAN
seat belts.

Persons who can use the standard
seat belt should not use an extender.
Such unnecessary use could result in
serious personal injury in the event
of an accident.

Never use seat belt extenders to in-
stall child restraints. If the child re-
straint is not secured properly, the
child could be seriously injured in a
collision or a sudden stop.SEAT BELT MAINTENANCE
To clean the seat belt webbings,apply a
mild soap solution or any solution recom-
mended for cleaning upholstery or carpets.
Then brush the webbing, wipe it with a cloth
and allow it to dry in the shade. Do not allowthe seat belts to retract until they are com-
pletely dry.

If dirt builds up in the shoulder belt guide of
the seat belt anchors, the seat belts may
retract slowly. Wipe the shoulder belt guide
with a clean, dry cloth.

Periodically check to see that the seat
belt and the metal componentssuch as
buckles, tongues, retractors, flexible wires
and anchors work properly. If loose parts,
deterioration, cuts or other damage on the
webbing is found, the entire belt assembly
should be replaced.
PRECAUTIONS ON CHILD
RESTRAINTS
WARNING

Children should always be placed in
an appropriate child restraint while
riding in the vehicle. Failure to use a
child restraint can result in serious
injury or death.

Children should never be carried on
your lap. It is not possible for even
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CHILD RESTRAINTS
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the strongest adult to resist the
forces of a severe accident. The child
could be crushed between the adult
and parts of the vehicle. Also, do not
put the same seat belt around both
your child and yourself.

Even with the NISSAN Advanced Air
Bag System, never install a rear-
facing child restraint in the front seat.
An inflating supplemental air bag
could seriously injure or kill your
child.

Never let an infant who requires the
use of a rear facing child restraint
ride in this vehicle.

Roadster models do not have an an-
chor for a top tether strap required
for most front facing child restraints.Never let children who require the
use of a front facing child restraint
ride in Roadster models.

Improper use or improper installation
of a child restraint can increase the
risk or severity of injury for both the
child and other occupants of the ve-
hicle and can lead to serious injury or
death in an accident.

Follow all of the child restraint manu-
facturer’s instructions for installation
and use. When purchasing a child
restraint, be sure to select one which
will fit your child and vehicle. It may
not be possible to properly install
some types of child restraints in your
vehicle.

If the child restraint is not anchored
properly, the risk of a child being
injured in a collision or a sudden stop
greatly increases.

Child restraint anchor point is de-
signed to withstand only those loads
imposed by correctly fitted child re-
straint. Under no circumstances is it
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to be used for adult seat belts or
harnesses.

Adjustable seatbacks should be po-
sitioned to fit the child restraint, but
as upright as possible.

After attaching the child restraint,
test it before you place the child in it.
Push it from side to side while hold-
ing the seat by the seat belt path. Try
to tug it forward and check to see if
the belt holds the restraint in place.
The child restraint should not move
more than 1 in (25 mm). If the re-
straint is not secure, tighten the belt
as necessary, or put the restraint in
another seating position and test it
again. You may need to try a different
child restraint. Not all child restraints
fit in all types of vehicles.

When your child restraint is not in
use, keep it secured with a seat belt
to prevent it from being thrown
around in case of a sudden stop or
accident.
CAUTION

For Roadster models, when installing
a booster seat, be sure to turn off the
automatic passenger seatback tilt
function with the seatback tilt cancel
switch (located on the back of the
passenger seatback). Otherwise, the
booster seat may be damaged. See
“Tilting and reclining passenger’s
seat from driver’s seat” earlier in this
section for detailed information.

Remember that a child restraint left
in a closed vehicle can become very
hot. Check the seating surface and
buckles before placing your child in
the child restraint.
In general, child restraints are designed to be
installed with the lap portion of a lap/shoulder
seat belt.
Several manufacturers offer child restraints for
children of various sizes. When selecting any
child restraint, keep the following points in mind:

Choose only a restraint with a label certifying
that it complies with Federal Motor VehicleSafety Standard 213 or Canadian Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard 213.

Check the child restraint in your vehicle to be
sure it is compatible with the vehicle’s seat
and seat belt system.

If the child restraint is compatible with your
vehicle, place your child in the child restraint
and check the various adjustments to be sure
the child restraint is compatible with your
child. Choose a child restraint that is de-
signed for your child’s height and weight.
Always follow all recommended procedures.
The passenger seat is not suitable for use with a
rear facing child restraint for infants. Therefore,
infants should not be transported in this vehicle.
All U.S. states and Canadian provinces or
territories require that infants and small
children be restrained in approved child
restraint at all times while the vehicle is
being operated.
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CHILD RESTRAINT INSTALLATION
ON FRONT PASSENGER SEAT
(Coupe models only)
WARNING

Even with the NISSAN Advanced Air
Bag System, never install a rear-
facing child restraint in the front pas-
senger seat. Front air bags inflate
with great force. A rear-facing child
restraint could be struck by the frontair bag in a crash and could seriously
injure or kill your child.

If you must install a forward facing
child restraint in the front passenger
seat, move the passenger seat to the
rearmost position. Also, be sure the
front passenger air bag status light is
illuminated to indicate the passenger
air bag is OFF. See “Front passenger
air bag and status light” in this sec-
tion for details.
The three-point seat belt in your ve-
hicle is equipped with an Automatic
Locking Retractor (ALR) which must
be used when installing a child re-
straint.

Failure to use the ALR mode will
result in the child restraint not being
properly secured. The restraint could
tip over or otherwise be unsecured
and cause injury to the child in a
sudden stop or collision.
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Front facingIf you must install a child restraint in the front
seat, follow these steps:
1. Position the child restraint on the front pas-
senger seat.Move the seat to the rear-
most position.Adjust the head restraint to
its highest position (if so equipped). Always
follow the restraint manufacturer’s instruc-
tions.
The back of the child restraint should be
secured against the vehicle seatback. If nec-
essary, adjust or remove the head restraint to
obtain the correct child restraint fit. See“Head restraint adjustment” earlier in this
section. If the head restraint is removed, store
it in a secure place. Be sure to install the
head restraint when the child restraint is
removed. If the seating position does not
have an adjustable head restraint and it is
interfering with the proper child restraint fit,
try a different child restraint.
2. Route the seat belt tongue through the child
restraint and insert it into the buckle until you
hear and feel the latch engage. Be sure to
follow the child restraint manufacturer’s in-
structions for belt routing.
SSS0640
Front facing — step 1
SSS0360B
Front facing — step 2
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3. Pull the shoulder belt until the belt is fully
extended. At this time, the seat belt retractor
is in the Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)
mode (child restraint mode). It reverts to
Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) mode
when the seat belt is fully retracted.4. Allow the seat belt to retract. Pull up on the
shoulder belt to remove any slack in the belt.5. Remove any additional slack from the seat
belt; press downward and rearward firmly in
the center of the child restraint with your knee
to compress the vehicle seat cushion and
seatback while pulling up on the seat belt.
6. If the child restraint is equipped with a top
tether strap, route the top tether strap and
secure the tether strap to the tether anchor
point. See “Top tether strap child restraint” in
this section.
SSS0651
Front facing — step 3
SSS0652
Front facing — step 4
SSS0653
Front facing — step 5
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7. Before placing the child in the child restraint,
hold the child restraint near the seat belt path
and use force to push the child restraint from
side to side, and tug it forward to make sure
that it is securely held in place. It should not
move more than 1 in (25 mm). If it does move
more than 1 in (25 mm), pull again on the
shoulder belt to further tighten the child
restraint. If you are unable to properly secure
the restraint, try a different child restraint. Not
all child restraints fit in all types of vehicles.
8. Check that the retractor is in the ALR mode
by trying to pull more seat belt out of the
retractor. If you cannot pull any more beltwebbing out of the retractor, the retractor is
in the ALR mode.
9. Check to make sure the child restraint is
properly secured prior to each use. If the seat
belt is not locked, repeat steps 2 through 7.
10. Turn the ignition switch to the ON position.
The front passenger air bag status light
should illuminate. If this light is not
illuminated, see “Front passenger air bag
and status light” in this section. Try a differ-
ent child restraint. Have the system
checked by a NISSAN dealer.
After the child restraint is removed and the seat
belt is fully retracted, the ALR mode (child
restraint mode) is canceled.
SSS0641
Front facing — step 7
SSS0681
Front facing — step 10
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