NISSAN ALTIMA 1999 L30 / 2.G Owner's Manual

Warning labels about the supplemental air
bag system are placed in the vehicle as
shown in the illustration.The supplemental air bag warning light,
displayingin the instrument panel,
monitors the circuits of the supplemental air
bag system. The circuits monitored by the
supplemental air bag warning light are the
diagnosis sensor unit, supplemental air bag
modules and all related wiring.
When the ignition key is in the ON or START
position, the supplemental air bag warning
light illuminates for about 7 seconds and
then turns off. This means the system is
operational.
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WARNING LABELS SUPPLEMENTAL AIR BAG
WARNING LIGHT
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If any of the following conditions occur, the
supplemental air bag needs servicing:
1. The supplemental air bag warning light
does not come on and remain on for 7
seconds and then go off as described.
2. The supplemental air bag warning light
flashes intermittently or remains on.
3. The supplemental air bag warning light
does not come on at all.
Under these conditions, the supplemental
restraint system air bag may not operate
properly. It must be checked and repaired.
Take your vehicle to the nearest authorized
NISSAN dealer.
WARNING
If the supplemental air bag warning
light is on, it could mean that the
supplemental air bag system will not
operate in an accident.
Repair and replacement procedure
The supplemental air bag modules are de-
signed to inflate on a one-time-only basis.
As a reminder, unless it is damaged, the
supplemental air bag light remains illumi-nated after inflation has occurred. Repair
and replacement of the supplemental air
bag system should be done only by an
authorized NISSAN dealer.
To ensure long-term functioning, the
supplemental air bag system must be
inspected 10 years after the date of
manufacture as noted on the certifica-
tion label located on the driver side front
pillar.
When maintenance work is required on the
vehicle, the supplemental air bag system
and related parts should be pointed out to
the person conducting the maintenance.
The ignition key should always be in the
LOCK position when working under the
hood or inside the vehicle.
WARNING
cOnce the supplemental air bag in-
flates, the supplemental air bag
module will not function again and
should be replaced by an authorized
NISSAN dealer. The supplemental air
bag module cannot be repaired.cThe supplemental air bag system
should be inspected by an autho-
rized NISSAN dealer if there is any
damage to the front end portion of
the vehicle.
cIf you need to dispose of a supple-
mental air bag or scrap the vehicle,
contact an authorized NISSAN
dealer. Correct supplemental air bag
disposal procedures are set forth in
the appropriate NISSAN Service
Manual. Incorrect disposal proce-
dures could cause personal injury.
Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems
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PRECAUTIONS ON SEAT BELT
USAGE
If you are wearing your seat belt properly
adjusted, your chances of being injured or
killed in an accident and/or the severity of
injury may be greatly reduced. NISSAN
strongly encourages you and all of your
passengers to buckle up every time you
drive, even if your seating position includes
a supplemental air bag.
Most U.S. states and all Canadian prov-
inces and territories, require that seat belts
be worn at all times when a vehicle is being
driven.
WARNING
cEvery person who drives or rides in
this vehicle should use a seat belt at
all times. Children should be prop-
erly restrained and, if appropriate, in
a child restraint.
c
The belt should be properly adjusted
to a snug fit. Failure to do so may
reduce the effectiveness of the entire
restraint system and increase the
chance or severity of injury in an acci-
dent. Serious injury or death can occur
if the seat belt is not worn properly.cAlways route the shoulder belt over
your shoulder and across your chest.
Never run the belt behind your back,
under your arm or across your neck.
The belt should be away from your
face and neck, but not falling off your
shoulder.cPosition the lap belt as low and snug
as possible AROUND THE HIPS,
NOT THE WAIST. A lap belt worn too
high could increase the risk of inter-
nal injuries in an accident.
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SEAT BELTS
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cBe sure the seat belt tongue is se-
curely fastened to the proper buckle.
cDo not wear the belt inside out or
twisted. Doing so may reduce its
effectiveness.
cDo not allow more than one person
to use the same belt.
cNever carry more people in the ve-
hicle than there are seat belts.cIf the seat belt warning light glows
continuously while the ignition is
turned ON with all doors closed and
all seat belts fastened, it may indi-
cate a malfunction in the system.
Have the system checked by an au-
thorized NISSAN dealer.c
All seat belt assemblies including
retractors and attaching hardware
should be inspected after any colli-
sion by an authorized NISSAN
dealer. NISSAN recommends that all
seat belt assemblies in use during a
collision be replaced unless the col-
lision was minor and the belts show
no damage and continue to operate
properly. Seat belt assemblies not in
use during a collision should also be
inspected and replaced if either dam-
age or improper operation is noted.
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CHILD SAFETY
Children need adults to help protect them.
They need to be properly restrained.
The proper restraint depends on the child's
size. Generally, infants up to about 1 year
and less than 20 pounds, (9 kg) should be
placed in rear facing child restraints. Forward
facing child restraints are available for chil-
dren who outgrow rear facing child restraints.
WARNING
Infants and children need special pro-
tection. The vehicle's seat belts may
not fit them properly. The shoulder belt
may come too close to the face or neck.
The lap belt may not fit over their small
hip bones. In an accident, an improp-
erly fitting seat belt could cause seri-
ous or fatal injury. Always use appro-
priate child restraints.
All U.S. states and Canadian provinces or
territories require the use of approved child
restraints for infants and small children. See
``Child Restraints'' later in this section.
In addition, there are many types of child
restraints available for larger children which
should be used for maximum protection.
NISSAN recommends that all preteens and
children be restrained in the rear seat if
possible. According to accident statistics,
children are safer when properly restrained
in the rear seat than in the front seat. This
is especially important because your ve-
hicle has a supplemental restraint system
(Air bag system) for the front passenger.
See ``Supplemental restraint system'' ear-
lier in this section.
Infants and small children
NISSAN recommends that infants and small
children be placed in child restraints that
comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards or Canadian Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards. You should choose a
child restraint that fits your vehicle and
always follow the manufacturer's instruc-
tions for installation and use.
Larger children
Children who are too large for child re-
straints should be seated and restrained by
the seat belts which are provided.
If the child's seating position has a shoulder
belt that fits close to the face or neck, the
use of a booster seat (commercially avail-
able) may help overcome this. The booster
seat should raise the child so that the shoul-der belt is properly positioned across the
top, middle portion of the shoulder and the
lap belt is low on the hips. The booster seat
should fit the vehicle seat and have a label
certifying that it complies with Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standards or Canadian Mo-
tor Vehicle Safety Standards. Once the
child has grown so the shoulder belt is no
longer on or near the face and neck, use the
shoulder belt without the booster seat.
WARNING
Never let a child stand or kneel on any
seat and do not allow a child in the
cargo areas while the vehicle is mov-
ing. The child could be seriously in-
jured or killed in an accident.
PREGNANT WOMEN
NISSAN recommends that pregnant women
use seat belts. Contact your doctor for spe-
cific recommendations. The lap belt should
be worn snug and positioned as low as
possible around the hips, not the waist.
INJURED PERSONS
NISSAN recommends that injured persons
use seat belts. Check with your doctor for
specific recommendations.
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THREE-POINT TYPE WITH
RETRACTOR
WARNING
cEvery person who drives or rides in
this vehicle should use a seat belt at
all times.c
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 lap belt
and receive serious internal injuries.
cFor most effective protection when
the vehicle is in motion, the seat
should be upright. Always sit well
back in the seat and adjust the seat
belt properly.
Fastening the seat belt
1. Adjust the seat.
2. Slowly pull the seat belt out of the retrac-
tor 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 permits the seat belt to
move, and allows you some freedom of
movement in the seat.
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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.
The front passenger side seat belt and rear
three-point seat belts have a cinching
mechanism for child restraint installation. It
is referred to as the automatic locking
mode.
When automatic locking mode is activated
the seat belt cannot be withdrawn further
until the seat belt tongue is detached from
the buckle and fully retracted. Once re-tracted, the seat belt is in the emergency
locking mode. See ``Child Restraints'' later
in this section for more information.
The automatic locking mode should be
used only for child restraint installation.
During normal seat belt use by a passen-
ger, the locking mode should not be
activated. If it is activated it may cause
uncomfortable seat belt tension.Unfastening the seat belts
To unfasten the seat belt, press the button
on the buckle. The seat belt automatically
retracts.
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Checking seat belt operation
(Three-point type seat belt with re-
tractor)
Seat belt retractors are designed to lock
seat belt movement using two separate
methods:
1) When the seat belt is pulled quickly from
the retractor.
2) When the vehicle slows down rapidly.
To increase your confidence in the seat
belts, check their operation as follows.
cGrasp the shoulder belt and pull quickly
forward. 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 an authorized NISSAN
dealer.
Shoulder belt height adjustment
(For front seats)
The shoulder belt anchor height should be
adjusted to the position best for you. (See
``Precautions on seat belt usage'' earlier in
this section.) To adjust, pull out the adjust-
ment button and move the shoulder belt
anchor to the desired position, so the belt
passes over the center of the shoulder. The
belt should be away from your face and
neck, but not falling off of your shoulder.
Release the adjustment button to lock the
shoulder belt anchor into position.
WARNING
cAfter adjustment, release the adjust-
ment button and try to move the
shoulder belt anchor up and down to
make sure it is securely fixed in
position.
cThe shoulder belt anchor height
should be adjusted to the position
best for you. Failure to do so may
reduce the effectiveness of the en-
tire restraint system and increase
the chance or severity of injury in an
accident.
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TWO-POINT TYPE WITHOUT
RETRACTOR (rear center lap belt)
Selecting the correct set of seat
belts
The center seat belt buckle and tongue are
identified by the word CENTER. The center
seat belt tongue can be fastenedonlyinto
the center seat belt buckle.
Fastening the seat belts
1. Insert the tongue into the buckle until it
clicks. Both the tongue and the buckle
are marked CENTER.2. Tighten the belt by pulling the free end of
the belt away from the tongue, then pull
the belt clip to take up the slack.
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3. Position the lap beltlow and snug on
the hipsas illustrated.4. Loosen the belt by holding the tongue at
a right angle to the belt, then pull on the
belt.Unfastening the belt
To unfasten the seat belt, press the button
on the buckle.
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