warning NISSAN LEAF 2011 Owners Manual

EMERGENCY SHUT-OFF SYSTEM
The emergency shut-off system is activated and
the high-voltage system automatically turns off in
the following conditions:
- Front and side collisions in which the air bags
are deployed.
- Certain rear collisions.
- Certain EV (Electric Vehicle) system malfunc-
tions
For the above collisions and certain other EV
(Electric Vehicle) system malfunctions, the
READY to drive indicator light will turn off. See
“Warning/indicator lights and audible remin-
ders” in the “2. Instruments and controls”
section.
The emergency shut-off activates for the above
collisions to minimize risk of an event that could
cause injury or an accident. If the emergency
shut-off system activates, the EV system may
not be switched to READY to drive position,
contact a NISSAN certified LEAF dealer. Even if
the power switch is switched to READY to drive
position, the system may shut-off suddenly.
Therefore, drive cautiously to the nearest
NISSAN certified LEAF dealer or contact a
NISSAN certified LEAF dealer as soon as
possible.WARNING
.Pay special attention to pedes-
trians. Because there is no engine
noise, pedestrians may not know
the vehicle is approaching, moving
or about to move, and may step into
the path of vehicle travel.
. When leaving the vehicle, be sure to
turn off the EV (Electric Vehicle)
system.
. Be sure to push the P (Park) posi-
tion switch on the selector lever and
apply the parking brake when park-
ing because the vehicle can move
when the READY to drive indicator
light is ON. When the READY to
drive indicator light is ON, do not
leave your vehicle in a shift position
other than the P (Park) position.
. Keep the brake pedal depressed
until you are ready to drive. When
the vehicle is in the D (drive) posi-
tion or ECO or R (reverse) position,
if you release the brake pedal and
do not depress accelerator, the
vehicle will creep and may start
abruptly. This may cause serious injury or death.
NOTE:
. The vehicle cannot run with a dis-
charged Li-ion battery. Repeated accel-
eration consumes more power from the
Li-ion battery than driving at a steady
speed.
. This vehicle is equipped with a regen-
erative brake system. The primary pur-
pose of regenerative brake system is to
provide some power to recharge the Li-
ion battery and extend driving range. A
secondary benefit is “engine braking”
that operates based on Li-ion battery
conditions.
. In the D (Drive) position, when the
accelerator pedal is released, the re-
generative brake system provides
some deceleration.
. When you put the shift selector in the
ECO position and take your foot off the
accelerator pedal, more regenerative
brake is applied than in the D (Drive)
position.
. Less deceleration is provided by the
regenerative brake system when the Li-
EV OverviewEV-9
EV (Electric Vehicle)
CHARACTERISTICS

ion battery is fully charged. Regenera-
tive brake is automatically reduced
when the Li-ion battery is fully charged
to prevent the Li-ion battery from
becoming overcharged. Regenerating
brake is also automatically reduced
when the battery temperature is high/
low (indicated by the red/blue zones
on the Li-ion battery temperature
gauge) to prevent Li-ion battery da-
mage.
. The brake pedal should be used to
slow or stop the vehicle depending on
traffic or road conditions. The vehicle
brakes are not affected by regenerative
brake system operation.
NOISE AND VIBRATION
You might experience the following noise or
vibration as a normal characteristic of this
vehicle.
.Traction motor noise from motor compart-
ment.
. Noise and vibration when releasing and
applying the electric parking brake.
. Water pump and radiator fan noise while
charging. .
Compressor and radiator fan noise when the
A/C-Heater Timer (Climate Ctrl. Timer) or
remote climate control is used.
. Relay operation noise and vibration at start-
up and shut-down of the EV (Electric
Vehicle) system (power switch placed in
the ON and OFF position) .
. Approaching Vehicle Sound for Pedestrians
(VSP) .
WARNING
The EV (Electric Vehicle) system uses a
high voltage current. Failure to follow
the proper handling instructions may
cause serious injury or death. Be sure
to read the “CH. Charging” section and
follow the procedures and guidelines
described.
LIFE WITH AN EV (scene guide)

illuminates, the Li-ion battery charge is too low
for travel. See “Low battery charge warning
light” in the “2. Instruments and controls”
section. Charge the Li-ion battery as soon as
possible.
EV OverviewEV-19

The sound stops when the vehicle stops.
The sound does not stop with the vehicle in the
R (Reverse) position even if the vehicle stops.WARNING
.The VSP system should only be
turned off in certain very unusual
situations, where the presence of
pedestrians is very unlikely, such as
in a traffic jam on a highway. The
VSP system should never be turned
off if there is a chance pedestrians
will be present.
. If the vehicle is driven with the VSP
switch off, pedestrians may not
notice the oncoming vehicle, which
may cause an accident resulting in
serious personal injury or death.
. If the sound cannot be heard when
the VSP system is ON (VSP OFF
indicator not illuminated) , immedi-
ately contact a NISSAN certified
LEAF dealer for inspection.

WARNING
.If you use any medical electric
devices, such as an implantable
cardiac pacemaker or an implanta-
ble cardiovascular defibrillator,
check with the electric medical de-
vice manufacturer concerning the
effects that charging may have on
implanted devices before starting
the charge operation. Charging
may affect the operation.
. If you have an implantable cardiac
pacemaker or an implantable cardi-
ovascular defibrillator, while the Li-
ion battery is charging:
— Do not stay inside the vehicle.
— Do not go inside the vehicle, for
example to remove or place an
item in the passenger compart-
ment.
— Do not open the rear hatch, for example to remove or place an
item in the cargo area.
Charging may affect the operation
of electric medical device and result
in serious personal injury or death. .
Make sure there is no water or
foreign materials in the charge port,
charge connector or electrical plug,
and that they are not damaged or
affected by rust or corrosion. If any
of these conditions are noticeable,
do not charge the Li-ion battery.
This may result in a short circuit or
electric shock and could cause a fire
which may result in serious perso-
nal injury or death.
. To avoid serious personal injury or
death when the Li-ion battery is
charging, be aware of the following
precautions.
— Do not touch the metal contacts
of the charge port, charge con-
nector or electrical plug.
— Do not touch the vehicle and charger when there is lightning.
A lightning strike may back feed
into the charger causing da-
mage and possible personal in-
jury or death.
. Make sure the charge connector is
removed from the charge port be-
fore starting your vehicle. If the
charge connector is only partially engaged and the connector latch is
unlocked, it is possible to place the
EV (Electric Vehicle) in the READY
to drive position.
. Do not plug in or unplug the plug
with wet hands and do not stand in
water, liquid or snow. This may
cause an electric shock which may
result in serious personal injury or
death.
. Do not disassemble or modify the
charge port or the EVSE (Electric
Vehicle Supply Equipment) . This
may cause a fire.
. If you notice an unusual odor or
smoke coming from the vehicle,
stop charging immediately.
. Be careful not to allow your hands,
hair, jewelry or clothing to come into
contact with, or get caught in, the
traction motor cooling fan. The cool-
ing fan can start at any time during
charging.
PRECAUTIONS ON CHARGING

.Check by using a cellular phone, smart
phone or personal computer. See LEAF
Navigation System Owner’s Manual.
. Check by using the charging status indicator
light. See “Charging status indicator lights”
later in this section.
NOTE:
. During the charge operation, charge
continues when the power switch is
placed in the ON position.
. The Li-ion battery cannot be charged if
the quick charge connector and the
normal charge connector are con-
nected at the same time. If another
charge connector is connected mid-
charge, charging will stop.
. For safety reasons, it is not possible to
switch to the READY to drive position
while a charge connector is connected.
. During charging, it is possible that the
radio may be inaudible due to noise by
the electromagnetic wave.HOW TO NORMAL CHARGE
WARNING
.If you use any medical electric
devices, such as an implantable
cardiac pacemaker or an implanta-
ble cardiovascular defibrillator,
check with the electric medical de-
vice manufacturer concerning the
effects that charging may have on
implanted devices before starting
the charge operation. Charging
may affect the operation.
. If you have an implantable cardiac
pacemaker or an implantable cardi-
ovascular defibrillator, while the Li-
ion battery is charging:
— Do not stay inside the vehicle.
— Do not go inside the vehicle, for
example to remove or place an
item in the passenger compart-
ment.
— Do not open the rear hatch, for example to remove or place an
item in the cargo area.
Charging may affect the operation
of electric medical device and result in serious personal injury or death.
. Be sure to follow the precautions
for using the charger that can be
installed in your home. Failing to do
so could result in serious injury or
death.

HOW TO TRICKLE CHARGE
WARNING
.If you use any medical electric
devices, such as an implantable
cardiac pacemaker or an implanta-
ble cardiovascular defibrillator,
check with the electric medical de-
vice manufacturer concerning the
effects that charging may have on
implanted devices before starting
the charge operation. Charging
may affect the operation.
. If you have an implantable cardiac
pacemaker or an implantable cardi-
ovascular defibrillator, while the Li-
ion battery is charging:
— Do not stay inside the vehicle.
— Do not go inside the vehicle, for
example to remove or place an
item in the passenger compart-
ment.
— Do not open the rear hatch, for example to remove or place an
item in the cargo area.
Charging may affect the operation
of electric medical device and result in serious personal injury or death.
. In order to avoid an electric shock or
fire due to a short circuit, connect to
GFI (Ground Fault Interrupter) cir-
cuit breaker and use a waterproof
electrical ground socket.
. The NISSAN Genuine EVSE (Electric
Vehicle Supply Equipment) charging
device provided with your vehicle
draws 12amps continuously while
charging the Li-ion battery. Do not
plug in to any electrical circuit un-
less it is inspected by a licensed
electrician to confirm that the elec-
trical circuit can accept a 12 amp
draw. Any electrical circuit has a
much higher likelihood of being
compromised in the following con-
ditions listed below.
— Improper use of the charger may
result in a fire and serious injury
or death.
— Do not use this charger in struc- tures more than 40 years old.
— Do not use this charger in struc- tures using fuse-based circuit
protection. Use only with elec-
trical circuits protected by circuit breakers.
— Do not use this charger on electrical circuits with two-prong
outlets.
— Do not use charger if outlet appears damaged or will not
hold plug firmly.
— Discontinue charger use imme- diately if plug or outlet becomes
hot to the touch or if you notice
any unusual odors.
— Do not use charger if other devices are plugged into the
same circuit.
— Never use extension cords or plug adapters with charger.
— Do not operate with a damaged cord.
— Always unplug the charger when not in use.
— When unplugging, be sure to pull by the plug and not the cord.
— The device has parts that may spark inside. Do not use it where
gasoline, paint, or flammable
liquids are used or stored.
ChargingCH-11

4. Store in its case.NOTE:
Perform the following procedure to
store the EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply
Equipment) in the case.
a. Wind the charge cable into a sizethat will allow it to be stored in the
case (approximately 9.8 in (250 mm)
in diameter) .
b. Place the EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment) control box into
the back of the case.
c. Place the charge cable and charge connector into the case in front of the EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply
Equipment) control box.
WARNING
WARNING
.
Always use a quick charger that is
compatible with the LEAF. Using an
incompatible quick charger may
cause a fire or malfunction resulting
in serious personal injury or death.
. Before starting the quick charge,
carefully read the instructions pro-
vided on the quick charger and
make sure the quick charge con-
nector is properly connected and
locked. Failure to connector or op-
erate the quick charger correctly
could cause damage to the vehicle
or the charging equipment.
ChargingCH-15

1 Safety—Seats, seat belts and supple-mental restraint system
Seats ........................................................................................... 1-2
Front seats ........................................................................... 1-3
Rear seats ........................................................................... 1-4
Head restraints ................................................................... 1-4
Adjustable headrests ......................................................... 1-7
Seat belts ................................................................................ 1-10
Precautions on seat belt usage ................................... 1-10
Pregnant women ............................................................. 1-12
Injured persons ................................................................ 1-12
Three-point type seat belt with retractor .................. 1-12
Seat belt extenders ......................................................... 1-16
Seat belt maintenance ................................................... 1-16
Child safety ............................................................................. 1-17
Infants ................................................................................. 1-17
Small children ................................................................... 1-18
Larger children ................................................................. 1-18
Child restraints ....................................................................... 1-19 Precautions on child restraints .................................... 1-19
Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren System
(LATCH) ........................................................................... 1-20
Rear-facing child restraint installation using latch ... 1-23 Rear-facing child restraint installation using the
seat belts ......................................................................... 1-25
Forward-facing child restraint installation
using latch ...................................................................... 1-27
Forward-facing child restraint installation using the
seat belts ......................................................................... 1-29
Installing top tether strap ............................................ 1-32
Booster seats ........................................................................ 1-33 Precautions on booster seats .................................... 1-33
Booster seat installation .............................................. 1-34
Supplemental restraint system .......................................... 1-36 Precautions on supplemental restraint system ...... 1-36
NISSAN Advanced Air Bag System
(front seats) .................................................................... 1-42
Front seat-mounted side-impact supplemental
air bag and roof-mounted curtain side-impact
supplemental air bag systems ................................... 1-47
Seat belts with pretensioners (front seats) ............ 1-49
Supplemental air bag warning labels ...................... 1-50
Supplemental air bag warning light ......................... 1-50
Repair and replacement procedure ......................... 1-51

WARNING
.Every person who drives or rides in
this vehicle should use a seat belt at
all times. Children should be prop-
erly restrained in the rear seat and,
if appropriate, in a child restraint.
. The seat belt should be properly
adjusted to a snug fit. Failure to do
so may reduce the effectiveness of
the entire restraint system and in-
crease the chance or severity of
injury in an accident. Serious injury
or death can occur if the seat belt is
not worn properly.
. Always route the shoulder belt over
your shoulder and across your
chest. Never put 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.
. Position 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 internal injuries in an acci-
dent. .
Be sure the seat belt tongue is
securely fastened to the proper
buckle.
. Do not wear the seat belt inside out
or twisted. Doing so may reduce its
effectiveness.
. Do not allow more than one person
to use the same seat belt.
. Never carry more people in the
vehicle than there are seat belts.
. If the seat belt warning light glows
continuously while the power switch
is turned ON with all doors closed
and all seat belts fastened, it may
indicate a malfunction in the sys-
tem. Have the system checked by a
NISSAN certified LEAF dealer.
. No changes should be made to the
seat belt system. For example, do
not modify the seat belt, add mate-
rial, or install devices that may
change the seat belt routing or
tension. Doing so may affect the
operation of the seat belt system.
Modifying or tampering with the
seat belt system may result in
serious personal injury.
Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-11