belt NISSAN MAXIMA 2003 A33 / 5.G Owners Manual

ForewordWelcome to the growing family of new
NISSAN owners. This vehicle is delivered to
you with confidence. It was produced using
the latest techniques and strict quality control.
This manual was prepared to help you under-
stand the operation and maintenance of your
vehicle so that you may enjoy many miles of
driving pleasure. Please read through this
manual before operating your vehicle.
A separate Service and Maintenance Guide
and Warranty Information Booklet explains
details about the warranties covering your
vehicle and vehicle maintenance sched-
ules. Additionally, a separate Customer
Care/Lemon Law Booklet (U.S. only) will
explain how to resolve any concerns you
may have with your vehicle, as well as
clarify your rights under your state's
lemon law.
Your NISSAN dealer knows your vehicle best.
When you require any service or have any
questions, he will be glad to assist you with
the extensive resources available to him.READ FIRST Ð THEN DRIVE
SAFELYBefore driving your vehicle please read
your Owner's Manual carefully. This will
ensure familiarity with controls and main-
tenance requirements, assisting you in thesafe operation of your vehicle.
WARNING
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMA-
TION
REMINDERS FOR SAFETY!Follow these important driving rules to
help ensure a safe and comfortable trip
for you and your passengers!
INever drive under the influence of al-
cohol or drugs.
IAlways observe posted speed limits
and never drive too fast for condi-
tions.
IAlways use your seat belts and appro-
priate child restraint systems. Preteen
children should be seated in the rear
seat.
IAlways provide information about the
proper use of vehicle safety features
to all occupants of the vehicle.
IAlways review this Owner's Manual
for important safety information.
MODIFICATION OF YOUR
VEHICLEThis vehicle should not be modified. Modi-
fication could affect its performance,
safety or durability, and may even violate
governmental regulations. In addition,
damage or performance problems result-
ing from modification may not be covered
under NISSAN warranties.WHEN READING THE MANUALThis manual includes information for all
options available on this model. Therefore,
you may find some information that does
not apply to your vehicle.
All information, specifications and illustrations
in this manual are those in effect at the time of
printing. NISSAN reserves the right to change
specifications or design at any time without
notice.
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Welcome To The World Of NISSANYour new NISSAN is the result of our dedication
to produce the finest in safe, reliable and eco-
nomical transportation. Your vehicle is the prod-
uct of a successful worldwide company that
manufactures cars and trucks in over 17 coun-
tries and distributes them in 170 nations.
NISSAN vehicles are designed and manufac-
tured by Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. which was
founded in Tokyo, Japan in 1933, and NISSAN
affiliates world wide, collectively growing to be-
come the fifth largest automaker in the world. In
addition to cars and trucks, NISSAN also makes
forklift trucks, marine engines, boats and other
diversified products.
NISSAN has made a substantial and growing
investment in North America. NISSAN'S commit-
ment is nearly $4 billion dollars in capital invest-
ments in facilities across the continent. Some ofthe facilities include the Nissan Manufacturing
facility in Smyrna, Tennessee, vehicle styling
design at Nissan Design America in San Diego,
California, and engineering at Nissan Technical
Center North America in Farmington Hills, Michi-
gan. Additionally, NISSAN employs nearly
18,000 people throughout the United States,
Canada, and Mexico. An additional 71,000
people work for the 1,500 NISSAN and INFINITI
dealers across North America.
NISSAN is also a substantial contributor to the
Canadian economy. Nissan Canada Inc., its sup-
pliers and over 140 dealers employ approxi-
mately 4,500 people. These include company
employees and the staffs of NISSAN dealers all
across Canada. In addition, many Canadians
work for companies that supply NISSAN and
NISSAN dealers with materials and services
ranging from operation of port facilities and trans-portation services to the supply of lubricants,
parts and accessories.
NISSAN pioneered the use of electronics and
computers in automobiles, and has led the indus-
try in improving both performance and fuel effi-
ciency through new engine designs and the use
of synthetic materials to reduce vehicle weight.
The company has also developed ways to build
quality into its vehicles at each stage of the
production process, both through extensive use
of automation and Ð most importantly Ð
through an awareness thatpeopleare the cen-
tral element in quality control.
From the time the parts arrived from our suppli-
ers until you took delivery of your new Nissan,
dozens of checks were made to ensure that only
the best job was being done in producing and
delivering your vehicle. NISSAN also takes great
care to ensure that when you take your NISSAN
to your dealer for maintenance, the service tech-
nician will perform his work according to the
quality standards that have been established by
the factory.
Safety has also been built into your NISSAN. As
you know, seat belts are an integral part of the
safety systems that will help protect you and your
passengers in the event of a sudden stop or an
accident. We urge you to use the seat belts every
time you drive the vehicle.
The NISSAN story of growth and achievement
reflects our major goal: to provide you, our
customer, with a vehicle that is built with quality
and craftsmanship Ð a product that we can be
proud to build and you can be proud to own.
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1 Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag
systemsSeats ......................................................................... 1-2
Front manual seat adjustment ............................. 1-2
Front power seat adjustment ............................... 1-3
Folding rear seat ................................................. 1-5
Head restraint adjustment .................................... 1-6
Active head restraint (front seats) ........................ 1-7
Armrest ................................................................. 1-8
Supplemental restraint system .................................. 1-8
Precautions on supplemental restraint system .... 1-8
Supplemental air bag warning labels ................. 1-18
Supplemental air bag warning light .................... 1-18
Seat belts ................................................................ 1-20
Precautions on seat belt usage ......................... 1-20
Child safety......................................................... 1-22Pregnant women ................................................ 1-23
Injured persons................................................... 1-23
Three-point type seat belt with retractor ............ 1-23
Seat belt extenders ............................................ 1-26
Seat belt maintenance ....................................... 1-26
Child restraints ........................................................ 1-27
Precautions on child restraints ........................... 1-27
Installation on rear seat outboard or center
positions ............................................................. 1-29
LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tether for Children)
system ................................................................ 1-34
Top tether strap child restraint ........................... 1-35
Installation on front passenger seat ................... 1-36
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WARNING
IDo 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.IFor 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. See ªPrecautions on
seat belt usageº later in this section.
FRONT MANUAL SEAT
ADJUSTMENT Ð Passenger side
WARNING
After adjustment, gently rock in the seat
to make sure it is securely locked.
SSS0133
SEATS1-2
Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems
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Adjust the head restraints so the center is level
with the center of your ears.
ACTIVE HEAD RESTRAINT (front
seats)
WARNING
IAlways adjust the head restraints
properly as specified in the previous
section. Failure to do so can reduce
the effectiveness of the active head
restraint.IActive head restraints are designed
to supplement other safety systems.
Always wear seat belts. No system
can prevent all injuries in any acci-
dent.
IDo not attach anything to the head
restraint stalks. Doing so could im-
pair active head restraint function.
The head restraint moves forward utilizing the
force that the seatback receives from the oc-
cupant in a rear-end collision. The movement
of the head restraint helps support the occu-
pant's head by reducing its backward move-
ment and helping absorb some of the forces
that may lead to whiplash type injuries.
Active head restraints are effective for colli-
sions at low to medium speeds in which it is
said that whiplash injury occurs most.
Active head restraints operate only in certain
rear-end collisions. After the collision, the head
restraints return to their original positions.
Properly adjust the active head restraints as
described in the previous section.
SSS0178
SPA1025Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems
1-7
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ARMRESTPull the armrest forward until it is horizontal.
PRECAUTIONS ON
SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT
SYSTEMThis Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
section contains important information con-
cerning the driver and passenger supplemen-
tal air bags, supplemental side air bags and
pre-tensioner seat belts.
Supplemental front air bag system:This
system can help cushion the impact force to
the face and chest of the driver and front
passenger in certain frontal collisions.
Supplemental side air bag system (if so
equipped):This system can help cushion the
impact force to the head and the chest area of
the driver and front passenger in certain side
impact collisions. The supplemental side air
bag is designed to inflate on the side where the
vehicle is impacted.
These supplemental restraint systems are de-
signed tosupplementthe crash protection
provided by the driver and front passenger
seat belts and arenot a substitutefor them.
Seat belts should always be correctly worn
and the driver and front passenger seated a
suitable distance away from the steering
wheel, instrument panel and front door finish-
ers. (See ªSeat beltsº later in this section forinstructions and precautions on seat belt us-
age.)
After turning the ignition key to the ON
position, the supplemental air bag warning
light illuminates. The supplemental air bag
warning light will turn off after about 7
seconds if the system is operational.
SSS0150
SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT
SYSTEM
1-8
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WARNING
IThe supplemental front air bags ordi-
narily will not inflate in the event of a
side impact, rear impact, roll over, or
lower severity frontal collision. Al-
ways wear your seat belts to help
reduce the risk or severity of injury in
various kinds of accidents.
IThe seat belts and the supplemental
front air bags are most effective whenyou are sitting well back and upright
in the seat. Front air bags inflate with
great force. If you are unrestrained,
leaning forward, sitting sideways or
out of position in any way, you are at
greater risk of injury or death in a
crash. You may also receive serious
or fatal injuries from the supplemen-
tal front air bag if you are up against
it when it inflates. Always sit back
against the seatback and as far away
as practical from the steeringwheel or instrument panel. Always
use the seat belts.
IThe driver and front passenger seat
belt buckles are equipped with sen-
sors that detect if the seat belts are
fastened. The air bag system moni-
tors the severity of a collision and
then inflates the air bags based on
belt usage. Failure to properly wear
seat belts can increase the risk or
severity of injury in an accident.
IKeep hands on the outside of the
steering wheel. Placing them inside
the steering wheel rim could increase
the risk that they are injured when the
supplemental front air bag inflates.
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1-9
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WARNING
Supplemental side air bag (if so
equipped):
IThe supplemental side air bag ordi-
narily will not inflate in the event of a
frontal impact, rear impact or lower
severity side collision. Always wear
your seat belts to help reduce the risk
or severity of injury in various kinds
of accidents.IThe seat belts and the supplemental
side air bag are most effective when
you are sitting well back and upright
in the seat. The side air bag inflates
with great force. Do not allow anyone
to place their hand, leg or face near
the side air bag on the side of the
seatback of the front seat. Do not
allow anyone sitting in the front seat
to extend their hand out of the win-
dow or lean against the door. Some
examples of dangerous riding posi-
tions are shown in the previous illus-trations.
IWhen sitting in the rear seat, do not
hold onto the seatback of the front
seat. If the supplemental side air bag
inflates, you may be seriously in-
jured. Be especially careful with chil-
dren, who should always be properly
restrained.
IDo not use seat covers on the front
seatbacks. They may interfere with
supplemental side air bag inflation.
SSS0101
SSS0140
SSS0159
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Supplemental front air bag systemThe driver supplemental air bag is located in
the center of the steering wheel; the front
passenger supplemental air bag is mounted in
the dashboard above the glove box. These
systems are designed to meet optional certifi-
cation requirements under U.S. regulations.
They are also permitted in Canada. The op-
tional certification allows front air bags to be
designed to inflate somewhat less forcefully
than previously.However, all of the informa-
tion, cautions and warnings in this manual
still apply and must be followed.The front
air bags are designed to inflate in higherseverity frontal collisions, although they may
inflate if the forces in another type of collision
are similar to those of a higher severity frontal
impact. They may not inflate in certain frontal
collisions. Vehicle damage (or lack of it) is not
always an indication of proper supplemental
air bag operation.
The supplemental air bag system has dual
stage inflators for both the driver and passen-
ger air bags. The system monitors information
from the crash zone sensor, the diagnosis
sensor unit and seat belt buckle sensors that
detect if the seat belts are fastened, inflator
operation is based on the severity of a collision
and whether the seat belts are being used.
SSS0162
SSS0173
Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems
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Only one front air bag may inflate in a crash,
depending on the crash severity and whether
the front occupants are belted or unbelted.
This does not indicate improper performance
of the system. If you have any questions about
the performance of your air bag system,
please contact your NISSAN dealer.
When the supplemental 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 irritation
and choking. Those with a history of a breath-
ing condition should get fresh air promptly.
Supplemental front air bags, along with the
use of seat belts, helps to cushion the impact
force on the face and chest of the front occu-
pants. They can help save lives and reduce
serious injuries. However, an inflating front air
bag may cause facial abrasions or other inju-
ries. Front air bags do not provide restraint to
the lower body.
The seat belts should be correctly worn and
the driver and passenger seated upright as far
as practical away from the steering wheel or
dash board. The supplemental front air bags
inflates quickly in order to help protect the front
occupants. Because of this, the force of the
front air bag inflating can increase the risk ofinjury if the occupant is too close to, or is
against, the air bag module during inflation.
The air bag will deflate quickly after the colli-
sion is over.
After turning the ignition key to the ON
position, the supplemental air bag warning
light illuminates. The supplemental air bag
warning light will turn off after about 7
seconds if the system is operational.
WARNING
IDo not place any objects on the steer-
ing wheel pad or on the instrument
panel. Also, do not place any objects
between any occupant and the steer-
ing wheel or instrument panel. Such
objects may become dangerous pro-
jectiles and cause injury if the supple-
mental front air bag inflates.
IRight after inflation, several air bag
system components will be hot. Do
not touch them; you may severely
burn yourself.
INo unauthorized changes should be
made to any components or wiring ofthe supplemental front air bag sys-
tem. This is to prevent accidental
inflation of the air bag or damage to
the air bag system.
IDo not make unauthorized changes
to your vehicle's electrical system,
suspension system or front end
structure. This could affect proper
operation of the supplemental air bag
system.
ITampering with the supplemental
front air bag system may result in
serious personal injury. Tampering
includes changes to the steering
wheel and the instrument panel as-
sembly by placing material over the
steering wheel pad, above the dash-
board, or by installing additional trim
material around the air bag system.
IWork around and on the supplemen-
tal front air bag system should be
done by an authorized NISSAN
dealer. Installation of electrical equip-
ment should also be done by an au-
thorized NISSAN dealer. The SRS wir-
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