weight NISSAN MAXIMA 2005 A34 / 6.G Owners Manual

Your new NISSAN is the result of our dedication to
produce the finest in safe, reliable and economical
transportation. Your vehicle is the product of a suc-
cessful worldwide company that manufactures cars
and trucks in over 17 countries and distributes them
in 170 nations.
NISSAN vehicles are designed and manufactured
by Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. which was founded in
Tokyo, Japan in 1933, and NISSAN affiliates world-
wide, collectively growing to become 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 in-
vestment in North America. NISSAN’s commitment
is over $6 billion dollars in capital investments in
facilities across the continent. Some of the facilities
include the Nissan Manufacturing facilities in Can-
ton, Mississippi and in Smyrna, Tennessee, vehiclestyling design at Nissan Design America, Inc. in San
Diego, California, and engineering at Nissan Tech-
nical Center North America in Farmington Hills,
Michigan. Additionally, NISSAN employs more than
21,000 people throughout the United States,
Canada, and Mexico. An additional 60,000 people
work for the 1,250 NISSAN and INFINITI dealers
across North America.
NISSAN is also a substantial contributor to the
Canadian economy. Nissan Canada Inc., its suppli-
ers and over 150 dealers employ approximately
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 ma-
terials and services ranging from the operation of
port facilities and transportation services, to the
supply of lubricants, parts and accessories.NISSAN pioneered the use of electronics and com-
puters in automobiles, and has led the industry in
improving both performance and fuel efficiency
through new engine designs and the use of syn-
thetic materials to reduce vehicle weight. The com-
pany has also developed ways to build quality into its
vehicles at each stage of the production process,
both through extensive use of automation and —
most importantly — through an awareness that
people
are the central element in quality control.
From the time the parts arrived from our suppliers
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 technician will perform his
work according to the quality standards that have
been established by NISSAN.
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 passen-
gers 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 re-
flects our major goal: to provide you, our customer,
with a vehicle that is built with quality and craftsman-
ship — a product that we can be proud to build and
you can be proud to own.
WFW0002
WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF NISSAN
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1. Supplemental front impact air bags
(P. 1-35)
2. Supplemental curtain side-impact air
bag (P. 1-35)
3. Supplemental side impact air bag
(P. 1-35)
4. Seat belt pretensioners (P. 1-48)
5. Front seat belts (P. 1-10)
6. Rear seat belts (P. 1-10)
7. Top tether strap anchor (P. 1-26)
8. LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for
CHildren) (P. 1-25)
9. Seats (P. 1-2)
10. Front head restraint (P. 1-8, P. 1-9)
11. Rear head restraint (P. 1-8)
12. Occupant classification sensor
(weight sensor) (P.1-42)
See the page number indicated in paren-
theses for operating details.
WII0046
AIRBAGS, SEAT BELTS AND CHILD
RESTRAINTS
0-2Illustrated table of contents
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There are three basic types of child restraint
systems:
cRear facing child restraint
cFront facing child restraint
cBooster seat
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. Front facing child re-
straints are available for children who outgrow
rear facing child restraints and are at least one
year old. Booster seats are used to help position
a vehicle lap/shoulder belt on a child who can no
longer use a front facing child restraint.
WARNING
Infants and children need special protec-
tion. 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 improperly fit-
ting seat belt could cause serious or fatal
injury. Always use appropriate child
restraints.All U.S. states and Canadian provinces or terri-
tories require the use of approved child restraints
for infants and small children. See “Child Re-
straints” later in this section.
Also, there are other types of child restraints
available for larger children for additional protec-
tion.
NISSAN recommends that all pre-teens
and children be restrained in the rear seat.
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
vehicle has a supplemental restraint sys-
tem (Air bag system) for the front passen-
ger. See “Supplemental restraint system”
later in this section.
Infants
Infants up to at least one year old should be
placed in a rear facing child restraint. NISSAN
recommends that infants be placed in child re-
straints that comply with Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards or Canadian Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards. You should choose a childrestraint that fits your vehicle and always follow
the manufacturer’s instructions for installation
and use.
Small Children
Children that are over one year old and weigh
between 20 lbs (9 kg) and 40 lbs (18 kgs) can be
placed in a forward facing child restraint. Refer to
the manufacturer’s instructions for minimum and
maximum weight and height recommendations.
NISSAN recommends that small children be
placed in child restraints that comply with Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standards or Canadian Mo-
tor Vehicle Safety Standards. You should choose
a child restraint that fits your vehicle and always
follow the manufacturer’s instructions for instal-
lation and use.
Larger children
Children who are too large for child restraints
should be seated and restrained by the seat belts
which are provided. The seat belt may not fit
properly if the child is less than 4 feet 9 inches
(142.5 cm) tall and weighs between 40 lbs (18
kg) and 80 lbs (36 kg) . A booster seat should be
used to obtain proper seat belt fit.
Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-13
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Child restraints for infants and small children of
various sizes are offered by several manufactur-
ers. When selecting any child restraint, keep the
following points in mind:
cChoose only a restraint with a label certifying
that it complies with Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard 213 or Canadian Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard 213.
cCheck the child restraint in your vehicle to be
sure it is compatible with the vehicle’s seat
and seat belt system.
cIf 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
designed for your child’s height and weight.
Always follow all recommended procedures.
All U.S. states and Canadian provinces or
territories require that infants and small
children be restrained in an approved child
restraint at all times while the vehicle is
being operated.WARNING
cImproper use of a child restraint can
increase the risk or severity of injury for
both the child and other occupants of
the vehicle.
cFollow all of the child restraint manu-
facturer’s instructions for installation
and use. When purchasing a child re-
straint, 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.
cIf the child restraint is not anchored
properly, the risk of a child being in-
jured in a collision or a sudden stop
greatly increases.
cAdjustable seatbacks should be posi-
tioned to fit the child restraint, but as
upright as possible.cAfter attaching the child restraint, test it
before you place the child in it. Push it
from side to side. 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 inch (25
mm) . If the restraint is not secure,
tighten the belt as necessary, or put the
restraint in another seat and test it
again.
cIf you must install a front facing child
restraint in the front seat, see “Child
restraint installation on front passenger
seat” later in this section.
cWhen your child restraint is not in use,
keep it secured with a seat belt to pre-
vent it from being thrown around in
case of a sudden stop or accident.
CAUTION
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.
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WARNING
cThe supplemental front air bags ordi-
narily will not inflate in the event of a
side impact, rear impact, rollover, or
lower severity frontal collision. Also,
the front passenger air bag will not in-
flate if the passenger air bag status
light is lit. See “Front passenger air bag
and status light” later in this section.
Always wear your seat belts to help
reduce the risk or severity of injury in
various kinds of accidents.cThe seat belts and the supplemental
front air bags are most effective when
you are sitting well back and upright in
the seat. The front air bags inflate with
great force. Even with the NISSAN ad-
vanced air bag system, if you are unre-
strained, leaning forward, sitting side-
ways 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 supplemental
front air bag if you are up against it
when it inflates. Always sit back againstthe seatback and as far away as practi-
cal from the steering wheel or instru-
ment panel. Always use the seat belts.
cThe driver and front passenger seat belt
buckles are equipped with sensors that
detect if the seat belts are fastened. The
advanced air bag system monitors the
severity of a collision and seat belt us-
age then inflates the air bags. Failure to
properly wear seat belts can increase
the risk or severity of injury in an
accident.
cThe front passenger seat is equipped
with an occupant classification sensor
(weight sensor) that turns the front pas-
senger air bag OFF under some condi-
tions. This sensor is only used in this
seat. Failure to be properly seated and
wearing the seat belt can increase the
risk or severity of injury in an accident.
See “Front Passenger air bag and sta-
tus light” later in this section.
cKeep hands on the outside of the steer-
ing wheel. Placing them inside the
steering wheel rim could increase the
risk that they are injured when the
supplemental front air bag inflates.
WRS0031
1-36Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system
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1. SRS curtain side-impact air bag mod-
ules
2. SRS curtain side-impact air bags
3. Supplemental side air bag modules
4. Diagnosis sensor unit
5. Supplemental front air bag modules6. Crash zone sensor
7. Occupant classification system control
unit
8. Seat belt buckle switches for driver’s
and passenger’s side
9. Occupant classification sensor10. Seat belt pre-tensioner retractor
11. Side satellite sensor
NISSAN Advanced Air Bag System
(front seats)
This vehicle is equipped with the NISSAN ad-
vanced air bag system for the driver and front
passenger seats. This system is designed to
meet certification requirements under U.S. regu-
lations. It is also permitted in Canada.However,
all of the information, cautions and warn-
ings in this manual still apply and must be
followed.
The driver supplemental front air bag is located in
the center of the steering wheel. The passenger
supplemental front air bag is mounted in the
dashboard above the glove box. The supplemen-
tal front air bags are designed to inflate in higher
severity frontal collisions, although they may in-
flate 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 front air bag
system operation.
The NISSAN advanced air bag system has dual
stage inflators. It also monitors information from
the crash zone sensor, the diagnosis sensor unit,
seat belt buckle sensors, occupant classification
sensor (weight sensor) and passenger seat belt
WRS0466
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tension sensor. Inflator operation is based on the
severity of a collision and seat belt usage for the
driver. For the front passenger, it additionally
monitors the weight of an occupant or object on
the seat and seat belt tension. Based on informa-
tion from the sensors, only one front air bag may
inflate in a crash, depending on the crash severity
and whether the front occupants are belted or
unbelted. Additionally, the front passenger air
bag may be automatically turned OFF under
some conditions, depending on the weight de-
tected on the passenger seat and how the seat
belt is used. If the front passenger air bag is OFF,
the passenger air bag status light will be illumi-
nated. See “Front passenger air bag and status
light” later in this section for further details. One
front air bag inflating does not indicate improper
performance of the system.
If you have any questions about your air bag
system, please contact NISSAN or your NISSAN
dealer. If you are considering modification of your
vehicle due to a disability, you may also contact
NISSAN. Contact information is contained in the
front of this Owner’s Manual.
When a supplemental front air bag inflates, a
fairly loud noise may be heard, followed by the
release of smoke. This smoke is not harmful and
does not indicate a fire. Care should be taken to
not inhale it, as it may cause irritation and chok-ing. Those with a history of a breathing condition
should get fresh air promptly.
Supplemental front air bags, along with the use of
seat belts, help to cushion the impact force on
the face and chest of the front occupants. They
can help save lives and reduce serious injuries.
However, an inflating front air bag may cause
facial abrasions or other injuries. Front air bags
do not provide restraint to the lower body.
Even with NISSAN advanced air bags, seat belts
should be correctly worn and the driver and pas-
senger seated upright as far as practical away
from the steering wheel or instrument panel. The
supplemental front air bags inflate quickly in order
to help protect the front occupants. Because of
this, the force of the front air bag inflating can
increase the risk of injury if the occupant is too
close to, or is against, the front air bag module
during inflation.
The front air bags deflate quickly after a collision.
The supplemental front air bags operate
only when the ignition switch is in the ON
or START position.
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.Front passenger air bag and status light
WARNING
The front passenger air bag is designed to
automatically turn OFF under some con-
ditions. Read this section carefully to
learn how it operates. Proper use of the
seat, seat belt and child restraints is nec-
essary for most effective protection. Fail-
ure to follow all instructions in this
manual concerning the use of seats, seat
belts and child restraints can increase the
risk or severity of injury in an accident.
LRS0316
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Status light
The front passenger air bag status light
is
located on the dash next to the security light near
the windshield. The light operates as follows:
cUnoccupied passenger seat or when other
conditions are met as outlined in this sec-
tion: The
illuminates to indicate that
the front passenger air bag is OFF and will
not inflate in a crash.
cOccupied passenger seat and the passen-
ger meets the conditions outlined in this
section: The light
is OFF to indicate
that the front passenger air bag is opera-
tional.
Front passenger air bag
The front passenger air bag is designed to auto-
matically 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 is 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 requiring the air bag to be auto-
matically turned OFF. Certain sensors are used
to meet the requirements.One sensor used is the occupant classification
sensor (weight sensor) . It is in the bottom of the
front passenger seat cushion and is designed to
detect an occupant and objects on the seat by
weight. It works together with seat belt sensors
described later. For example, if a child is in the
front passenger seat, the advanced air bag sys-
tem is designed to turn the passenger air bag
OFF in accordance with the regulations. Also, if a
child restraint of the type specified in the regula-
tions is on the seat, its weight and the child’s
weight can be detected and cause the air bag to
turn OFF. Weight sensor operation can vary de-
pending on the front passenger seat belt sen-
sors.
The front passenger seat belt sensors are de-
signed to detect if the seat belt is buckled and the
amount of tension on the seat belt, such as when
it is in the automatic locking mode (child restraint
mode) . Based on the weight on the seat detected
by the weight sensor and the belt tension de-
tected on the seat belt, the advanced air bag
system determines whether the front passenger
air bag should be automatically turned OFF as
required by the regulations.
Front passenger seat adult occupants who are
properly seated and using the seat belt as out-
lined in this manual should not cause the passen-
ger air bag to be automatically turned OFF. For
small adults it may be turned OFF. Also, if theoccupant takes his/her weight off the seat cush-
ion (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 sensor to turn
the air bag OFF. In addition, if the occupant
improperly uses the seat belt in the automatic
locking mode (child restraint mode) , this could
cause the air bag to be turned 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 chil-
dren be properly restrained in a rear seat.
NISSAN also recommends that appropriate child
restraints and booster seats be properly installed
in a rear seat. If this is not possible, the weight
sensor and seat belt sensors are designed to
operate as described above to turn the front
passenger air bag OFF for specified child re-
straints as required by the regulations. Failing to
properly secure child restraints and to use the
automatic locking mode (child restraint mode)
may allow the restraint to tip or move in an acci-
dent or sudden stop. This can also result in the
passenger air bag inflating in a crash instead of
being OFF. See “Child restraints” earlier in this
section for proper use and installation.
If the front passenger seat is not occupied and
the seat belt is not buckled, the passenger air bag
is designed not to inflate in a crash. However,
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heavy objects placed on the seat could result in
air bag inflation, because of the object’s weight
detected by the weight sensor. Other conditions
could also result in air bag inflation, such as if a
child is standing on the seat, or if two children are
on the seat, contrary to the instructions in this
manual. Always be sure that you and all vehicle
occupants are seated and restrained properly.
Using the passenger air bag status light, you can
monitor when the front passenger air bag is au-
tomatically turned OFF. The light will illuminate
(indicating the air bag is OFF and will not inflate)
when the front passenger seat is not occupied.
If an adult occupant is in the seat and the pas-
senger air bag status light is illuminated (indicat-
ing that the air bag is OFF) , it could be that the
person is a small adult, or is not sitting on the seat
or not using the seat belt properly. If a child
restraint must be used in the front seat, but the
status light is not lit (indicating that the air bag
might inflate in a crash) , it could be that the child
restraint or seat belt is not being used properly. If
such situations happen, properly position and
restrain the occupant or child restraint. Other-
wise reposition the occupant or child restraint in
a rear seat.
If a malfunction occurs in the front passenger air
bag system, the supplemental air bag warning
light
, located in the meter and gauges areain the center of the instrument panel, will blink.
Have the system checked by a NISSAN dealer.
Other supplemental front air bag precau-
tions
WARNING
cDo 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 steering
wheel or instrument panel. Such ob-
jects may become dangerous projec-
tiles and cause injury if the supplemen-
tal front air bag inflates.
cImmediately after inflation, several
front air bag system components will be
hot. Do not touch them; you may se-
verely burn yourself.
cNo unauthorized changes should be
made to any components or wiring of
the supplemental air bag system. This is
to prevent accidental inflation of the
supplemental air bag or damage to the
supplemental air bag system.cDo not make unauthorized changes to
your vehicle’s electrical system, sus-
pension system or front end structure.
This could affect proper operation of
the supplemental front air bag system.
cTampering with the supplemental front
air bag system may result in serious
personal injury. Tampering includes
changes to the steering wheel and the
instrument panel assembly by placing
material over the steering wheel pad
and above the instrument panel or by
installing additional trim material
around the air bag system.
cModifying or tampering with the front
passenger seat may result in serious
personal injury. For example, do not
change the front seats by placing mate-
rial on the seat cushion or by installing
additional trim material, such as seat
covers, on the seat that are not specifi-
cally designed to assure proper air bag
operation. Additionally, do not stow any
objects under the front passenger seat
or the seat cushion and seatback. Such
objects may interfere with the proper
operation of the occupant classifica-
tion system (weight sensor) .
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If you have a flat tire, see the “In case of
emergency” section of this manual.
TIRE PRESSURE
Tire inflation pressure
Check the tire pressures (including the spare)
often and always prior to long distance trips. The
recommended tire pressure specifications are
shown on the Tire and Loading Information label
under the9Recommended Cold Tire Inflation
Pressure9heading. The Tire and Loading Infor-
mation label is affixed to the driver side center
pillar. Tire pressures should be checked regularly
because:
cMost tires naturally lose air over time.
cTires can lose air suddenly when driven over
potholes or other objects or if the vehicle
strikes a curb while parking.
The tire pressures should be checked when the
tires are cold. The tires are considered COLD
after the vehicle has been parked for 3 or more
hours, or driven less than 1 mile (1.6 km) at
moderate speeds.
If the tires are used at speeds above 100 mph
(162 km/h) where it is legal to do so (on a race
track for example) , the cold tire inflation pressure
must be increased. Refer to9Checking tire pres-
sure9later in this section.Set the tire pressure to the normal cold tire infla-
tion pressure when the vehicle speed or load is
reduced.
Incorrect tire pressure, including under in-
flation, may adversely affect tire life and
vehicle handling.
WARNING
cImproperly inflated tires can fail sud-
denly and cause an accident.
cThe vehicle weight capacity is indicated
on the Tire and Loading Information
label. Do not load your vehicle beyond
this capacity. Overloading your vehicle
may result in reduced tire life, unsafe
operating conditions due to premature
tire failure, or unfavorable handling
characteristics and could also lead to a
serious accident. Loading beyond the
specified capacity may also result in
failure of other vehicle components.
cBefore taking a long trip, or whenever
you heavily load your vehicle, use a tire
pressure gauge to ensure that the tire
pressures are at the specified level.cIncrease the cold tire inflation pressure
as indicated in(Checking tire pressure(
later in this section when using the tires
specified by NISSAN above 100 MPH
(162 km/h) where it is legal to do so (on
a race track for example) . Failure to
increase the cold tire inflation pressure
may result in tire failure, loss of control
and possible injury. After such use, re-
adjust tire pressure.
cDo not drive your vehicle over 85 MPH
(137 km/h) unless it is equipped with
high speed rated tires. Driving faster
than 85 MPH (137 km/h) may result in
tire failure, loss of control and possible
injury.
cFor additional information regarding
tires, refer to “Important Tire Safety In-
formation” (US) or “Tire Safety Informa-
tion” (Canada) in the Warranty Informa-
tion Booklet.
WHEELS AND TIRES
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-31
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