NISSAN PATHFINDER 1998 R50 / 2.G Owner's Manual

The seat belts should be correctly worn and
the driver and passenger seated upright as far
as practical away from the steering wheel or
dashboard. Since the supplemental air bag
inflates quickly in order to help protect the
occupant, the force of the supplemental air
bag inflating can increase the risk of injury if
the occupant is too close to or is against the
supplemental air bag module during inflation.
The supplemental air bag will deflate quickly
after a collision.
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.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 air bag inflates.
IRight after inflation, several supple-mental 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 of
the supplemental air bag system.
This is to prevent accidental inflation
of the supplemental air bag or dam-
age to the supplemental air bag sys-
tem.
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 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 dashboard,
or by installing additional trim mate-
rial around the supplemental air bag
system.IWork around and on the supplemen-
tal air bag system should be done by
an authorized NISSAN dealer. Instal-
lation of electrical equipment should
also be done by an authorized
NISSAN dealer. The SRS wiring har-
nesses* should not be modified or
disconnected. Unauthorized electri-
cal test equipment and probing de-
vices should not be used on the
supplemental air bag system.
* The SRS wiring harnesses are cov-
ered with yellow insulation either just
before the harness connectors or
over the complete harness for easy
identification.
When selling your vehicle, we request that you
inform the buyer about the supplemental air
bag system and guide the buyer to the appro-
priate sections in this Owner's Manual.
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SUPPLEMENTAL AIR BAG
WARNING LABELSWarning labels about the supplemental air bag
system are placed in the vehicle.
SUPPLEMENTAL AIR BAG
WARNING LIGHTThe supplemental air bag light, displaying AIR
BAG in the instrument panel, monitors the
circuits of the supplemental air bag. The cir-
cuits monitored by the supplemental air bag
light are the diagnosis sensor unit, supplemen-
tal air bag modules and all related wiring.
After turning the ignition key to the ON posi-
tion, the air bag warning light illuminates. The
supplemental air bag warning light will turn off
after about 7 seconds if the system is opera-
tional.
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If any of the following conditions occurs, the
supplemental air bag needs servicing.
1. The supplemental air bag light does not
come on and remain on for 7 seconds and
then go off as described above.
2. The supplemental air bag light flashes in-
termittently or remains on (after 7 seconds).
3. The supplemental air bag light does not
come on at all.
Under these conditions, the Supplemental Re-
straint System Air Bag may not operate prop-
erly. It must be checked and repaired. Take
your vehicle to the nearest authorized NISSAN
dealer.If the supplemental air bag warning light
is on, it could mean that the supplemen-
tal air bag system will not operate in an
accident.
Repair and replacement procedureThe supplemental air bag system is designed
to inflate on a one-time-only basis. As a re-
minder, unless it is damaged, the supplemen-
tal air bag light will remain illuminated after
inflation has occurred. Repair and replace-
ment of the supplemental air bag system
should be done only by authorized NISSAN
dealers.
To ensure long-term functioning, the sys-
tem must be inspected 10 years after the
date of manufacture noted on the certifica-
tion label located on the driver side center
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 igni-
tion key should always be in the LOCK position
when working under the hood or inside the
vehicle.IOnce the supplemental air bag has
inflated, the supplemental air bag
module will not function again and
must be replaced. The supplementalair bag module should be replaced by
an authorized NISSAN dealer. The
supplemental air bag module cannot
be repaired.
IThe supplemental air bag system
should be inspected by an authorized
NISSAN dealer if there is any damage
to the front end portion of the vehicle.
IIf you need to dispose of a supple-
mental air bag or scrap the vehicle,
contact an authorized NISSAN dealer.
Correct supplemental air bag dis-
posal procedures are set forth in the
appropriate NISSAN Service Manual.
Incorrect disposal procedures could
cause personal injury.
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PRECAUTIONS ON SEAT BELT
USAGEYour chances of being injured or killed in an
accident and/or the severity of injury may be
greatly reduced if you are wearing your seat
belt and it is properly adjusted. NISSAN
strongly encourages you and all of your pas-
sengers to buckle up every time you drive,
even if your seating position includes a supple-
mental air bag.
Most states, provinces or territories require
that seat belts be worn at all times when a
vehicle is being driven.IEvery person who drives or rides in
this vehicle should use a seat belt at
all times. Children should be properly
restrained and, if appropriate, in a
child restraint.
IThe 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
accident. Serious injury or death can
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SEAT BELTS
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occur if the seat belt is not worn
properly.
IAlways 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.
IPosition 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 accident.
IBe sure the seat belt tongue is se-
curely fastened to the proper buckle.
IDo not wear the belt inside out or
twisted. Doing so may reduce its ef-
fectiveness.
IDo not allow more than one person to
use the same belt.
INever carry more people in the ve-
hicle than there are seat belts.
IIf the seat belt warning light glows
continuously while the ignition isturned ON with all doors closed and
all seat belts fastened, it may indicate
a malfunction in the system. Have the
system checked by your NISSAN
dealer.
IAll seat belt assemblies including re-
tractors and attaching hardware
should be inspected after any colli-
sion by your NISSAN dealer. NISSAN
recommends that all seat belt assem-
blies in use during a collision be
replaced unless the collision was mi-
nor and the belts show no damage
and continue to operate properly.
Seat belt assemblies not in use dur-
ing a collision should also be in-
spected and replaced if either dam-
age or improper operation is noted.
CHILD SAFETYChildren 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 lb (9 kg)) should be placed in rear
facing child restraints. Front facing child re-
straints are available for children who outgrowrear facing child restraints.
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 improperly
fitting seat belt could cause serious or
fatal injury. Always use appropriate
child restraints.All US states and provinces of Canada require
the use of approved child restraints for infants
and small children. (See ªChild restraints for
infants and small childrenº 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-
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hicle has a Supplemental Restraint System
(Air Bag System) for the front passenger
(See ªSupplemental Restraint Systemº ear-
lier in this section for precaution).Infants and small childrenNISSAN recommends that infants and small
children be placed in child restraints that com-
ply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Stan-
dards or Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Stan-
dards. You should choose a child restraint that
fits your vehicle and always follow the manu-
facturer's instructions for installation and use.Larger childrenChildren who are too large for child restraints
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 available) may
help overcome this. The booster seat should
raise the child so that the shoulder 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 Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards. Once the child has grown so theshoulder belt is no longer on or near the face
and neck, use the shoulder belt without the
booster seat.
Never let a child stand or kneel on any
seat and do not allow a child in the cargo
areas while the vehicle is moving. The
child could be seriously injured or killed
in an accident.PREGNANT WOMENNISSAN recommends that pregnant women
use seat belts. Contact your doctor for specific
recommendations. The lap belt should be
worn snug and positioned as low as possible
around the hips, not the waist.INJURED PERSONSNISSAN recommends that injured persons
use seat belts, depending on the injury. Check
with your doctor for specific recommendations.
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THREE-POINT TYPE SEAT BELT
WITH RETRACTORIEvery person who drives or rides in
this vehicle should use a seat belt at
all times.
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 inju-
ries.
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.
Fastening the seat belts1. Adjust the seat.2. Slowly pull the seat belt out of the retractor
and insert the tongue into the buckle until it
snaps.
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.
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.
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The front seat 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 the cinching mechanism is activated the
seat belt cannot be withdrawn again until the
seat belt tongue is detached from the buckle
and fully retracted. For additional information,
see ªChild Restraint Systems for Infants and
Small Childrenº later in this section.
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 acti-
vated. If it is activated it may cause uncom-
fortable seat belt tension.
Unfastening the seat beltsTo unfasten the belt, press the button on the
buckle. The seat belt will automatically retract.Checking seat belt operationYour seat belt retractors are designed to lock
belt movement by two separate methods:
IWhen the belt is pulled quickly from the
retractor.
IWhen the vehicle slows down rapidly.
You can check the operation as follows:
IGrasp the shoulder belt and pull quickly
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forward. The retractor should lock and re-
strict further belt movement.
If the retractor does not lock during this check
or if you have any question about belt opera-
tion, see your NISSAN dealer.
Shoulder belt height adjustment (for
front seats)The shoulder belt anchor height should be
adjusted to the position best suited for you
(see ªPrecautions on Seat Belt Usageº earlier
in this section). To adjust, squeeze the release
buttons, then move the shoulder belt anchor to
the desired position so that the belt passes
over the shoulder. Release the adjustment
buttons to lock the shoulder belt anchor into
position.
IAfter adjustment, release the button
and try to move the shoulder belt
anchor up and down to make sure it
securely fixed in position.
IThe shoulder belt anchor height
should be adjusted to the position
best for you.
Failure to do so may reduce the effec-
tiveness of the entire restraint system
and increase the chance or severity
of injury in an accident.
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Seat belt hookWhen the rear seat belt is not in use, hook it at
the belt hook.
TWO-POINT TYPE SEAT BELT
WITHOUT RETRACTOR (Center of
rear seat)
Selecting correct set of seat beltsThe center seat belt buckle and tongue are
identified by the CENTER mark. The center
seat belt tongue can be fastened only into the
center seat belt buckle.
Fastening the seat belts1. Insert the tongue into the buckle marked
CENTER until it snaps.
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