child seat NISSAN SENTRA 1998 B14 / 4.G Owners Manual

Foreword
Welcome 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 understand 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 Warranty Information and Maintenance Log Booklet explains details about the warranties covering your vehicle and
vehicle maintenance schedules. Additionally, a separate Customer Care/Lemon Law Booklet 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 dealership knows your vehicle best. When you require any service or have any questions, they will be glad to assist you with
the extensive resources available to them.
WARNING
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
REMINDERS FOR SAFETY!
Follow these important driving rules to help ensure a safe and
complete trip for you and your passengers!
cNEVER drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
cALWAYS observe posted speed limits and never drive too
fast for conditions.
c
ALWAYS use your seat belts and appropriate child restraint
systems. Pre-teen children should be seated in the rear seat.
cALWAYS provide information about the proper use of
vehicle safety features to all occupants of the vehicle.
cALWAYS review this Owner's Manual for important safety
information.
1997 NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA
All rights reserved. No part of this Owner's Manual may be reproduced
or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise,
without the prior written permission of Nissan North America, Inc.
NOTES ON THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN
THIS OWNER'S MANUAL
This Owner's Manual contains descriptions and operating in-
structions for all systems, features and optional equipment that
might appear in any model of this vehicle built for any destina-
tion in North America, including the continental United States,
Canada and Hawaii. Therefore, you may find information in this
manual that does not apply to your vehicle.
MODIFICATION OF YOUR VEHICLE
This vehicle should not be modified. Modification could affect
its performance, safety or durability, and may even violate
governmental regulations. In addition, damage or perfor-
mance problems resulting from modifications may not be
covered under NISSAN warranties.
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 without notice and without obligation.
The inside pages of this manual contain
a minimum of 50% recycled fibers,
including 10% post-consumer fibers.

1 Seats, restraints and supplemental air
bag systems
Front seats .............................................................1-2
Seat adjustment .....................................................1-2
Tilting front seat (Two-door model) ........................1-4
Head restraints .......................................................1-4
Rear seat ................................................................1-5
Supplemental restraint system (air bag
system) ...................................................................1-5
Supplemental air bag system.................................1-9
Warning labels......................................................1-11
Supplemental air bag warning light......................1-11
Seat belts .............................................................1-13Precautions on seat belt usage ...........................1-13
Child safety...........................................................1-15
Pregnant women ..................................................1-15
Injured persons ....................................................1-15
Three-point type with retractor .............................1-16
Two-point type without retractor (rear center
lap belt).................................................................1-18
Seat belt extenders ..............................................1-20
Seat belt maintenance .........................................1-20
Child restraints .....................................................1-21
Top strap child restraint .......................................1-29
ZX

WARNING
cNever let children ride unrestrained.
Do not attempt to hold them in your
lap or arms. Some examples of dan-
gerous riding positions are shown in
the previous illustrations.
cChildren may be severely injured or
killed when the supplemental air bag
inflates if they are not properly re-
strained.
cAlso, never install a rear-facing child
restraint in the front seat. An inflat-
ing supplemental air bag could seri-
ously injure or kill your child. See
``Child Restraints'' for details.
ARS1043
ARS1044
ARS1045
ARS1046
1-8Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems
ZX

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 states and all Canadian provinces
or 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.
cThe belt should be properly adjusted
to a snug fit. Failure to do so may
reduce the effectiveness of the en-
tire restraint system and increase
the chances or severity of injury in
an accident. 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 as pos-
sible AROUND THE HIPS, NOT THE
WAIST. A lap belt worn too high
could increase the risk of internal
injuries in an accident.
cBe sure the seat belt tongue is se-
curely fastened to the proper buckle.
ARS1048ARS1047ARS1050
SEAT BELTS
Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems1-13
ZX

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 one year
and less than 20 pounds) should be placed in
rear facing child restraints. Front facing child
restraints are available for children who out-
grow 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
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.
Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems
1-15
ZX

4. Pull the shoulder belt portion toward the
retractor to take up extra slack.
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 automatic locking mode is acti-
vated, the seat belt cannot be withdrawn
again until the seat belt tongue is detached
from the buckle and fully retracted. Once
retracted, the seat belt is in the emergency
locking mode. For additional information,
see ``Child Restraints'' 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 automatic locking mode should
not be activated. If it is activated it may
cause uncomfortable seat belt tension.
Unfastening the seat belts
To unfasten the belt, press the button on the
buckle. The seat belt automatically retracts.
Checking seat belt operation
(Three-point type seat belt with re-
tractor)
Your seat belt retractors are designed to lock
belt movement by two separate methods:
1) When the belt is pulled quickly from the
retractor.
2) When the vehicle slows down rapidly.
To increase your confidence in the belts,
check the operation as follows:
cGrasp the shoulder belt and pull forward
quickly. The retractor should lock and
restrict further belt movement.
If the retractor does not lock during this check
or if you have any question about belt opera-
tion, see an authorized NISSAN dealer.
Shoulder belt height adjustment
(for front seats, four-door only)
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, press both release
buttons 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 buttons to lock the shoulder belt anchor
into position.
ARS1053APD0617
Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems1-17
ZX

WARNING
cInfants and small children should
always be placed in an appropriate
child restraint while riding in the ve-
hicle. Failure to use a child restraint
can result in serious injury or death.
cInfants and small children should
never be carried on your lap. It is not
possible for even the strongest adult
to resist the forces of a severe acci-
dent. The child could be crushed
between the adult and parts of the
vehicle. Also, do not put the same
seat belt around both your child and
yourself.
c
Never install a rear-facing child re-
straint in the front seat. An inflating air
bag could seriously injure or kill your
child. A rear-facing child restraint
must be used only in the rear seat.
cNISSAN recommends that the child
restraint system be installed in the
rear seat. According to accident sta-
tistics, children are safer when prop-
erly restrained in the rear seat than
in the front seat.cAn improperly installed child re-
straint could lead to serious injury or
death in an accident.
cIn general, child restraints are de-
signed to be installed with a lap belt
or the lap portion of a three-point
type seat belt.
Child restraints for infants and children of
various sizes are offered by several manu-
facturers. When selecting any child re-
straint, 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 Stan-
dard 213.
cCheck the child restraint in your vehicle
to be sure it is compatible with the
vehicle's seat and seat belt system.
Choose the child restraint that meets the
guidelines of Society of Automotive En-
gineers recommended practice J1819
for child seat installation.
cIf the child restraint is compatible with
your vehicle, place your child in the child
restraint and check the various adjust-ments to be sure the child restraint is
compatible with your child. Always fol-
low all recommended procedures.
All U.S. States and Canadian provinces
require that infants and small children be
restrained in approved child restraints at
all times while the vehicle is being oper-
ated.
WARNING
cImproper use of a child restraint can
result in increased injuries for both
the infant or child and other occu-
pants in the vehicle.
cFollow all of the child restraint
manufacturer's instructions for in-
stallation and use. When purchasing
a child restraint, 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
injured in a collision or a sudden
stop greatly increases.
CHILD RESTRAINTS
Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems1-21
ZX

cAdjustable seatbacks should be po-
sitioned to fit the child restraint, but
as upright as possible.
c
After attaching the child restraint,
test it before you place the child in it.
Tilt it from side to side. Try to tug it
forward and check to see if the belt
holds the restraint in place. If the
restraint is not secure, tighten the
belt as necessary, or put the restraint
in another seat and test it again.
cFor a front-facing child restraint, if
the seat position where it is installed
has a Three-point type lap/shoulder
belt, check to make sure the shoul-
der belt does not go in front of the
child's face or neck. If it does, put
the shoulder belt behind the child
restraint. If you must install a front-
facing child restraint in the front
seat, see ``Installation on front pas-
senger seat'' later in this section for
details.
c
When your child restraint is not in
use, keep it secured with a seat belt to
prevent 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.
Front Facing Installation on rear seat
Center lap belt
When you install a child restraint in a rear
center seat, follow these steps:
1. Position the child restraint on the seat, as
illustrated. Always follow the restraint
manufacturer's instructions.
ARS1059
1-22Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems
ZX

2. Route the seat belt tongue through the
child restraint and insert it into the buckle
until you hear and feel the latch engage.
Be sure to follow the restraint manufac-
turer's instructions for belt routing.3. Remove all slack in the lap belt for a very
tight fit by pulling forcefully on the lap belt
adjustment.4. Before placing the child in the child re-
straint, use force to tilt the child restraint
from side to side, and tug it forward to
make sure it is securely held in place.
5. If it is not secure, try to tighten the belt
again, or put the restraint in another seat.
6. Check to make sure the child restraint is
properly secured prior to each use.
ARS1060ARS1061ARS1062
Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems1-23
ZX

Rear Facing Installation on rear seat
Center lap belt
When you install a child restraint in a rear
center seat, follow these steps:
1. Position the child restraint on the seat, as
illustrated. Always follow the restraint
manufacturer's instructions.2. Route the seat belt tongue through the
child restraint and insert it into the buckle
until you hear and feel the latch engage.
Be sure to follow the restraint manufac-
turer's instructions for belt routing.3. Remove all slack in the lap belt for a very
tight fit by pulling forcefully on the lap belt
adjustment.
ARS1063ARS1064ARS1065
1-24Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems
ZX