Nissan Altima 1999 Owner's 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.

READ FIRST — THEN DRIVE SAFELY
Before driving your vehicle please read this

owner’s manual carefully. This will ensure
familiarity with controls and maintenance
requirements, assisting you in the safe op­eration of your vehicle.

WARNING

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
REMINDERS FOR SAFETY!

Follow these important rules to help
ensure a safe and complete trip for you
and your passengers!

● NEVER drive under the influence of
alcohol or drugs.

● ALWAYS observe posted speed lim­its and never drive too fast for con­ditions.

●

ALWAYS use your seat belts and
appropriate child restraint systems.
Pre-teen children should be seated
in the rear seat.

● ALWAYS provide information about
the proper use of vehicle safety fea­tures to all occupants of the vehicle.

●

ALWAYS review this Owner’s Manual
for important safety information.

The insidepages of this manual contain
a minimum of 50% recycled fibers,
including 10% post-consumer fibers.

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 performance
problems resulting from modifications
may not be covered under NISSAN
warranties.

WHEN READING THE MANUAL
This 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 thismanualarethoseineffectatthe
time of printing. NISSAN reserves the right
to change specifications or design without
notice and without obligation.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT
THIS MANUAL

You will see various symbols in this manual.
They are used in the following ways:

WARNING

This is used to indicate the presence of
a hazard that could cause death or
serious personal injury. To avoid or
reduce the risk, the procedures must
be followed precisely.

The inside pages of this manual contain
a minimum of 50% recycled fibers,
including 10% post-consumer fibers.

CAUTION

This is used to indicate the presence of
a hazard that could cause minor or
moderate personal injury or damage to
your vehicle. To avoid or reduce the
risk, the procedures must be followed
carefully.

APD1005

If you see this symbol, it means ‘‘Do not do
this’’ or ‘‘Do not let this happen.’’

© 1998 NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.

GARDENA, 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., Gardena, California.

Welcome To The World Of NISSAN

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 successful 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
textile machinery, forklift trucks, marine engines,
boats and other products.

NISSAN has made a substantial and growing
investment in North America, starting with the
opening of Nissan Motor Corporation U.S.A. in
1960 and continuing with the production of some
cars and trucks at one of the world’s most

modern manufacturing facilities, Nissan Motor
Manufacturing Corporation U.S.A. in Smyrna,
Tennessee, vehicle styling at Nissan Design
International in San Diego, California, and engi­neering at Nissan Research and Development in
Farmington Hills, Michigan.

NISSAN and its dealers indirectly employ about
60,000 Americans.

NISSAN is also a substantial contributor to the
Canadian economy. Nissan Canada Inc., its sup­pliers 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 materials and services
ranging from the operation of port facilities and
transportation services, to the supply of lubri­cants, parts and accessories.

AFW0001

NISSAN pioneered the use of electronics and
computers in automobiles, and has led the indus­try in improving both performance and fuel effi­ciency 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 — 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
toyourdealerformaintenance,theservicetechni­cian 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
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 — a product that we can be
proud to build and you can be proud to own.

NISSAN CUSTOMER CARE PROGRAM

NISSAN CARES ...

Both NISSAN and your NISSAN dealer are dedicated to serving all your automotive needs. Your satisfaction with your vehicle and your
NISSAN dealer are our primary concerns. Your NISSAN dealer is always available to assist you with all your automobile sales and service
needs.

However, if there is something that your
NISSAN dealer cannot assist you with or
you would like to provide NISSAN directly
with comments or questions, please con­tact the NISSAN Consumer Affairs Depart­ment using our toll-free number:

For U.S. mainland customers

1-800-NISSAN-1
(1-800-647-7261)

For Hawaii customers

[phone] (Oahu Number)

For Canada customers

1-800-387-0122

We appreciate your interest in NISSAN and thank you for buying a quality NISSAN vehicle.

The Consumer Affairs Department will ask
for the following information:

— Your name, address, and telephone

number

— Vehicle identification number (on dash-

board)
— Date of purchase
— Current odometer reading
— Your NISSAN dealer’s name
— Your comments or questions
OR
You can write to NISSAN with the informa-

tion on the left at:

For U.S. mainland and Alaska customers

Nissan North America, Inc.
Consumer Affairs Department
P.O. Box 191
Gardena, California 90248-0191

For Hawaii customers

Nissan Motor Corporation in Hawaii
2880 Kilihau St.
Honolulu, Hawaii 96819

For Canada customers

Nissan Canada Inc.
5290 Orbitor Drive
Mississauga, Ontario L4W 4Z5

Table of

Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems

1

Contents

Instruments and controls
Pre-driving checks and adjustments
Heater, air conditioner and audio systems
Starting and driving
In case of emergency
Appearance and care
Do-it-yourself
Maintenance
Technical and consumer information
Index

2
3
4
5
6
7
8

9
10
11

1 Seats, restraints and supplemental air
bag systems

Front seats .............................................................1-2

Seat adjustment .....................................................1-3

Head restraints.......................................................1-6

Rear seat................................................................1-7

Supplemental restraint system (air bag

system)...................................................................1-9

Supplemental air bag system...............................1-12

Warning labels......................................................1-14

Supplemental air bag warning light......................1-14

Seat belts .............................................................1-16

Precautions on seat belt usage ...........................1-16

Child safety...........................................................1-18

Pregnant women..................................................1-18

Injured persons ....................................................1-18

Three-point type with retractor.............................1-19

Two-point type without retractor (rear center

lap belt).................................................................1-22

Seat belt extenders..............................................1-24

Seat belt maintenance .........................................1-24

Child restraints .....................................................1-24

Top strap child restraint .......................................1-33

FRONT SEATS

ARS1131

WARNING

● Do 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
receive neck or other serious inju­ries. You could also slide under the
lap belt and receive serious internal
injuries.

● For 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
properly. See ‘‘Precautions on Seat
Belt Usage’’ later in this chapter.

1-2 Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems

SEAT ADJUSTMENT
Manual

WARNING

● Do not adjust the driver’s seat while
driving. The seat may move sud­denly and could cause loss of con­trol of the vehicle.

● After adjustment, gently rock in the
seat to make sure it is securely
locked.

ARS1222 ARS1223

Forward and backward

Pull the lever up while you slide the seat
forward or backward to the desired position.
Release the lever to lock the seat in posi­tion.

Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems 1-3

Reclining

To recline the seatback, pull the lever up
and lean back. To bring the seatback for­ward again, pull the lever and move your­body forward. The seatback moves forward.

ARS1019

Reclining

Move the recline switch backward until the
desired angle is obtained. To bring the
seatback forward again, move the switch
forward and move your body forward. The
seatback will move forward.

Power (if so equipped)

WARNING

●

Do not adjust the driver’s seat while
driving in order that full attention may
be given to the driving operation.

●

Do not leave children unattended in­side the vehicle. They could unknow­ingly activate switches or controls.
Unattended children could become
involved in serious accidents.

Operating Tips

● The motor has an auto-reset overload
protection circuit. If the motor stops dur­ing operation, wait 30 seconds, then re­activate the switch.

● Do not operate the power support seat
for a long period of time when the engine
is off. This will discharge the battery.

Forward and backward adjustment

Moving the switch forward or backward will
slide the seat forward or backward to the
desired position.

1-4 Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems

ARS1018 ARS1035

Seat lifter

Push the front or rear end of the switch up or
down to adjust the angle and height of the
seat cushion.

Lumbar support (If so equipped)

The lumbar support feature provides lower
back support to the driver. Move the lever
up or down to adjust the seat lumbar area.

Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems 1-5

PD1319 ARS1130

HEAD RESTRAINTS

To raise the head restraint, pull it up. To
lower, push the lock knob and push the
head restraint down.

WARNING

Head restraints should be adjusted
properly as they may provide significant
protection against injury in an accident.
Do not remove them. Check the adjust­ment after someone else uses the seat.

Adjust the head restraints so the top is level
with the tops of your ears.

1-6 Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems

REAR SEAT

● Closely supervise children when
they are around cars to prevent them
from playing and becoming locked
in the trunk where they could be
seriously injured. Keep the car
locked, with the rear seat back se­curely latched, when not in use, and
prevent children’s access to car
keys.

PD1177M

Interior trunk access
(if so equipped)

The trunk can be accessed from the rear
seat for loading and unloading, as shown.

WARNING

● Never allow anyone to ride in the
luggage area or on the rear seat
when it is in the fold-down position.
Use of these areas by passengers
without proper restraints could re­sult in serious injury in an accident
or sudden stop.

● Properly secure all cargo to help
prevent it from sliding or shifting. Do
not place cargo higher than the seat­backs. In a sudden stop or collision,
unsecured cargo could cause per­sonal injury.

● When returning seatbacks to the up­right position, be certain they are
completely secured in the latched
position. If they are not completely
secured in the latched position, pas­sengers may be injured in an acci­dent or sudden stop.

Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems 1-7

ARS1020

Center armrest (if so equipped)

Pull the armrest forward until it is horizontal.

1-8 Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems

SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT
SYSTEM (AIR BAG SYSTEM)

This Supplemental Restraint System section
contains important information concerning
the driver and passenger supplemental air
bags. The Supplemental Restraint System
Air Bag can help reduce impact force to the
driver and to the front passenger in certain
frontal collisions. The supplemental air bags
are designed to supplement the crash pro­tection provided by the driver and front pas­senger seat belts and are not a substitute
for them. The seat belts should always be
correctly worn and the driver and front pas­senger seated a suitable distance away from
the steering wheel and instrument panel.
(See ‘‘Seat belts’’ for instructions and precau­tions on seat belt usage later in this section.)

The supplemental air bags operate only
when the ignition switch is in the ON or
START position.

WARNING

● The supplemental air bags ordinarily
will not inflate in the event of a side
impact, rear impact, roll over, or
lower severity frontal collision. Al­ways wear your seat belts to help
reduce the risk or severity of injury
in various kinds of accidents.

●

The seat belts and the supplemental
air bags are most effective when you
are sitting back and upright in the
seat. Supplemental 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 and may also
receive serious or fatal injuries from
the supplemental air bag if you are up
against it when it inflates. Always sit
back against the seatback and as far

ARS1132

away as practical from the steering
wheel or instrument panel. Always
use the seatbelts.

● Keep 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 air bag inflates.

Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems 1-9

1-10 Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems

ARS1133

ARS1041

ARS1042

ARS1043

ARS1045

WARNING

● Never let children ride unrestrained.
Do not attempt to hold them in your
lap or arms. Some examples of dan­gerous riding positions are shown in
the previous illustrations.

● Children may be severely injured or
killed when the supplemental air bag
inflates if they are not properly re­strained.

● Never install a rear-facing child re­straint in the front seat. An inflating
supplemental air bag could seri­ously injure or kill your child. See
‘‘Child Restraints’’ later in this sec­tion for details.

ARS1044

ARS1046

Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems 1-11

SUPPLEMENTAL AIR BAG
SYSTEM

The 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 certification requirements under U.S.
regulations. They are also permitted in
Canada. The optional certification allows air
bags to be designed to inflate somewhat
less forcefully than previously. However, all

of the information, cautions and warn­ings in this manual still apply and must
be followed.

The supplemental air bag system is de-

1-12 Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems

signed to inflate in higher severity frontal
collisions, although it may inflate if the
forces in another type of collision are similar
to those of a higher severity frontal impact. It
may not inflate in certain frontal collisions.
Vehicle damage (or lack of it) is not always
an indication of proper supplemental air bag
system operation.

When the supplemental 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, but
care should be taken not to unintentionally
inhale it, as it may cause irritation and

APD0530

choking. Those with a history of breathing
trouble should get fresh air promptly.

The supplemental air bags, along with the
use of seat belts, help to cushion the impact
force on the face and chest of the occupant.
They can help save lives and reduce seri­ous injuries. However, an inflating supple­mental air bag may cause facial abrasions
or other injuries. Supplemental air bags do
not provide restraint to the lower body.

Seat belts should be correctly worn and the
driver and passenger seated upright as far
as practical away from the steering wheel or
instrument panel. Since the supplemental air
bags inflate quickly in order to help protect
the front occupants, 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 bags deflate quickly
after a collision.

The supplemental air bags operate only
when the ignition switch is in the ON or
START position.

WARNING

●

Do not place any objects on the steer­ing wheel pad or on the instrument
panel. Also, do not place any objects
between any occupant and the steer­ing wheel or instrument panel. Such
objects may become dangerous pro­jectiles and cause injury if the supple­mental air bag inflates.

● Right after inflation, several supple­mental air bag system components
will be hot. Do not touch them; you
may severely burn yourself.

●

No 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.

● Do 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.

Tampering 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 material around the
supplemental air bag system.

● Work around and on the supplemen­tal air bag system should be done by
an authorized NISSAN dealer. Instal­lation of electrical equipment should
also be done by an authorized NIS­SAN dealer. The yellow SRS wiring
should not be modified or discon­nected. Unauthorized electrical test
equipment and probing devices
should not be used on the supple­mental air bag system.

● The SRS wiring harnesses are cov­ered 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 appropriate sections in this owner’s
manual.

Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems

1-13

WARNING LABELS SUPPLEMENTAL AIR BAG

WARNING LIGHT

APD0513 APD0523

Warning labels about the supplemental air
bag system are placed in the vehicle as
shown in the illustration.

1-14 Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems

The supplemental air bag warning light,
displaying
monitors the circuits of the supplemental air
bag system. The circuits monitored by the
supplemental air bag warning light are the
diagnosis sensor unit, supplemental air bag
modules and all related wiring.

When the ignition key is in the ON or START
position, the supplemental air bag warning
light illuminates for about 7 seconds and
then turns off. This means the system is
operational.

in the instrument panel,

If any of the following conditions occur, the
supplemental air bag needs servicing:

1. The supplemental air bag warning light
does not come on and remain on for 7
seconds and then go off as described.

2. The supplemental air bag warning light
flashes intermittently or remains on.

3. The supplemental air bag warning light
does not come on at all.

Under these conditions, the supplemental
restraint system air bag may not operate
properly. It must be checked and repaired.
Take your vehicle to the nearest authorized
NISSAN dealer.

WARNING

If the supplemental air bag warning
light is on, it could mean that the
supplemental air bag system will not
operate in an accident.

Repair and replacement procedure

The supplemental air bag modules are de­signed to inflate on a one-time-only basis.
As a reminder, unless it is damaged, the
supplemental air bag light remains illumi-

nated after inflation has occurred. Repair
and replacement of the supplemental air
bag system should be done only by an
authorized NISSAN dealer.

To ensure long-term functioning, the
supplemental air bag system must be
inspected 10 years after the date of
manufacture as noted on the certifica­tion label located on the driver side front
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 ignition key should always be in the
LOCK position when working under the
hood or inside the vehicle.

WARNING

● Once the supplemental air bag in­flates, the supplemental air bag
module will not function again and
should be replaced by an authorized
NISSAN dealer. The supplemental air
bag module cannot be repaired.

Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems

● The 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.

● If you need to dispose of a supple­mental air bag or scrap the vehicle,
contact an authorized NISSAN
dealer. Correct supplemental air bag
disposal procedures are set forth in
the appropriate NISSAN Service
Manual. Incorrect disposal proce­dures could cause personal injury.

1-15

SEAT BELTS

ARS1134 ARS1049

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 U.S. states and all Canadian prov­inces and territories, require that seat belts
be worn at all times when a vehicle is being
driven.

1-16 Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems

● Every 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.

●

The 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 occur
if the seat belt is not worn properly.

WARNING

● Always 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.

● 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 accident.

ARS1047 ARS1050

All seat belt assemblies including

●

retractors and attaching hardware
should be inspected after any colli­sion by an authorized NISSAN
dealer. NISSAN recommends that all
seat belt assemblies in use during a
collision be replaced unless the col­lision was minor and the belts show
no damage and continue to operate
properly. Seat belt assemblies not in
use during a collision should also be
inspected and replaced if either dam­age or improper operation is noted.

● Be sure the seat belt tongue is se­curely fastened to the proper buckle.

● Do not wear the belt inside out or
twisted. Doing so may reduce its
effectiveness.

● Do not allow more than one person
to use the same belt.

● Never carry more people in the ve­hicle than there are seat belts.

● If the seat belt warning light glows
continuously while the ignition is
turned ON with all doors closed and
all seat belts fastened, it may indi­cate a malfunction in the system.
Have the system checked by an au­thorized NISSAN dealer.

Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems 1-17

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 1 year
and less than 20 pounds, (9 kg) should be
placed in rear facing child restraints. Forward
facing child restraints are available for chil­dren who outgrow rear facing child restraints.

WARNING

Infants and children need special pro­tection. 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 U.S. states and Canadian provinces or
territories 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 ve­hicle has a supplemental restraint system
(Air bag system) for the front passenger.
See ‘‘Supplemental restraint system’’ ear­lier 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 instruc­tions for installation and use.

Larger children

Children 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 shoul-

1-18 Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems

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 Mo­tor 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 mov­ing. The child could be seriously in­jured or killed in an accident.

PREGNANT WOMEN

NISSAN 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 PERSONS

NISSAN recommends that injured persons
use seat belts. Check with your doctor for
specific recommendations.

ARS1051 ARS1053 ARS1052

THREE-POINT TYPE WITH
RETRACTOR

WARNING

● Every person who drives or rides in
this vehicle should use a seat belt at
all times.

●

Do 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 re­ceive neck or other serious injuries.
You could also slide under the lap belt
and receive serious internal injuries.

● For 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.

Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems 1-19

Fastening the seat belt

1. Adjust the seat.

2. Slowly pull the seat belt out of the retrac­tor and insert the tongue into the buckle
until it clicks.

The retractor is designed to lock during
a sudden stop or on impact. A slow
pulling motion permits the seat belt to
move, and allows you some freedom of
movement in the seat.

tracted, the seat belt is in the emergency
locking mode. See ‘‘Child Restraints’’ later
in this section for more information.

The automatic locking mode should be
used only for child restraint installation.
During normal seat belt use by a passen­ger, the locking mode should not be
activated. If it is activated it may cause
uncomfortable seat belt tension.

ARS1077 ARS1054

3. Position the lap belt portion low and
snug on the hips as shown.

4. Pull the shoulder belt portion toward the
retractor to take up extra slack.

The front 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 automatic locking mode is activated
the seat belt cannot be withdrawn further
until the seat belt tongue is detached from
the buckle and fully retracted. Once re-

1-20 Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems

Unfastening the seat belts

To unfasten the seat belt, press the button
on the buckle. The seat belt automatically
retracts.

Checking seat belt operation
(Three-point type seat belt with re­tractor)

Seat belt retractors are designed to lock
seat belt movement using two separate
methods:

1) When the seat belt is pulled quickly from
the retractor.

2) When the vehicle slows down rapidly.

To increase your confidence in the seat
belts, check their operation as follows.

● Grasp the shoulder belt and pull quickly
forward. The retractor should lock and
restrict further belt movement.

If the retractor does not lock during this
check or if you have any questions about
belt operation, see an authorized NISSAN
dealer.

APD1013

Shoulder belt height adjustment
(For front seats)

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, pull out the adjust­ment button 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 adjustment button to lock the
shoulder belt anchor into position.

WARNING

● After adjustment, release the adjust­ment button and try to move the
shoulder belt anchor up and down to
make sure it is securely fixed in
position.

● The shoulder belt anchor height
should be adjusted to the position
best for you. Failure to do so may
reduce the effectiveness of the en­tire restraint system and increase
the chance or severity of injury in an
accident.

Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems 1-21

APD0104 ARS1055 ARS1115

TWO-POINT TYPE WITHOUT
RETRACTOR (rear center lap belt)

Selecting the correct set of seat
belts

The center seat belt buckle and tongue are
identified by the word CENTER. The center
seat belt tongue can be fastened only into
the center seat belt buckle.

Fastening the seat belts

1. Insert the tongue into the buckle until it
clicks. Both the tongue and the buckle
are marked CENTER.

1-22 Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems

2. Tighten the belt by pulling the free end of
the belt away from the tongue, then pull
the belt clip to take up the slack.

ARS1076 ARS1057 ARS1058

3. Position the lap belt low and snug on
the hips as illustrated.

4. Loosen the belt by holding the tongue at
a right angle to the belt, then pull on the
belt.

Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems 1-23

Unfastening the belt

To unfasten the seat belt, press the button
on the buckle.