Nissan Xterra 2002 Owner's Manual

Foreword

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

Welcome to the growing family of new NISSAN
owners. This vehicle has been 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
(kilometers) of driving pleasure. Please read
through this manual before operating your
vehicle.

In the U.S., a separate Warranty Informa­tion Booklet or in Canada, a Warranty and
Roadside Assistance Information Book­let explains details about the warranties
covering your vehicle. The “NISSAN Ser­vice and Maintenance Guide” explains
details about maintaining and servicing
your vehicle. Additionally, a separate
Customer Care/Lemon Law Booklet (U.S.
only) will explain how to resolve any
concerns you may have with your ve­hicle, as well as clarify your rights under
your state’s lemon law.

Your NISSAN 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 driving 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 lim-

its 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.

• ALWAYSreview this owner’s manual

for important safety information.

For descriptions specified for four-wheel
drive models, a
the beginning of the applicable
sections/items.

As with other vehicles with features for
off-road use, failure to operate four­wheel drive models correctly may result
in loss of control or an accident. Be sure
to read ‘‘Driving safety precautions’’ in
the ‘‘Starting and driving’’ section of this
manual.

ON-PAVEMENT AND OFF-ROAD DRIV­ING

This vehicle will handle and maneuver
differently from an ordinary passenger
car because it has a higher center of
gravity for off-road use. As with other
vehicles with features of this type, fail­ure to operate this vehicle correctly
may result in loss of control or an
accident.

Be sure to read “On-pavement and off­road driving precautions”, and ‘‘Avoid­ing collision and rollover’’, and “Driv­ing safety precautions”, in the
“Starting and driving” section of this
manual.

mark is placed at

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 modification
may not be covered under NISSAN war­ranties.

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.

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.

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.’’

CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65
WARNING

WARNING

Engine Exhaust, some of its constitu­ents, and certain vehicle components
contain or emit chemicals known to
State of California to cause cancer and
birth defects or reproductive harm.

© 2001 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
forklift trucks, marine engines, boats and other
diversified products.

NISSAN has made a substantial and growing
investment in North America. NISSAN’s commit­ment is nearly $4 billion dollars in capital invest­ments in facilities across the continent. Some of
the facilities include the Nissan Manufacturing

facility in Smyrna, Tennessee, vehicle styling
design at Nissan Design America, Inc. in San
Diego, California, and engineering at Nissan
Technical Center North America in Farmington
Hills, Michigan. Additionally, NISSAN employs
nearly 18,000 people throughout the United
States, Canada, and Mexico. An additional
71,000 people work for the 1,500 NISSAN and
INFINITI dealers across North America.

NISSAN is also a substantial contributor to the
Canadian economy.Nissan Canada Inc., its sup­pliers and over 140 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 fromoperationofport facilities and trans-

WFW0002

portation services to the supply of lubricants,
parts and accessories.

NISSAN pioneered the use of electronics and
computers inautomobiles,andhas 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
to your dealer for maintenance, the service tech­nician will perform his work according to the
quality standards that have been established by
the factory.

Safety has also been built into your NISSAN. As
you know, seat belts are an integral part of the
safety systems thatwillhelpprotectyou and your
passengers in the event of a sudden stop or an
accident. Weurgeyou 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 our (NISSAN’s) 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 CANADIAN 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 (attached

to the top of the instrument panel on the

driver’s side)
— 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
Maintenance and do-it-yourself
Technical and consumer information
Index

2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

10

1 Seats, restraints and supplemental air
bag systems

Seats ......................................................................1-2

Front manual seat adjustment...........................1-2

Rear seat adjustment (type a)...........................1-3

Rear seat adjustment (type b)...........................1-5

Head restraint adjustment .................................1-7

Supplemental restraint system...............................1-7

Precautions on supplemental restraint

system ...............................................................1-7

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

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

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

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

Child safety......................................................1-17

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

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

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

Two-point type seat belt without

retractor (center of rear seat)..........................1-21

Seat belt extenders .........................................1-23

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

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

Precautions on child restraints........................1-24

Installation on rear seat center position..........1-26

Installation on rear seat outboard

positions ..........................................................1-29

Latch (lower anchors and tether for children)

system..................................................................1-33

Top tether strap child restraint.........................1-35

Installation on front passenger seat................1-36

SEATS

O

WARNING

O 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 section.

1-2 Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems

ARS1152

WRS0109

FRONT MANUAL SEAT ADJUST­MENT

WARNING

O

Do not adjust the driver’s seat while
driving so full attention may be given
to vehicle operation. The seat may
move suddenly and could cause loss
of control of the vehicle.

O

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

Forward and backward

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

WRS0110

Reclining

To recline the seatback pull the lever up and
lean back. To bring the seatback forward,
pull the lever up and lean your body forward.
Release the lever to lock the seatback in
position.

WARNING

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

Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems 1-3

ARS1224

REAR SEAT ADJUSTMENT
(TYPE A)

Folding

1. Pull outward on the two straps at the
bottom of the seat cushions.

2. Lift the front of the seat cushion up and
remove the seat cushion. Store the seat
cushion in a secure place.

ARS1225 ARS1226 ARS1227

3. Pull the ring on top of the seat back up.

5. Push the seat back up until it latches 6. Hold the seat belts above the seat cush-

4. Fold down the seat back.

1-4 Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems

ion.

7. Slide the seat cushion back.

8. Push down the seat cushion until it
latches.

WARNING

O Never allow anyone to ride in the

cargo 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.

O It is extremely dangerous to ride in a

cargo area inside of a vehicle. In a
collision, people riding in these ar­eas are more likely to be seriously
injured or killed.

O Do not allow people to ride in any

area of your vehicle that is not
equipped with seats and seat belts.
Be sure everyone in your vehicle is
in a seat and using a seat belt prop­erly. Never ride in the rear seat un­less the seat bottom cushions are in
place and latched.

O 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.

O When returning the 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.

WRS0120 WRS0121

REAR SEAT ADJUSTMENT
(TYPE B)

Folding

1. Lift the front of the seat cushion up and
remove the seat cushion. Store the seat
cushion in a secure place.

2. Pull the ring on top of the seat back up.

3. Fold down the seat back.

Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems 1-5

WRS0122 WRS0123

4. Push the seat back up until it latches 5. Hold the seat belts above the seat cush­ion.

6. Slide the seat cushion back.

7. Push down the seat cushion until it
latches.

WARNING

O Never allow anyone to ride in the

cargo 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.

O It is extremely dangerous to ride in a

cargo area inside of a vehicle. In a
collision, people riding in these ar­eas are more likely to be seriously
injured or killed.

O Do not allow people to ride in any

area of your vehicle that is not
equipped with seats and seat belts.
Be sure everyone in your vehicle is
in a seat and using a seat belt prop­erly. Never ride in the rear seat un­less the seat bottom cushions are in
place and latched.

O 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.

O When returning the 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.

1-6 Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems

LRS0097

HEAD RESTRAINT ADJUSTMENT

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

WRS0096

Adjust the center of the head restraint even
with the center of your ears.

Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems 1-7

SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT
SYSTEM

PRECAUTIONS ON SUPPLE­MENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM

This supplemental restraint system section
contains important information concerning
the driver and passenger supplemental air
bags. The supplemental restraint system air
bags can help reduce impact force to the
driver and 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. 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.

After turning the ignition key to the ON
position, the supplemental air bag warn­ing light illuminates. The supplemental
air bag warning light will turn off after
about 7 seconds if the system is opera­tional.

WARNING

O 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.

O The seat belts and the supplemental

air bags are most effective when you
are sitting well back and upright in
the seat. Supplemental air bags in­flate with great force. If you are

ARS1151

unrestrained, leaning forward, sit­ting sideways or out of position in
anyway, you are at greater risk of
injury or death in a crash. You 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 away as practical from the
steering wheel or instrument panel.
Always use the seat belts.

O The driver and front passenger seat

belt buckles are equipped with sen­sors that detect if the seat belts are
fastened. The air bag system moni­tors the severity of a collision and
then inflates the air bags based on
belt usage. Failure to properly wear
seat belts can increase the risk or
severity of injury in an accident.

O 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.

1-8 Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems

ARS1153 ARS1041

ARS1042

Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems 1-9

ARS1043

ARS1098

WARNING

O 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 illustrations.

O Children may be severely injured or

killed when the supplemental air bag
inflates if they are not properly re­strained.

O Never install a rear-facing child re-

straint 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

1-10 Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems

ARS1099

Supplemental air bag system

The driver supplemental air bag is located in
the center of the steering wheel. The pas­senger supplemental air bag is located in
the top right section of the instrument panel.

WRS0119

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 informa-

Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems 1-11

tion, cautions and warnings in this manual
still apply and must be followed.

The supplemental air bag system is de­signed 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.

The supplemental air bag system has dual
stage inflators for both the driver and pas­senger air bags. The system monitors infor­mation from the crash zone sensor, the
diagnosis sensor unit and seat belt buckle
sensors that detect if the seat belts are
fastened. Inflator operation is based on the
severity of a collision and whether the seat
belts are being used.

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. Care
should be taken not to intentionally inhale it,
as it may cause irritation and choking.
Those with a history of a breathing condition
should get fresh air promptly.

The supplemental air bags, along with the
use of the seat belts, helps to cushion the
impact force on the face and chest of the
occupant. It 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. The supplemental air bags
inflate quickly in order to help protect the
front occupants. Because of this, the force of
the supplemental air bags 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

O 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 on the instru­ment panel. Such objects may be­come dangerous projectiles, and
cause injury if the supplemental air
bag inflates.

O Right after inflation, several supple-

mental air bag system components
will be hot. Do not touch them; you
may severely burn yourself.

No unauthorized changes should be

O

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.

O

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.

O 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 instrument
panel, or by installing additional trim
material around the supplemental air
bag system.

O Work around and on the supplemen-

tal 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 and
orange Supplemental Restraint Sys­tem (SRS) wiring and connectors
should not be modified or discon­nected. Unauthorized electrical test
equipment and probing devices
should not be used on the supple­mental air bag system.

O A cracked windshield should be re-

placed immediately by a qualified
repair facility. A cracked windshield
could affect inflation of the supple­mental air bag system.

O The SRS wiring harness connectors

are yellow and orange for easy iden­tification.

When selling your vehicle, we request that

1-12 Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems

you inform the buyer about the supplemental
air bag system and guide the buyer to the
appropriate sections in this owner’s manual.

Pre-tensioner seat belt system
(For front seats)

WARNING

O The pre-tensioner seat belt cannot

be reused after activation. It must
bereplaced together with the retrac­tor and buckle as a unit.

O If the vehicle becomes involved in a

frontal collision but the pre­tensioner is not activated, be sure to
have the pre-tensioner system
checked and, if necessary, replaced
by your NISSAN dealer.

O No unauthorized changes should be

made to any components or wiring
of the pre-tensioner seat belt sys­tem. This is to prevent accidental
activation of the pre-tensioner seat
belt or damage to the pre-tensioner
seat belt operation. Tampering with
the pre-tensioner seat belt system
may result in serious personal in­jury.

O Work around and on the pre-

tensioner system should be done by
an authorized NISSAN dealer.

Installation of electrical equipment
should also be done by an autho­rized NISSAN dealer. Unauthorized
electrical test equipment and prob­ing devices should not be used
onthe pre-tensioner seat belt sys­tem.

O If you need to dispose of the pre-

tensioner or scrap the vehicle, con­tact an authorized NISSAN dealer.
Correct pre-tensioner disposal pro­cedures are set forth in the appropri­ate NISSAN Service Manual. Incor­rect disposal procedures could
cause personal injury.

The front seat pre-tensioner seat belt sys­tem activates in conjuction with the supple­mental air bag. Working with the seat belt
retractor, it helps tighten the seat belt the
instant the vehicle becomes involved in
certain types of collisions.

The pre-tensioner is encased with the seat
belt’s retractor. These seat belts are used
the same as conventional seat belts.

Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems

When the pre-tensioner seat belt activates,
smoke is released and a loud noise may be
heard. The smoke is not harmful. Care
should be taken not to intentionally inhale it
as it may cause irritation and choking.
Those with a history of a breathing condition
should get fresh air promptly.

If any abnormality occurs in the pre­tensioner system, the supplemental air bag
warning light
tently after the ignition key is turned to the
ON or START position. In this case, the
pre-tensioner seat belt will not function
properly.

When selling your vehicle, we request that
you inform the buyer about the pre­tensioner seat belt system and guide the
buyer to the appropriate sections in this
Owner’s Manual.

will flash intermit-

1-13

SUPPLEMENTAL AIR BAG
WARNING LABELS

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

WRS0099

LRS0100

SUPPLEMENTAL AIR BAG
WARNING LIGHT

The supplemental air bag warning light,
displaying
monitors the circuits of the supplemental air
bag and pre-tensioner seat belt systems.
The circuits monitored by the supplemental
air bag warning light are the diagnosis sen­sor unit, the supplemental air bag modules,
pre-tensioner seat belts and all related wir­ing.

When the ignition key is in the ON or START
position, the supplemental air bag warning

in the instrument panel,

light illuminates for about 7 seconds and
then turns off. This means the system is
operational.

If any of the following system conditions
occur, the supplemental air bag and pre­tensioner seat belt systems need servicing
and should be taken to an authorized NIS­SAN dealer:

O

The supplemental air bag warning light
remains on after approximately 7 seconds.

O The supplemental air bag warning light

flashes intermittently.

O The supplemental air bag warning light

does not come on at all.

Under these conditions, the Supplemental
Restraint System (supplemental air bag or
pre-tensioner seat belt systems may not
function properly. It must be checked and
repaired.

WARNING

If the supplemental air bag warning
light is on, it could mean that the
supplemental air bag or pre-tensioner
seat belt systems 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 warning light remains
illuminated after inflation has occurred.
Repair and replacement of the supplemen­tal air bag system should be done only by
an authorized NISSAN dealer.

When maintenance work is required on the
vehicle, the supplemental front air bags,
pre-tensioner seat belts and related parts
should be pointed out to the person conduct­ing the maintenance. The ignition key must
always be in the LOCK position when work­ing under the hood or inside the vehicle.

WARNING

O

Once the supplemental front air bag
has inflated, the air bag module will
not function and must be replaced.
Additionally,ifany of the supplemen­tal air bags inflate, the pre-tensioner
seat belts must also be replaced. The
air bag module and pre-tensioner
seat belt system should be replaced
by an authorized NISSAN dealer. The
air bag module and pre-tensioner
seat belt system cannot be repaired.

O 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, or replaced if the supple­mental air bag has inflated.

O If you need to dispose of the supple-

mental air bag, pre-tensioner seat
belt system or scrap the vehicle,
contact an authorized NISSAN and
pre-tensioner seat belt system
dealer. Correct supplemental air bag
disposal procedures are set forth in
the appropriate NISSAN Service
Manual. Incorrect disposal proce­dures could cause personal injury.

Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems

1-15

SEAT BELTS

PRECAUTIONS ON SEAT BELT
USAGE

Your chances of being injured 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 passengers
to buckle up every time you drive, even if
your seating position includes a supplemen­tal air bag.

Most U.S. States and Canadian prov­inces or territories specify that seat belts
be worn at all times when a vehicle is
being driven.

1-16 Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems

O 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
child restraints.

O The seat belt should be properly ad-

justed 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

ARS1154

ARS1100

O 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.

O 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.

ARS1103

O Be sure the seat belt tongue is se-

curely fastened to the proper buckle.

O Do not wear the seat belt inside out

or twisted. Doing so may reduce its
effectiveness.

O Do not allow more than one person

to use the same seat belt.

O Never carry more people in the ve-

hicle than there are seat belts.

O

Never allow anyone to ride in the
cargo area while the vehicle is in
motion. It does not contain seat belts.

It is not designed for passengers.
They could be injured in sudden brak­ing or a collision.

O 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.

O All seat belt assemblies including

retractors and attaching hardware
should be inspected by an autho­rized NISSAN dealer after any colli­sion. 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.

O All child restraints and attaching

hardware should be inspected after
any collision. Always follow the re-

straint manufacturer’s inspection in­structions and replacement recom­mendations. The child restraints
should be replaced if they are dam­aged.

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. Front
facing child restraints are available for chil­dren who outgrow rear facing child re­straints.

WARNING

O 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 in-

Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems 1-17

jury. 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 for
more information.

In addition, there are many types of child
restraints available for larger children which
should be used for maximum protection.

NISSAN recommends that all pre-teen
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 (Supplemental air bag
system) for the front passenger (for pre­cautions, see ‘‘Supplemental restraint
system’’ earlier in this section).

Infants and small children

NISSAN recommends that infants and small
children be seated in child restraints that

comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards or Canadian Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards. You should choose a
child restraint which 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 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 VehicleSafetyStandards.Oncethe 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.

1-18 Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems

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 or sudden stop.

PREGNANT WOMEN

NISSAN recommends that pregnant women
use seat belts. The seat belt should be worn
snug, and always position the lap belt as
low as possible around the hips, not the
waist. Place the shoulder belt over your
shoulder and across your chest. Never run
the lap/shoulder belt over your abdominal
area. Contact your doctor for specific rec­ommendations.

INJURED PERSONS

NISSAN recommends that injured persons
use seat belts, depending on the injury.
Check with your doctor for specific recom­mendations.

ARS1104 ARS1189

THREE-POINT TYPE SEAT BELT
WITH RETRACTOR

WARNING

O 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.

O

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.
Youcould also slide under the lap belt
and receive serious internal injuries.

O 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.

Fastening the seat belts

1. Adjust the seat.

2. Slowly pull the seat belt out of the retrac­tor and insert the tongue into the buckle
until you hear and feel the latch engage.

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.

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 seat belt has 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 extracted again until
the seat belt tongue is detached from the
buckle and the seat belt is fully retracted.

Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems 1-19

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.

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

O 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
seat belt operation, see an authorized
NISSAN dealer.

ARS1054

Unfastening the seat belts

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

Checking seat belt operation

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

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

2) When the vehicle slows down rapidly.

1-20 Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems

WARNING

O After adjustment, release the adjust-

ment button and try to move the
shoulder belt anchor up and down to
make sure it is securely fixed in
position.

O 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

LRS0101 WRS0076

the chance or severity of injury in an
accident.

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.

TWO-POINT TYPE SEAT BELT
WITHOUT RETRACTOR (center
of rear seat)

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 only be fastened into
the center seat belt buckle.

Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems 1-21

ARS1055 ARS1238 ARS1076

Fastening the seat belts

1. Insert the tongue into the buckle until you
hear and feel the latch engage. Both the
tongue assembly and the buckle are
marked CENTER.

2. Tighten the belt by pulling the free end of
the belt away from the tongue.

1-22 Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems

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

SEAT BELT EXTENDERS

If, because of body size or driving position,
it is not possible to properly fit the lap­shoulder belt and fasten it, an extender is
available which is compatible with the in­stalled seat belts. The extender adds ap­proximately 8 inches (200 mm) of length
and may be used for either the driver or front
passenger seating position. See an autho­rized NISSAN dealer for assistance if the
extender is required.

ARS1057 ARS1058

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

Unfastening the seat belts

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

Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems 1-23

WARNING

O Only NISSAN seat belt extenders,

made by the same company which
made the original equipment seat
belts, should be used with NISSAN
seat belts.

O Adults and children who can use the

standard seat belt should not use an
extender. Such unnecessary use
could result in serious personal in­jury in the event of an accident.

Never use seat belt extenders to in­stall child restraints. If the child re­straint is not secured properly, the
child could be seriously injured in a
collision or sudden stop.