NISSAN 2014 LEAF - Owner's Manual - Manual (Page 128)

• Passenger’s seat occupied by a small adult,
child or child restraint as outlined in this section:
The
light illuminates to indicate that the
front passenger air bag is OFF and will not
inflate in a crash.
• Occupied passenger seat and the passenger
meets the conditions outlined in this section:
The
light is OFF to indicate that the front
passenger air bag is operational.
Front passenger air bag:
The front passenger air bag is designed to auto-
matically turn OFF when the vehicle is operated
under some conditions as described below as
permitted by U.S. regulations. If the front passen-
ger air bag is OFF, it will not inflate in a crash. The
driver air bag and other air bags in your vehicle
are not part of this system.
The purpose of the regulation is to help reduce
the risk of injury or death from an inflating air bag
to certain front passenger seat occupants, such
as children, by requiring the air bag to be auto-
matically turned OFF.
One sensor used is the occupant classification
sensor (weight sensor). Its is designed to detect
an occupant and objects on the seat by weight.
For example, if a child is in the front passenger
seat, the Advanced Air Bag System is designed
to turn the passenger air bag OFF in accordance
with the regulations. Also, if a child restraint of the
type specified in the regulations is on the seat, its
weight and the child’s weight can be detected
and cause the air bag to turn OFF.
Front passenger seat adult occupants who are
properly seated and using the seat belt as out-
lined in this manual should not cause the passen-
ger air bag to be automatically turned OFF. For
small adults it may be turned OFF, however, if the
occupant does not sit in the seat properly (for
example, by not sitting upright, by sitting on an
edge of the seat, or by otherwise being out of
position), this could cause the sensors to turn the
air bag OFF. Always be sure to be seated and
wearing the seat belt properly for the most effec-
tive protection by the seat belt and supplemental
air bag.
NISSAN recommends that pre-teens and chil-
dren be properly restrained in a rear seat.
NISSAN also recommends that appropriate child
restraints and booster seats be properly installed
in a rear seat. If this is not possible, the occupant
classification sensors are designed to operate as
described above to turn the front passenger air
bag OFF for specified child restraints. Failing to
properly secure child restraints and to use the
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) mode (child
restraint mode) may allow the restraint to tip or
move in an accident or sudden stop. This can
also result in the passenger air bag inflating in a
crash instead of being OFF. See “Child re-
straints” for proper use and installation.
If the front passenger seat is not occupied, the
passenger air bag is designed not to inflate in a
crash. However, heavy objects placed on the
seat could result in air bag inflation, because of
the object being detected by the occupant clas-
sification sensors. Other conditions could also
result in air bag inflation, such as if a child is
standing on the seat, or if two children are on the
seat, contrary to the instructions in this manual.
Always be sure that you and all vehicle occupants
are seated and restrained properly.
Using the passenger air bag status light, you can
monitor when the front passenger air bag is au-
tomatically turned OFF with the seat occupied.
The light will not illuminate when the front pas-
senger seat is unoccupied.
If an adult occupant is in the seat but the passen-
ger air bag status light is illuminated (indicating
that the air bag is OFF), it could be that the
Safety–Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system 1-43