NISSAN 2014 Sentra - Owner's Manual - Manual (Page 65)

Status light
The front passenger air bag status light is
located above the audio controls. After the igni-
tion switch is placed in the
ЉONЉ position, the
front passenger air bag status light on the instru-
ment panel illuminates for about 7 seconds and
then turns off or remains illuminated depending
on the front passenger seat occupied status. The
light operates as follows:
● Unoccupied passenger’s seat: The is
OFF and the front passenger air bag is OFF
and will not inflate in a crash.
● Passenger’s seat occupied by a small adult,
child or child restraint as outlined in this
section: The
illuminates to indicate
that the front passenger air bag is OFF and
will not inflate in a crash.
● Occupied passenger seat and the passen-
ger meet the conditions outlined in this sec-
tion: 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 in
accordance with U.S. regulations. If the front
passenger 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. Certain sensors are used to
meet the requirements.
The occupant classification sensors (weight sen-
sors) are on the seat cushion frame under the
front passenger seat and are designed to detect
an occupant and objects on the seat. For ex-
ample, 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, the
occupant classification sensors can detect it and
cause the air bag to turn OFF.
The front passenger seat belt sensor is designed
to detect if the seat belt is buckled. Based on the
weight on the seat detected by the occupant
classification sensor and the buckle state, the
Advanced Air Bag System determines whether
the front passenger air bag should be automati-
cally turned OFF as required by the regulations.
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 takes his/her weight off the seat cush-
ion (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 sensor 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 sensor and seat belt sensors are
designed to operate as described above to turn
the front passenger air bag OFF for specified
child restraints as required by the regulations.
Failing to properly secure child restraints and to
use the 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 passen-
ger air bag inflating in a crash instead of being
OFF. See “Child restraints” in this section 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
1-46 Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system