1997 Nissan Maxima Owner's Manual - Page 64

CHILD RESTRAINTS FOR INFANTS AND SMALL CHILDREN SEAT BELT MAINTENANCE ¼ To clean the seat belt webbings, apply a mild soap solution or any solution recommended for cleaning upholstery or carpets. Then brush the webbing, wipe it with a cloth and allow it to dry in the shade. Do not allow the seat belts to retract until they are completely dry. ¼ If dirt builds up in the shoulder belt guide of the seat belt anchors, the seat belts may retract slowly. Wipe the shoulder belt guide with a clean, dry cloth. ¼ Periodically check to see that the seat belt and the metal components such as buckles, tongues, retractors, flexible wires and anchors work properly. If loose parts, deterioration, cuts or other damage on the webbing is found, the entire belt assembly should be replaced. ¼ Infants and small children should always be placed in an appropriate child restraint while riding in the vehicle. Failure to use a child restraint can result in serious injury or death. ¼ Children and infants should never be carried on your lap. It is not possible for even the strongest adult to resist the forces of a severe accident. 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. ¼ Nissan recommends that the child restraint be installed in the rear seat. According to accident statistics, children are safer when properly restrained in the rear seat than in the front seat. ¼ An improperly installed child restraint could lead to serious injury or death in an accident. In general, child restraints are designed to be installed with a lap belt or the lap portion of a three-point type seat belt. Child restraints specially designed for infants and small children are offered by several manufacturers. When selecting any child restraint, keep the following points in mind: 1) Choose only a restraint with a label certifying that it complies with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213 or Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213. 2) Check that child restraint in your vehicle to be sure it is compatible with the vehicle's seat and seat belt system. Choose a child restraint that meets the guidelines of the Society of Automotive Engineers recommended practice J1819 for child restraint installation. 3) If the child restraint is compatible with your vehicle, place your child in the child restraint and check the various adjustments to be sure the child restraint is compatible with your child. Always follow all recommended procedures. All U.S. states and provinces of Canada require that infants and small children be restrained in approved child restraints at all times while the vehicle is being operated. 2-31