2000 Nissan Xterra Owner's Manual - Page 22

Installation of electrical equipment should also be done by an authorized NISSAN dealer. Unauthorized electrical test equipment and probing devices should not be used on the pre-tensioner seat belt system. If you need to dispose of the pretensioner 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. When the pre-tensioner seat belt activates, smoke is released and a loud noise may be heard. The smoke is not harmful, but care should be taken not to intentionally inhale it as it may cause irritation and choking. If any abnormality occurs in the pretensioner system, the seat belt warning light will flash intermittently 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. 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 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 re- 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. Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems 1-15