Page 23 of 380
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The lap part of the belt should be worn low and snug on the hips, just
touching the thighs. In a crash, this applies force
to the strong pelvic bones.
And you'd be less likely
to slide under the lap belt. If you slid under it, the
belt would apply force at your abdomen. This could cause serious or even
fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the
chest. These parts of
the body are best able to take belt restraining forces.
The safety belt locks
if there's a sudden stop or a crash.
Q: What's wrong with this?
A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It won't give nearly as much protection
this way.
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Page 24 of 380
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Q: What’s wrong with this?
A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place.
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Page 25 of 380
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Q: What’s wrong with this?
A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It should be worn over the
shoulder at all times.
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Page 26 of 380
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Q: What’s wrong with this?
A: The belt is twisted across the body.
A
A
To unlatch the belt,
just push the button on
the buckle. The belt
should
go back out of
the way.
Before you close the
door, be sure the belt
is out of the way. If
you slam the door on
it,
you can damage
both the belt and your
vehicle.
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Page 29 of 380

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When should an air bag inflate?
The air bag is designed to inflate in moderate to severe frontal or
near-frontal crashes. The air bag will inflate only if the impact speed
is
above the system’s designed “threshold level.” If your vehicle goes straight
into
a wall that doesn’t move or deform, the threshold level is about 14 to 18
mph (23 to 29 kdh). The threshold level can vary, however, with specific
vehicle design,
so that it can be somewhat above or below this range. If your
vehicle strikes something that will move or deform, such
as a parked car, the
threshold level will be higher. The air bag is
not designed to inflate in
rollovers, side impacts, or rear impacts, because inflation woul\
d not help the
occupant.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an air bag should have
inflated simply because of the damage to
a vehicle or because of what the
repair costs were. Inflation is determined by
the angle of the impact and the
vehicle’s deceleration. Vehicle damage is
only one indication of this.
The air bag system is designed to work properly under a wide range
of
conditions, including off-road usage. Observe safe driving speeds,
especially
on rough terrain. As always, wear your safety belt. See
“Off-Road Driving” in the Index for more tips on off-road\
driving.
What makes an air bag inflate?
In a frontal or near-frontal impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing \
system detects that
the vehicle is suddenly stopping as a result of a crash.
The sensing system triggers a chemical reaction
of the sodium azide sealed
in the inflator. The reaction produces nitrogen gas, which inflates the air
bag. The inflator, air bag, and related hardware are all part
of the air bag
module packed inside the steering wheel.
How does an air bag restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions, even belted
occupants can contact
the steering wheel. The air bag supplements the
protection provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the fo\
rce of
the
impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper body, stopping \
the occupant
more gradually. But air bags would not help you
in many types of collisions,
including rollovers and rear and side impacts, primarily because\
an
occupant’s motion is not toward the air bag. Air bags should never be
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Page 30 of 380

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine regarded as anything more than a supplement to safety belts, and then only\
in moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions.
What will you see after an air bag inflates?
After the air bag inflates, it quickly deflates. This occurs so quickly that
some people may not even realize the air bag inflated. Some compone\
nts of
the air bag module in the steering wheel hub will be hot for a short\
time, but
the part
of the bag that comes into contact with you will not be hot to the
touch. There will be some smoke and dust coming from vents in the deflated
air bag. Air bag inflation will not prevent the driver from seeing\
or from
being able to steer the vehicle, nor will it stop people from leaving
the
vehicle.
The air bag is designed to inflate only once. After it inflates, you’ll
need some new parts for your air bag system. If you don’t get them, the
air bag system won’t be there to help protect
you in another crash. A
new system will include the air bag module and possibly other parts.
The service manual for your vehicle covers the need
to replace other
parts.
information about the air bag system. The module records information
about the readiness of the system, when the sensors are activated and
driver’s safety belt usage at deployment.
Your vehicle is equipped with a diagnostic module, which records
Let only qualified technicians work on your air bag system. Improper
service can mean that your air bag system won’t work properly.
See
your dealer for service.
NOTICE:
If you damage the cover for the driver’s air bag, it may not work
properly. You may have to replace the air bag module. Do not
open or break the air bag cover.
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Page 32 of 380
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
Safety belts work for everyone, including pregnant women. Like all
occupants, they are more likely to be seriously injured if they don’t wear
safety belts.
A pregnant woman should wear a lap-shoulder belt, and the lap portion
should be worn
as low as possible throughout the pregnancy.
The best way
to protect the fetus is to protect the mother. When a safety belt
is worn properly, it’s more likely that the fetus won’t be hurt in a crash. For
pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to making safety belts effective
is
wearing them properly.
Right Front Passenger Position
The right front passenger’s safety belt works the same way as the driver’s
safety belt. See “Driver Position,” earlier in this section.
When the shoulder belt
is pulled out all the way, it will lock. If it does, let it
go back all the way and start again.
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Page 33 of 380
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Center Front Passenger Position (4-Door
Models)
Lap Belt
If your vehicle has a front bench seat, someone can sit in the center position.
When
YOU sit in the center front seating position, you have a lap safety belt,
which has
no retractor. To make the belt longer, tilt the latch plate and pull it
along the belt.
TO make the belt shorter, pull its free end as shown until the belt is snug.
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