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If the shoulder belt goes in front of the child’s face or
neck,
put it behind the child restraint.
A
6. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of
the retractor to set the lock.
5. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is
positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly
if you ever had to.
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7. To tighten the belt, feed the shoulder belt back into the
retractor while you push down on the child restraint.
8. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.
To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the vehicle’s
safety belt and let it go back all the way. The safety belt
will move freely again and. be ready to work for an ,adult
or larger child passenger.
Larger Children
Children who have outgrown child restraints should
wear the vehicle’s safety belts.
If you have the choice, a child should sit next to a
window
so the child can wear a lap-shoulder belt and
get the additional restraint a shoulder belt can provide.
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Page 62 of 356

Accident statistics show that children are safer if they
are restrained in the rear seat. But
they need to use the
safety belts properly.
Children who aren’t buckled up can be thrown out in
a crash.
Children who aren’t buckled up can strike other
people who are.
I
Never do this.
Here two children are wearing the same belt. The
belt can’t properly spread the impact forces. In
a
crash, the two children can be crushed together
and seriously injured.
A belt must be used by
only one person at
a time.
e.’ What if a child is wearing a lap-shoulder belt,
but the child is
so small that the shoulder belt is
very close to the child’s face or neck?
A: Move the child toward the center of the vehicle, but
be sure that
the shoulder belt still is on the child’s
shoulder,
so that in a crash the child’s upper body
would have the restraint that belts provide.
If the
child is sitting in
a rear outside position of a
four-door model, see “Rear Safety Belt Comfort
Guides”
in the Index. If the child is so small that the
shoulder belt is still very close to the child’s face
or
neck, you might want to place the child in the center
seat position, the one that has only a lap belt.
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Page 63 of 356
Never do this.
Here a child is sitting in a seat that has a
lap-shoulder belt, but the shoulder part is behind
the child.
If the child wears the belt in this way, in
a crash the child might slide under the belt. The
belt’s force would then be applied right on the
child’s abdomen. That could cause serious or
fatal injuries.
Wherever the child sits, the lap portion of the belt
should be worn low and snug on the hips, just touching
the child’s thighs. This applies belt force to the child’\
s
pelvic bones in a crash.
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Page 64 of 356

Safety Belt Extender
If the vehicle’s safety belt will fasten around you, you
should use it.
But if a safety belt isn’t long enough to fasten, your
dealer will order you an extender. It’s free. When you go
in to order it, take the heaviest coat you will wear, so the
extender will be long enough for you. The extender will
be just for you, and just for the seat
in your vehicle that
you choose. Don’t let someone else use
it, and use it
only for the seat it
is made to fit. To wear it. iust attach it
to the regular safety belt.
Checking Your Restraint Systems
Now and then, make sure the safety belt reminder light
and all your belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors and
anchorages are working properly.
Look for any other
loose
or damaged safety belt system parts. If you see
anything that might keep a safety belt system from
doing its job, have it repaired.
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash
If you’ve had a crash, do you need new belts?
After a very minor collision, nothing
may be h&Wsary.
But if the belts were stretched, as they would be if worn
during a more severe crash, then you need new belts.
If belts are cut or damaged, replace them. Collision
damage also may mean you will need to have safety belt
or seat parts repaired or replaced. New parts and repairs
may be necessary even if the belt wasn’t being used at
the time
of the collision.
If an air bag inflates, you’ll need to replace air bag
system parts. See the part on
the air bag system earlier in
this section.
Torn or frayed safety belts may not protect you
in a
crash. They can rip apart under impact forces.
If a belt is
torn or frayed, get a new one right away.
Also look for any opened or broken air bag covers, and
have them repaired or replaced. (The air bag system
does not need regular maintenance.)
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Door Locks
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
Passengers
-- especially children -- can easily
open the doors and fall out. When
a door is
locked, the.inside handle won’t open it.
Outsiders can easily enter through an unlocked
door when you slow down or stop your vehicle.
This may not be
so obvious: You increase the
chance of being thrown out of the vehicle in a
crash
if the doors aren’t locked. Wear safety belts
properly, lock your doors, and you will be far
better off whenever you drive your vehicle.
There are several ways to lock and unlock your vehicle.
From the outside, use your door key or Remote Keyless
Entry transmitter (if your vehicle has this option).
On two-door models, the door lock will light up for about
15 seconds if you pull the door handle. The light can help
you find where to put your key when it’s dark outside. From the inside, push the lever down
to lock the door.
To unlock, push the lever-ap.
Power Door Locks
Press the power door lock switch to lock or unlock
all doors.
On four-door models, the rear doors do not have power
door lock switches. The lever on each rear door works
only that door’s lock. It won’t lock or unlock
all the doors.
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Warning Lights, Gages and
Indicators
This part describes the warning lights and gages that
may be on your vehicle. The pictures will help you
locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that something is
wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause an
expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention to
your warning lights and gages could also save you or
others from injury.
Warning lights come on when there may be or is
a
problem with one of your vehicle’s functions. As you
will see
in the details on the next few pages, some
warning lights come on briefly when you start
the
engine just to let you know they’re working. If you are
familiar with this section, you should not be alarmed
when this happens.
Gages can indicate
when there may be or is a problem
with one
of your vehicle’s functions. Often gages and
warning lights work together to let you know when
there’s
a problem with your vehicle. When
one of the warning lights comes
on and stays on
when you are driving,
or when one of the gages shows
there may be
a problem, check the section that tells you
what to do about it. Please follow this manual’s advice.
Waiting
to do repairs can be costly -- and even
dangerous.
So please get to know your warning lights
and gages. They’re
a big help.
Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to RUN or START, a chime will
come on for about eight seconds
to remind people to
fasten their safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt is
already buckled.
The safety belt light will
also come on and stay on
until the driver’s belt is buckled.
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Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows
AIR BAG. The system checks the
air bag’s electrical system for malfunctions. The light
tells you if there is an electrical problem. The system
check includes
the air bag sensors, the air bag modules,
the wiring and the crash sensing
and diagnostic module.
For more information on the air bag system, see “Air
Bag” in the Index.
AIR BAG pf 0.
You will see this light flash
for a few seconds when you
turn your ignition to
RUN
or START. Then the light
should go out. This means
the system is ready.
If the air bag readiness light doesn’t come on when you
start your vehicle, or stays on, or comes on when you
are driving, your air bag system may not work properly.
Have your vehicle serviced right away.
Charging System Light
The charging system light
will come on briefly when
you turn
on the ignition, as
a check to show you it’s
working. Then it should
go out.
If it stays on, or comes on while you are driving, you
may have
a problem with the charging system. It could
indicate that you have
a loose drive belt or another
electrical problem. Have
it checked right away. Driving
while this light is on could drain your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with the light on, be
certain to turn
off all your accessories, such as the radio
and air conditioner.
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