How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
Adults
This part is only for people of adult size.
Be aware that there
are special things to know about
safety belts and children. And there are different
rules for smaller children and babies.
If a child will
be riding in your vehicle, see the part of this
manual called “Children.” Follow those rules for
everyone’s protection.
First, you’ll want to know which restraint systems
your vehicle has.
We’ll start with the driver position.
Driver Position
This part describes the driver’s restraint system.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here’s how to
wear it properly.
1. Close and lock the door.
2. Adjust the seat (to see how, see “Seats” in the Index)
so you can sit up straight.
3.
4.
Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Don’t let it get twisted.
The shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt across
you very quickly.
If this happens, let the belt go back
slightly to unlock
it. Then pull the belt across you
more slowly.
Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.
If the belt isn’t long enough, see “Safety Belt
Extender” at the end
of this section.
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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
To learn how to wear the right front passenger’s safety
belt properly, see “Driver Position’’ earlier in this section.
The right front passenger’s safety belt works the same
way as the driver’s safety belt
-- except for one thing. If
you ever pull the shoulder portion of the belt out all the
way, you will engage the child restraint locking feature.
If this happens, just let the belt go back all the way and
start again.
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
This part explains the Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS) or air bag system.
Your vehicle has two air bags
-- one air bag for the
driver
and another air bag for the right front passenger.
The air bags in your vehicle may be “Next Generation”
reduced-force frontal air bags.
If your vehicle has a label on the driver’s side door
window, then your vehicle has reduced-force frontal air
bags.
If your vehicle doesn’t have a label, then the air
bags
in your vehicle aren’t reduced-force.
Reduced-force frontal air bags are designed to help
reduce the risk of injury from the force
of an inflating
air bag. But even these air bags must inflate very
quickly if they are to
do their job and comply with
federal regulations.
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2. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder
portions of the vehicle’s safety belt through or
around the restraint. The child restraint instructions
will show you how.
If the shoulder belt goes in front of the child’s face
or neck, put it behind the child restraint.
3. 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.
4. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of
the retractor to set the lock.
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3. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder
portions of the vehicle’s safety belt through or
around the restraint. The child restraint instructions
will show you how.
If the shoulder belt goes in front of the child’s face or
neck, put it behind the child restraint.
4. 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.
5. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of
the retractor to set the lock.
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Door Locks Power Door Locks
Press the switch to
all doors.
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 key or keyless entry
transmitter, if your vehicle has this option.
From
the inside, push the power lock switch to lock and
unlock the doors. power door lock
lock or unlock
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Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective
than braking. For example, you come over a hill and
find
a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly
pulls out from nowhere, or a child darts out from
between parked cars and stops right in front
of you.
You can avoid these problems by braking
-- if you
can stop in time. But sometimes you can’t; there isn’t
room. That’s the time for evasive action
-- steering
around the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies
like these. First apply your brakes. (See “Braking in
Emergencies” earlier in this section.) It
is better to
remove as much speed as you can from a possible
collision. Then steer around the problem, to the left
or
right depending on the space available. An
emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended
9 and 3 o’clock positions, you can
turn it a full
180 degrees very quickly without removing
either hand. But you have
to act fast, steer quickly, and
just as quickly straighten the wheel once you have
avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving
at all times and wear safety belts properly.
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Brake (Continued) Replacing System Parts
........................ 6-30
System Warning Light
......................... 2-56
Trailer
...................................... 4-34
Transaxle Shift Interlock
.................. 2-27, 7-15
Transaxle Shift Interlock Check
.................. 7-15
Brakes, Anti-Lock
............................... 4-7
Braking in Emergencies
.......................... 4- 10
Break-In, New Vehicle
.......................... 2-15
BTSI
.................................... 2-27, 7-15
Bulb Replacement
.............................. 6-3 1
Center High-Mounted ......................... 6-36
Front Parking and Turn Signal Lamp
.............. 6-36
Tail/Stop/Turn Signal Lamp
..................... 6-37
Bulbs, Replacement Numbers
..................... 6-62
Wear
....................................... 6-29
WhattoAdd
................................. 6-28
Braking
........................................ 4-6
BTSICheck
................................... 7-15
Headlamps
.................................. 6-31
Capacities and Specifications
.................... 6-63
Carbon Monoxide
............... 2.13.2.28.4.28. 4.34
Care of Your Cassette Tape Player
.................. 3-27
Care of Your Compact Disc Player
................. 3-28
Care of Your Compact Discs
...................... 3-28
Cassette Deck Service
........................... 7-13
Cassette Tape Player
....................... 3.10. 3.14
CD Player
..................................... 3-14
CD Player Theft-Deterrent Feature
................. 3-23
Center Console
................................. 2-47
Center Passenger Position
........................ 1-32
CareofYourTapePlayer
......................... 3-27 Certification
Label
.............................. 4-30
Chains. Safety
................................. 4-34
Chains. Tire
................................... 6-46
Change Oil Light
............................... 2-64
Changing a Flat Tire
............................. 5-25
Charging System Light
.......................... 2-56
Checking Your Restraint Systems
.................. 1-51
Chemical Paint Spotting .......................... 6-53
Child Restraints
................................ 1-37
Securing in a Rear Outside Seat Position
........... 1-42
Securing
in the Center Rear Seat Position .......... 1-44
Securing in the Right Front Seat Position .......... 1-46
TopStrap
................................... 1-42
WheretoPut
..........,..................... l-41
Children ,,...........,........................ l-34
Cleaner. Air ................................... 6-16
Cleaning Circuit
Breakers and Fuses
....................... 6-56
Interior Plastic Components
..................... 6-49
Exterior Lamphnses
......................... 6-51
Glass
....................................... 6-50
Inside of
Your Vehicle ......................... 6-47
Instrument Panel
............................. 6-49
Outside
of Your Vehicle ........................ 6-50
Special Problems ............................. 6-48
Vinyl
....................................... 6-49
Windshield and Wiper Blades
................... 6-50
AluminumWheels
............................ 6-52
Fabric
...................................... 6-48
Leather
..................................... 6-49
Tires
....................................... 6-52
Wheels
..................................... 6-52
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I I
Rain. DrivingIn ................................ 4-17
Rear
Rainy Weather Tips
............................. 4-19
DoorSecurityLocks
........................... 2-5
Outside Seat Position
.......................... 1-27
Safety Belt Comfort Guides
..................... 1-30
Seatpassengers
.............................. l-27
Window Defogger ............................. 3-9
Rearview Mirror
................................ 2-43
MapLamps
................................ 2-43
Inside Daymight
............................. 2-43
Reclining Front Seatbacks
......................... 1-3
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
............... 7- 18
Refrigerants, Air Conditioning
.................... 6-64
Remote Trunk Release
........................... 2-13
Bulb Numbers
............................... 6-62
Parts, Normal Maintenance
..................... 6-64
Wheel
...................................... 6-45
Replacing Safety Belts
........................... 1-5 1
Reporting Safety Defects
.......................... 8-8
Towing
..................................... 5-13
Electrochromic Daymight with Compass and
Replacement
Restraints Checking
................................... 1-51
Head
.........,.............................. l-5
Systemcheck ................................ 7-14
Child
....................................... l-37
Replacing Parts After
a Crash ................... 1-51
Entry Transmitter .............................. 2- 12
Resynchronizing
Your Remote Keyless Reverse. Automatic Transaxle
..................... 2-21
Right Front Passenger Position
.................... 1-19
Roadside Assistance
.............................. 8-5
Rocking Your Vehicle To Get Out
.................. 5-36
Rotation. Tires
................................. 6-41
safety Belt Extender
............................ 1-51
Safety Belt Reminder Light
................... 1.6. 2.55
Adults
...................................... 1-11
Center Passenger Position
...................... 1-32
Driver Position
............................... 1-11
How to Wear Properly ......................... 1-11
Lap Belt
.................................... 1-33
Lap-Shoulder
........................... 1- 11, 1-27
Larger Children
.............................. 1-48
Passenger Position
............................ 1-19
Questions and Answers
........................ 1-10
Rear Comfort Guides
.......................... 1-30
Rear Seat Outside Passenger Positions
............ 1-27
Rear Seat Passengers
.......................... 1-27
Reminder Light
.......................... 1-6, 2-55
Replacing After a Crash
........................ 1-51
Right Front Passenger Position
.................. 1-19
Shoulder
Belt Height Adjuster ................... 1-13
Smaller Children and Babies
.................... 1-34
Use During Pregnancy
......................... 1-18
SafetyBelts
.................................... l-5
Care ....................................... 6-49
Children
.................................... l-34
Extender .................................... l-51
Incorrect Usage ..... 1-14,l-15,l-16, 1-17,l-49, 1-50
WhyTheyWork
............................... 1-7
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