yellowblue
1-12
Q:If I'm a good driver, and I never drive far from
home, why should I wear safety belts?
A:You may be an excellent driver, but if you're in an
accident
-- even one that isn't your fault -- you and
your passengers can be hurt. Being a good driver
doesn't protect you from things beyond your
control, such as bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km) of
home. And the greatest number of serious injuries
and deaths occur at speeds of less than 40 mph
(65 km/h).
Safety belts are for everyone.
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 ªChildren.º 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 ªSeatsº in the Index)
so you can sit up straight.
yellowblue
1-20
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 ªDriver Positionº 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.
Air Bag System
This part explains the air bag system.
Your vehicle has ªNext Generationº frontal air
bags
-- one air bag for the driver and another
air bag for the right front passenger.
Next Generation 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.
Here are the most important things to know about the
air bag system:
yellowblue
1-47
5. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of
the retractor to set the lock.6. To tighten the belt, feed the shoulder belt back into the
retractor while you push down on the child restraint. If
you're using a forward
-facing child restraint, you may
find it helpful to use your knee to push down on the
child restraint as you tighten the belt.
7. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.
yellowblue
2-4
Door Locks
CAUTION:
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.
You can use the keyless entry system, if you have
this feature.
You can use your key to unlock your door from
the outside.
To lock your door from the inside, slide the lever on
your inside door down.
To unlock the door, slide the
lever on your inside door
up. You will see a red area
on the lever.
yellowblue
2-13
Ignition Positions
CAUTION:
Leaving children in a vehicle with the ignition
key is dangerous for many reasons. A child or
others could be badly injured or even killed.
They could operate power windows or other
controls or even make the vehicle move. Don't
leave the keys in the vehicle with children.
Use the key to turn the ignition switch to
five different positions.
ACCESSORY (A): This position lets you use things
like the radio and the windshield wipers when the
engine is off. Push in the key and turn it toward you.
Your steering wheel will remain locked, just as it was
before you inserted the key.
yellowblue
4-10
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should
adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds are
based on good weather and road conditions. Under less
favorable conditions you'll want to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach a
curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your front
wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed so you can ªdriveº through the
curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then
accelerate gently into the straightaway.
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 ªBraking in
Emergenciesº 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.
yellowblue
9-2
Brakes
Adjustment 6-34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Anti-Lock 4-7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Master Cylinder 6-31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Pedal Travel 6-34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Replacing System Parts 6-34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Trailer 4-50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Wear 6-33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Brake-Transmission Shift Interlock Check 7-44 . . . . . . . . . . .
Braking 4-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Braking in Emergencies 4-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Break-In, New Vehicle 2-12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Brightness Control 2-43 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
BTSI Check 7-44 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bulb Replacement 6-35, 6-67 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Canadian Roadside Assistance 8-7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Capacities and Specifications 6-67, 6-68 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Carbon Monoxide 2-31, 4-39 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Care of Your Cassette Tape Player 3-24, 7-42 . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cassette Deck Service 7-42 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp Bulb Replacement 6-39 . . . .
Center Passenger Position 1-31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Certification/Tire Label 4-40 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chains
Safety 4
-50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tire 6-50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Changing a Flat Tire 5-19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Charging System Light 2-58 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Check Gages Light 2-65 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking Your Restraint Systems 1-52 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chemical Paint Spotting 6-58 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Child Restraints 1
-37 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Securing in the Right Front Seat Position 1-44 . . . . . . . . . .
Top Strap 1-42 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Where Not to Put 1-43 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cigarette Lighter 2-48 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Circuit Breakers and Fuses 6-62 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cleaner, Air 6-16, 6-70 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cleaning
Aluminum Wheels 6
-56 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fabric 6-52 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Glass 6-54 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Inside of Your Vehicle 6-52 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Instrument Panel 6-54 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Interior Plastic Components 6-54 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Leather 6-54 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Outside of Your Vehicle 6-55 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Safety Belts 6-54 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Stains 6-53 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tires 6-57 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Vinyl 6-54 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Weatherstrips 6-55 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Wheels 6-56 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Windshield and Wiper Blades 6-55 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Climate Control System 3-2, 3-3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Clock, Setting 3-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Clutch, Hydraulic 6-21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Comfort Controls 3-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Compact Disc Care 3-25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Compact Spare Tire 5-31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Content Theft-Deterrent 2-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Control of a Vehicle 4-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Convex Outside Mirror 2-46 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Coolant 5-11, 6-26, 6-68 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .