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Here Are Questions Many People Ask
About Safety Belts
-- and the Answers
Q:
Won't I be trapped in the vehicle after an
accident if I'm wearing a safety belt?
A:You could be -- whether you're wearing a safety
belt or not. But you can unbuckle a safety belt,
even if you're upside down. And your chance of
being conscious during and after an accident, so
you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater if
you are belted.
Q:If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have to
wear safety belts?
A:Air bags are in many vehicles today and will
be in most of them in the future. But they are
supplemental systems only; so they work with
safety belts
-- not instead of them. Every air bag
system ever offered for sale has required the use of
safety belts. Even if you're in a vehicle that has air
bags, you still have to buckle up to get the most
protection. That's true not only in frontal collisions,
but especially in side and other collisions.
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.
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When should an air bag inflate?
An air bag is designed to inflate in a moderate to severe
frontal or near
-frontal crash. The air bag will inflate
only if the impact speed is above the system's designed
ªthreshold level.º If your vehicle goes straight into a
wall that doesn't move or deform, the threshold level is
about 8 to 12 mph (13 to 19 km/h). 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 would 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
how quickly the vehicle slows down in frontal or
near
-frontal impacts.
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 ªOff
-Road
Drivingº in the Index for more tips on off
-road driving.What makes an air bag inflate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. The sensing
system triggers a release of gas from the inflator, which
inflates the air bag. The inflator, air bag and related
hardware are all part of the air bag modules inside the
steering wheel and in the instrument panel in front of the
right front passenger.
How does an air bag restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near
-frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrument panel. Air bags supplement the protection
provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the force 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, rear impacts and side impacts,
primarily because an occupant's motion is not toward
those air bags. Air bags should never be regarded as
anything more than a supplement to safety belts,
and then only in moderate to severe frontal or
near
-frontal collisions.
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.
From the outside, use your key. To lock the door, turn
the key toward the front of the vehicle. To unlock the
door, turn the key toward the rear.
To lock the door from the
inside, push down the lock
rod on the door. To unlock
it, pull up on the lock rod.
If your vehicle is equipped with the remote keyless entry
system, you can use the transmitter to lock and unlock
the doors. See ªRemote Keyless Entry Systemº later in
this section.
2-9
3. Read the instructions inside the case.
4. Put the two halves back together. Make sure the
cover is on tightly so water won't get in.
5. Check the operation of the transmitter with your
vehicle. If the transmitter does not work, try
resynchronizing the transmitter with the receiver.
Resynchronization
Your remote keyless entry system is equipped with a
security system that prevents anyone from recording and
playing back your signal. The transmitter does not send
the same signal twice to the receiver. The receiver will
not respond to a signal that has been sent to it more
than once.
To resynchronize your transmitter and receiver, follow
these directions:
1. Stand close to your vehicle.
2. Press and hold the LOCK and UNLOCK buttons on
the transmitter at the same time.
3. Hold the buttons for at least seven seconds. During
this time, the doors should lock and unlock once.
This confirms the resynchronization. If the doors do
not lock and unlock, see your dealer for service.
Tailgate
CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to drive with the tailgate
open because carbon monoxide (CO) gas can
come into your vehicle. You can't see or smell
CO. It can cause unconsciousness and even death.
If you must drive with the tailgate open or if
electrical wiring or other cable connections
must pass through the seal between the body
and the tailgate:
Make sure all other windows are shut.
Turn the fan on your heating or cooling
system to its highest speed with the setting
on CIRCULATE. That will force outside
air into your vehicle. See ªComfort
Controlsº in the Index.
If you have air outlets on or under the
instrument panel, open them all the way.
See ªEngine Exhaustº in the Index.
2-10 Tailgate Lock Release
Use your key to lock or unlock your tailgate.
If you have a convertible, you can still open or close the
tailgate with the rear window closed.
Theft
Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some cities.
Although your vehicle has a number of theft
-deterrent
features, we know that nothing we put on it can make
it impossible to steal. However, there are ways you
can help.
Key in the Ignition
If you leave your vehicle with the keys inside, it's an
easy target for joy riders or professional thieves
-- so
don't do it.
When you park your vehicle and open the driver's door,
you'll hear a tone reminding you to remove your key
from the ignition and take it with you. Always do this.
Your steering wheel will be locked, and so will your
ignition. If you have an automatic transmission, taking
your key out also locks your transmission. Also
remember to lock the doors.
Parking at Night
Park in a lighted spot, close all windows and lock your
vehicle. Remember to keep your valuables out of sight.
Put them in a storage area, or take them with you.
Parking Lots
If you park in a lot where someone will be watching
your vehicle, it's best to lock it up and take your keys.
But what if you have to leave your ignition key? What if
you have to leave something valuable in your vehicle?
Put your valuables in a storage area, like your
glove box.
Lock your glove box.
Close all windows.
If possible, park in a busy, well lit area.
If your vehicle has a remote keyless entry system,
take the transmitter with you.
Lock all the doors except the driver's.
2-39 Daytime Running Lamps
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the day.
DRL can be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the
short periods after dawn and before sunset.
The DRL system will make your headlamps come on at
a reduced brightness when:
The ignition is on with the engine running,
the headlamp switch is off or the parking lights
are on, and
the parking brake is released.
When the DRL are on, only your headlamps will be on
at a reduce brightness. The taillamps, sidemarker and
other lamps won't be on. Your instrument panel won't
be lit up either.When you turn on the headlamp switch, your DRL will go
off and your headlamps will come on. The other lamps
that come on with your headlamps will also come on.
When it begins to get dark, the headlamps will
automatically switch from DRL to the regular headlamps.
See ªAutomatic Light Controlº later in this section.
When you turn the headlamp switch to off, the regular
lamps will go off and your headlamps will change to
the reduced brightness of DRL provided it is not dark
outside. DRL will also come on if only the parking
lamps are being used.
To idle your vehicle with the DRL off, set the parking
brake. The DRL will stay off until you release the
parking brake.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.
3-18 Understanding Radio Reception
AM
The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM,
especially at night. The longer range, however, can
cause stations to interfere with each other. AM can pick
up noise from things like storms and power lines. Try
reducing the treble to reduce this noise if you ever get it.
FM Stereo
FM stereo will give you the best sound, but FM signals
will reach only about 10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km). Tall
buildings or hills can interfere with FM signals, causing
the sound to come and go.
Tips About Your Audio System
Hearing damage from loud noise is almost undetectable
until it is too late. Your hearing can adapt to higher
volumes of sound. Sound that seems normal can be loud
and harmful to your hearing. Take precautions by
adjusting the volume control on your radio to a safe
sound level before your hearing adapts to it.To help avoid hearing loss or damage:
Adjust the volume control to the lowest setting.
Increase volume slowly until you hear comfortably
and clearly.
NOTICE:
Before you add any sound equipment to your
vehicle
-- like a tape player, CB radio, mobile
telephone or two
-way radio -- be sure you can
add what you want. If you can, it's very
important to do it properly. Added sound
equipment may interfere with the operation of
your vehicle's engine, Delphi Delco Electronics
radio or other systems, and even damage them.
Your vehicle's systems may interfere with the
operation of sound equipment that has been
added improperly.
So, before adding sound equipment, check with
your dealer and be sure to check Federal rules
covering mobile radio and telephone units.
4-2
Your Driving, the Road and
Your Vehicle
Whenever we drive, we're taking on an important
responsibility. This is true for any motor
vehicle
-- passenger car, van, truck or sport utility.
Driver behavior, the driving environment, and the
vehicle's design all affect how well a vehicle performs.But statistics show that the most important factor, by far,
is how we drive. Knowing how these three factors work
together can help you understand how your vehicle
handles and what you can do to avoid many types of
crashes, including a rollover crash.
Driver Behavior
The single most important thing is this: everyone in the
vehicle, including the driver, should buckle up (see
ªSafety Beltsº in the Index). In fact, most serious
injuries and fatalities to unbelted occupants can be
reduced or prevented by the use of safety belts. In a
rollover crash, an unbelted person is significantly more
likely to die than a person wearing a seat belt. In
addition, avoiding excessive speed, sudden or abrupt
turns and drunken or aggressive driving can help make
trips safer and avoid the possibility of a crash, especially
a rollover crash. This section provides many useful tips
to help you drive more safely.