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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 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 air bags -- one air bag for the driver
and another air bag for the right front passenger.
Frontal air bags are designed to help reduce the risk of
injury from the force of an inflating air bag. But these
air bags must inflate very quickly to do their job and
comply with federal regulations.Here are the most important things to know about the
air bag system:
CAUTION:
You can be severely injured or killed in a crash if
you aren't wearing your safety belt -- even if you
have air bags. Wearing your safety belt during a
crash helps reduce your chance of hitting things
inside the vehicle or being ejected from it. Air
bags are ªsupplemental restraintsº to the safety
belts. All air bags are designed to work with
safety belts, but don't replace them. Air bags are
designed to work only in moderate to severe
crashes where the front of your vehicle hits
something. They aren't designed to inflate at all
in rollover, rear, side or low-speed frontal
crashes. And, for unrestrained occupants, air
bags may provide less protection in frontal
crashes than more forceful air bags have
provided in the past. Everyone in your vehicle
should wear a safety belt properly -- whether or
not there's an air bag for that person.
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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.
Buckle, position and release it the same way as the lap
part of a lap-shoulder belt. If the belt isn't long enough,
see ªSafety Belt Extenderº at the end of this section.
Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned
so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly
if you ever had to.
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2. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.
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.
If the belt is not long enough, see ªSafety Belt
Extenderº at the end of this section.
Make sure the release button on the buckle is
positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly if you ever had to.
3. To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle
end of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder part.
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3. Be sure that the belt is not twisted and it lies flat.
The elastic cord must be under the belt and the
guide on top.4. Buckle, position and release the safety belt as
described in ªRear Seat Outside Passenger Positionsº
earlier in this section. Make sure that the shoulder
belt crosses the shoulder.
To remove and store the comfort guides, squeeze the belt
edges together so that you can take them out from the
guides. Pull the guide upward to expose its storage clip,
and then slide the guide onto the clip. Rotate the guide and
clip inward and in between the seatback and the interior
body, leaving only the loop of elastic cord exposed.
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4. Position and release it the same way as the lap part
of a lap-shoulder belt.
If the belt isn't long enough, see ªSafety Belt
Extenderº at the end of this section. Make sure the
release button on the buckle is positioned so you
would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if
you ever had to.
Children
Everyone in a vehicle needs protection! That includes
infants and all children smaller than adult size. Neither
the distance traveled nor the age and size of the traveler
changes the need, for everyone, to use safety restraints.
In fact, the law in every state in the United States and in
every Canadian province says children up to some age
must be restrained while in a vehicle.
Smaller Children and Babies
CAUTION:
Children who are up against, or very close to, any
air bag when it inflates can be seriously injured
or killed. Air bags plus lap-shoulder belts offer
the best protection for adults, but not for young
children and infants. Neither the vehicle's safety
belt system nor its air bag system is designed for
them. Young children and infants need the
protection that a child restraint system can
provide. Always secure children properly in
your vehicle.
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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, just 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.
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.)
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 necessary.
But if the belts were stretched, as they would be if worn
during a more severe crash, then you need new belts.
If you ever see a label on
the driver's or the right
front passenger's safety belt
that says to replace the belt,
be sure to do so. Then the
new belt will be there to
help protect you in a
collision. You would see
this label on the belt near
the door opening.
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.
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2-1
Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and optional features on your vehicle, and information on starting,
shifting and braking. Also explained are the instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you if everything is
working properly
-- and what to do if you have a problem.
2
-2 Keys
2-4 Door Locks
2-6 Keyless Entry System (If Equipped)
2-9 Endgate/Liftgate
2-13 Theft
2-14 Content Theft-Deterrent (If Equipped)
2-15 Passlock
2-16 New Vehicle ªBreak-Inº
2-16 Ignition Positions
2-18 Starting Your Engine
2-20 Engine Coolant Heater (If Equipped)
2-21 Automatic Transmission Operation
2-24 Manual Transmission Operation
2-26 Four-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)
2-33 Parking Brake
2-34 Shifting Into PARK (P)
(Automatic Transmission Only)
2
-37 Shifting Out of PARK (P)
(Automatic Transmission Only)2
-38 Parking Over Things That Burn
2-39 Engine Exhaust
2-39 Running Your Engine While You're Parked
(Automatic Transmission)
2
-40 Locking Rear Axle
2-40 Windows
2-43 Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
2-49 Exterior Lamps
2-52 Interior Lamps
2-53 Mirrors
2-56 Storage Compartments
2-67 Accessory Power Outlets (If Equipped)
2-68 Sunroof (If Equipped)
2-69 HomeLink Transmitter (If Equipped)
2-73 Instrument Panel
2-77 Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
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Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal
down with your right foot. Push down the parking brake
pedal with your left foot. If the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light will come on.
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down.
Pull the BRAKE RELEASE lever fully. It is located on
the bottom of the driver's side of the instrument panel.
NOTICE:
Driving with the parking brake on can cause
your rear brakes to overheat. You may have to
replace them, and you could also damage other
parts of your vehicle.
If you are towing a trailer and you must park on a hill,
see ªTowing a Trailerº in the Index. That section shows
what to do first to keep the trailer from moving.