Drive
r an d Passenge r Safet y
Thi s sectio n give s yo u importan t
informatio n abou t ho w to protec t
yoursel f an d you r passenger . I t
show s yo u ho w to us e sea t belt s
properly . I t explain s you r Supple -
menta l Restrain t System . An d it tell s
yo u ho w to properl y restrai n childre n
i n you r car . Importan
t Safet y Precautions......... . 6
You r Car' s Safet y Features............. . 7
Sea t Belts....................................... . 8
Airbags........................................... . 9
Seat s & Seat-Backs..................... . 1 0
Hea d Restraints.......................... . 1 0
Doo r Locks.................................. . 1 0
Pre-Driv e Safet y Checklist........ . 1 1
Protectin g Adults............................ . 1 2
1 . Clos e an d Loc k th e Doors..... . 1 2
2 . Adjus t th e Fron t Seats........... . 1 2
3 . Adjus t th e Seat-Backs............ . 1 3
4 . Faste n an d Positio n th e Sea t
Belts..................................... . 1 5
5 . Maintai n a Prope r Sittin g
Position................................ . 1 6
Advic e fo r Pregnan t Women..... . 1 7
Additiona l Safet y Precautions... . 1 8
Protectin g Children........................ . 1 9
Al l Childre n Mus t B e
Restrained............................... . 1 9
You r Ca r i s No t Recommende d
fo r Chil d Passengers.............. . 2 0
Th e Passenger' s Airba g Pose s
Seriou s Risk s t o Children...... . 2 0
Additiona l Safet y Precaution..... . 2 2
Genera
l Guideline s fo r Usin g
Chil d Seats............................... . 2 2
Protecting Small Children......... . 2 6
Protecting Larger Children....... . 2 9
Usin g Chil d Seat s wit h
Tethers..................................... . 3 3
Additiona l Informatio n Abou t You r
Sea t Belts................................. . 3 4
Sea t Bel t Syste m Components.. . 3 4
Lap/Shoulde r Belt...................... . 3 4
Sea t Bel t Maintenance............... . 3 5
Additiona l Informatio n Abou t
You r SRS................................... 36
SR S Components........................ . 3 6
Ho w You r Airbag s Work........... . 3 6
Ho w th e Automati c Sea t Bel t
Tensioner s Work.................... . 3 8
Ho w th e SR S Indicato r Ligh t
Works....................................... . 3 8
SR S Service.................................. . 3 9
Additiona l Safet y Precautions... . 3 9
Carbo n Monoxid e Hazard............. .
40
Safet y Labels................................... .
4
1
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y
You
r Car' s Safet y Feature s
(1 ) Safet y Cag e
(2 ) Crus h Zone s
(3 ) Seat s & Seat-Back s
(4 ) Hea d Restraint s
(5 ) Collapsibl e Steerin g Colum n
(6 ) Sea t Belt s
(7 ) Sea t Bel t Tensioner s
(8 ) Airbag s
(9 ) Doo r Lock s You
r ca r i s equippe d wit h man y
feature s tha t wor k togethe r t o
protec t yo u an d you r passenge r
durin g a crash .
Som e safet y feature s d o no t requir e
an y actio n o n you r part . Thes e
includ e a stron g aluminu m
framewor k tha t form s a safet y cag e
aroun d th e passenge r compartment ;
fron t an d rea r crus h zone s tha t ar e
designe d t o crumpl e an d absor b
energ y durin g a crash ; a collapsibl e
steerin g column ; an d sea t bel t
tensioner s tha t automaticall y tighte n
th e sea t belt s i n th e even t o f a crash .
Thes e safet y feature s ar e designe d
t o reduc e th e severit y o f injurie s i n a
crash . However , yo u an d you r
passenge r can' t tak e ful l advantag e
o f thes e safet y feature s unles s yo u
remai n sittin g in a prope r positio n
an d always wear your seat belts
properly. In fact , som e safet y
feature s ca n contribut e to injurie s if
the y ar e no t use d properly .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y
You
r Car' s Safet y Feature s
Seat s & Seat-Back s
You r car' s seat s ar e designe d to kee p
yo u in a comfortable , uprigh t
positio n s o yo u ca n tak e ful l
advantag e o f th e protectio n offere d
b y sea t belt s an d th e energ y
absorbin g material s i n th e seats .
Ho w yo u adjus t you r seat s an d seat -
back s ca n als o affec t you r safety . Fo r
example , sittin g to o clos e to th e
steerin g whee l o r dashboar d
increase s th e ris k o f yo u o r you r
passenge r bein g injure d b y strikin g
th e insid e o f th e car , o r b y a n
inflatin g airbag .
Reclinin g a seat-bac k to o fa r reduce s
th e sea t belt' s effectivenes s an d
increase s th e chanc e tha t th e seat' s
occupan t wil l slid e unde r th e sea t
bel t i n a cras h an d b e seriousl y
injured .
What
you should do: Move th e seat s
a s fa r bac k a s possible , an d kee p
adjustabl e seat-back s in a n uprigh t
positio n wheneve r th e ca r i s moving .
Hea d Restraint s
Hea d restraint s ca n hel p protec t yo u
fro m whiplas h an d othe r injuries .Doo
r Lock s
Keepin g you r door s locke d reduce s
th e chanc e o f bein g throw n ou t o f
th e ca r durin g a crash . I t als o help s
preven t occupant s fro m accidentall y
openin g a doo r an d fallin g out , an d
outsider s fro m unexpectedl y openin g
you r doors .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y
You
r Car' s Safet y Feature s
Pre-Driv e Safet y Checklis t
T o mak e sur e yo u an d you r
passenge r ge t th e maximu m
protectio n fro m you r car' s safet y
features , chec k th e followin g eac h
tim e befor e yo u driv e away : Yo
u an d an y adul t passenger , o r a
large r chil d wh o ha s outgrow n
chil d seats , ar e wearin g you r sea t
belt s an d wearin g the m properl y
(se e pag e 15 ). A
smal l chil d ridin g in a forward -
facin g chil d sea t i s properl y
restraine d (se e pag e 26 ). Occupant
s ar e sittin g uprigh t an d
a s fa r bac k a s possibl e fro m th e
steerin g whee l an d dashboar d
(se e pag e 1 2 ). Seat-back
s ar e uprigh t (se e pag e
13 ). Bot
h door s ar e close d an d locke d
(se e pag e 1 2 ) . Al
l carg o is properl y store d o r
secure d (se e pag e 128 ).
Th e res t o f thi s sectio n give s mor e
detaile d informatio n abou t ho w yo u
ca n maximiz e you r safety .
Remember , however , tha t n o safet y
syste m ca n preven t al l injurie s o r
death s tha t ca n occu r i n sever e
crashes , eve n whe n sea t belt s ar e
properl y wor n an d th e airbag s deploy .
Driver an d Passenge r Safet y
Protectin
g Adult s
Introductio n
Th e followin g page s provid e
instruction s o n ho w to properl y
protec t adul t occupants .
Thes e instruction s als o appl y t o a
chil d who m yo u hav e decide d is
larg e enoug h an d matur e enoug h t o
rid e a s a passenger . (Se e pag e 2 9 fo r
importan t additiona l guideline s o n
ho w to properl y protec t large r
children. )
1 . Clos e an d Loc k th e Door s
Afte r everyon e ha s entere d th e car ,
b e sur e th e door s ar e close d an d
locked .
You
r ca r ha s a doo r monito r ligh t o n
th e instrumen t pane l t o indicat e
whe n a specifi c doo r i s no t tightl y
closed .
Fo r safety , lockin g th e door s reduce s
th e chanc e tha t a passenger ,
especiall y a child , wil l ope n a doo r
whil e th e ca r i s movin g an d
accidentall y fal l out . I t als o reduce s
th e chanc e o f someon e bein g throw n
ou t o f th e ca r durin g a crash .
Fo r security , locke d door s ca n
preven t a n outside r fro m
unexpectedl y openin g a doo r whe n
yo u com e to a stop .
Se e pag e 6 9 fo r ho w to loc k th e
doors .
2.Adjus
t th e Fron t Seat s
An y drive r wh o sit s to o clos e t o th e
steerin g whee l i s a t ris k o f bein g
seriousl y injure d o r kille d b y strikin g
th e steerin g wheel , o r fro m bein g
struc k b y a n inflatin g airba g durin g a
crash .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y
Protectin
g Adult s
T o reduc e th e chanc e o f injury , wea r
you r sea t bel t properly , si t uprigh t
wit h you r bac k agains t th e seat , an d
mov e th e sea t a s fa r bac k a s possibl e
fro m th e steerin g whee l whil e stil l
maintainin g ful l contro l o f th e car .
Als o mak e sur e you r passenge r
move s th e sea t a s fa r t o th e rea r a s
possible .
Mos
t shorte r driver s ca n ge t fa r
enoug h awa y fro m th e steerin g
whee l an d stil l reac h th e pedals .
However , i f yo u ar e concerne d abou t
sittin g to o close , w e recommen d tha t
yo u investigat e whethe r som e typ e
o f adaptiv e equipmen t ma y help .
Onc e you r sea t i s adjuste d correctly ,
roc k i t bac k an d fort h t o mak e sur e
th e sea t i s locke d in position .
Se e pag e 7 4 fo r ho w to adjus t th e
seats .
3.Adjus
t th e Seat-Back s
Adjus t th e driver' s seat-bac k t o a
comfortable , uprigh t position ,
leavin g ampl e spac e betwee n you r
ches t an d th e airba g cove r i n th e
cente r o f th e steerin g wheel . I f yo u
si t to o clos e t o th e steerin g wheel ,
yo u coul d b e injure d i f th e airba g
inflates .
CONTINUED
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y
Sittin
g to o clos e t o a n airba g
ca n resul t i n seriou s injur y o r
deat h if th e airbag s inflate .
Alway s si t a s fa r bac k fro m th e
airbag s a s possible .
Protectin
g Childre n
Child Seat Installation
Th e passenger' s sea t bel t ha s a
lockin g mechanis m tha t mus t b e
activate d to secur e a chil d seat .
Th e followin g page s provid e
instruction s an d tip s o n ho w to
secur e a forward-facin g chil d sea t
wit h thi s typ e o f sea t belt .
1 . Mov e th e vehicl e sea t t o th e rear -
mos t position . Movin g th e sea t a s
fa r bac k a s possibl e reduce s th e
chanc e o f a chil d bein g injure d o r
kille d i f th e passenger' s airba g
inflates . (Se e pag e 7 4 fo r
instruction s o n ho w to adjus t th e
seat. ) 2
. Wit h th e chil d sea t i n position ,
rout e th e bel t throug h th e chil d
sea t accordin g t o th e sea t maker' s
instructions , the n inser t th e latc h
plat e int o th e buckle . 3
. T o activat e th e lockabl e retractor ,
slowl y pul l th e shoulde r par t o f th e
bel t al l th e wa y ou t unti l i t stops ,
the n le t th e bel t fee d bac k int o th e
retracto r (yo u migh t hea r a
clickin g nois e a s th e bel t retracts) .
4 . Afte r th e bel t ha s retracted , tu g o n
it . I f th e bel t i s locked , yo u wil l no t
b e abl e t o pul l i t out . I f yo u ca n pul l
th e bel t out , i t i s no t locke d an d
yo u wil l nee d t o repea t thes e steps .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y
CONTINUED
Protectin
g Childre n
5 . Afte r confirmin g tha t th e bel t i s
locked , gra b th e shoulde r par t o f
th e bel t nea r th e buckl e an d pul l
u p to remov e an y slac k fro m th e
la p par t o f th e belt . Remember , i f
th e la p par t o f th e bel t i s no t tight ,
th e chil d sea t wil l no t b e secure . I t
ma y hel p to pu t weigh t o n th e
chil d seat , o r pus h o n th e bac k o f
th e seat , whil e pullin g u p o n th e
belt .
6
. Pus h an d pul l th e chil d sea t
forwar d an d fro m sid e t o sid e t o
verif y tha t i t i s secur e enoug h t o
sta y uprigh t durin g norma l drivin g
maneuvers . I f th e chil d sea t i s no t
secure , unlatc h th e belt , allo w it t o
retrac t fully , the n repea t thes e
steps .
T o deactivat e th e lockin g
mechanis m in orde r t o remov e a
chil d seat , unlatc h th e buckle ,
unrout e th e sea t belt , an d le t th e bel t
full y retract .
Additional
Precautions for Small
Children
Never hold a small child on your
lap. If yo u ar e no t wearin g a sea t
bel t i n a crash , yo u coul d b e
throw n forwar d int o th e
dashboar d an d crus h th e child .
I f yo u ar e wearin g a sea t belt , th e
chil d ca n b e tor n fro m you r arm s
durin g a crash . Fo r example , i f
you r ca r crashe s int o a parke d
vehicl e a t 3 0 mp h (4 8 km/h) , a
30-l b (1 4 kg ) chil d wil l becom e a
900-l b (41 0 kg ) force , an d yo u wil l
no t b e abl e to hol d on .
Never
put a seat belt over yourself
and a child. During a crash , th e
bel t coul d pres s dee p int o th e chil d
an d caus e ver y seriou s injuries .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y