Page 71 of 248
Controls and features
71 PASSIVE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM
(if equipped)
The Passive Anti-Theft system
(PATS) is an engine immobilization
system. It is an additional theft
protection feature that prevents
the engine from being started
unless a coded key is used..
This system is only available with
2.5 litre engines.
OFF LO PNL/FLR
PANEL
A/CFLOOR
DEF FLR
DEF
MAX
A/C HI/
POWER AUDIO AM/FM
SCAN
SEEK 31245ANSSIDE 1-2EJECTVOLUME
12 3
00
0
80
90
10 0
110
120
13 0
PH
120
14 0
160
18 0
200
EF
BRAKE
CHECK
ENGINE
CLOCK
Automatic arming
The system is armed five seconds
after switching off the ignition.
The armed status is indicated when
the control light flashes every
two seconds.
Automatic disarming
Switching on the ignition disarms
the system if the correct code is
recognized.
Keys
Your vehicle is supplied with two
coded keys.
Only these keys can be used to
start your vehicle.
13MCfen 24.6.99 15:07 Uhr Seite 71
Page 76 of 248
Seating and safety restraints
76
Folding rear seats (if equipped)
Pull the release knob located in the
luggage compartment. Fold down
the seat. The seat back cannot be
released while the built-in child
seat (if equipped) is open.
If you are carrying objects that
might damage the center rear
three-point safety belt, you can
unbuckle the end of the belt from
the small buckle on the seat
cushion and let the retractor reel it
up. Reconnect the belt tongue to
the buckle when you fold the seat
back up. Refer to
Center position
three-point safety beltsin this
chapter.
To raise the rear seat back, push
the seat back upward until it locks
in place. Make sure it is firmly
latched by pushing forward and
back on it.
Check to see that the seat
and seat back are latched
securely in position. Keep luggage
area free of objects that would
prevent proper engagement.
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Page 77 of 248
Seating and safety restraints
77
Important safety restraints
precautions
The use of safety belts helps to
restrain both driver and passenger
in case of a collision. In most states
and Canada, the law requires the
use of safety belts.
Always drive and ride with
your seatback upright and
the lap belt snug and low across
the hips.
Lock the doors of your
vehicle before driving to
lessen the risk of the door coming
open in a collision.
Cargo should always be
secured to prevent it from
shifting and causing damage to the
vehicle or harm to passengers.
To prevent the risk of injury,
make sure children sit where
they can be properly restrained.
SAFETY RESTRAINTS
Front and rear seat
occupants including
pregnant women, should wear
safety belts for optimum
protection in an accident.
Always transport children
12 years old and under in
the back seat and always use
appropriate child restraints.
14MSSen 24.6.99 15:15 Uhr Seite 77
Page 78 of 248
Seating and safety restraints
78
Combination lap and shoulder
belt
Insert the tongue into the slot in
the buckle to fasten.
Push the red release button and
remove the tongue from the slot to
unfasten.
The passenger safety restraints in
the vehicle are combination lap and
shoulder belts. The front and rear
seat passenger safety belts have
two types of locking modes. Using safety restraints properly
Each seating position in your
vehicle has a specific safety
belt assembly which is made up of
one buckle and one tongue that
are designed to be used as a pair.
Use the shoulder belt on the
outside shoulder only. Never wear
the shoulder belt under the arm.
Never swing it around your neck
over the inside shoulder.
Never use a single belt for more
than one person.
14MSSen 24.6.99 15:15 Uhr Seite 78
Page 79 of 248

Seating and safety restraints
79 Automatic locking mode
In this mode, the shoulder belt is
automatically prelocked; however,
the belt will react to remove any
slack in the shoulder belt.
The automatic locking mode is not
available on the driver’s safety belt.
When to use the automatic
locking mode
• When a tight lap and shoulder
belt fit is desired.
• Any time a child safety seat is
installed in the vehicle. For
information on the proper use of a
child safety seat, refer to Child
safety seatslater in this chapter.
Vehicle sensitive (emergency)
locking mode
The vehicle sensitive mode is the
normal retractor mode which locks
the belts in response to vehicle
movement. For example, if the
driver brakes suddenly, turns a
corner sharply or your vehicle
receives an impact of 8 km/h
(5 mph) or more the combination
safety belts will lock to help reduce
the forward movement of the
driver and passengers.
The retractor can be made to lock
by pulling sharply on the belt.
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Page 80 of 248
Seating and safety restraints
80Canceling automatic locking
mode
Disconnect the combination lap
and shoulder belt and allow it to
completely retract. This will cancel
the automatic locking mode and
activate the vehicle sensitive
(emergency) locking mode.
Using automatic locking mode
The automatic locking mode must
be used when installing a child
safety seat in any passenger seat.
1. Buckle the combination lap and
shoulder belt.
2. Grasp the shoulder belt portion
and pull downward until the entire
belt is extracted.
3. Allow the belt to retract. As the
belt retracts, you will hear a
clicking sound. This indicates that
the safety belt is now in the
automatic locking mode.
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Page 81 of 248
Seating and safety restraints
81
Front seat safety belt height
adjustment
To lower the height of the shoulder
belt:
1. Push the control down.
2. Slide down.
To raise the height of the shoulder
belt:
1. Slide up.
2. Pull down on the height adjuster
to make sure that it is locked in
place.
Position the shoulder belt
height adjuster so that the
belt rests across the middle of
your shoulder. Be sure the
shoulder belt is properly
positioned on your shoulder each
time you use the belt. If the
shoulder belt is off your shoulder,
on your upper arm or neck, there
is a greater risk of severe injury in
a collision.
14MSSen 24.6.99 15:15 Uhr Seite 81
Page 86 of 248

Seating and safety restraints
86Care of safety belts
Periodically check the belts for
damage or fraying. Check the
security of the anchorage points
and the locking action of the inertia
reels by giving each belt a sharp
tug.
Belts subjected to strain, as in the
result of an accident, should be
replaced and the anchorages
checked by your dealer or a
qualified technician.
Failure to follow these
instructions will affect the
performance of the safety belts
and increase the risk of personal
injury.
Safety belt warning label
A warning label has been placed on
the buckle of each of your vehicle’s
front seat safety belts.
In a collision of sufficient severity
while the safety belt is in use, the
safety belt buckle will pull out of
the sleeve so that all or part of the
orange portion of the lavel is
visible.
Whenever the orange
portion of the label is visible,
the safety belt must be replaced.
WARNING Replace buckle
assembly if this vehicle is in a collision
or if any orange portion of this label
is visible. (See Owner Guide). Failure
to replace this buckle assembly under
the above conditions could result in
severe personal injuries in the event
of collision.
AVERTISSEMENT Remplacer
l'ensemble de boucle de ceinture en
cas de collision avec ce véhicule, ou si
la partie orange de cette étiquette
est visible (Voir le Guide du
proprietaire). Faute de remplacer cet
ensemble de boucle, des blessures
graves pourraient être encourues en
cas de collision.
REPLACE BUCKLE/REMPLACER LA BOUCLE
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