Page 66 of 448
1-54
CAUTION:
Never do this.
Here two children are wearing the same belt.
The belt can't properly spread the impact forces.
In a crash, the two children can be crushed
together and seriously injured. A belt must be
used by only one person at a time.
Q:What if a child is wearing a lap-shoulder belt,
but the child is so small that the shoulder belt is
very close to the child's face or neck?
A:Move the child toward the center of the vehicle,
but be sure that the shoulder belt still is on the
child's shoulder, so that in a crash the child's upper
body would have the restraint that belts provide.
If the child is sitting in a rear outside position of a
four
-door model, see ªRear Safety Belt Comfort
Guidesº in the Index. If the child is so small that
the shoulder belt is still very close to the child's
face or neck, you might want to place the child in
a seat that has a lap belt, if your vehicle has one.
Page 67 of 448
1-55
CAUTION:
Never do this.
Here a child is sitting in a seat that has a
lap
-shoulder belt, but the shoulder part is behind
the child. If the child wears the belt in this way,
in a crash the child might slide under the belt.
The belt's force would then be applied right on
the child's abdomen. That could cause serious or
fatal injuries.
Wherever the child sits, the lap portion of the belt
should be worn low and snug on the hips, just touching
the child's thighs. This applies belt force to the child's
pelvic bones in a crash.
Page 68 of 448

1-56
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.
Page 75 of 448

2-7
Door Locks
CAUTION:
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
Passengers -- especially children -- can easily
open the doors and fall out of a moving
vehicle. When a door is locked, the handle
won't open it. You increase the chance of
being thrown out of the vehicle in a crash
if the doors aren't locked. So, wear safety
belts properly and lock the doors whenever
you drive.
Young children who get into unlocked
vehicles may be unable to get out. A child
can be overcome by extreme heat and can
suffer permanent injuries or even death
from heat stroke. Always lock your vehicle
whenever you leave it.
Outsiders can easily enter through an
unlocked door when you slow down or stop
your vehicle. Locking your doors can help
prevent this from happening.
There are several ways to lock and unlock your vehicle:
You can use the keyless entry system, if your vehicle
has this feature.
You can use your key to unlock your door from
the outside.
You can use the power lock switch (if equipped) to
lock or unlock the doors.
To manually lock a door from the inside, slide the
manual lever on your door down. To manually
unlock a door from the inside, slide the lever on
the door up. You will see a colored area on the lever
when the door is unlocked.
Page 157 of 448

2-89
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
This part describes the warning lights and gages that
may be on your vehicle. The pictures will help you
locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that something is
wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause an
expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention to
your warning lights and gages could also save you or
others from injury.
Warning lights come on when there may be or is a
problem with one of your vehicle's functions. As you
will see in the details on the next few pages, some
warning lights come on briefly when you start the
engine just to let you know they're working. If you are
familiar with this section, you should not be alarmed
when this happens.
Gages can indicate when there may be or is a problem
with one of your vehicle's functions. Often gages and
warning lights work together to let you know when
there's a problem with your vehicle.When one of the warning lights comes on and stays on
when you are driving, or when one of the gages shows
there may be a problem, check the section that tells you
what to do about it. Please follow this manual's advice.
Waiting to do repairs can be costly
-- and even
dangerous. So please get to know your warning lights
and gages. They're a big help.
Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to RUN or START, a chime will
come on for about eight seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts, unless the driver's safety belt is
already buckled.
The safety belt light will
also come on and stay on
for about 20 seconds,
then it will flash for
about 55 seconds.
If the driver's belt is already buckled, neither the chime
nor the light will come on.
Page 159 of 448

2-91
Charging System Indicator Light
The charging system light
will come on briefly when
you turn on the ignition,
but the engine is not
running, as a check to
show you it is working.
It should go out once the engine is running. If it stays
on, or comes on while you are driving, you may have a
problem with the charging system. It could indicate
that you have problems with a generator drive belt, or
another electrical problem. Have it checked right away.
Driving while this light is on could drain your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with the light on,
be certain to turn off all your accessories, such as the
radio and air conditioner.
Voltmeter Gage
When your engine is not
running, but the ignition
is on (in RUN), this gage
shows your battery's state
of charge in DC volts.
When the engine is running, the gage shows the
condition of the charging system. Readings between
the low and high warning zones indicate the normal
operating range.
Readings in the low warning zone may occur when a
large number of electrical accessories are operating in
the vehicle and the engine is left at an idle for an
extended period. This condition is normal since the
charging system is not able to provide full power
at engine idle. As engine speeds are increased, this
condition should correct itself as higher engine speeds
allow the charging system to create maximum power.
Page 215 of 448

3-47
If your vehicle is equipped with the AM-FM Stereo with
Cassette Tape Player:
1. Turn the ignition to RUN or ACCESSORY.
2. Turn the radio on.
3. Insert the scrubbing action cleaning cassette.
4. Within five seconds, press and hold the REV and
FWD buttons at the same time for three seconds.
The tape symbol on the display will flash, showing
that the broken tape detection feature is no
longer active.
5. Eject the cleaning cassette after the manufacturer's
recommended cleaning time.
If your vehicle is equipped with the AM
-FM Stereo with
Cassette Tape Player and Automatic Tone Control:
1. Turn the ignition to RUN or ACCESSORY.
2. Turn the radio off.
3. Press and hold the TAPE AUX button for five
seconds. The tape symbol on the display will flash
for two seconds.4. Insert the scrubbing action cleaning cassette.
5. Eject the cleaning cassette after the manufacturer's
recommended cleaning time.
When the cleaning cassette has been ejected, the broken
tape detection feature is active again.
You may also choose a non
-scrubbing action, wet-type
cleaner which uses a cassette with a fabric belt to clean
the tape head. This type of cleaning cassette will not
eject on its own. A non
-scrubbing action cleaner may
not clean as thoroughly as the scrubbing type cleaner.
The use of a non
-scrubbing action, dry-type cleaning
cassette is not recommended.
After you clean the player, press and hold EJECT for
five seconds to reset the CLN indicator. The radio will
display
--- to show the indicator was reset.
Cassettes are subject to wear and the sound quality
may degrade over time. Always make sure the cassette
tape is in good condition before you have your tape
player serviced.
Page 218 of 448

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.