3Driver and Passenger Safety
This section gives you important
information about how to protect
you and your passengers. It shows
how to use seat belts properly. It
explains the Supplemental
Restraint System. And it tells you
how to properly restrain infants
and children in your vehicle.
Important Safety Precautions
4
. .
Your Vehicle’s Safety Features 5
Seat Belts 6
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Airbags 7
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Seats and Seat-Backs 8
. . . . . .
Head Restraints 8
. . . . . . . . . .
Door Locks 9
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Pre-Drive Safety Checklist 9
.
Protecting Adults 10
. . . . . . . . . .
1. Close and Lock the Doors 10
2. Adjust the Front Seats 10
. .
3. Adjust the Seat-Backs 11
. .
4. Adjust the Head Restraints12 5. Fasten and Position
the Seat Belts 13
. . . . . . . . .
6. Adjust the Steering Wheel15
7. Maintain a Proper Sitting Position 16
. . . . . . .
Advice for Pregnant Women 16
Additional Safety Precautions 17
Protecting Children 18
. . . . . . . .
All Children Must
Be Restrained 18
. . . . . . . . . .
Children Should Sit in
the Back Seat 19
. . . . . . . . . .
The Passenger’s Airbag Poses
Serious Risks to Children 19
If You Must Drive With
Several Children 20
. . . . . . .
If a Child Requires
Close Attention 21
. . . . . . . .
Additional Safety Precautions 21
General Guidelines for
Using Child Seats 22
. . . . . .
Protecting Infants 26
. . . . . . .
Protecting Small Children 31
. Protecting Larger Children
34
Using Child Seats
With Tethers 38
. . . . . . . . . . .
Using LATCH 39
. . . . . . . . . .
Additional Information About
Your Seat Belts 41
. . . . . . . . . . .
Seat Belt System
Components 41
. . . . . . . . . . .
Lap/Shoulder Belt 41
. . . . . . .
Lap Belt 42
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Seat Belt Maintenance 42
. . . .
Additional Information About
Your SRS 43
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SRS Components 43
. . . . . . . .
How Your Airbags Work 44
. .
How Your SRS Indicator
Light Works 45
. . . . . . . . . . .
SRS Service 46
. . . . . . . . . . . .
Additional Safety Precautions 46
Carbon Monoxide Hazard 47
. . .
Safety Labels 48
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Driver and Passenger Safety
8Driver and Passenger Safety
only during a moderate to
severe frontal collision.
•Airbags can pose serious
hazards.
To do their job,
airbags must inflate with
tremendous force and speed. So
while airbags save lives, they
can cause serious injuries to
adults and larger children who
are not wearing seat belts, are
not wearing them properly, are
sitting too close to the airbag,
or are not sitting in a proper
position. Infants and small
children are at an even greater
risk of injury or death.
What you should do: Always
wear your seat belt properly, and
sit upright and as far back as
possible from the steering wheel
or dashboard.
Seats and Seat-Backs
Your vehicle’ s seats are designed
to keep you in a comfortable,
upright position so you can take
full advantage of the protection
offered by seat belts and the
energy-absorbing materials in the
seats.
How you adjust your seats and
seat-backs can also affect your
safety. For example, sitting too
close to the steering wheel or
dashboard increases the risk of
you or your passenger being
injured by striking the inside of
the vehicle, or by an inflating
airbag. Reclining a seat-back too far
reduces the seat belt
’s
effectiveness and increases the
chance that the seat’ s occupant
will slide under the seat belt in a
crash and be seriously injured.
What you should do: Move the
front seats as far back as possible,
and keep adjustable seat-backs in
an upright position whenever the
vehicle is moving.
Head Restraints
Head restraints can help protect
you from whiplash and other
injuries. For maximum protection,
the back of your head should rest
against the center of the head
restraint.
belts and wearing them
properly (see page 13).
9Driver and Passenger Safety
Door Locks
Keeping your doors locked
reduces the chance of being
thrown out of the vehicle during
a crash. It also helps prevent
occupants from accidentally
opening a door and falling out,
and outsiders from unexpectedly
opening your doors.
Pre-Drive Safety Checklist
To make sure you and your
passengers get the maximum
protection from your vehicle’s
safety features, check the
following each time before you
drive away.
•All adults, and children who
have outgrown child safety
seats, are wearing their seat
•Any infant or small child is
properly restrained in a child
seat in the back seat (see page
18).
•Front seat occupants are sitting
upright and as far back as
possible from the steering
wheel and dashboard (see page
10).
•Seat-backs are upright (see
page 11).
•Head restraints are properly
adjusted (see page 12).
•All doors and the tailgate are
closed and locked (see page
10).
•All cargo is properly stored or
secured (see page 175). The rest of this section gives more
detailed information about how
you can maximize your safety.
Remember, however, that no
safety system can prevent all
injuries or deaths that can occur in
severe crashes, even when seat
belts are properly worn and the
airbags deploy.
262
Owner Assistance245. . . . . . . . .
Owner Safety Checks
208. . . . . . .
P
Panel Brightness Control73. . . .
Park Gear Position
77. . . . . . . . .
Parking Brake and Brake System Light
61, 86. . . . .
Parking Over Things That Burn
159. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Polishing and Waxing
224. . . . . .
Power Drive Indicator
69, 81. . . .
\b\f
\b 117
\b\b\b\b\b
Power Steering Belt.
See Drive Belts
!"\b
\b\
9
\b\b\b\b\b
Pregnancy, Using Seat Belts16.
Proper Seat Belt Usage
13. . . . .
\b\f
10
\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\
\b
\b \f
17
\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b
Adjust the Front Seat10
. . . . . .
Adjust the Head Restraints12 .
Adjust the Seat-Backs11
. . . . .
Adjust the
Steering Wheel
15
. . . . . . . . . .
Advice for Pregnant Women16
Close and Lock the Doors1 #
. .
Fasten and
Position the Seat Belt
s $%
. . . .
Protecting Children18
. . . . . . . . . .
Additional
Safety Precaution
s21 . . . . . . .
All Children
Must Be Restrained
18
. . . . . .
Children Should
Sit in the Back Seat
19
. . . . . .
General Guidelines for
Using Child Seats
22
\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b
If a Child Requires
Close Attention
21
\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b
If You Must Drive
With Several Children
20
. . . .
Passenger ’s Airbag Poses
Serious Risks to Childre
19
\b
Protecting Infants26
\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b
Protecting Larger Children34
\b
Protecting Small Children31
\b\b
Using Child Seats
With Tethers
38
\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\
R
Radiator Overheating190. . . . . . .
Radio/Cassette Sound System
125. . . . . . . . . . .
Radio/Cassette/CD Sound System
133. . . . . . . . . . .
Rear Lights, Bulb Replacement
243. . . . . . . .
263
Rear Seat, Folding94. . . . . . . . .
Rear View Mirror
105. . . . . . . . . .
Rear Window Defogger
74. . . . .
Rear Window Wiper and Washer
74. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Reclining the Seat-Backs Front
11, 91, 93. . . . . . . . . . . .
Rear
97. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Recommended Shift Speeds
84.
Reduced Power Indicator
\b 64. . .
Replacement Information Air Cleaner Element
214. . . . .
Coolant
204, 218. . . . . . . . . . .
Engine Oil and Filter
211. . . . .
Fuses
240. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Light Bulbs
243. . . . . . . . . . . .
Schedule
204. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Spark Plugs
235. . . . . . . . . . . . Tires
166. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Replacing Seat Belts After a Crash
43. . . . . . . . . . . .
Reporting Safety Defects
248. . . .
Reserve Tank, Coolant
217. . . . . .
Restraint, Child
18. . . . . . . . . . .
Reverse Gear Position
77. . . . . .
Rotation, Tire
166. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rust Protection
225. . . . . . . . . . . .
S
Safety Defects, Reporting248. . .
Safety Labels, Location of
48. . .
Safety Messages
iv. . . . . . . . . . . .
Seat Belts
4, 6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
\b
41
\b\b\b\b\b
Maintenance42. . . . . . . . .
System Components
41
\b\b\b\b
Advice for Pregnant Women16
Cleaning229. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fasten and Positio
13
\b\b\b\b\b\b\b
Lap Belt42
\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\
\b\b\b\b\b
Lap/Shoulder Belt41
\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b
Reminder Light6, 41, 61. . . . .
Seats
8, 89. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Adjusting the
90. . . . . . . . . . .
Seat-Backs
8, 91, 92, 97
\b\b\b\b\b\b\b
Self-Adjusting Brakes162. . . . . .
Serial Number
232. . . . . . . . . . . .
Service Intervals
204, 205, 206, 207. . . . .
Service Manual
253. . . . . . . . . . .
Service Station Information
197. .
Setting the Clock
153. . . . . . . . . .
Shift Lever Position Indicator
76
Shift-on-the-Fly System220. . . . .
Fluid Capacity
239. . . . . . . . . .
Side Marker Lights Bulb Replacement
243. . . . . . . .
264
Signaling Turns. See Lane Change, Signaling
Small Children, Protecting
%$
\b\b\b
Snow Chains168. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Snow Tires
168. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Solvent-Type Cleaners
226, 227. .
Sound System
125, 133. . . . . . . .
Spare Tire Inflating (Pressure)
164, 239. .
Removal
189
\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\
\b\b\b\b
Specifications239. . . . . . . . . .
Spark Plugs Replacing
223. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Specifications
235. . . . . . . . . .
Specifications Charts
235. . . . . . .
Speed Control
147. . . . . . . . . . . .
Speedometer
58. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
START (Ignition Key Position) 101
Starting the Engine157. . . . . . . . .
With a Dead Battery
184. . . . .
Steam Coming From Engine
190.
Steering Column Ignition Lock Switch
101. . . . . .
Steering Wheel Adjustment
115. . . . . . . . . . . .
Anti-Theft Column Lock
102. .
Stereo Sound System
125, 133. . .
Sun Visor
114. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Supplemental Restraint System
7. . . . . . . . . .
Additional Information
43
\b\b\b\b
Additional
Safety Precautions
46
\b\b\b\b\b\b\b
Components41. . . . . . . . . . . .
Hazards
4, 8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
How the Airbag Works
44. . .
How the SRS Indicator Light Works
45. . . Service
46. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
T
Tachometer58. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tailgate Operation
108. . . . . . . . .
Tape Player
128. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Temperature Gauge
60. . . . . . . .
Three-Way Catalytic Converter
172. . . . . . .
Tilt Steering Wheel
115. . . . . . . .
Time, Setting the
153. . . . . . . . . .
Tire Chains
168. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tires
163. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Air Pressure
164, 198, 239. . . .
Checking Wear
165. . . . . . . . .
DOT Tire Quality Grading
251
How to Change a Flat186. . . .
Inflation
164, 171, 198. . . . . . .
Inspection
165. . . . . . . . . . . . .