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Children and air bags
For additional important safety information, read all information on
safety restraints in this guide.WARNING: Never place a
rearward facing child safety
restraint in front of an airbag.
Airbags have been known to
kill or injure children in front
facing child safety restraints.
Whenever placing a child
safety seat in a front seating
position (including center if
equipped), turn off the
passenger side air bag switch
after being certain the child is
properly restrained. If using a
forward facing child safety
restraint in the front outboard
seat, slide the seat all the way
back, and turn off the
passenger air bag. If using a
rear facing child safety seat in
the front outboard seating
position, make sure the
passenger airbag is turned off
and slide the passenger seat
all the way forward until the
safety seat rests on the
dashboard. See Passenger air
bag on/off switch in this
chapter.
WARNING: Do not install a
child seat in a center facing
jump seat.
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effectiveness of the safety belts, because safety belts in modern vehicles
are designed to work as a safety system with the air bags.
Read all air bag Warning labels in the vehicle as well as the other
important air bag instructions and Warnings in this Owner’s Guide.
NHTSA gives permission to install airbag cut-off switches in the
following terms:1. Infant. An infant (less than 1 year old) must ride in the front seat
because:
• the vehicle has no rear seat;
• the vehicle has a rear seat too small to accommodate a rear-facing
infant seat; or
• the infant has a medical condition which, according to the infant’s
physician, makes it necessary for the infant to ride in the front so that
the driver can constantly monitor the child’s condition.
2. Child age 1 to 12. A child age 1 to 12 must ride in the front seat
because:
• the vehicle has no rear seat;
• although children ages 1 to 12 ride in the rear seat(s) whenever
possible, children ages 1 to 12 sometimes must ride in the front
because no space is available in the rear seat(s) of the vehicle; or
• the child has a medical condition which, according to the child’s
physician, makes it necessary for the child to ride in the front seat so
that the driver can constantly monitor the child’s condition.
3. Medical condition. A passenger has a medical condition which,
according to his or her physician:
• causes the passenger air bag to pose a special risk for the passenger;
and
• makes the potential harm from the passenger air bag in a crash
greater than the potential harm from turning OFF the air bag and
allowing the passenger, even if belted, to hit the dashboard or
windshield in a crash.
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WARNING: An air bag can kill or injure a child in a child seat.
Child seats should never be placed in the front seats, unless
passenger air bag switch is turned off, SeePassenger air bag
on/off switch.
WARNING: Rear facing child seats should NEVER be placed in
the front seats unless the passenger airbag switch is turned off.
Also, slide the front seat forward until the rear facing child seat
contacts the dash board for maximum support. (All other
children and forward facing child seats and booster seats should
be on front seats that are slid back as far away as possible from
the dashboard.
WARNING: Do not install a child seat in a center facing jump
seat.
Children and safety belts
If the child is the proper size, restrain the child in a safety seat.
Children who are too large for child safety seats (as specified by your
child safety seat manufacturer) should always wear safety belts.
Follow all the important safety restraint and air bag precautions that
apply to adult passengers in your vehicle.
If the shoulder belt portion of a combination lap and shoulder belt can
be positioned so it does not cross or rest in front of the child’s face or
neck, the child should wear the lap and shoulder belt. Moving the child
closer to the center of the vehicle may help provide a good shoulder belt
fit. WARNING: Do not leave children, unreliable adults, or pets
unattended in your vehicle.
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Installing child safety seats with combination lap and shoulder
belts (front outboard passenger seat only)1. Position the child safety seat in a seat with a combination lap
and shoulder belt.
WARNING: If there is a tether on the child safety seat, attach
it to the tether anchor point. Refer to Attaching child safety
seats with tether straps in this chapter.
WARNING: Air bags can kill or inure a child in a child seat.
Never place a rear facing child seat in the right front seat
unless the air bag on/off switch is turned OFF. If you place a
forward-facing child seat in the right front seat, turn the air bag
on/off switch to OFF. See Passenger air bag on/off switch in
this chapter.
WARNING: Rear facing child seats should NEVER be placed in
the front seats unless the passenger air bag switch is turned
off. Also, slide the front seat forward until the rear facing child
seat contacts the dash board for maximum support. (All other
children and forward facing child seats and booster seats should
be on front seats that are slid back as far away as possible from
the dashboard.)
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