
If  something  is  between an occupant  and  an 
air  bag,  the  bag  might  not  inflate  properly  or 
it 
might  force  the  object  into  that  person  causing 
severe  injury  or  even  death. The path  of  an 
inflating  air  bag  must  be kept  clear.  Don’t  put 
anything  between  an occupant  and  an  air bag, 
and  don’t  attach  or  put  anything  on  the 
steering  wheel  hub  or  on  or  near  any other  air 
bag  covering.  Don’t  let  seat  covers  block  the 
inflation  path 
of a  side  impact  air  bag. 
The  right  front  passenger’s  side  impact  air bag  is in  the 
side 
of the  passenger’s  seatback  closest to the door. 
1-72  

What Makes  an Air Bag Inflate? 
In an impact  of sufficient severity,  the air bag  sensing 
system  detects that  the vehicle  is  in a crash.  For  both 
frontal and side impact air  bags,  the sensing system 
triggers  a release of  gas from  the inflator,  which inflates 
the  air bag.  The inflator, the  air bag and related  hardware 
are  all  part of the air  bag modules  inside the steering 
wheel,  the instrument panel, and the side  of the  front 
seatbacks  closest to  the door. 
How  Does  an Air Bag Restrain? 
In moderate  to  severe frontal or  near frontal collisions, 
even  belted  occupants  can  contact the steering  wheel 
or  the  instrument panel. In  moderate to  severe side 
collisions,  even belted  occupants  can contact  the inside 
of  the  vehicle.  The air bag  supplements  the protection 
provided  by safety belts.  Air  bags distribute  the force 
of  the  impact  more evenly over the occupant’s 
upper  body, stopping the  occupant  more gradually. 
But  the  frontal air  bags  would  not help you in many 
types  of collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts,  and 
many  side  impacts, primarily  because  an occupant’s 
motion  is not  toward  the air  bag. Side  impact  air bags 
would  not help  you 
in many types  of collisions, 
including frontal or  near frontal collisions, rollovers, and 
rear impacts, primarily  because  an occupant’s motion  is not toward those air 
bags.  Air  bags should never  be 
regarded as anything  more  than a supplement  to 
safety belts,  and then  only in moderate  to  severe  frontal 
or  near-frontal collisions for  the  driver’s  and  right front 
passenger’s frontal air  bags,  and  only in moderate 
to  severe side collisions  for  the driver’s  and  right  front 
passenger’s side impact air  bag. 
What  Will You See  After  an  Air  Bag 
Inflates? 
After  the air bag  inflates, it  quickly  deflates, so quickly 
that  some  people  may  not  even  realize the  air  bag 
inflated.  Some  components  of  the  air  bag  module  will be 
hot  for a short time.  These  components  include  the 
steering  wheel  hub  for  the  driver’s  frontal air  bag  and  the 
instrument panel  for  the  right front passenger’s  frontal 
air  bag.  For vehicles  with  side impact air  bags,  the  side 
of  the  seatback  closest to the  driver’s  and/or  right 
front passenger’s  door  will  be hot. The  parts  of the  bag 
that  come  into contact  with  you  may  be  warm,  but 
not  too  hot to touch.  There  will  be  some  smoke  and  dust 
coming  from the vents  in the  deflated  air  bags.  Air  bag 
inflation doesn’t prevent the  driver  from  seeing  or 
being able  to steer the  vehicle,  nor  does  it  stop  people 
from  leaving  the vehicle. 
1 -74  

When an  air  baa  jnflates,  there is dust  in  the 
air.  This  dust  could  cause  breathing  problems 
for  people  with  a  history  of  asthma  or  other  breathing  trouble. 
To avoid this, everyone in 
the  vehicle  should  get  out  as  soon  as it is safe 
to  do 
so. If  you  have breathing  problems but 
can’t  get  out  of  the  vehicle  after  an  air  bag 
inflates,  then  get  fresh  air  by  opening  a 
window  or  a  door. 
If you  experience  breathing 
problems  following  an  air  bag  deployment, 
you  should  seek medical  attention. 
In  many  crashes  severe  enough to inflate an  air  bag, 
windshields  are  broken  by  vehicle deformation. 
Additional  windshield  breakage  may  also occur from 
the  right  front  passenger  air  bag. 
Air  bags  are designed to  inflate only once. After  an 
air  bag  inflates,  you’ll  need some  new  parts for 
your  air  bag  system.  If  you don’t  get them,  the air 
bag  system  won’t  be  there to help protect you 
in  another  crash. 
A new  system  will include air  bag 
manual  for  your  vehicle  covers the  need to replace 
other  parts. 
modules and possibly other parts. The service 
Your vehicle is equipped  with an electronic frontal 
sensor,  which helps the sensing system distinguish 
between  a moderate frontal impact and  a more 
severe  frontal  impact.  Your vehicle  is also equipped 
with  a  crash sensing and diagnostic module, 
which  records information about the frontal air  bag 
system.  The  module records information about 
the  readiness  of the system,  when the system 
commands  air bag inflation and driver’s safety belt 
usage  at deployment. The  module 
also records 
speed,  engine 
RPM, brake and throttle  data. 
Let only qualified technicians  work on your air  bag 
systems.  Improper service can  mean  that an air 
bag system  won’t  work properly. See your dealer 
for  service. 
Notice: If you  damage  the  covering  for  the  driver’s 
or the  right  front  passenger’s  air  bag, or  the  air 
bag  covering  on  the  driver’s  and  right  front 
passenger’s  seatback,  the  bag  may  not  work 
properly.  You  may  have  to replace  the  air  bag 
module 
in the  steering  wheel,  both  the  air  bag 
module  and  the  instrument  panel  for  the  right  front 
passenger’s  air  bag,  or  both  the  air  bag  module 
and  seatback  for  the  driver’s  and  right  front 
passenger’s  side  impact  air  bag. 
Do not  open  or 
break  the  air  bag  coverings. 
1 -75  

B (LOCK): This is the  only  position from which you 
can  remove  the  key.  This  position locks your  ignition, 
steering  wheel  and  transaxle. 
Notice: If  your  key  seems stuck in LOCK and  you 
can’t  turn 
it, be  sure  you  are  using  the  correct  key; 
if 
so, is it all  the  way in?  If it is, then  turn  the 
steering  wheel  left  and  right  while  you  turn  the  key  hard.  Turn  the  key  only  with  your  hand.  Using  a 
tool  to  force 
it could  break  the  key  or  the  ignition 
switch.  If  none 
of these  works,  then  your  vehicle 
needs  service. 
C (OFF): This  position  unlocks  the  ignition, steering 
wheel  and  transaxle  but,  does  not  send power to 
any  accessories.  Use  this  position 
if your vehicle 
must  be pushed  or  towed,  but  never try 
to push-start 
your  vehicle. 
D (RUN): This  is the position to  which the switch returns 
after you  start your engine and release the ignition key. 
This  is the position for driving. Even  when the engine  is 
not  running,  you can  use RUN to  operate  your  electrical 
accessories and 
to display  some instrument panel 
warning lights. 
E (START): This position starts  the  engine. When the 
engine  starts, release the  ignition  key.  The switch 
will  return to  RUN for  normal  driving. 
If  the engine  is not  running,  ACCESSORY  and  RUN 
are  positions that allow you  to operate  your electrical 
accessories, such as the  radio. 
Retained  Accessory  Power  (RAP) 
With RAP,  the power  windows,  power  rear  quarter 
windows,  audio system and the automatic level control 
will continue to work  up to 
10 minutes after  the 
ignition key  is turned  to 
OFF and none  of the doors 
are opened. 
2-33  

3 Instrument  Panel 
Audio System(s) ...... ................................ 3.63 
Setting the  Time 
....................................... 3-63 
Radio  with  CD 
.......................................... 3-64 
Radio  with  Cassette and  CD 
...................... 3-71 
Radio  with  Six-Disc CD 
......... .... , ......... 3-80 
Entertainment  System 
.................... , ......... 3-91 
Rear  Seat  Audio  (RSA)  (Without Entertainment  System) 
................... 3-98 
Rear  Seat  Audio  (RSA)  (With  Entertainment  System) 
... ............ 3.100 Theft-Deterrent 
Feature 
................................ 3-101 
Audio  Steering  Wheel Controls 
...................... 3.102 
DVD  Distortion 
............................................ 3.103 
Understanding  Radio Reception 
.................... 3.103 
Care 
of Your  CDs  and  DVDs ........................ 3-104 
Care 
of Your  CD  and  DVD  Player ................. 3-104 
Cleaning  Your  DVD  Player 
........................... 3.105 
Cleaning the  Video  Screen 
........................... 3.105 
Fixed  Mast  Antenna 
.................................... 3.105 
Care 
of Your 
Cassette  Tape Player ............... 3-103 
3-2  

A.  Side Outlets 
B. Front Outlets 
C.  Turn  SignaVMultifunction  Lever 
D. Hazard  Warning  Flasher Switch 
E. Instrument Panel Cluster 
F.  Center  Outlets 
G. Audio  System 
H.  Side  Outlets 
I. Exterior  Lamps  Control 
J. Hood  Release 
K. Audio Steering  Wheel Controls 
L. Horn 
M. Ignition Switch 
N. Audio Steering  Wheel Controls 
0. Climate Controls 
P.  Rear  Fan  Controls 
Q. Cupholder  Tray 
R. Accessory  Power  Outlet 
S. Instrument Panel Switchbank 
T. Glove Box 
U. Front Outlets 
V. Instrument Panel Fuse Block 
3-5  

Horn 
You  can  sound the horn  by pressing the  horn symbols 
on your  steering  wheel. 
Tilt Wheel 
A tilt  wheel  allows  you  to  adjust  the steering wheel before 
you  drive.  You  can raise  it  to the highest level  to give  your 
legs  more  room  when  you  exit and enter the vehicle. 
The  lever  that  allows  you  to 
tilt the steering wheel is 
located  on the  left  side  of the steering column. 
To tilt the  wheel,  hold the 
steering  wheel and pull 
the  lever. 
Turn  SignaVMultifunction Lever 
Then  move  the steering  wheel  to  a comfortable position 
and  release  the lever  to  lock the wheel  in place. 
1 
The  lever on the  left  side of the steering column 
includes the following: 
Turn and  Lane-Change Signals 
I I--AI--- I 1:-L II -... n--- -I -_I_._.I I leaulal I ~p I IIYI II Luvv-ucal I I UI la1 lyt-I 
Flash-to-Pass 
Windshield Wipers 
0 Windshield Washer 
0 Cruise Controi 
3-7  

Audio Steering  Wheel Controls 
If your vehicle  has this feature,  you  can control certain 
radio functions using the buttons  on your steering wheel. 
A SEEK v : Press the  up or the  down  arrow  to seek 
to  the  next  or to  the  previous station.  When playing 
a  cassette tape 
or compact  disc, press  the up arrow  to 
hear the  next selection. 
PROG (Program):  Press this button to  choose AM, 
FM1 or FM2. 
PRESET: Press this  button  to scan  you  preset  stations. 
The  radio will  scan to a preset  station,  play  for  a  few 
seconds, then  go on to the  next  preset  station.  The 
display will  show  your  selections.  Press this  button  again 
to  stop scanning preset  stations. 
A VOL (Volume) v : Press  the  up  or the  down  arrow 
to  increase  or to decrease  volume. 
PLAY: Press this  button to  play  a loaded  cassette  tape 
or  compact  disc  when  listening to the radio. 
MUTE: Press this  button  to silence  the  system.  Press it 
again  to turn  on the  sound.  This button  may  be  used 
when  listening  to the  radio,  a  cassette  tape  or  a 
compact  disc. 
3-1 02