Page 30 of 288
Together, airbags and
seat belts provide the best
protection.
Tampering could cause
the airbags to deploy, possibly
causing very serious injury. Improperly replacing
or covering f ront seat-back covers
can prevent your side airbags f rom
inf lating during a side impact.
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Additional Saf ety Precautions
Donotattempttodeactivateyour
airbags.
Do not t amper wit h airbagcomponent s or wiring f or anyreason. Do not cover or replace f ront seat -
back covers wit hout consult ingyour dealer.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
29
Page 32 of 288

µ
Front airbags have been designed to
help protect adults in a moderate to
severe f rontal collision. To do this
the passenger’s f ront airbag is quite
large, and it can inflate with enough
f orce to cause very serious injuries.If the vehicle seat is
too far forward, or the child’s head is
thrown f orward during a collision, an
inflating front airbag can strike the
child with enough f orce to kill or
very seriously injure a small child.
Whenever possible,
larger children should sit in the back
seat, on a booster seat if needed, and
be properly restrained with a seat
belt (see page f or important
inf ormation about protecting larger
children).
Children who ride in back are less
likely to be injured by striking
interior vehicle parts during a
collision or hard braking. Also,
children cannot be injured by an
inflating front airbag when they ride
in the back. According to accident statistics,
children of all ages and sizes are
saf er when they are restrained in a
back seat. The National Highway
Traf f ic Saf ety Administration and
Transport Canada recommend that
all children age 12 and under be
properly restrained in a back seat.
If
the airbag inf lates, it can hit the back
of the child seat with enough force
to kill or very seriously injure an
inf ant.
44
CONT INUED
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Small ChildrenPlacing a f orward-f acing child seat int he f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwit h a passenger’s f ront airbag canbe hazardous.
Larger ChildrenChildren who have outgrown childseat s are also at risk of being injuredor killed by an inf lat ing passenger’sfront airbag.
Inf ant s
Never put a rear-f acing child seat int he f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwit h a passenger’s f ront airbag.All Children Should Sit in a Back
Seat The Passenger’s Front Airbag
Poses Serious Risks
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
31
Page 33 of 288
µ
To remind you of the passenger’s
f ront airbag hazards, and that
children must be properly restrained
in a back seat, your vehicle has
warninglabelsonthedashboard
(U.S. models) and on the f ront visors.
Please read and follow the
instructions on these labels.
Protecting Children General Guidelines
U.S. ModelsCanadian Models
32
SUN VISOR SUN VISOR DASHBOARD
Page 36 of 288

CONT INUED
An inf ant must be properly
restrained in a rear-f acing, reclining
child seat until the child reaches the
seat maker’s weight or height limit
for the seat and the child is at least
one year old.
Only a rear-f acing child seat provides
proper support f or a baby’s head,
neck, and back.Two types of seats may be used: a
seat designed exclusively f or inf ants,
or a convertible seat used in the rear-
f acing, reclining mode.
If placed
f acing f orward, an inf ant could be
very seriously injured during a
f rontal collision. A rear-f acing child seat can be placed
in any seating position in the back
seat, but not in the f ront.
If the passenger’s f ront airbag
inflates, it can hit the back of the
child seat with enough f orce to kill or
seriously injure an inf ant.
When properly installed, a rear-
f acing child seat may prevent the
driver or a f ront passenger f rom
moving the seat as far back as
recommended, or f rom locking the
seat-back in the desired position.
Protecting Inf ants and Small Children
Protecting Inf ants
Child Seat T ype Child Seat Placement
Do not put a rear-f acing child seat in a f orward-f acing position. Never put a
rear-f acing child seat in t he f ront seat .
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
35
Page 38 of 288

Conventional child seats must be
secured to a vehicle with a seat belt,
whereas LATCH-compatible seats
are secured by attaching the seat to
hardware built into the two outer
seating positions in the back seat.
Since LATCH-compatible child seats
are easier to install and reduce the
possibility of improper installation,
we recommend selecting this style.
We also recommend selecting a
LATCH-compatible seat with a rigid,
rather than a f lexible, anchor (see
page ).In seating positions and vehicles not
equipped with LATCH, a LATCH-
compatible child seat can be installed
using a seat belt.
If it is necessary to put a f orward-
f acing child seat in the f ront, move
the vehicle seat as far to the rear as
possible, be sure the child seat is
f irmly secured to the vehicle, and the
child is properly strapped in the seat.
Whatever type of seat you choose, to
provide proper protection, a child
seat should meet three
requirements:
Look f or FMVSS
213 or CMVSS 213 on the box.
Rear-facing for infants, forward-
f acing f or small children.
When buying a child seat, you need
to choose either a conventional child
seat, or one designed f or use with
the Lower Anchors and Tethers f or
Children (LATCH) system.
1.
2.
39
CONT INUED
Protecting Inf ants and Small Children, Selecting a Child Seat
Selecting a Child Seat
T he child seat should meet U.S. or Canadian Mot or Vehicle Saf et ySt andard 213.
T he child seat should be of theproper t ype and size t o f it t he child.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
37
Placing a forward-facing child
seat in the front seat can result
in serious injury or death if the
front airbag inflates.
Ifyoumustplaceaforward-
facing child seat in front, move
the vehicle seat as far back as
possible, and properly restrain
the child.
Page 45 of 288
To determine if a lap/shoulder belt
properly f its a child, have the child
put on the seat belt, then ask
yourself :
When a child reaches the
recommended weight or height limit
for a forward-facing child seat, the
child should sit in a back seat on a
booster seat and wear a lap/shoulder
belt.
Does the child sit all the way back
against the seat?
Do the child’s knees bend
comf ortably over the edge of the
seat?
The f ollowing pages give
instructions on how to check proper
seat belt f it, what kind of booster
seat to use if one is needed, and
important precautions f or a child
who must sit in f ront.
1.
2.
Checking Seat Belt Fit
Protecting L arger Children
44
Allowing a child age 12 or under
to sit in front can result in injury
or death if the passenger’s front
airbag inflates.
If a larger child must ride in front,
move the vehicle seat as far
back as possible, use a booster
seat if needed, have the child
sit up properly and wear the
seat belt properly.
Page 47 of 288

If you decide that a child can saf ely
ride up f ront, be sure to:Caref ully read the owner’s manual,
and make sure you understand all
seat belt instructions and all saf ety
inf ormation.
Move the vehicle seat to the rear-
most position.
Have the child sit up straight, back
against the seat, and feet on or
near the f loor.
Check that the child’s seat belt is
properly and securely positioned.
Supervise the child. Even mature
children sometimes need to be
reminded to f asten the seat belts
or sit properly.
Of course, children vary widely. And
while age may be one indicator of
when a child can saf ely ride in f ront,
there are other important f actors you
should consider.
If the passenger’s f ront airbag
inf lates in a moderate to severe
f rontal collision, the airbag can cause
serious injuries to a child who is
unrestrained, improperly restrained,
sitting too close to the airbag, or out
of position.
A side airbag also poses risks. If any
part of a larger child’s body is in the
path of a deploying side airbag, the
child could receive possibly serious
injuries. The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that all children
age 12 and under be properly
restrained in a back seat. Physically, a child must be large
enough f or the lap/shoulder belt to
properly f it (see page ). If the seat
belt does not f it properly, with or
without the child sitting on a booster
seat, the child should not sit in f ront.
To saf ely ride in f ront, a child must
be able to f ollow the rules, including
sitting properly, and wearing the seat
belt properly throughout a ride.44
Protecting L arger Children
Physical Size
Maturity
When Can a L arger Child Sit in
Front
46
Page 50 of 288
These labels are in the locations
shown. They warn you of potential
hazards that could cause serious
injury. Read these labels caref ully. If
a label comes of f or becomes hard to
read, contact your dealer f or a
replacement.
CONT INUED
U.S. modelsCanadian models U.S. models only
On models with side curtain airbags
Saf ety L abels
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
49
HOOD DASHBOARD
RADIATOR CAP