Q:What are the different types of add-on child
restraints?
A:Add-on child restraints, which are purchased by the
vehicle’s owner, are available in four basic types.
Selection of a particular restraint should take
into consideration not only the child’s weight, height
and age but also whether or not the restraint will
be compatible with the motor vehicle in which it will
be used.
For most basic types of child restraints, there are
many different models available. When purchasing a
child restraint, be sure it is designed to be used
in a motor vehicle. If it is, the restraint will have a
label saying that it meets federal motor vehicle
safety standards.
The restraint manufacturer’s instructions that come
with the restraint state the weight and height
limitations for a particular child restraint. In addition,
there are many kinds of restraints available for
children with special needs.
{CAUTION:
Newborn infants need complete support,
including support for the head and neck.
This is necessary because a newborn infant’s
neck is weak and its head weighs so much
compared with the rest of its body. In a crash,
an infant in a rear-facing seat settles into
the restraint, so the crash forces can be
distributed across the strongest part of an
infant’s body, the back and shoulders. Infants
always should be secured in appropriate infant
restraints.
1-34
Single Stage vs. Dual Stage Airbags
Depending on the weight of your vehicle you will have
either “Single Stage Airbags” or “Dual Stage Airbags”.
Vehicles that have a passenger sensing system
also have dual stage airbags. If the rearview mirror in
your vehicle has a passenger airbag status indicator
printed on it, your vehicle has the passenger sensing
system and therefore, it has dual stage airbags.
If the rearview mirror in your vehicle does not have a
passenger airbag status indicator printed on it, then your
vehicle does not have the passenger sensing system
and it has single stage airbags. SeePassenger
Airbag Status Indicator on page 3-36orPassenger
Sensing System on page 1-73.
Dual Stage Airbags
If your vehicle has frontal airbags with dual stage
deployment, the amount of restraint will adjust according
to crash severity. Your vehicle is equipped with
electronic frontal sensors which help the sensing system
distinguish between a moderate and a more severe
frontal impact. For moderate frontal impacts, these
airbags in ate at a level less than full deployment.
For more severe frontal impacts, full deployment occurs.If the front of your vehicle goes straight into a wall
that does not move or deform, the threshold level for
the reduced deployment is about 10 to 16 mph
(16 to 25 km/h), and the threshold level for a full
deployment is about 20 to 30 mph (32 to 48 km/h).
(The threshold level can vary, however, with speci c
vehicle design, so that it can be somewhat above
or below this range.)
Vehicle’s with dual stage airbags are also equipped with
special sensors which enable the sensing system to
monitor the position of both the driver and passenger
front seats. The seat position sensor provides
information which is used to determine if the airbags
should deploy at a reduced level or at full deployment.
Single Stage Airbags
If your vehicle has frontal airbags with single stage
deployment and your vehicle goes straight into a wall
that does not move or deform, the threshold level
is about 13 to 16 mph (20 to 25 km/h). (The threshold
level can vary, however, with speci c vehicle design,
so that it can be somewhat above or below this range.)
1-67
The passenger sensing system is designed to turn off
the right front passenger’s frontal airbag if:
the right front passenger seat is unoccupied
the system determines that an infant is present in a
rear-facing infant seat
the system determines that a small child is present
in a forward-facing child restraint
the system determines that a small child is present
in a booster seat
a right front passenger takes his/her weight off of
the seat for a period of time
the right front passenger seat is occupied by a
smaller person, such as a child who has outgrown
child restraints
or if there is a critical problem with the airbag
system or the passenger sensing system
When the passenger’s frontal airbag has been turned
off by the passenger sensing system, the off indicator
will light and stay lit to remind you that the airbag is off.If a child restraint has been installed and the on
indicator is lit, turn the vehicle off. Remove the child
restraint from the vehicle and reinstall the child restraint
following the child restraint manufacturer’s directions
and refer toSecuring a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position (Regular and Extended Cab)
(With Passenger Sensing System)in the Index.
If after reinstalling the child restraint and restarting the
vehicle, the on indicator is still lit, check to make
sure that the vehicle’s seatback is not pressing the child
restraint into the seat cushion. If this happens, slightly
recline the vehicle’s seatback and adjust the seat
cushion if possible. Also make sure the child restraint is
not trapped under the vehicle head restraint. If this
happens, adjust the head restraint.
If the on indicator is still lit, secure the child in the child
restraint in a rear seat position in the vehicle if one
is available and check with your dealer.
The passenger sensing system is designed to enable
(may in ate) the right front passenger’s frontal
airbag anytime the system senses that a person of adult
size is sitting properly in the right front passenger’s
seat. When the passenger sensing system has allowed
the airbag to be enabled, the on indicator will light
and stay lit to remind you that the airbag is active.
1-75
Automatic Transmission Operation
If your vehicle is equipped with an automatic
transmission, it features an electronic shift position
indicator within the instrument panel cluster. This display
must be powered anytime the shift lever is capable of
being moved out of PARK (P). SeeFuses and
Circuit Breakers on page 5-123.
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
PARK (P):This position locks your rear wheels. It is the
best position to use when you start your engine because
your vehicle cannot move easily. If your vehicle is
equipped with the Allison Transmission
®, use PARK (P)
for stationary operation of the Power Takeoff (PTO),
if equipped. The Allison Transmission
®is equipped
with park pawl designed to hold the higher weight of
commercial medium duty trucks. Therefore, the Allison
Transmission
®uses larger parts than other automatic
transmission. These larger parts may sometimes make a
clunk noise when the selector lever is moved from
DRIVE (D) or REVERSE (R) to PARK (P). This is normal
and there is no damage occurring during these shifts.
{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake rmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Do not leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle will not move, even
when you are on fairly level ground, always set
your parking brake and move the shift lever to
PARK (P). SeeShifting Into Park (P) (Automatic
Transmission) on page 2-52. If you are pulling
a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on page 4-69.
2-26
Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine
Running (Automatic Transmission)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with
the engine running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake rmly set.
If you have four-wheel drive and your transfer
case is in NEUTRAL, your vehicle will be free to
roll, even if your shift lever is in PARK (P). So be
sure the transfer case is in a drive gear — not in
NEUTRAL.
And, if you leave the vehicle with the engine
running, it could overheat and even catch re.
You or others could be injured. Do not leave
your vehicle with the engine running unless
you have to.If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P) and the
parking brake is rmly set before you leave it. After you
move the shift lever into PARK (P), hold the regular
brake pedal down. Then, see if you can move the shift
lever away from PARK (P) without rst pulling it
toward you. If you can, it means that the shift lever was
not fully locked into PARK (P).
Torque Lock (Automatic Transmission)
If you are parking on a hill and you do not shift your
transmission into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl
in the transmission. You may nd it difficult to pull the
shift lever out of PARK (P). This is called “torque
lock.” To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and
then shift into PARK (P) properly before you leave
the driver’s seat. To nd out how, see “Shifting
Into PARK (P)” listed earlier in this section.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of
PARK (P) before you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of the
pressure from the parking pawl in the transmission,
so you can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
2-53
Shifting Out of Park (P)
(Automatic Transmission)
Your vehicle has an automatic transmission shift lock
control system which locks the shift lever in PARK (P)
when the ignition is in the LOCK position. You have
to fully apply your regular brakes before you can shift
from PARK (P) when the ignition is in RUN. See
Automatic Transmission Operation on page 2-26and
Torque Lock underShifting Out of Park (P)
(Automatic Transmission) on page 2-54.
If your vehicle has an Allison Transmission
®, the
transmission is equipped with a park pawl designed to
hold the higher weight of commercial medium duty
trucks. Therefore, the Allison Transmission
®uses larger
parts than other automatic transmissions. These
larger parts may sometimes make a clunk noise when
the selector lever is moved from DRIVE (D) or
REVERSE (R) to PARK (P). This is normal and there is
no damage occurring during these shifts.If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever and push the shift lever all the way up into
PARK (P) as you maintain brake application. Then,
move the shift lever into the gear you want.
If you ever hold the brake pedal down but still can’t shift
out of PARK (P), try this:
1. Turn the key to ACCESSORY. There is no shift
interlock in this key position.
2. Apply and hold the brake until the end of Step 4.
3. Shift the transmission to NEUTRAL (N).
4. Start the vehicle and then shift to the gear
you want.
5. Have the system xed as soon as you can.
2-54
Many adults — by some estimates, nearly half the adult
population — choose never to drink alcohol, so they
never drive after drinking. For persons under 21,
it is against the law in every U.S. state to drink alcohol.
There are good medical, psychological, and
developmental reasons for these laws.
The obvious way to eliminate the leading highway
safety problem is for people never to drink alcohol and
then drive. But what if people do? How much is
“too much” if someone plans to drive? It is a lot less
than many might think. Although it depends on
each person and situation, here is some general
information on the problem.
The Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of someone
who is drinking depends upon four things:
The amount of alcohol consumed
The drinker’s body weight
The amount of food that is consumed before and
during drinking
The length of time it has taken the drinker to
consume the alcohol
According to the American Medical Association, a 180 lb
(82 kg) person who drinks three 12 ounce (355 ml)
bottles of beer in an hour will end up with a BAC
of about 0.06 percent. The person would reach thesame BAC by drinking three 4 ounce (120 ml) glasses
of wine or three mixed drinks if each had 1-1/2 ounces
(45 ml) of liquors like whiskey, gin, or vodka.
It is the amount of alcohol that counts. For example, if the
same person drank three double martinis (3 ounces or
90 ml of liquor each) within an hour, the person’s BAC
would be close to 0.12 percent. A person who consumes
food just before or during drinking will have a somewhat
lower BAC level.
4-3
There is a gender difference, too. Women generally have
a lower relative percentage of body water than men.
Since alcohol is carried in body water, this means that a
woman generally will reach a higher BAC level than a
man of her same body weight will when each has the
same number of drinks.
The law in most U.S. states, and throughout Canada,
sets the legal limit at 0.08 percent. In some other
countries, the limit is even lower. For example, it is
0.05 percent in both France and Germany. The BAC limit
for all commercial drivers in the United States is
0.04 percent.
The BAC will be over 0.10 percent after three to
six drinks (in one hour). Of course, as we have seen, it
depends on how much alcohol is in the drinks, and
how quickly the person drinks them.
But the ability to drive is affected well below a BAC of
0.10 percent. Research shows that the driving skills
of many people are impaired at a BAC approaching
0.05 percent, and that the effects are worse at night. All
drivers are impaired at BAC levels above 0.05 percent.Statistics show that the chance of being in a collision
increases sharply for drivers who have a BAC of
0.05 percent or above. A driver with a BAC level of
0.06 percent has doubled his or her chance of having a
collision. At a BAC level of 0.10 percent, the chance
of this driver having a collision is 12 times greater; at a
level of 0.15 percent, the chance is 25 times greater!
The body takes about an hour to rid itself of the alcohol in
one drink. No amount of coffee or number of cold
showers will speed that up. “I will be careful” is not the
right answer. What if there is an emergency, a need to
take sudden action, as when a child darts into the street?
A person with even a moderate BAC might not be able to
react quickly enough to avoid the collision.
There is something else about drinking and driving that
many people do not know. Medical research shows that
alcohol in a person’s system can make crash injuries
worse, especially injuries to the brain, spinal cord, or
heart. This means that when anyone who has been
drinking — driver or passenger — is in a crash, that
person’s chance of being killed or permanently disabled
is higher than if the person had not been drinking.
4-4