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you will be carrying children too small for adult-size
belts, your seat belts can also be used to hold infant and
child restraint systems.
Please pay close attention to the information in this
section. It tells you how to use your restraint system
properly to keep you and your passengers as safe as
possible.
WARNING!
In a collision, you and your passengers can suffer
injuries, including fatalities, if you are not properly
buckled up. You can strike the interior of your
vehicle or other passengers, or you can be thrown out
of the vehicle. Always be sure you and others in your
vehicle are buckled up properly.
Buckle up even though you are an excellent driver, even
on short trips. Someone on the road may be a poor driver
and cause a collision that includes you. This can happen
far away from home or on your own street.
Research has shown that seat belts save lives, and that
they can reduce the seriousness of injuries in a collision.
Some of the worst injuries happen when people are
thrown from the vehicle. Seat belts reduce the possibility
of ejection and the risk of injury caused by striking the
inside of the vehicle.Everyonein a motor vehicle should
be belted at all times to reduce or prevent injuries.
Lap/Shoulder Belts
The outboard front and rear seats of your vehicle are
equipped with lap/shoulder belts.
The belt webbing retractor is designed to lock during
very sudden stops or collisions. This feature allows the
shoulder part of the belt to move freely with you under
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normal conditions. But in a collision, the belt will lock
and reduce the risk of your striking the inside of the
vehicle or being thrown out.
WARNING!
•It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision,
people riding in these areas are more likely to be
seriously injured or killed.
•Do not allow people to ride in any area of your
vehicle that is not equipped with seats and seat
belts.
•Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat using
a seat belt properly.
WARNING!
•Wearing a seat belt incorrectly is dangerous. Seat
belts are designed to go around the large bones of
your body. These are the strongest parts of your
body and take the forces of a collision the best.
Wearing your belt in the wrong place could make
your injuries in a collision much worse. You
might suffer internal injuries, or you could even
slide out of part of the belt. Follow these instruc-
tions to wear your seat belt safely and to keep
your passengers safe, too.
•Two people should never be belted into a single
seat belt. People belted together can crash into one
another in an accident, hurting one another badly.
Never use a lap/shoulder belt or a lap belt for
more than one person, no matter what their size.
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WARNING!
A frayed or torn belt could rip apart in a collision
and leave you with no protection. Inspect the belt
system periodically, checking for cuts, frays, or loose
parts. Damaged parts must be replaced immediately.
Do not disassemble or modify the system. Seat belt
assemblies must be replaced after a collision if they
have been damaged (bent retractor, torn webbing,
etc.).
Adjustable Upper Shoulder Belt Anchorage
In the front seats, the shoulder belt anchorage can be
adjusted upward or downward to position the belt away
from your neck. Push in on the anchorage near your
outside shoulder and slide it up or down to reach the
position that serves you best.As a guide, if you are shorter than average, you will
prefer a lower position, and if you are taller than average,
you’ll prefer a higher position. When you release the
anchorage, try to move it up or down to make sure that
it is locked in position.Adjusting Upper Shoulder Belt
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WARNING!
•Improper installation can lead to failure of an
infant or child restraint. It could come loose in a
collision. The child could be badly injured or
killed. Follow the manufacturer’s directions ex-
actly when installing an infant or child restraint.
•A rearward facing infant restraint should only be
used in a rear seat unless the passenger frontal
airbag is turned off. If the airbag is left on, a
rearward facing infant restraint in the front seat
may be struck by a deploying passenger airbag
which may cause severe or fatal injury to the
infant.
Here are some tips on getting the most out of your child
restraint:
•Before buying any restraint system, make sure that it
has a label certifying that it meets all applicable Safety
Standards. The manufacturer also recommends that
you make sure that you can install the child restraint in
the vehicle where you will use it before you buy it.
•The restraint must be appropriate for your child’s
weight and height. Check the label on the restraint for
weight and height limits.
•Carefully follow the instructions that come with the
restraint. If you install the restraint improperly, it may
not work when you need it.
•The passenger seat belts are equipped with cinching
latch plates designed to keep the lap portion or lap belt
tight around the child restraint so that it is not
necessary to use a locking clip. Pull up on the shoulder
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Installing Child Restraints Using the Vehicle Seat
Belt
The passenger seat belts are equipped with cinching latch
plates, which are designed to keep the lap portion tight
around the child restraint so that it is not necessary to use
a locking clip. Pull up on the shoulder portion of the
lap/shoulder belt to tighten the belt. The cinching latch
plate will keep the belt tight, however, any seat belt
system will loosen with time, so check the belt occasion-
ally and pull it tight if necessary.In the rear seat, you may have trouble tightening the
lap/shoulder belt on the child restraint because the
buckle or latch plate is too close to the belt path opening
on the restraint. Disconnect the latch plate from the
buckle and twist the short buckle-end belt several times
to shorten it. Insert the latch plate into the buckle with the
release button facing out.
If the belt still cannot be tightened, or if by pulling and
pushing on the restraint loosens the belt, you may need
to do something more. Disconnect the latch plate from
the buckle, turn the buckle around, and insert the latch
plate into the buckle again. If you still can’t make the
child restraint secure, try a different seating position.
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To close the hood, remove the support rod from the
radiator support and place it in the retaining clip. Lower
the hood slowly, then let it drop the last few inches.
Secure both of the hood latches.
WARNING!
If the hood is not fully latched, it could fly up when
the vehicle is moving and block your forward vision.
Be sure all hood latches are latched fully before
driving.
LIGHTS
Interior Lights
The overhead light comes on when a door is opened. It
may also be turned on by rotating the control for the
dimmer switch on the muti-function control lever fully
upward.
The overhead light will automatically turn off in about 20
minutes if a door is left open or the dimmer control is left
in the dome light position. Turn the ignition switch ON to
restore the overhead light operation.
Daytime Brightness Feature
Certain instrument panel components (odometer, radio
display) can be illuminated at full brightness during the
daytime. This can be helpful when driving with your
headlights on during the daytime such as in a parade or
a funeral procession. To activate this feature, rotate the
left stalk one detent lower than the dome light.
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TILT STEERING COLUMN
To tilt the column, push down on the lever below the turn
signal control and move the wheel up or down, as
desired. Pull the lever back upwards to lock the column
firmly in place.WARNING!
Tilting the steering column while the vehicle is
moving is dangerous. Without a stable steering col-
umn, you could lose control of the vehicle and have
an accident. Adjust the column only while the ve-
hicle is stopped. Be sure it is locked before driving.
ELECTRONIC SPEED CONTROL
When engaged, this device takes over accelerator opera-
tions at speeds greater than 35 mph (56 km/h). The
controls are mounted on the steering wheel and consist of
ON·OFF, SET, RESUME/ACCEL, CANCEL, and COAST
controls.
Tilt Steering Column
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Console Storage Compartment — If Equipped
To unlock, insert key and turn. To open, press the latch
button.
Add-A-Trunk™ — If Equipped
The factory-installed Add-A-Trunk™ option provides a
secured compartment for parcels or equipment when the
tailgate is closed and locked. To gain access to this
compartment, simply open the tailgate and release the
spring loaded latch pins. The cover of the Add-A-
Trunk™ can then be raised.
When the Add-A-Trunk™ is not desired, it can be easily
removed from the rear compartment. Remove the four
knobs that secure the “trunk” to the body. Lift the
Add-A-Trunk™ out and place the knobs in the molded-in
storage area. Storage space is also provided for the wheel
lock, and lock key tool.
Do not leave the Add-A-Trunk™ loose in your vehicle.
Remove it and store it in a safe place.
Center Console
72 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE