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▫To Turn Off “Flash Lights On Lock/Unlock” . . .23
▫ General Information ....................24
▫ Transmitter Battery Service ...............24
Vehicle Theft Alarm ......................26
Liftgate ...............................28
▫ Power Liftgate — If Equipped .............29
Windows .............................32
▫ Power Windows .......................32
Occupant Restraints ......................33
▫ Lap/Shoulder Belts .....................35
▫ Lap/Shoulder Belt Untwisting Procedure .....41
▫ Seat Belt Pretensioners ...................42 ▫
Enhanced Seat Belt Use Reminder System
(BeltAlert) ...........................43
▫ Seat Belts And Pregnant Women ............44
▫ Seat Belt Extender ......................44
▫ Driver And Front Passenger Supplemental
Restraint System - Airbag ................45
▫ Child Restraint ........................60
Engine Break-In Recommendations ...........71
Safety Tips ............................71
▫ Exhaust Gas ..........................71
▫ Safety Checks You Should Make Inside
The Vehicle ..........................72
▫ Periodic Safety Checks You Should Make
Outside The Vehicle ....................73
10 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
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Wind Buffeting
Wind buffeting can be described as the perception of
pressure on the ears or a helicopter type sound in the
ears. Your vehicle may exhibit wind buffeting with the
windows down, or the sunroof (if equipped) in certain
open or partially open positions. This is a normal occur-
rence and can be minimized. If the buffeting occurs with
the rear windows open, open the front and rear windows
together to minimize the buffeting. If the buffeting occurs
with the sunroof open, adjust the sunroof opening to
minimize the buffeting.
OCCUPANT RESTRAINTS
Some of the most important safety features in your
vehicle are the restraint systems. These include the front
and rear seat belts for the driver and all passengers, front
airbags for both the driver and front passenger, and if
equipped, left and right window bags for the driver and
passengers seated next to a window and a driver inflat-
able knee blocker. If you will be carrying children too
small for adult-size seat belts, your seat belts or the
LATCH feature (refer to the Child Restraint section in this
manual), can be used to hold infant and child restraint
systems.
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If your vehicle is equipped with the Occupant Classifi-
cation System (OCS) there will be a Passenger Airbag
Disabled (PAD) Indicator Light located on the center of
the instrument panel. NOTE:
The front airbags have a multi stage inflator
design. This allows the airbag to have different rates of
inflation that are based on collision severity.
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
much greater injuries if you are not properly buck-
led 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.
Passenger Airbag Disabled Light
34 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
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3. Slide the latch plate upward over the folded webbing.
The folded webbing must enter the slot at the top of the
latch plate.
4. Continue to slide the latch plate up until it clears the
folded webbing.Seat Belt Pretensioners
The seat belt buckles for both front seating positions are
equipped with pretensioning devices that are designed to
remove slack from the seat belt in the event of a collision.
These devices improve the performance of the seat belt
by assuring that the belt is tight about the occupant early
in a collision. Pretensioners are designed to work for all
size occupants.
NOTE: These devices are not a substitute for proper seat
belt placement by the occupant. The seat belt still must be
worn snugly and positioned properly.
The pretensioners are triggered by the front airbag con-
trol module (see Airbag Section). Like the front airbags,
the pretensioners are single use items. After a collision
that is severe enough to deploy the airbags and preten-
sioners, both must be replaced.
Sliding The Latch Plate
42 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
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WARNING!
Using a seat belt extender when not needed can
increase the risk of injury in a collision. Only use
when the lap belt is not long enough when it is worn
low and snug, and in the recommended seating
positions. Remove and store the extender when not
needed.
Driver and Front Passenger Supplemental
Restraint System - Airbag
This vehicle has airbags for both the driver and front
passenger as a supplement to the seat belt restraint
systems. The driver’s front airbag is mounted in the
center of the steering wheel. The passenger’s front airbag
is mounted in the instrument panel, above the glove
compartment. The words SRS AIRBAG are embossed on
the airbag covers. NOTE:
The front airbags are certified to the Federal
regulations that allow less forceful deployment in low
speed collisions.
The front airbags have a multi stage inflator design. This
may allow the airbag to have different rates of inflation
that are based on collision severity and occupant size.Front Airbag Components
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Also, the front passenger airbag is certified to the Federal
regulations that define Occupant Classification (Refer to
“Occupant Classification System” in this section).
This vehicle may also be equipped with a driver inflat-
able knee blocker located on the instrument panel below
the steering column.
This vehicle may also be equipped with left and right
window bags to protect the driver and passengers sitting
next to a window. If the vehicle is equipped with window
bags, they are located above the side windows. Their
covers are also labeled SRS AIRBAG. NOTE: Airbag covers may not be obvious in the interior
trim; but they will open to allow airbag deployment.
Side Airbag Location
46 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
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WARNING!
•Do not put anything on or around the airbag covers
or attempt to manually open them. You may damage
the airbags and you could be injured because the
airbags are not there to protect you. These protec-
tive covers for the airbag cushions are designed to
open only when the airbags are inflating.
•If your vehicle is equipped with left and right
window bags, do not stack luggage or other cargo up
high enough to block the location of the side curtain
airbag. The area where the side curtain airbag is
located should remain free from any obstructions.
•If your vehicle is equipped with left and right
window bags, do not have any accessory items
installed which will alter the roof, including adding
a sunroof to your vehicle. Do not add roof racks that
require permanent attachments (bolts or screws) for
installation on the vehicle roof. Do not drill into the
roof of the vehicle for any reason.
Along with seat belts, and front seat belt buckle preten-
sioners, front airbags work with the instrument panel
knee blockers to provide improved protection for the
driver and front passenger. Left and right window bags
also work with seat belts to improve occupant protection.
The seat belts are designed to protect you in many types
of collisions. The front airbags deploy in moderate to
severe frontal collisions.
NOTE: The passenger front airbag may not deploy even
when the driver front airbag has if the Occupant Classi-
fication System (refer to “Occupant Classification Sys-
tem” in this section) has determined the seat is empty or
is occupied by a child.
If your vehicle is equipped, the window bag on the crash
side of the vehicle is triggered in moderate to severe side
collisions. But even in collisions where the airbags inflate,
you need the seat belts to keep you in the right position
for the airbags to protect you properly.
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Here are some simple steps you can take to minimize the
risk of harm from a deploying airbag.
1. Children 12 years old and under should always ride
buckled up in a rear seat.
Infants in rear facing child restraints should NEVERride
in the front seat of a vehicle with a passenger front airbag.
An airbag deployment can cause severe injury or death to
infants in that position.
Children that are not big enough to properly wear the
vehicle seat belt (refer to section on Child Restraint)
should be secured in the rear seat, in a child restraint or
belt-positioning booster seat appropriate for the size and
age of the child. Older children who do not use a child
restraint or belt-positioning booster seat should ride
properly buckled up in the rear seat. Never allow chil-
dren to slide the shoulder belt behind them or under their
arm. If a child from 1 to 12 years old must ride in the front
passenger seat because the vehicle is crowded, move the
seat as far back as possible, and use the proper child
restraint. Refer to the section on Child Restraint.
You should read the instructions provided with your
child restraint to make sure that you are using it properly.
2.
All occupants should wear their lap and shoulder
belts properly.
3. The driver and front passenger seats should be
moved back as far as practical to allow the front airbags
room to inflate.
4. If your vehicle has left and right window bags, do
not lean against the door, airbags will inflate forcefully
into the space between you and the door.
48 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE