Page 37 of 464
To disarm the system:
Unlock a front door/liftgate using the Keyless Entry
Transmitter.
Starting the vehicle with a valid Sentry key will disarm
the system. A valid key is one that is programmed to that
particular vehicle. A valid key will disarm the system, an
invalid key will trigger the alarm.
Tamper Alert
If the horn sounds 3 times when you unlock a front door
using either a key or the Keyless Entry Transmitter, the
alarm has been activated. Check the vehicle for tamper-
ing.
Security System Manual Override
The system will not arm if you lock the doors using the
manual door lock plunger.
Door Lock Plunger
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 37
2
Page 40 of 464

Gas props support the deck lid in the open position.
However, because the gas pressure drops with tempera-
ture, it may be necessary to assist the props when
opening the deck lid in cold weather.
Power Deck Lid Release
You can open the deck lid by pressing the Remote
Keyless Entry Button or from inside the vehicle, using the
switch located inside the glove box. On vehicles
equipped with a manual transmission, the power deck
lid release switch is disabled if the doors are locked, or if
vehicle speed exceeds 0 mph (0 km/h), or when the
clutch pedal is depressed. On vehicles equipped with an
automatic transmission, the power deck lid release
switch is disabled if the doors are locked, or the trans-
mission is out of PARK.
EMERGENCY SEAT BACK RELEASE (SEDAN)
WARNING!
Do not allow children to have access to the liftgate
area with the rear shelf panel in position 1 (Top) or
position 2 (Middle), either by climbing into the
liftgate from outside, or through the inside of the
vehicle. Always close the liftgate when your vehicle
is unattended. Once in the liftgate area, young chil-
dren may not be able to escape, even if they entered
through the rear seat. If trapped in the liftgate,
children can die from suffocation or heat stroke.
As a security measure, a Seat Back Emergency Release
lever is built into the left side rear seat back latching
mechanism. In the event of an individual being locked
inside the liftgate area with the rear shelf panel in
position 1 (Top) or position 2 (Middle), the left side rear
40 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
Page 42 of 464
As a security measure, an emergency deck lid release
lever is built into the deck lid latching mechanism. In the
event of an individual being locked inside the trunk, the
trunk can be simply opened by pulling on the glow-in-
the-dark lever attached to the deck lid latching mecha-
nism. See following picture.POWER WINDOWS
The power window switches are located on the instru-
ment panel above the radio. The top left switch controls
the left front window and the top right switch controls
the right front window.
The lower left switch controls the left rear passenger’s
window and the lower right switch controls the right rear
passenger’s window.
The sedan has a window lock switch, located between the
window switches allows you to disable the rear window
switches that are located at the back of the center floor
console.
Emergency Deck Lid Release Handle
42 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
Page 58 of 464

empty or is occupied by someone that is classified in the
“childcategory. This could be a child, a teenager, or even
a small adult.
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 shouldNEVERride
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 (see Section on Child Restraints) should
be secured in the rear seat in child restraints or belt-
positioning booster seats. Older children who do not use
child restraints or belt-positioning booster seats shouldride properly buckled up in the rear seat. Never allow
children 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 side airbags, do not lean against
the door, airbags will inflate forcefully into the space
between you and the door.
58 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
Page 72 of 464

Child Restraint
Everyone in your vehicle needs to be buckled up at all
times — babies and children, too. Every state in the
United States and all Canadian provinces require that
small children ride in proper restraint systems. This is the
law, and you can be prosecuted for ignoring it.
Children 12 years and under should ride properly buck-
led up in a rear seat, if available. According to crash
statistics, children are safer when properly restrained in
the rear seats, rather than in the front.WARNING!
In a collision, an unrestrained child, even a tiny
baby, can become a missile inside the vehicle. The
force required to hold even an infant on your lap
could become so great that you could not hold the
child, no matter how strong you are. The child and
others could be badly injured. Any child riding in
your vehicle should be in a proper restraint for the
child’s size.
Infants And Small Children
There are different sizes and types of restraints for
children from newborn size to the child almost large
enough for an adult safety belt. Always check the child
seat owner’s manual to ensure you have the correct seat
for your child. Use the restraint that is correct for your
child:
72 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
Page 75 of 464

restraint so that it is not necessary to use a locking clip.
If the seat belt has a cinching latch plate, pulling up on
the shoulder portion of the lap/shoulder belt will
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 occasionally and pull it
tight if necessary.
If the seat belt has a switchable retractor, it will have a
distinctive label. To operate the switchable retractor,
please refer to Automatic-Locking Retractor (ALR) in this
section.
•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 of the
belt several times to shorten it. Insert the latch plate
into the buckle with the release button facing out.
•If the belt still can’t be tightened, or if by pulling and
pushing on the restraint loosens the belt, disconnect
the latch plate from the buckle, turn the latch plate
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.
•Buckle the child into the seat according to the child
restraint manufacturer’s directions.
•When your child restraint is not in use, secure it in the
vehicle with the seat belt or remove it from the vehicle.
Don’t leave it loose in the vehicle. In a sudden stop or
collision, it could strike the occupants or seat backs
and cause serious personal injury.
Automatic-Locking Retractor (ALR)
To operate the switchable retractor, pull the belt from the
retractor until there is enough to allow you to pass
through the child restraint and slide the latch plate into
the buckle. Then pull on the belt until it is all removed
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 75
2
Page 79 of 464

Not all child restraint systems will be installed as we
have described here. Again, carefully follow the instruc-
tions that come with the child restraint system.
NOTE:If your child restraint seat is not LATCH com-
patible, install the restraint using the vehicle seat belts.
WARNING!
An incorrectly anchored tether strap could lead to
increased head motion and possible injury to the
child. Use only the anchor position directly behind
the child seat to secure a child restraint top tether
strap.
Children Too Large For Booster Seats
Children who are large enough to wear the shoulder belt
comfortably, and whose legs are long enough to bendover the front of the seat when their back is against the
seat back, should use the lap/shoulder belt in a rear seat.
•Make sure that the child is upright in the seat.
•The lap portion should be low on the hips and as snug
as possible.
•Check belt fit periodically. A child’s squirming or
slouching can move the belt out of position.
•If the shoulder belt contacts the face or neck, move the
child closer to the center of the vehicle. Never allow a
child to put the shoulder belt under an arm or behind
their back.
Transporting Pets
Airbags deploying in the front seat could harm your pet.
An unrestrained pet will be thrown about and possibly
injured, or injure a passenger during panic braking or in
a collision.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 79
2
Page 80 of 464

Pets should be restrained in the rear seat in pet harnesses
or pet carriers that are secured by seat belts.
OCCUPANT RESTRAINTS (CONVERTIBLE)
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, side airbags for both the driver and front
passenger. If you will be carrying children too small for
adult-size seat belts, your seat belts or the LATCH feature
also, can 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
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.
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 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
80 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE