An indicator on the dashboard that
alerts you that the passenger’s
front airbag has been turned off
(see page ).
Emergency backup power in case
your vehicle’s electrical system is
disconnected in a crash.
Automatic
front seat belt
tensioners (see page ).
Sensors that can detect a
moderate to severe front impact or
side impact.
Sensors that can detect whether a
child is in the passenger’s side
airbag path and automatically turn
the airbag off (see page ).
A driver’s seat position sensor that
monitors the distance of the seat
from the front airbag. If the seat is
too far forward, the airbag will
inflate with less force (see page
). An
indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you that the
passenger’s side airbag has been
turned off (see page ).
Weight
sensors that monitor the
weight on the front passenger’s
seat. These automatically turn off
the passenger’s front airbag if
they detect an infant or a small
childmaybeintheseat(seepage ).
An indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you to a possible
problem with your airbags,
sensors, or seat belt tensioners
(see page ).
A
sophisticated electronic system
that continually monitors and
records information about the
sensors, the control unit, the
airbag activators, the seat belt
tensioners, and driver and front
passenger seat belt use when the
ignition switch is in the ON (II)
position.
19
29
25 29
29
25
28
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
22
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After inflating, the front airbags will
immediately deflate, so they won’t
interfere with the driver’s visibility,
or the ability to steer or operate
other controls.
The total time for inflation and
deflation is one-tenth of a second, so
fast that most occupants are not
aware that the airbags deployed until
they see them lying in their laps.
Du
ring a frontal crash, your seat belt
restrains your lower body and torso,
and the front airbag helps protect
your head and chest.
Al though both airbags normally
inflate within a split second of each
other, it is possible for only one
airbag to deploy.
This can happen if the severity of a
collision is at the margin, or
threshold, that determines whether
or not the airbags will deploy. In
such cases, the seat belt will provide
sufficient protection, and the
supplemental protection offered by
the airbag would be minimal.
Only the driver’s airbag can deploy if
there is no passenger in the front
seat, or if the advanced airbag
system has turned the passenger’s
airbag off (see page ).
If
you ever have a moderate to
severe frontal collision, sensors will
detect the vehicle’s rapid
deceleration.
If the rate of deceleration is high
enough, the control unit will instantly
infl ate the driver’s and front
passenger’s airbags, at the time and
with the force needed. 25
CONT INUED
How Your Front Airbags Work
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
23
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In a moderate to severe side impact,
sensors will detect rapid deceleration
and signal the control unit to
instantly inflate the side curtain
airbag on the driver’s or the
passenger’s side of the vehicle.If the impact is on the passenger’s
side, the passenger’s side curtain
airbag will inflate even if there are no
occupants on that side of the vehicle.
To get the best protection f rom the
side curtain airbags, occupants
should wear their seat belts and sit
upright and well back in their seats.
The SRS indicator alerts
you to a potential problem
with your airbags or seat belt
tensioners.
If the indicator comes on at any
other time, or does not come on at all,
you should have the system checked
by your dealer. For example:
If the indicator comes on or
flashesonandoff whileyoudrive. If the indicator stays on after the
engine starts. If the SRS indicator does not come
on after you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position.
When you turn the ignition switch to
the ON (II) position, this indicator
comes on f or several seconds then
goes of f . This tells you the system is
working properly.
How Your Side Curtain A irbags
Work
How the SRS Indicator Works
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
28
SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG
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Front airbags have been designed to
help protect adults in a moderate to
severe frontal collision. To do this,
the passenger’s front airbag is quite
large, and it can inflate with enough
force to cause very serious injuries. If
the vehicle seat is
too far forward, or the child’s head is
thro wn forward during a collision, an
inflating front airbag can strike the
child with enough force to kill or
very seriously injure a small child.
Whenever possible,
larg er children should sit in the back
seat, on a booster seat if needed, and
be properly restrained with a seat
belt (see page for important
info rmation about protecting larger
children).
Even
though your vehicle has an
advanced front airbag system that
automatically turns the passenger’s
front airbag off (see page ),
please follow these guidelines:
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.
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.
Some states have laws restricting
where children may ride.
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.
29
46
The Passenger’s Front Airbag
Can Pose Serious Risks
All Children Should Sit in a Back
Seat
Small Children
Placing a f orward-f acing child seat inthe 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 inthe f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwit h a passenger’s f ront airbag.
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
33
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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 front 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 their seat as far back as
recommended, or f rom locking their
seat-back in the desired position.
It could also interf ere with proper
operation of the passenger’s
advanced front airbag system.
CONT INUED
Protecting Inf ants
Child Seat T ypeDo not put a rear-f acing child seat in
a f orward-f acing position. Rear-f acing Child Seat Placement
Never put a
rear-f acing child seat in t he f ront seat .
Protecting Inf ants and Small Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
37
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If you decide that a child can safely
ride up front, be sure to:
Carefully read the owner’s manual,
and make sure you understand all
seat belt instructions and all safety
info rmation.
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 floor.
Supervise the child. Even mature
children sometimes need to be
reminded to fasten the seat belts
or sit properly.
To
safely ride in front, a child must
be able to follow the rules, including
sitting properly, and wearing the seat
belt properly throughout a ride.
Of
course, children vary widel y. And
while age may be one indicator of
when a child can safely ride in front,
there are other important factors you
should consider.
The
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that all children
age 12 and under be properly
restrained in a back seat.
If the passenger’s front airbag
inflates in a moderate to severe
frontal 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. Physically, a child must be large
enough f or the lap/shoulder belt to
properly f it (see pages and ). 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.
Check that the child’s seat belt is
properly positioned and secured.
14 46
Maturity
Physical Size
When Can a L arger Child Sit in
Front
Protecting L arger Children
48
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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 (except for the U.S.
dashboard label which may be
removed by the owner), contact your
dealer f or a replacement.
CONT INUED
U.S. modelsCanadian models U.S. models only
4-cylinder LX models Except 4-cylinder LX models
Saf ety L abels
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
51
HOOD DASHBOARD
RADIATOR CAP
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On all V6 models On all V6 models
This indicator normally comes on for
a few seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position.
Ifitcomesonandstaysonatany
other time, or if it does not come on
when you turn the ignition switch to
the ON (II) position, there is a
problem with the VSA system. Take
your vehicle to a dealer to have it
checked. Without VSA, your vehicle
still has normal driving ability, but
will not have VSA traction and
stability enhancement. See pagefor more information on the
VSA system. This indicator c
omes on when you
turn on the cruise control system by
pressing the CRUISE button (see page ).
This indicator c omes on when you
set the cruise control. See page for information on operating the
cruise control.
This indicator h
as three functions:
Itcomesonasareminderthatyou
have turned off the vehicle
stability assist (VSA) system.
It flashes w hen VSA is active (see
page ).
It comes on along with the VSA
system indicator if there is a
problem with the VSA system.
This indicator normally comes on for
a few seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position. For more information, see page .
1.
2.
3.
211 211
211 175
175
Instrument Panel Indicators
Vehicle Stability Assist
(VSA ) System Indicator Cruise Main Indicator
Cruise Control Indicator
VSA A ctivation Indicator
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