Questions and Answers About
Safety Belts
Q:Will I be trapped in the vehicle after an accident
if I am wearing a safety belt?
A:Youcouldbe Ð whether you are wearing a safety
belt or not. But you can unbuckle a safety belt,
even if you are upside down. And your chance of
being conscious during and after an accident,
so you
canunbuckle and get out, ismuchgreater if
you are belted.
Q:If my vehicle has airbags, why should I have to
wear safety belts?
A:Airbags are in many vehicles today and will be in
most of them in the future. But they are
supplemental systems only; so they work
with
safety belts Ð not instead of them. Every airbag
system ever offered for sale has required the use of
safety belts. Even if you are in a vehicle that has
airbags, you still have to buckle up to get the most
protection. That is true not only in frontal collisions,
but especially in side and other collisions.
Q:If I am a good driver, and I never drive far from
home, why should I wear safety belts?
A:You may be an excellent driver, but if you are in an
accident Ð even one that is not your fault Ð you
and your passengers can be hurt. Being a good
driver does not protect you from things beyond your
control, such as bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km) of
home. And the greatest number of serious injuries
and deaths occur at speeds of less than 40 mph
(65 km/h).
Safety belts are for everyone.
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
This part is only for people of adult size.
Be aware that there are special things to know about
safety belts and children. And there are different
rules for smaller children and babies. If a child will be
riding in your vehicle, see
Older Children on page 1-25orInfants and Young Children on page 1-28. Follow
those rules for everyone's protection.
First, you will want to know which restraint systems your
vehicle has.
We will start with the driver position.
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Doors and Locks
Door Locks
{CAUTION:
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
·Passengers Ð especially children Ð can
easily open the doors and fall out of a
moving vehicle. When a door is locked, the
handle will not open it. You increase the
chance of being thrown out of the vehicle
in a crash if the doors are not locked. So,
wear safety belts properly and lock the
doors whenever you drive.
·Young children who get into unlocked
vehicles may be unable to get out. A child
can be overcome by extreme heat and can
suffer permanent injuries or even death
from heat stroke. Always lock your vehicle
whenever you leave it.
·Outsiders can easily enter through an
unlocked door when you slow down or
stop your vehicle. Locking your doors can
help prevent this from happening.There are several ways to lock and unlock the vehicle.
The driver's door need to be closed in order to lock
the vehicle using any method.
To lock or unlock the doors from inside the vehicle, do
one of the following:
1. Press the driver's and passenger's door lock knob
to lock the doors. Pull up on the knobs to unlock
the doors.
2. Press the power door lock button. See
Power Door
Locks on page 2-8following.
To lock or unlock your vehicle from the outside, use
your key in the driver's lock or use the remote key. See
Remote Keyless Entry System Operation on page 2-5.
To lock the doors from the outside using the key in
the lock, do the following:
1. Insert the key in the driver's door lock.
2. Turn the key clockwise.
3. Turn the key back to the vertical position and
remove.
The alarm system is not set using this method. See
Content Theft-Deterrent on page 2-15.
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Windows
{CAUTION:
Leaving children, helpless adults, or pets in a
vehicle with the windows closed is dangerous.
They can be overcome by the extreme heat
and suffer permanent injuries or even death
from heat stroke. Never leave a child, a
helpless adult, or a pet alone in a vehicle,
especially with the windows closed in warm or
hot weather.
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Theft-Deterrent Systems
Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some cities.
Although your vehicle has a number of theft-deterrent
features, we know that nothing we put on it can make it
impossible to steal.
Immobilizer
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause interference.
2. This device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired
operation.
Changes or modi®cations to this system by other than
an authorized service facility could void authorization to
use this equipment.
Immobilizer Operation
Your vehicle may have a passive theft-deterrent system.
The system is an electronic engine immobilizer, which
disables the car, when the key is removed from the
ignition.
The system works when you turn the key to ON. The
key uses a transponder that matches an immobilizer
control unit in your vehicle. The correct key will start the
vehicle.Your vehicle has a special key that works with the
theft-deterrent system. There is a transponder in the key
head. If the key is ever damaged, you may not be
able to start your vehicle.
When trying to start the vehicle, if the engine does not
start and the security light comes on, the key may
have a damaged transponder. Turn the ignition off and
try again.
If the engine still does not start, and the key appears to
be undamaged, try another ignition key. At this time,
you may also want to check the fuse. See
Fuses
and Circuit Breakers on page 5-86for more information
on fuses. If the engine still does not start with the
other key, your vehicle needs service. If your vehicle
does start, the ®rst key may be faulty. See your dealer
who can service the theft-deterrent system to have
a new key made.
If you are ever driving and the security light comes on
and stays on, you will be able to restart your engine
if you turn it off. The theft-deterrent system, however, is
not working properly and must be serviced by your
dealer. Your vehicle is not protected by the
theft-deterrent system at this time.
In an emergency, contact Roadside Assistance. See
Roadside Assistance Program on page 7-6.
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Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the
day. DRL can be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the short
periods after dawn and before sunset.
The DRL system will make your low-beam headlamps
come on at a reduced brightness when the following
conditions are met:
·The ignition is on.
·The exterior lamp control is turned to AUTO and
the light sensor detects daytime light.
·The exterior lamp control is turned to the off position.
·The parking brake is released.
·For vehicles with automatic transmissions, the shift
lever is not in PARK (P).
When the DRL system is on, the taillamps, sidemarker
lamps, parking lamps, and instrument panel lights will not
be illuminated unless you have turned the exterior lamps
control to the parking lamp or headlamp position.
The DRL system will remain off any time your vehicle is
in PARK (P) or the parking brake is engaged the ®rst
time the ignition is turned on.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.
Automatic Headlamp System
When it is dark enough outside, your Automatic
Headlamp System will turn on your headlamps at the
normal brightness along with other lamps such as
the taillamps, sidemarker, parking lamps, and the
instrument panel lights. The radio lights will also be dim.
Your vehicle is equipped with a light sensor on the
top of the instrument panel under the defroster
grill. Make sure it is not covered, which will cause the
system to be on whenever the ignition is on.
The system may also be on when driving through a
parking garage, heavy overcast weather, or a tunnel.
This is normal.
If you start your vehicle in a dark garage, the automatic
headlamp system will come on immediately.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamps when you need them.
The headlamps can be set to come on at different
levels. The sensitivity can be adjusted to Early, Normal,
or Late. See
Vehicle Personalization on page 2-31.
Leaving the headlamps and parking lamps on when the
engine is not running will eventually drain the battery.
To prevent the battery from draining, the headlamp and
parking lamps will turn off when the ignition has been
turned off and the driver's door is opened, because the
vehicle senses that the driver has forgotten to turn
off the lights.
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Do not add any label to a CD, it could get caught in the
CD player. If a CD is recorded on a personal computer
and a description label is needed, try labeling the top of
the recorded CD with a marking pen instead.
Notice:If you add any label to a CD, insert more
than one CD into the slot at a time, or attempt
to play scratched or damaged CDs, you could
damage the CD player. When using the CD player,
use only CDs in good condition without any
label, load one CD at a time, and keep the CD player
and the loading slot free of foreign materials,
liquids, and debris.
If an error appears on the display, see ªCD Messagesº
later in this section.
LOAD:Press the LOAD button to load CDs into the CD
player. This CD player will hold up to six CDs.
To insert one CD, do the following:
1. Turn the ignition on.
2. Press and release the LOAD button.
3. Wait for INSERT CD to appear on the display, the
indicator light, located to the left of the slot, to ¯ash,
and for the radio to produce a beep, if beeps are
turned on. See ªCon®rmation Beepsº later in
this section for information about turning beeps on
and off.
4. Load a CD. Insert the CD partway into the slot,
label side up. The player will pull the CD in.To insert multiple CDs, do the following:
1. Turn the ignition on.
2. Press and hold the LOAD button for two seconds.
3. Wait for LOAD ALL to appear on the display,
the indicator light, located to the left of the slot,
to ¯ash, and for the radio to produce a beep,
if beeps are turned on. See ªCon®rmation Beepsº
later in this section for information about turning
beeps on and off.
4. Once the light stops ¯ashing and turns green, load
a CD. Insert the CD partway into the slot, label side
up. The player will pull the CD in.
Once the CD is loaded, the light will begin ¯ashing
again. Once the light stops ¯ashing and turns
green, you can load another CD. The CD player
takes up to six CDs. Do not try to load more
than six.
To load more than one CD but less than six, complete
Steps 1 through 3. When ®nished loading CDs,
press the EJECT button to cancel the loading function.
The radio will begin to play the last CD loaded.
For every CD loaded, a number will appear on the
display. To play a speci®c CD, press the numbered
pushbutton that corresponds to the CD you want to play.
The CD number that is playing will ¯ash, and the
track number will appear.
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Radio Reception
You may experience frequency interference and static
during normal radio reception if items such as cellphone
chargers, vehicle convenience accessories, and
external electronic devices are plugged into the
accessory power outlet. If there is interference or static,
unplug the item from the accessory power outlet.
AM
The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM,
especially at night. The longer range can cause
station frequencies to interfere with each other. For
better radio reception, most AM radio stations will boost
the power levels during the day, and then reduce
these levels during the night. Static can also occur when
things like storms and power lines interfere with radio
reception. When this happens, try reducing the treble on
your radio.
FM Stereo
FM stereo will give the best sound, but FM signals will
reach only about 10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km). Tall
buildings or hills can interfere with FM signals, causing
the sound to fade in and out.
Care of Your CDs
Handle CDs carefully. Store them in their original cases
or other protective cases and away from direct
sunlight and dust. The CD player scans the bottom
surface of the disc. If the surface of a CD is damaged,
such as cracked, broken, or scratched, the CD will
not play properly or not at all. If the surface of a CD is
soiled, take a soft, lint free cloth or dampen a clean, soft
cloth in a mild, neutral detergent solution mixed with
water, and clean it. Make sure the wiping process starts
from the center to the edge.
Do not touch the bottom side of a CD while handling it;
this could damage the surface. Pick up CDs by
grasping the outer edges or the edge of the hole and
the outer edge.
Care of the CD Player
The use of CD lens cleaners for CD players is not
advised, due to the risk of contaminating the internal
lens of the CD optics with lubricants.
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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. ªI will be carefulº 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 Ð driver or passenger Ð is in
a crash, that person's chance of being killed or
permanently disabled is higher than if the person had
not been drinking.
{CAUTION:
Drinking and then driving is very dangerous.
Your re¯exes, perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even a small
amount of alcohol. You can have a serious Ð or
even fatal Ð collision if you drive after drinking.
Please do not drink and drive or ride with a
driver who has been drinking. Ride home in a
cab; or if you are with a group, designate a
driver who will not drink.
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