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Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast
as it goes.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it is just a
seat on wheels.Put someone on it.
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{CAUTION:
Anyone who is up against, or very close to,
any airbag when it in ates can be seriously
injured or killed. Airbags plus lap-shoulder
belts offer the best protection for adults,
but not for young children and infants.
Neither the vehicle’s safety belt system nor
its airbag system is designed for them.
Young children and infants need the
protection that a child restraint system can
provide. Always secure children properly
in your vehicle. To read how, seeOlder
Children on page 43orInfants and Young
Children on page 46.
There is an airbag
readiness light on the
instrument panel cluster,
which shows the
airbag symbol.The system checks the airbag electrical system for
malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an
electrical problem. SeeAirbag Readiness Light on
page 197for more information.
Where Are the Airbags?
The driver’s frontal airbag is in the middle of the
steering wheel.
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The roof-mounted side impact airbag for the right
front passenger and the person seated directly
behind that passenger is in the ceiling above the
side windows.
{CAUTION:
If something is between an occupant and
an airbag, the airbag might not in ate
properly or it might force the object into
that person causing severe injury or even
death. The path of an in ating airbag must
be kept clear. Do not put anything
between an occupant and an airbag, and
do not attach or put anything on the
steering wheel hub or on or near any
other airbag covering. Never secure
anything to the roof of your vehicle by
routing the rope or tie-down through any
door or window opening. If you do, the
path of an in ating airbag will be blocked.
Do not let seat covers block the in ation
path of a side impact airbag. The path of
an in ating airbag must be kept clear.
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Side impact airbags are intended to in ate in
moderate to severe side crashes. A side impact
airbag will in ate if the crash severity is above the
system’s designed “threshold level.” The
threshold level can vary with speci c vehicle
design. Side impact airbags are not intended to
in ate in frontal or near-frontal impacts, rollovers,
or rear impacts. Both roof-mounted side impact
airbags will deploy when either side of the vehicle
is struck.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether
an airbag should have in ated simply because
of the damage to a vehicle or because of what the
repair costs were. For frontal airbags, in ation is
determined by what the vehicle hits, the angle
of the impact, and how quickly the vehicle slows
down. For side impact airbags, in ation is
determined by the location and severity of the
impact.What Makes an Airbag In ate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the airbag
sensing system detects that the vehicle is
in a crash. The sensing system triggers a release
of gas from the in ator, which in ates the
airbag. The in ator, airbag and related hardware
are all part of the airbag modules. Frontal
airbag modules are located inside the steering
wheel and the instrument panel. For vehicles with
seat-mounted side impact airbags, there are
also airbag modules in the side of the front
seatbacks closest to the door. For vehicles with
roof-mounted side impact airbags, there are
also airbag modules in the ceiling of the vehicle,
near the side window.
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How Does an Airbag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the
steering wheel or the instrument panel. In
moderate to severe side collisions, even belted
occupants can contact the inside of the vehicle.
Airbags supplement the protection provided
by safety belts. Airbags distribute the force of the
impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper
body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But
the frontal airbags would not help you in many
types of collisions, including rollovers, rear
impacts, and many side impacts, primarily because
an occupant’s motion is not toward the airbag.
Side impact airbags would not help you in many
types of collisions, including many frontal or
near frontal collisions, rollovers, and rear impacts.
Airbags should never be regarded as anything
more than a supplement to safety belts, and then
only in moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal
collisions for the driver’s and right front
passenger’s frontal airbags, and only in moderate
to severe side collisions for vehicles with side
impact airbags.
What Will You See After an Airbag
In ates?
After frontal airbags and seat-mounted side impact
airbags in ate, they quickly de ate, so quickly
that some people may not even realize an airbag
in ated. Roof-mounted side impact airbags
may still be at least partially in ated minutes after
the vehicle comes to rest. Some components
of the airbag module — the steering wheel hub for
the driver’s airbag, the instrument panel for the
right front passenger’s bag, the side of the
seatback closest to the door for the seat-mounted
side impact airbags, and the area along the
ceiling of your vehicle near the side windows for
roof-mounted side impact airbags — may be
hot for a short time. The parts of the airbag that
come into contact with you may be warm, but not
too hot to touch.
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Adding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Q:Is there anything I might add to the front
or sides of the vehicle that could keep the
airbags from working properly?
A:Yes. If you add things that change your
vehicle’s frame, bumper system, height,
front end or side sheet metal, they may keep
the airbag system from working properly.
Also, the airbag system may not work properly
if you relocate any of the airbag sensors. If
you have any questions about this, you should
contact Customer Assistance before you
modify your vehicle. The phone numbers and
addresses for Customer Assistance are in
Step Two of the Customer Satisfaction
Procedure in this manual. SeeCustomer
Satisfaction Procedure on page 460.
Q:Because I have a disability, I have to get
my vehicle modi ed. How can I nd out
whether this will affect my airbag system?
A:Changing or moving any parts of the
front seats, safety belts, the airbag sensing
and diagnostic module, steering wheel,
instrument panel, ceiling headliner, ceiling and
pillar garnish trim, roof-mounted airbag
modules, or airbag wiring can affect the
operation of the airbag system. If you have
questions, call Customer Assistance. The
phone numbers and addresses for Customer
Assistance are in Step Two of the Customer
Satisfaction Procedure in this manual.
SeeCustomer Satisfaction Procedure
on page 460.
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Restraint System Check
Checking the Restraint Systems
Now and then, make sure the safety belt reminder
light and all your belts, buckles, latch plates,
retractors and anchorages are working properly.
Look for any other loose or damaged safety
belt system parts. If you see anything that might
keep a safety belt system from doing its job, have
it repaired. Keep safety belts clean and dry.
SeeCare of Safety Belts on page 422for more
information.
Torn or frayed safety belts may not protect you in
a crash. They can rip apart under impact forces.
If a belt is torn or frayed, get a new one right away.
Also look for any opened or broken airbag
covers, and have them repaired or replaced. The
airbag system does not need regular maintenance.Notice:If you damage the covering for the
driver’s or the right front passenger’s airbag,
or the airbag covering on the driver’s and
right front passenger’s seatback, or the side
impact airbag covering on the ceiling near the
side windows, the bag may not work properly.
You may have to replace the airbag module
in the steering wheel, both the airbag module
and the instrument panel for the right front
passenger’s airbag, the airbag module
and seatback for the driver’s and right front
passenger’s seat-mounted side impact airbags,
or side impact airbag module and ceiling
covering for the roof-mounted side impact
airbag. Do not open or break the airbag
coverings.
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Key In the Ignition
Never leave your vehicle with the keys inside, as it
is an easy target for joy riders or thieves. If you
leave the key in the ignition and park your vehicle,
a chime will sound, when you open the driver’s
door. Always remember to remove your key from
the ignition and take it with you. This will lock
your ignition and transaxle. Also, always remember
to lock the doors.
The battery could be drained if you leave the
key in the ignition while your vehicle is parked.
You may not be able to start your vehicle after
it has been parked for an extended period of time.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
After you turn the ignition off and remove the key,
you will still have power to such accessories as the
power windows, clock, radio, and if equipped, audio
steering wheel controls and sunroof. The power
to the accessories can last up to 10 minutes. The
instrument panel cluster lights will stay on for a
few seconds, then will go out. Once you open the
driver’s door, the power will shut off. Your vehicle
has a feature designed to protect the battery
against drainage. For more information see
Inadvertent Power Battery Saver on page 177
andElectric Power Management on page 176.
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