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Passenger Sensing System
Your vehicle has a passenger sensing system.
The passenger airbag status indicator on the
instrument panel will be visible when you turn your
ignition key to RUN or START.
The words ON and OFF or the symbol for on and
off, will be visible during the system check.
When the system check is complete, either the
word ON or the word OFF, or the symbol for on or
the symbol for off will be visible. SeePassenger
Airbag Status Indicator on page 235.The passenger sensing system will turn off the
right front passenger’s frontal airbag and side
impact airbag (if equipped) under certain
conditions. The driver’s airbags or the second row
side impact airbags (if equipped) are not part of
the passenger sensing system.
The passenger sensing system works with sensors
that are part of the right front passenger’s seat and
safety belt. The sensors are designed to detect the
presence of a properly-seated occupant and
determine if the passenger’s airbag or airbags
should be enabled (may in ate) or not.
Accident statistics show that children are safer if
they are restrained in the rear rather than the front
seat. We recommend that child restraints be
secured in a rear seat, including an infant riding in
a rear-facing infant seat, a child riding in a
forward-facing child seat and an older child riding
in a booster seat.
United StatesCanada
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If your vehicle has a rear seat that will
accommodate a rear-facing child restraint, never
put a rear-facing child seat in the front. This is
because the risk to the rear-facing child is
so great, if the airbag deploys.
{CAUTION:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can
be seriously injured or killed if the right
front passenger’s airbag in ates. This is
because the back of the rear-facing child
restraint would be very close to the
in ating airbag.
Even though the passenger sensing
system is designed to turn off the
passenger’s frontal airbag and
seat-mounted side impact airbag (if
equipped) under certain conditions,
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
no system is fail-safe, and no one can
guarantee that an airbag will not deploy
under some unusual circumstance, even
though it is turned off. We recommend
that rear-facing child restraints be secured
in the rear seat, even if the airbag is off.
If you need to secure a forward-facing
child restraint in the right front seat,
always move the front passenger seat as
far back as it will go. It is better to secure
the child restraint in a rear seat.
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If your vehicle does not have a rear seat that will
accommodate a rear-facing child restraint,
never put a child in a rear-facing child restraint in
the right front passenger seat unless the
passenger airbag status indicator shows off. Here
is why:
{CAUTION:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can
be seriously injured or killed if the right
front passenger’s airbag in ates. This is
because the back of the rear-facing child
restraint would be very close to the
in ating airbag. Be sure the airbag is off
before using a rear-facing child restraint
in the right front seat position.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
Even though the passenger sensing
system is designed to turn off the
passenger’s frontal airbag and side
impact airbag (if equipped) if the system
detects a rear-facing child restraint, no
system is fail-safe, and no one can
guarantee that an airbag will not deploy
under some unusual circumstance, even
though it is turned off. We recommend
that rear-facing child restraints be
transported in vehicles with a rear seat
that will accommodate a rear-facing child
restraint, whenever possible.
If you need to secure a forward-facing
child restraint in the right front seat,
always move the front passenger seat as
far back as it will go. It is better to secure
the child restraint in a rear seat.
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The passenger sensing system is designed to turn
off the right front passenger’s airbag and side
impact airbag (if equipped) if:
The right front passenger seat is unoccupied.
The system determines that an infant is
present in a rear-facing infant seat.
The system determines that a small child is
present in a forward-facing child restraint.
The system determines that a small child is
present in a booster seat.
A right front passenger takes his/her weight off
of the seat for a period of time.
The right front passenger seat is occupied by
a smaller person, such as a child who has
outgrown child restraints.
Or, if there is a critical problem with the airbag
system or the passenger sensing system.When the passenger sensing system has turned
off the right front passenger’s airbag or airbags,
the off indicator will light and stay lit to remind you
that the airbag or airbags are off.
If a child restraint has been installed and the on
indicator is lit, turn the vehicle off. Remove
the child restraint from the vehicle and reinstall the
child restraint following the child restraint
manufacturer’s directions and refer toSecuring a
Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position
on page 80.
If, after reinstalling the child restraint and restarting
the vehicle, the on indicator is still lit, check to
make sure that the vehicle’s seatback is not
pressing the child restraint into the seat cushion. If
this happens, slightly recline the vehicle’s
seatback and adjust the seat cushion if possible.
Also make sure the child restraint is not trapped
under the vehicle head restraint. If this happens,
adjust the head restraint.
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If the on indicator is still lit, secure the child in the
child restraint in a rear seat position in the
vehicle if one is available and check with your
dealer.
The passenger sensing system is designed to
enable (may in ate) the right front passenger’s
airbag or airbags anytime the system senses that
a person of adult size is sitting properly in the
right front passenger’s seat. When the passenger
sensing system has allowed the airbag or
airbags to be enabled, the on indicator will light
and stay lit to remind you that the airbag or airbags
are active.
For some children who have outgrown child
restraints and for very small adults, the passenger
sensing system may or may not turn off the
right front passenger’s airbag or airbags,
depending upon the person’s seating posture and
body build. Everyone in your vehicle who has
outgrown child restraints should wear a safety belt
properly — whether or not there is an airbag for
that person.If a person of adult-size is sitting in the right front
passenger’s seat, but the off indicator is lit, it
could be because that person is not sitting properly
in the seat. If this happens, turn the vehicle off
and ask the person to place the seatback in
the fully upright position, then sit upright in the
seat, centered on the seat cushion, with the
person’s legs comfortably extended. Restart the
vehicle and have the person remain in this position
for about two minutes. This will allow the system
to detect that person and then enable the
passenger’s airbag or airbags.
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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,
the instrument panel, 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 556.
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. If
your vehicle has a built-in child restraint, also
periodically make sure the harness straps, latch
plates, buckle, clip, child head restraint 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. See
Care of Safety Belts and Built-in Child Restraint
Harness on page 520for 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.
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If your vehicle has the built-in child restraint, torn
or frayed harness straps can rip apart under
impact forces just like torn or frayed safety belts
can. They may not protect a child in a crash.
If a harness strap is torn or frayed, get a
new harness 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 frontal
airbag, or an airbag covering (if equipped) on a
seatback, the airbag 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 frontal airbag, or both the airbag
module and the seatback for seating positions
with a side impact airbag (if equipped.) Do not
open or break the airbag coverings.Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash
{CAUTION:
A crash can damage the restraint systems
in your vehicle. A damaged restraint
system may not properly protect the
person using it, resulting in serious injury
or even death in a crash. To help make
sure your restraint systems are working
properly after a crash, have them
inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as possible.
If you have had a crash, do you need new safety
belts or built-in child restraint parts or LATCH
system parts?
After a very minor collision, nothing may be
necessary. But if the safety belts or built-in child
restraint harness straps were stretched, as
they would be if worn during a more severe crash,
then you need new parts.
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If the LATCH system was being used during a
more severe crash, then you may need new
LATCH system parts.
If safety belts or built-in child restraint harness
straps are cut or damaged, replace them. Collision
damage also may mean you will need to have
safety belt, built-in child restraint, LATCH system
or seat parts repaired or replaced. New parts
and repairs may be necessary even if the safety
belt, built-in child restraint or LATCH system
was not being used at the time of the collision.
If an airbag in ates, you will need to replace airbag
system parts. See the part on the airbag system
earlier in this section.If the frontal airbags in ate, you will also need to
replace the driver’s and right front passenger’s
safety belt retractor assemblies. Be sure to do so.
Then the new retractor assemblies will be there
to help protect you in a collision.
After a crash you may need to replace the driver
and front passenger’s safety belt retractor
assemblies, even if the frontal airbags have not
deployed. The driver and front passenger’s safety
belt retractor assemblies contain the safety belt
pretensioners. Have your safety belt pretensioners
checked if your vehicle has been in a collision,
or if your airbag readiness light stays on after you
start your vehicle or while you are driving. See
Airbag Readiness Light on page 234.
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