
4. Make sure the safety belt is not twisted, and
reconnect the center safety belt mini-latch to
the mini-buckle.
5. Pull on the safety belt to be sure the mini-latch
is secure.
Removing the Third Row Seats
1. Remove the cargo management system, if it is
in the vehicle. SeeCargo Management System
on page 164.
2. Make sure there is nothing on or under
the seat.
Notice:Folding a rear seat with the safety belts
still fastened may cause damage to the seat or
the safety belts. Always unbuckle the safety
belts and return them to their normal stowed
position before folding a rear seat.
3. Fold the seatback down. See Folding the
Seatback earlier in this section.
4. Remove the rear bolts located on the oor on
each side of the seat.
5. Remove the seat by tilting it slightly upward,
and then pulling it out of the rear of the vehicle
in one motion.
6. Put the bolts back into the holes on the oor so
the nuts do not get misplaced.
Installing the Third row Seats
1. Make sure the seatback is folded forward
before installing the seat. See Folding the
Seatback earlier in this section.
The seats must be placed in the proper
locations for the legs to attach correctly. The
wider seat must be installed on the driver
side and the narrower seat on the passenger
side. Make sure to remove the bolts from
the holes in the oor before installing
the seats.
2. Place the seat on the vehicle oor so that the
front seat hooks are on the vehicle bars.
3. Reinstall the bolts, and torque to 55
Y
(41 lb ft). Pull up on the seat to make sure
it is locked in place.
4. Raise the seatback to its upright position.
Push and pull on the seatback to make
sure it is locked into place.
5. Push the headrest up into position. Push and
pull on the headrest to make sure it is locked
into place.
23

Safety Belts
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use
safety belts properly. It also tells you some things
you should not do with safety belts.
{CAUTION:
Do not let anyone ride where he or she
cannot wear a safety belt properly. If you
are in a crash and you are not wearing a
safety belt, your injuries can be much
worse. You can hit things inside the
vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be
seriously injured or killed. In the same
crash, you might not be, if you are
buckled up. Always fasten your safety
belt, and check that your passengers’
belts are fastened properly too.
{CAUTION:
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a
cargo area, inside or outside of a vehicle.
In a collision, people riding in these areas
are more likely to be seriously injured or
killed. Do not allow people to ride in any
area of your vehicle that is not equipped
with seats and safety belts. Be sure
everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and
using a safety belt properly.
Your vehicle has indicators to remind you and
your passengers to buckle your safety belts. See
Safety Belt Reminder Light on page 216and
Passenger Safety Belt Reminder Light on
page 217.
In most states and in all Canadian provinces,
the law says to wear safety belts. Here is
why:They work.
24

Driver Position
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here is how to
wear it properly.
1. Close and lock the door.
2. Adjust the seat so you can sit up straight. To
see how, see “Seats” in the Index.
3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across
you. Do not let it get twisted.The lap-shoulder belt may lock if you pull the
belt across you very quickly. If this happens,
let the belt go back slightly to unlock it.
Then pull the belt across you more slowly.
4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until
it clicks.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is
secure. If the belt is not long enough,
seeSafety Belt Extender on page 47.
Make sure the release button on the buckle is
positioned so you would be able to unbuckle
the safety belt quickly if you ever had to.
5. Move the shoulder belt height adjuster to the
height that is right for you. Improper shoulder
belt height adjustment could reduce the
effectiveness of the safety belt in a crash. See
Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment on page 38.
30

Rear Seat Passengers
It is very important for rear seat passengers to
buckle up! Accident statistics show that unbelted
people in the rear seat are hurt more often in
crashes than those who are wearing safety belts.
Rear passengers who are not safety belted
can be thrown out of the vehicle in a crash. And
they can strike others in the vehicle who are
wearing safety belts.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
All rear seating positions have lap-shoulder belts.
If you are using the center third row seating
position and the safety belt is not attached, see
Third Row Seats on page 21for instruction
on reconnecting the lap belt to the shoulder belt.
Here is how to wear one properly.1. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across
you. Do not let it get twisted.
The shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt
across you very quickly. If this happens, let
the belt go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull
the belt across you more slowly.
2. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it
clicks. Pull up on the latch plate to make
sure it is secure.
When the shoulder belt is pulled out all the
way, it will lock. If it does, let it go back all the
way and start again.
40

Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides
Rear shoulder belt comfort guides may provide
added safety belt comfort for older children
who have outgrown booster seats and for some
adults. When installed on a shoulder belt, the
comfort guide positions the belt away from
the neck and head.
There is a guide for each outboard passenger
positions in the second row seat and all passenger
positions in the third row.Here is how to install a comfort guide to the
safety belt:
1. For the outboard positions, remove the guide
from its storage clip on the interior body.
Outboard Positions
43

Safety Belt Pretensioners
Your vehicle has safety belt pretensioners for the
driver and right front passenger. Although you
cannot see them, they are part of the safety belt
assembly. They help tighten the safety belts during
the early stages of a moderate to severe frontal,
near frontal or side crash or a rollover if the
threshold conditions for pretensioner activation
are met.
Pretensioners work only once. If they activate in a
crash, you will need to get new ones, and
probably other new parts for your safety belt
system. SeeReplacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash on page 93.
Safety Belt Extender
If the vehicle’s safety belt will fasten around you,
you should use it.
But if a safety belt is not long enough, your
dealer/retailer will order you an extender. When
you go in to order it, take the heaviest coat you will
wear, so the extender will be long enough for
you. To help avoid personal injury, do not
let someone else use it, and use it only for the
seat it is made to t. The extender has been
designed for adults. Never use it for securing child
seats. To wear it, attach it to the regular safety
belt. For more information, see the instruction
sheet that comes with the extender.
47

Child Restraints
Older Children
Older children who have outgrown booster seats
should wear the vehicle’s safety belts.
Q:What is the proper way to wear safety
belts?
A:An older child should wear a lap-shoulder belt
and get the additional restraint a shoulder belt
can provide. The shoulder belt should not
cross the face or neck. The lap belt should t
snugly below the hips, just touching the
top of the thighs. It should never be worn over
the abdomen, which could cause severe or
even fatal internal injuries in a crash.
According to accident statistics, children are safer
when properly restrained in the rear seating
positions than in the front seating positions.
In a crash, children who are not buckled up can
strike other people who are buckled up, or can be
thrown out of the vehicle. Older children need
to use safety belts properly.
48