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This switch should only be turned to the off
position if the person in the right front passenger’s
position is a member of a passenger risk group
identi ed by the national government as follows:
Infant.An infant (less than 1 year old)
must ride in the front seat because:
My vehicle has no rear seat;
My vehicle has a rear seat too small to
accommodate a rear-facing infant seat; or
The infant has a medical condition which,
according to the infant’s physician, makes
it necessary for the infant to ride in the front
seat so that the driver can constantly
monitor the child’s condition.
Child age 1 to 12.A child age 1 to 12 must
ride in the front seat because:
My vehicle has no rear seat;
Although children ages 1 to 12 ride in the rear
seat(s) whenever possible, children
ages 1 to 12 sometimes must ride in the front
because no space is available in the rear
seat(s) of my vehicle; or
The child has a medical condition which,
according to the child’s physician, makes
it necessary for the child to ride in the front
seat so that the driver can constantly monitor
the child’s condition.
Medical Condition.A passenger has a
medical condition which, according to his or
her physician:
Causes the passenger airbag to pose a
special risk for the passenger; and
Makes the potential harm from the passenger
airbag in a crash greater than the potential
harm from turning off the airbag and allowing
the passenger, even if belted, to hit the
dashboard or windshield in a crash.
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{CAUTION:
If the right front passenger’s airbag is
turned off for a person who is not in a risk
group identi ed by the national
government, that person will not have the
extra protection of an airbag. In a crash,
the airbag will not be able to in ate and
help protect the person sitting there. Do
not turn off the passenger’s airbag unless
the person sitting there is in a risk group.
To turn off the right front passenger’s airbag,
insert your ignition key into the switch, push in, and
move the switch to the off position.
The word OFF or the off symbol will come on in
the passenger airbag status indicator located in the
overhead console to let you know that the right
front passenger’s airbag is off, after the system
check is completed. The airbag off light will come
on and stay on to let you know that the right
front passenger’s airbag is off. SeeAirbag Off Light
on page 250.
United StatesCanada
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{CAUTION:
If the airbag readiness light ever comes
on when you have turned off the airbag, it
means that something may be wrong with
the airbag system. The right front
passenger’s airbag could in ate even
though the switch is off. If this ever
happens, do not let anyone whom the
national government has identi ed as a
member of a passenger airbag risk group
sit in the right front passenger’s position
(for example, do not secure a rear-facing
child restraint in the right front
passenger’s seat) until you have your
vehicle serviced. SeeAirbag Readiness
Light on page 250for additional
information.To turn the right front passenger’s airbag on
again, insert your ignition key into the switch, push
in, and move the switch to the on position.
The right front passenger’s frontal airbag is now
enabled (may in ate). SeeAirbag Off Light
on page 250for more information.
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Passenger Sensing System
If your vehicle has one of the indicators pictured in
the following illustrations, then your vehicle has
a passenger sensing system for the right front
passenger’s position, unless there is an airbag off
switch located in the glovebox. If there is an
airbag off switch, your vehicle does not have a
passenger sensing system. SeeAirbag Off Switch
on page 93for more information.
The passenger airbag status indicator will be
visible when you start your vehicle on the
overhead console.
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 252.
The passenger sensing system will turn off the
right front passenger’s frontal airbag under certain
conditions. The driver’s airbags 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 frontal
airbag 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 children be secured in a rear
seat, including: an infant or a child riding in a
rear-facing child restraint; a child riding in a
forward-facing child seat; an older child riding in a
booster seat; and children, who are large
enough, using safety belts.
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A label on your sun visor says, “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 right
front passenger’s frontal airbag if the
system detects a rear-facing child
restraint, no system is fail-safe, and no
one can guarantee that an airbag will not
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
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.
If your vehicle does not have a rear seat that will
accommodate a rear-facing child restraint, we
recommend that rear-facing child restraints not be
transported in your vehicle, even if the airbag is off.
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The passenger sensing system is designed to turn
off the right front passenger’s airbag 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 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 frontal airbag, the off
indicator will light and stay lit to remind you that
the airbag is 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 thechild restraint following the child restraint
manufacturer’s directions and refer toSecuring a
Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position
(With Airbag Off Switch) on page 70orSecuring a
Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position
(With Passenger Sensing System) on page 76.
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.
Remove any additional material from the seat
cushion before reinstalling or securing the
child restraint.
If the on indicator is still lit, secure the child in the
child restraint in a rear seat position in the
vehicle, and check with your dealer/retailer.
If no rear seat is available, do not install a child
restraint in this vehicle, and check with your
dealer/retailer.
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The passenger sensing system is designed to
enable (may in ate) the right front passenger’s
airbag 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 to be enabled, the
on indicator will light and stay lit to remind you
that the airbag is 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, 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 two to three minutes. This will
allow the system to detect that person and then
enable the right front passenger’s frontal airbag.
Safety belts help keep the passenger in position
on the seat during vehicle maneuvers and braking,
which helps the passenger sensing system
maintain the passenger airbag status.
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See “Safety Belts” and “Child Restraints” in the
Index for additional information about the
importance of proper restraint use.
{CAUTION:
If the airbag readiness light in the
instrument panel cluster ever comes on
and stays on, it means that something
may be wrong with the airbag system. If
this ever happens, have the vehicle
serviced promptly, because an adult-size
person sitting in the right front
passenger’s seat may not have the
protection of the airbag(s). SeeAirbag
Readiness Light on page 250for more on
this, including important safety
information.A thick layer of additional material, such as a
blanket or cushion, or aftermarket equipment such
as seat covers, seat heaters, and seat massagers
can affect how well the passenger sensing
system operates. You may want to consider not
using seat covers or other aftermarket equipment.
SeeAdding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 102for more information
about modi cations that can affect how the system
operates.
{CAUTION:
Stowing of articles under the passenger’s
seat or between the passenger’s seat
cushion and seatback may interfere with
the proper operation of the passenger
sensing system.
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