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 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.
Your vehicle has a rear seat that will accommodate
a rear-facing child restraint. 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
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 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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The passenger sensing system is designed to turn
off the right front passenger’s frontal 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 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 passenger’s frontal airbag, the off indicator
on the instrument panel 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 the child
restraint following the child restraint manufacturer’s
directions and refer toSecuring a Child Restraint in
the Right Front Seat Position on page 60.
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.
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.
The passenger sensing system is designed to
enable (may in ate) the right front passenger’s
frontal 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.
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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 frontal 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 about two minutes. This
will allow the system to detect that person and
then enable the passenger’s airbag.
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Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
Your vehicle has the passenger sensing system.
Your instrument panel has a passenger airbag
status indicator.
When the ignition key is turned to ON or START,
the passenger airbag status indicator will light
ON and OFF, or the symbol for on and off,
for several seconds as a system check. Then,
after several more seconds, the status indicator
will light either ON or OFF, or either the on
or off symbol to let you know the status of the
right front passenger’s frontal airbag.
If the word ON or the on symbol is lit on the
passenger airbag status indicator, it means that
the right front passenger’s frontal airbag is
enabled (may in ate).{CAUTION:
If the on indicator comes on when you have
a rear-facing child restraint installed in the
right front passenger’s seat, it means that
the passenger sensing system has not
turned off the passenger’s frontal airbag.
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. Do not use a rear-facing
child restraint in the right front passenger’s
seat if the airbag is turned on.
Your vehicle has a rear seat that will accommodate
a rear-facing child restraint. 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.
United StatesCanada
179
{CAUTION:
Even though the passenger sensing
system is designed to turn off the
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 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 the word OFF or the off symbol is lit on the airbag
status indicator, it means that the passenger
sensing system has turned off the right front
passenger’s frontal airbag. SeePassenger Sensing
System on page 75for more on this, including
important safety information.If, after several seconds, all status indicator lights
remain on, or if there are no lights at all, there
may be a problem with the lights or the passenger
sensing system. See your dealer for service.
{CAUTION:
If the off indicator and the airbag readiness
light ever come on together, 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 seat may not have the
protection of the frontal airbag. See
Airbag Readiness Light on page 178.
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If you put things inside your vehicle — like
suitcases, tools, packages, or anything
else — they will go as fast as the vehicle goes.
If you have to stop or turn quickly, or if there
is a crash, they will keep going.
{CAUTION:
Things you put inside your vehicle can
strike and injure people in a sudden stop
or turn, or in a crash.
Put things in the cargo area of your
vehicle. Try to spread the weight
evenly.
Never stack heavier things, like
suitcases, inside the vehicle so that
some of them are above the tops
of the seats.
Do not leave an unsecured child
restraint in your vehicle.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure it whenever you can.
Do not leave a seat folded down
unless you need to.
There is also important loading information for
off-road driving in this manual. See“Loading Your
Vehicle for Off-Road Driving”underOff-Road
Driving on page 250.
Towing
Towing Your Vehicle
Consult your dealer or a professional towing service
if you need to have your disabled vehicle towed.
SeeRoadside Assistance Program on page 454.
If you want to tow your vehicle behind another
vehicle for recreational purposes (such as behind
a motorhome), see “Recreational Vehicle
Towing” following.
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