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Research has shown that seat belts save lives, and they
can reduce the seriousness of injuries in a collision. Some
of the worst injuries happen when people are thrown
from the vehicle. Seat belts reduce the possibility of
ejection and the risk of injury caused by striking the
inside of the vehicle.Everyonein a motor vehicle should
be belted at all times to reduce or prevent injuries.
Lap/Shoulder Belts
All seating positions in your vehicle have combination
lap/shoulder belts. The belt webbing retractor is de-
signed to lock during very sudden stops or collisions.
This feature allows the shoulder part of the belt to move
freely with you under normal conditions. But in a colli-
sion, the belt will lock and reduce the risk of you striking
the inside of the vehicle or being thrown out.
WARNING!
•Wearing a seat belt incorrectly is dangerous. Seat
belts are designed to go around the large bones of
your body. These are the strongest parts of your
body and can take the forces of a collision the
best. Wearing your belt in the wrong place could
make your injuries in a collision much worse. You
might suffer internal injuries, or you could even
slide out of part of the belt. Follow these instruc-
tions to wear your seat belt safely and to keep
your passengers safe, too.
•Two people should never be belted into a single
seat belt. People belted together can crash into one
another in an accident, hurting one another badly.
Never use a lap/shoulder belt or a lap belt for
more than one person, no matter what their size.
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3. When the belt is long enough to fit, insert the latch
plate into the buckle until you hear a “click.”WARNING!
A belt that is buckled into the wrong buckle will not
protect you properly. The lap portion could ride too
high on your body, possibly causing internal injuries.
Always buckle your belt into the buckle nearest you.
A belt that is too loose will not protect you as well. In a
sudden stop you could move too far forward, increasing
the possibility of injury. Wear your seat belt snugly.
A belt that is worn under your arm is very dangerous.
Your body could strike the inside surfaces of the vehicle
in a collision, increasing head and neck injury. A belt
worn under the arm can cause internal injuries. Ribs
aren’t as strong as shoulder bones. Wear the belt over
your shoulder so that your strongest bones will take the
force in a collision.
A shoulder belt placed behind will not protect you from
injury during a collision. You are more likely to hit your
head in a collision if you do not wear your shoulder
belt. The lap and shoulder belt are meant to be used
together.
Latch Plate To Buckle
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4. Position the lap belt across your thighs, below your
abdomen. To remove slack in the lap portion, pull up a
bit on the shoulder belt. To loosen the lap belt if it is too
tight, tilt the latch plate and pull on the lap belt. A snug
belt reduces the risk of sliding under the belt in a
collision.
WARNING!
A lap belt worn too high can increase the risk of
injury in a collision. The belt forces won’t be at the
strong hip and pelvic bones, but across your abdo-
men. Always wear the lap part of your seat belt as
low as possible and keep it snug.
A twisted belt can’t do its job as well. In a collision
it could even cut into you. Be sure the belt is straight.
If you can’t straighten a belt in your vehicle, take it
to your authorized dealer and have it fixed.
5. Position the shoulder belt on your chest so that it is
comfortable and not resting on your neck. The retractor
will withdraw any slack in the belt.
Removing Slack From Belt
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6. To release the belt, push the red button marked PRESS
on the buckle. The belt will automatically retract to its
stowed position. If necessary, slide the latch plate down
the webbing to allow it to retract fully.
WARNING!
A frayed or torn belt could rip apart in a collision
and leave you with no protection. Inspect the belt
system periodically, checking for cuts, frays, or loose
parts. Damaged parts must be replaced immediately.
Do not disassemble or modify the system. Seat belt
assemblies must be replaced after an accident if they
have been damaged (bent retractor, torn webbing,
etc.).
Adjustable Upper Shoulder Belt Anchorage
In the front seating positions, the shoulder belt can be
adjusted upward or downward to position the belt away
from your neck. Press the release button to release the
anchorage, and then move it up or down to the position
that serves you best.
Adjusting Upper Shoulder Belt
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This safety belt system has a retractor assembly that is
designed to release webbing in a controlled manner. This
feature is designed to help reduce the belt force acting on
the occupant’s chest.
WARNING!
•The belt and retractor assembly must be replaced
if the seat belt assembly “automatic locking re-
tractor” feature or any other seat belt function is
not working properly when checked according to
the procedures in the Service Manual.
•Failure to replace the belt and retractor assembly
could increase the risk of injury in collisions.
Seat Belt Pretensioners
The driver and front passenger seat belts are equipped
with a pretensioning device that is designed to remove
any slack from the seat belt systems in the event of a
collision. This device improves the performance of the
seat belt by assuring that the belt is tight around the
occupant early in a collision. Pretensioners work for all
size occupants, including those in child restraints.
NOTE:These devices are not a substitute for proper seat
belt placement by the occupant. The seat belt must still be
worn snugly and positioned properly.
The pretensioners are triggered by the Occupant Re-
straint Control (ORC) Module. Like the front airbags, the
pretensioners are a single use item. After a collision that
is severe enough to deploy the airbags and pretensioners,
they must be replaced.
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Seat Belts and Pregnant Women
We recommend that pregnant women use the seat belts
throughout their pregnancy. Keeping the mother safe is
the best way to keep the baby safe.
Pregnant women should wear the lap part of the belt
across the thighs and as snug across the hips as possible.
Keep the belt low so that it does not come across the
abdomen. That way the strong bones of the hips will take
the force if there is a collision.
Seat Belt Extender
If a seat belt is too short, even when fully extended and
when the adjustable upper shoulder belt anchorage (if
equipped) is in its lowest position, your authorized
dealer can provide you with a seat belt extender. This
extender should be used only if the existing belt is not
long enough. When it is not required, remove the ex-
tender and store it.
WARNING!
Using a seat belt extender when not needed can
increase the risk of injury in a collision. Only use
when the lap belt is not long enough when it is worn
low and snug, and in the recommended seating
positions. Remove and store the extender when not
needed.
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This vehicle is equipped with window bags to protect the
driver, front, and rear passengers sitting next to a win-
dow. They are located above the side windows. Their
covers are also labeled SRS/AIRBAG.
NOTE:Airbag covers may not be obvious in the interior
trim; but they will open to allow airbag deployment.WARNING!
•Do not put anything on or around the front airbag
covers or attempt to manually open them. You may
damage the airbags and you could be injured be-
cause the airbags are no longer functional. These
protective covers for the airbag cushions are de-
signed to open only when the airbags are inflating.
•Do not stack luggage or other cargo up high enough
to block the location of the window bag. The area
where the window bag is located should remain free
from any obstructions.
•Do not have any accessory items installed which will
alter the roof, including adding a sunroof to your
vehicle. Do not add roof racks that require perma-
nent attachments (bolts or screws) for installation on
the vehicle roof. Do not drill into the roof of the
vehicle for any reason.
•Do not cover or place items on the airbag covers.
These items may cause serious injury during infla-
tion.Window Airbag Location
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WARNING!
•Relying on the airbags alone could lead to more
severe injuries in a collision. The airbags work
with your seat belt to restrain you properly. In
some collisions the airbags won’t deploy at all.
Always wear your seat belts even though you
have airbags.
•Being too close to the steering wheel or instru-
ment panel during airbag deployment could cause
serious injury. Airbags need room to inflate. Sit
back, comfortably extending your arms to reach
the steering wheel or instrument panel.
•Side curtain airbags need room to inflate. Do not
lean against the door or window. Sit upright in the
center of the seat.
Airbag System Components
The airbag system consists of the following:
•Occupant Restraint Control Module
•Airbag Warning Light
•Driver Airbag
•Passenger Airbag
•Side Curtain Airbags above Side Windows
•Side Remote Acceleration Sensors
•Steering Wheel and Column
•Instrument Panel
•Interconnecting Wiring
•Knee Impact Bolsters
•Front Acceleration Sensors
•Driver and Front Passenger Seat Belt Pretensioners
50 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE