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mEmergency Seat Back Release (Sedan).........40
mEmergency Deck Lid Release Latch
(Convertible)...........................41
mPower Windows........................42
NAuto Down Feature....................43
NRear Window Switches..................43
NWind Buffeting........................44
mOccupant Restraints (Sedan)................44
NLap/Shoulder Belts.....................45
NLap/Shoulder Seat Belt Untwisting Procedure . .52
NAdjustable Upper Shoulder Seat Belt
Anchorage...........................52
NSeat Belt Pretensioners...................53NEnhanced Seat Belt Reminder System
(BeltAlertt) ..........................54
NSeat Belts And Pregnant Women............54
NDriver And Front Passenger Supplemental
Restraint System (SRS) Airbag.............55
NChild Restraint........................72
mOccupant Restraints (Convertible)............81
NLap/Shoulder Belts.....................82
NLap/Shoulder Seat Belt Untwisting Procedure . .88
NSeat Belt Pretensioners...................88
NEnhanced Seat Belt Reminder System
(BeltAlertt) ..........................89
NSeat Belts And Pregnant Women............89
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NDriver And Front Passenger Supplemental
Restraint System (SRS)...................90
NChild Restraint.......................107
mEngine Break-In Recommendations..........115
mSafety Tips...........................115NExhaust Gas.........................115
NSafety Checks You Should Make Inside The
Vehicle.............................116
NPeriodic Safety Checks You Should Make
Outside The Vehicle...................117
12 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
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WIND BUFFETING
Wind buffeting can be described as the perception of
pressure on the ears or a helicopter type sound in the
ears. Your vehicle may exhibit wind buffeting with the
windows down, or the sunroof (if equipped) in certain
open or partially open positions. This is a normal occur-
rence and can be minimized. If the buffeting occurs with
the rear windows open, open the front and rear windows
together to minimize the buffeting. If the buffeting occurs
with the sunroof open, adjust the sunroof opening to
minimize the buffeting.
OCCUPANT RESTRAINTS (SEDAN)
Some of the most important safety features in your
vehicle are the restraint systems. These include:
²Front and rear seat belts for all passengers
²Front airbags for both the driver and front passenger
²Pretensioning and load-limiting retractors for the front
seat belts.
²Knee Impact Blocker panels for front seat occupants.
²Supplemental front seat mounted side Head/Thorax
airbags for both the driver and front passenger (if
equipped).
²Front seat belt retractors that incorporate pretension-
ers to enhance occupant protection by managing oc-
cupant energy during an impact event.
If you will be carrying children too small for adult-size
seat belts, your seat belts or the LATCH feature also, can
be used to hold infant and child restraint systems.
Please pay close attention to the information in this
section. It tells you how to use your restraint system
properly to keep you and your passengers as safe as
possible.
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As a guide, if you are shorter than average, you will
prefer a lower position, and if you are taller than average,
you'll prefer a higher position. When you release the
anchorage, try to move it up or down to make sure that
it is locked in position.
SEAT BELT PRETENSIONERS
The seat belts for both front seating positions are
equipped with pretensioning devices that are designed to
remove slack from the seat belt in the event of a collision.
These devices improve the performance of the seat belt
by assuring that the belt is tight about 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 still must be
worn snugly and positioned properly.
The pretensioners are triggered by the front airbag con-
trol module (see Airbag Section). Like the front airbags,
the pretensioners are single use items. After a collision
that is severe enough to deploy the airbags and preten-
sioners, both must be replaced.
Adjusting Upper Shoulder Belt
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empty or is occupied by someone that is classified in the
ªchild9category. This could be a child, a teenager, or even
a small adult.
Here are some simple steps you can take to minimize the
risk of harm from a deploying airbag.
1.Children 12 years old and under should always ride
buckled up in a rear seat.
Infants in rear facing child restraints shouldNEVERride
in the front seat of a vehicle with a passenger front airbag.
An airbag deployment can cause severe injury or death to
infants in that position.
Children that are not big enough to properly wear the
vehicle seat belt (see Section on Child Restraints) should
be secured in the rear seat in child restraints or belt-
positioning booster seats. Older children who do not use
child restraints or belt-positioning booster seats shouldride properly buckled up in the rear seat. Never allow
children to slide the shoulder belt behind them or under
their arm.
You should read the instructions provided with your
child restraint to make sure that you are using it properly.
2. All occupants should wear their lap and shoulder belts
properly.
3. The driver and front passenger seats should be moved
back as far as practical to allow the front airbags room to
inflate.
4. If your vehicle has supplemental side and or thorax
airbags, do not lean against the door, airbags will inflate
forcefully into the space between you and the door.
5. If the airbag system in this vehicle needs to be
modified to accommodate a disabled person, contact the
Customer Center. Phone numbers are provided under9If
You Need Assistance9in Section 9 of this manual.
58 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
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²The PAD indictor light should not be illu-
minated when an adult passenger is prop-
erly seated in the front passenger seat. In
this case, the airbag is ready to be inflated if
a collision requiring an airbag occurs.
For all other occupants, the PAD indicator light will be
illuminated indicating that the front passenger airbag
is turned off and will not inflate.NOTE:Even though this vehicle is equipped with an
occupant classification system, children 12 years and
under should always ride buckled up in a rear seat in an
appropriate child restraint (see section on child re-
straints).
WARNING!
Never place a rear facing infant seat in front of an
airbag. A deploying passenger airbag can cause death
or serious injury to a child in a rear facing infant seat.
Passenger Airbag Disabled Light
62 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
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²Airbag disable lamp status (if equipped)
²9Time9of airbag deployment (in terms of ignition
cycles and vehicle mileage)
²Airbag deployment level (if applicable)
²Impact acceleration and angle
²Seatbelt status
²Brake status (service and parking brakes)
²Accelerator status (including vehicle speed)
²Engine control status (including engine speed)
²Transmission gear selection
²Cruise control status
²Traction/stability control status
²Tire pressure monitoring system status
CHILD RESTRAINT
Everyone in your vehicle needs to be buckled up at all
times Ð babies and children, too. Every state in the
United States and all Canadian provinces require that
small children ride in proper restraint systems. This is the
law, and you can be prosecuted for ignoring it.
Children 12 years and under should ride properly buck-
led up in a rear seat, if available. According to crash
statistics, children are safer when properly restrained in
the rear seats, rather than in the front.
72 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
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WARNING!
In a collision, an unrestrained child, even a tiny baby,
can become a missile inside the vehicle. The force
required to hold even an infant on your lap could
become so great that you could not hold the child, no
matter how strong you are. The child and others
could be badly injured. Any child riding in your
vehicle should be in a proper restraint for the child's
size.
Infants And Small Children
There are different sizes and types of restraints for
children from newborn size to the child almost large
enough for an adult safety belt. Always check the child
seat owner's manual to ensure you have the correct seat
for your child. Use the restraint that is correct for your
child:
²Safety experts recommend that children ride
rearward-facing in the vehicle until they are at least
one year old and weigh at least 20 lbs (9 kg). Two types
of child restraints can be used rearward-facing: infant
carriers and9convertible9child seats. Both types of
child restraints are held in the vehicle by the lap/
shoulder belt or the LATCH child restraint anchorage
system.
²This vehicle is not capable of accommodating the
installation of a car bed used for carrying newborn
babies at the right front passenger seat position. If a car
bed must be used to transport a newborn baby, the car
bed must be installed in the second seating row only.
²The infant carrier is only used rearward-facing in the
vehicle. It is recommended for children who weigh up
to about 20 lbs (9 kg).9Convertible9child seats can be
used either rearward-facing or forward-facing in the
vehicle. Convertible child seats often have a higher
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