Passenger Airbag Disable (PAD) System
Front Passenger Indicator Light Airbag Status
Adult OFF ON
Child ON OFF
Grocery Bags,
Heavy Briefcases
and Other Rela-
tively Light Ob-
jectsON OFF
Empty or Very
Small ObjectsOFF* OFF
* Since the system senses weight, some small objects
will turn the PAD Indicator Light on.
Drivers and adult passengers should verify that the PAD
Indicator Light is not illuminated when an adult is riding
in the front passenger seat. If an adult occupant's weight
is transferred to another part of the vehicle (like the door
or instrument panel), the weight sensors in the seat maynot properly classify the occupant. Objects lodged under
the seat or between the seat and the center console can
prevent the occupant's weight from being measured
properly and may result in the occupant being improp-
erly classified. Ensure that the front passenger seat back
does not touch anything placed on the second row of
seats because this can also affect occupant classification.
Also, if you fold down the seats in the second row check
to be sure they don't touch the front passenger seat.
If the front passenger seat is damaged in any way, it
should only be serviced by an authorized dealer. If the
seat is removed (or even if the seat attachment bolts are
loosened or tightened in any way), take the vehicle to an
authorized dealer.
If there is a fault present in the Airbag Warning Light (a
red light located in the center of the instrument cluster
directly in front of the driver) will be turned on. This
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passenger airbag should be turned off. It also deter-
mines the rate of airbag inflation during a collision.
²Your vehicle has fourWeight Sensorslocated between
the seat and the floor pan. The weight sensors measure
applied weight and transfers that information to the
OCM.
²TheHead/Thorax Side AirbagsÐIf Equipped (SRS)
are designed to activate only in certain side collisions.
The ORC module determines if a side collision is
severe enough to require the Head/Thorax airbags to
inflate. The side airbag control module will not detect
roll over, front or rear collisions.
The ORC Module monitors the readiness of the electronic
parts of the system whenever the ignition switch is in the
START or ON positions. These include all of the items
listed underªThe Head/Thorax side airbag system
consists of the followingº.In moderate to severe side collisions the inflating Head/
Thorax airbag exits through the seat seam into the space
between the occupant and the door. The Head/Thorax
airbag moves at a very high speed and with such a high
force, that it could injure you if you are not seated
properly, or if items are positioned in the area where the
airbag inflates. This especially applies to children.
The following requirements must be strictly adhered to:
²Do not modify the front passenger seat assembly or
components in any way.
²Do not modify the front seat center console or center
position seat in any way.
²Do not use prior or future model year seat covers not
designated for the specific model being repaired. Al-
ways use the correct seat cover specified for the
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
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
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 73
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weight limit in the rearward-facing direction than
infant carriers do, so they can be used rearward-facing
by children who weigh more than 9 kg (20 lbs) but are
less than one year old.
²Rearward-facing child seats mustNEVERbe used in
the front seat of a vehicle with a front passenger
airbag. An airbag deployment could cause severe
injury or death to infants in this position.
²Children who weigh more than 20 lbs (9 kg) and who
are older than one year can ride forward-facing in the
vehicle. Forward-facing child seats and convertible
child seats used in the forward-facing direction are for
children who weigh 20 to 40 lbs (9 to 18 kg) and who
are older than one year. These child seats are also held
in the vehicle by the lap/shoulder belt or the LATCH
child restraint anchorage system.
²The belt-positioning booster seat is for children weigh-
ing more than 40 lbs (18 kg), but who are still too small
to fit the vehicle's seat belts properly. If the child
cannot sit with knees bent over the vehicle's cushion
while the child's back is against the seat back; they
should use a Belt Positioning Booster Seat. The child
and booster seat are held in the vehicle by the lap/
shoulder belt. (Some booster seats are equipped with a
front shield and are held in the vehicle by the lap
portion.)
NOTE:For additional information refer to
www.nhtsa.gov or www.seatcheck.org.
74 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
WARNING!
²Improper installation can lead to failure of an
infant or child restraint. It could come loose in a
collision. The child could be badly injured or
killed. Follow the manufacturer's directions ex-
actly when installing an infant or child restraint.
²A rearward facing child restraint should only be
used in a rear seat. A rearward facing child re-
straint in the front seat may be struck by a deploy-
ing passenger airbag which may cause severe or
fatal injury to the infant.
Here are some tips on getting the most out of your child
restraint:
²Before buying any restraint system, make sure that it
has a label certifying that it meets all applicable Safety
Standards. We also recommend that you make surethat you can install the child restraint in the vehicle
where you will use it, before you buy it.
²The restraint must be appropriate for your child's
weight and height. Check the label on the restraint for
weight and height limits.
²Carefully follow the instructions that come with the
restraint. If you install the restraint improperly, it may
not work when you need it.
The passenger seat belts are equipped with either
cinching latch plates or seat belt retractors that can be
switched to an automatic locking mode, which are
designed to keep the lap portion tight around the child
restraint so that it is not necessary to use a locking clip.
If the seat belt has a cinching latch plate, pulling up on
the shoulder portion of the lap/shoulder belt will
tighten the belt. The cinching latch plate will keep the
belt tight, however, any seat belt system will loosen
with time, so check the belt occasionally and pull it
tight if necessary.
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If the seat belt has a switchable retractor, please refer to
Automatic-Locking Retractor (ALR) in this section.
²In the rear seat, you may have trouble tightening the
lap/shoulder belt on the child restraint because the
buckle or latch plate is too close to the belt path
opening on the restraint. Disconnect the latch plate
from the buckle and twist the short buckle end of the
belt several times to shorten it. Insert the latch plate
into the buckle with the release button facing out.
²If the belt still can't be tightened, or if by pulling and
pushing on the restraint loosens the belt, disconnect
the latch plate from the buckle, turn the latch plate
around, and insert the latch plate into the buckle
again. If you still can't make the child restraint secure,
try a different seating position.
²Buckle the child into the seat according to the child
restraint manufacturer's directions.
²When your child restraint is not in use, secure it in the
vehicle with the seat belt or remove it from the vehicle.
Don't leave it loose in the vehicle. In a sudden stop or
collision, it could strike the occupants or seat backs
and cause serious personal injury.
Automatic-Locking Retractor (ALR)
To operate the switchable retractor, pull the belt from the
retractor until there is enough to allow you to pass
through the child restraint and slide the latch plate into
the buckle. Then pull on the belt until it is all removed
from the retractor. Allow the belt to return into the
retractor, pulling on the excess webbing to tighten the lap
portion about the child restraint. Follow the instructions
of the child restraint manufacture.
NOTE:To reset this feature you must let all of the belt
webbing return into the retractor. You will not be able to
pull out more webbing until all of the webbing has been
returned back into the retractor.
76 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
Lower Anchors and Tether for CHildren (LATCH)
Your vehicle is equipped with the child restraint anchor-
age system called LATCH, which stands for Lower
Anchors and Tether for CHildren. The LATCH system
provides for the installation of the child restraint without
using the vehicle seat belt. All three rear seating positions
have lower and tether anchorages that are capable of
accommodating LATCH-compatible child seats having
flexible, webbing-mounted lower attachments. Child
seats with fixed lower attachments must be installed in
the outboard positions only. Regardless of the specific
type of lower attachment,NEVERinstall LATCH-
compatible child seats such that two seats share a com-
mon lower anchorage. If you are installing LATCH-
compatible child restraints in adjacent rear seating
positions, you can use the LATCH anchors or the vehi-
cle's seat belt for the outboard position, but you must use
the vehicle's seat belt at the center position. If your childrestraints are not LATCH-compatible, you can only in-
stall the child restraints using the vehicle's seat belts.
Please refer to, Installing the Child Restraint System for
typical installation instructions.
Latch Anchors
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