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WARNING!
²Do not put anything on or around the airbag
covers or attempt to manually open them. You may
damage the airbags and you could be injured
because the airbags are not there to protect you.
These protective covers for the airbag cushions are
designed to open only when the airbags are inflat-
ing.
²If your vehicle is equipped with Head/Thorax
airbags, do not use accessory seat covers or place
objects between you and the side airbags; the
performance could be adversely affected and/or
objects could be pushed into you, causing serious
injury.Airbags inflate in moderate to high speed impacts. Along
with seat belts and pretensioners, front airbags work with
knee impact blocker panels to provide improved protec-
tion for the driver and front passenger.
The seat belts are designed to protect you in many types
of collisions. The front airbags deploy in moderate to
severe frontal collisions. If your vehicle is equipped, the
Head/Thorax airbag on the crash side of the vehicle is
triggered in moderate to severe side collisions. In certain
types of collisions, both the front seat and Head/Thorax
airbags may be triggered. But even in collisions where
the airbags work, you need the seat belts to keep you in
the right position for the airbags to protect you properly.
NOTE:The passenger front airbag may not deploy even
when the driver front airbag has if the Occupant Classi-
fication System (refer to9Occupant Classification System9
in this section) has determined the passenger seat is
92 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
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WARNING!
²Relying 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.
²Being too close to the steering wheel or instrument
panel during front 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.
²If the vehicle has Head/Thorax airbags, they also
need room to inflate. Do not lean against the door.
Sit upright in the center of the seat.The front airbag system consists of the following:
²Occupant Restraint Controller
²Side Remote Acceleration Sensors (If Equipped)
²Airbag Warning Light
²Driver Airbag
²Passenger Airbag
²Front Seat Mounted Head/Thorax Airbags (if
equipped)
²Steering Wheel and Column
²Instrument Panel
²Driver and Front Passenger Knee Impact Blockers
²Front Acceleration Sensors
²Driver and Front Passenger Seat Belt Pretensioners
²Passenger Airbag Disable (PAD) Indicator Light
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The Head/Thorax airbag system (if equipped) consists
of the following:
²AIRBAG Readiness Light (shared with the front airbag
system)
²Front SeatÐ side mounted Head/Thorax Airbags Ð if
equipped
²Airbag Control Module (shared with the front airbag
system)
²Side impact sensors
How The Airbag System Works
²
TheOccupant Restraint Controller (ORC)determines
if a frontal collision is severe enough to require the
airbags to inflate. The front airbag inflators are de-
signed to provide different rates of airbag inflation
from direction provided by the ORC. The ORC mayalso modify the rate of inflation based on the occupant
size provided by the Occupant Classification Module.
The ORC will not detect roll over.
The ORC also monitors the readiness of the electronic
parts of the system whenever the ignition switch is in
the START or RUN positions. These include all of the
items listed above except the steering wheel and
column, and knee impact blockers. If the key is in the
OFF position, in the ACC position, or not in the
ignition, the airbags are not on and will not inflate.
During a moderate-to-severe rear impact the ORC may
deploy the seat belt pretensioners alone.
Also, the ORC turns on the AIRBAG warning
light and PAD indicator light in the instrument
panel for six to eight seconds for a self-check
when the ignition is first turned on. After the
self-check, the AIRBAG warning light will turn off. The
PAD indicator light will function normally (Refer to
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 95
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WARNING!
²Do not place or hang any items such as add-on
video players on the right front passenger seat
back. The additional weight may cause the Occu-
pant Classification System to be unable to cor-
rectly classify the right front occupant. This could
allow the passenger frontal airbag to inflate when
it is not desired.
²You need proper knee impact protection in a
collision. Do not mount or locate any aftermarket
equipment on or behind the knee impact blocker
panels.
²It is dangerous to try to repair any part of the
airbag system yourself. Be sure to tell anyone who
works on your vehicle that it has an airbag system.NOTE:
Perchlorate Material ± special handling may ap-
ply, See www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate.º
Airbag Light
You will want to have the airbags ready to inflate for your
protection in a collision. While the airbag system is
designed to be maintenance free, if any of the following
occurs, have an authorized dealer service the system
immediately.
²The AIRBAG light does not come on during the six to
eight seconds when the ignition switch is first turned
on.
²The light remains on after the six to eight second
interval.
²The light comes on and remains on while driving.
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Standards. We also recommend that you make sure
that 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 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.
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 isall removed from the retractor. Allow the belt to return
into the retractor, as the belt retracts, you will hear a
clicking sound. This indicates that the seat belt is now in
the automatic locking mode. Pull 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.
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.
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CAUTION!
To fully insure that no damage occurs, be sure that
the vehicle is at a complete stop with the gear selector
in the Park position (automatic transaxle) or in the
Neutral position (manual transaxle) before lowering
or raising the top.
CAUTION!
Do not operate the convertible top with ice or snow
build-up on the top. Damage to the top may occur.
CAUTION!
To avoid damage to either the top or the rear window,
check the top storage area at the rear of the vehicle
interior to be sure that it is clear of debris or other
items. Be sure that child seat flip up bars are lowered.
Do not use the top storage area for other storage
purposes.
NOTE:When closing the convertible top all windows
will drop slightly from the full up position.
1. Turn the ignition key to the ON position.
2. Release the top from the windshield header by pulling
down on the latch handle and turning the latch handle
clockwise until it stops.
124 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE
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3. Press the Power Top Switch to lower the top just
enough to disengage the top pins from the header, turn
the handle counterclockwise and raise the handle to the
stowed position.
NOTE:The Power Top Switch has two detent positions
for lowering the convertible top. Pressing and holdingthe Power Top Switch lightly in the first detent position
will lower the windows slightly and the convertible top
to the full down position. Pressing and holding the
switch in the second detent position will lower all four
windows completely and the top to the full down posi-
tion.
Releasing Convertible Top Latches
Convertible Top Switch
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 125
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Page 127 of 488
1. Remove the convertible top boot cover, if equipped.
Refer to Convertible Top Boot Cover Removal and Stor-
age, in this section.
2. Turn the ignition to the ON position.
3. Press the Power Top Switch to raise the top. Before the
top reaches the windshield, open the latch handle and
turn the handle clockwise to open the latches. Press the
switch again to continue raising the top until the two pins
seat themselves in the windshield header.
NOTE:If the top is not latched right away, it may be
necessary to press the power top switch, UP or DOWN
quickly, to align the pins to the windshield header.
4. Pull down on the latch handle and rotate it counter-
clockwise to engage the latches.5. Raise the latch handle into the stowed position.
Engaging Convertible Top Latches
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 127
3