µ
Front airbags have been designed to
help protect adults in a moderate to
severe f rontal collision. To do this,
the passenger’s f ront airbag is quite
large, and it can inflate with enough
f orce to cause very serious injuries.If the vehicle seat is
too far forward, or the child’s head is
thrown f orward during a collision, an
inflating front airbag can strike the
child with enough f orce to kill or
very seriously injure a small child.
According to accident statistics,
children of all ages and sizes are
saf er when they are restrained in a
back seat.
Children who ride in back are less
likely to be injured by striking
interior vehicle parts during a
collision or hard braking. Also,
children cannot be injured by an
inflating front airbag when they ride
in the back.
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that all children
aged 12 and under be properly
restrained in a back seat. Some
states have laws restricting where
children may ride.
Even though your vehicle has an
advanced front airbag system that
automatically turns the passenger’s
front airbag off (see page ),
please f ollow these guidelines:
If
the airbag inf lates, it can hit the back
of the child seat with enough force
to kill or very seriously injure an
inf ant. Whenever possible,
larger children should sit in the back
seat, on a booster seat if needed, and
be properly restrained with a seat
belt (see page f or important
inf ormation about protecting larger
children).
35
52
CONT INUED
Protecting Children General Guidelines
The Passenger’s Front Airbag
Can Pose Serious Risks
All Children Should Sit in a Back
SeatSmall Children
Placing a f orward-f acing child seat inthe f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwit h a passenger’s f ront airbag canbe hazardous.
Larger Children
Inf ant s Never put a rear-f acing child seat inthe f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwit h a passenger’s f ront airbag. Children who have outgrown child
seat s are also at risk of being injuredor killed by an inf lat ing passenger’sfront airbag.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
39
2009 RL
If you decide that a child can saf ely
ride up f ront, be sure to:Caref ully read the owner’s manual,
and make sure you understand all
seat belt instructions and all saf ety
inf ormation.
Move the vehicle seat to the rear-
most position.
Have the child sit up straight, back
against the seat, and feet on or
near the f loor.
Check that the child’s seat belt is
properly and securely positioned.
Supervise the child. Even mature
children sometimes need to be
reminded to f asten the seat belts
or sit properly.
Of course, children vary widely. And
while age may be one indicator of
when a child can saf ely ride in f ront,
there are other important f actors you
should consider.
If the passenger’s front airbag
inf lates in a moderate to severe
f rontal collision, the airbag can cause
serious injuries to a child who is
unrestrained, improperly restrained,
sitting too close to the airbag, or out
of position.
A side airbag also poses risks. If any
part of a larger child’s body is in the
path of a deploying side airbag, the
child could receive possibly serious
injuries.
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that all children
age 12 and under be properly
restrained in a back seat. Physically, a child must be large
enough f or the lap/shoulder belt to
properly f it (see pages and ). If
the seat belt does not f it properly,
with or without the child sitting on a
booster seat, the child should not sit
in f ront.
To saf ely ride in f ront, a child must
be able to f ollow the rules, including
sitting properly, and wearing the seat
belt properly throughout a ride.52
17
Protecting L arger Children
Physical Size
Maturity
When Can a L arger Child Sit in
Front
54
2009 RL
ÎÎÎ
.
Taking Care of the Unexpected .493
Technical Descriptions
......
DOT Tire Quality Grading .526
.....
Emissions Control Systems .532
Three Way Catalytic
.............................
Converters .534
.......................
Temperature Gauge .70
........
Temperature, Inside Sensor .212
....................
Temperature, Outside .73
..............
Tether Anchorage Points .51
.........................
Seat Ventilation .182
......................
Seats, Adjusting the .156
............................
Security System .315
.....
Sequential Sports Shif t Mode .411
..........................
Paddle Shif ters .409
...............................
Serial Number .522
...........................
Service Intervals .445
......
Service Manual, Purchasing .541
.........
Service Station Procedures .385
Super Handling-All Wheel Drive
...........................
(SH-AWD
) .413
..
Torque Distribution Monitor .413
.......................................
Indicator .66
...
Shif t Lever Position Indicators .405
........................
Shif t Lock Release .407
..............................
Side Airbags .11,32
How the Side Airbag of f ......................
Indicator Works .35
...
How Your Side Airbags Work .32
................
Side Curtain Airbags .11,34
How Your Side Curtain ..........................
Airbags Work .34
Side Marker Lights, Bulb .........................
Replacement in .471
.............................
Signaling Turns .140
.....................................
Snow Tires .487 ................................
Sound System .213
Spare Tire
......................................
Inf lating .494
............................
Specif ications .525
.....................
Specif ication Charts .524
................................
Speed Limiter .407
.......................................
Spotlights .200
..........
SRS, Additional Inf ormation .26
...
Additional Safety Precautions .37
..
How the SRS Indicator Works .34
How Your Airbags
............................
Work .29,32,34
........................
SRS Components .26
..................................
SRS Service .36
.............................
SRS Indicator .34,63
START (Ignition Switch
.....................................
Position) .152
.......................
Starting the Engine .403
...................
Auto Control Mode .403
In Cold Weather at High
..................................
Altitude .403
................
With a Dead Battery .500
........
Steam Coming f rom Engine .503
Steering Wheel
..............................
Adjustments .148
...........
Anti-thef t Column Lock .152 ......................
Position Memory .163
Steering Wheel Buttons/ .....................................
Switches .136
...................
Stereo Sound System .213
....................
Storing Your Vehicle .492
......................................
Sun Visors .196
Supplemental Restraint
................................
System .11,26
......................................
Servicing .36
.........................
SRS Indicator .34,63
...................
System Components .26
..................................
Synthetic Oil .459
Index
T
VIII
TM
2009 RL