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4. Pull up the release knob, located on the top
of the seatbacks, and fold the seatbacks forward
and down.
Notice:Folding a rear seat with the safety belts
still fastened may cause damage to the seat or the
safety belts. Always unbuckle the safety belts
and return them to their normal stowed position
before folding a rear seat.
5. Move the safety belt buckles and safety belt in the
center seating position out of the space between
the seatbacks and the seat cushion so they are not
in the way as the seat is being folded.6. Firmly pull the release handles on the rear side of
the seat cushion to unlock the seat cushion.
7. Lift the seat cushion up and ip it forward.
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8. Clip the hook to the front seat head restraint to
keep the rear seat secure.
Unfolding the Seats
To return the rear seats to the normal seating position:
1. Unclip the hook from the front seat head restraint.
2. Position the buckles in back of the seat latches
when moving the rear seats to the sitting position.Notice:Damage to the safety belt buckle or rear
seat locking mechanism can occur if the safety belt
and buckles are pinched under the rear seat
cushion. Do not place the safety belt and buckles
on the oor under the rear seat cushion when
the rear seat is put back to the sitting position.
3. Push the seat cushion down to its original position
until it latches securely. Try to pull up on the seat to
make sure it is locked in place.
4. Hook the safety belts in the outboard seating
positions into the retaining clips.
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{CAUTION:
A safety belt that is improperly routed, not properly
attached, or twisted will not provide the protection
needed in a crash. The person wearing the belt
could be seriously injured. After raising the rear
seatback, always check to be sure that the safety
belts are properly routed and attached, and are
not twisted.
5. Lift the seatbacks up and push them back to their
original latched positions.
6. Unhook the safety belts in the outboard seating
positions from the retaining clips.
7. Return the safety belt buckles and the center seat
safety belt to their original position between the rear
seatback and the seat cushion. Make sure the
straps of the safety belt and buckles are not twisted.
8. To reattach the center seat safety belt to the mini
buckle, pull it from the retractor.
{CAUTION:
If either seatback is not locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
push and pull on the seatbacks to be sure they
are locked.
9. Push down and rearward rmly on the top of the
seatbacks until they latch securely in the fully
upright position.
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Safety Belts
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone
This section of the manual describes how to use
safety belts properly. It also describes some things not
to do with safety belts.
{CAUTION:
Do not let anyone ride where a safety belt cannot
be worn properly. In a crash, if you or your
passenger(s) are not wearing safety belts, the
injuries can be much worse. You can hit things
inside the vehicle harder or be ejected from the
vehicle. You and your passenger(s) can be
seriously injured or killed. In the same crash, you
might not be, if you are buckled up. Always fasten
your safety belt, and check that your passenger(s)
are restrained properly too.
{CAUTION:
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people
riding in these areas are more likely to be
seriously injured or killed. Do not allow people to
ride in any area of your vehicle that is not
equipped with seats and safety belts. Be sure
everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and using a
safety belt properly.
This vehicle has indicators as a reminder to buckle the
safety belts. SeeSafety Belt Reminders on page 3-26
for additional information.
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In most states and in all Canadian provinces, the law
requires wearing safety belts. Here is why:
You never know if you will be in a crash. If you do have
a crash, you do not know if it will be a serious one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up, a person would not
survive. But most crashes are in between. In many of
them, people who buckle up can survive and sometimes
walk away. Without safety belts, they could have
been badly hurt or killed.
After more than 40 years of safety belts in vehicles, the
facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter... a lot!Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as
it goes.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it is just a seat on
wheels.
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Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider
does not stop.
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The person keeps going until stopped by something.
In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield...or the instrument panel...
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or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That is why
safety belts make such good sense.
Questions and Answers About
Safety Belts
Q:Will I be trapped in the vehicle after a crash if I
am wearing a safety belt?
A:Youcouldbe — whether you are wearing a safety
belt or not. But your chance of being conscious
during and after an accident, so youcanunbuckle
and get out, ismuchgreater if you are belted.
And you can unbuckle a safety belt, even if you are
upside down.
Q:If my vehicle has airbags, why should I have to
wear safety belts?
A:Airbags are supplemental systems only; so they
workwithsafety belts — not instead of them.
Whether or not an airbag is provided, all occupants
still have to buckle up to get the most protection.
That is true not only in frontal collisions, but
especially in side and other collisions.
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