Page 30 of 450
Lap-Shoulder Belt
All seating positions in the vehicle have a
lap-shoulder belt.
The following instructions explain how to wear a
lap-shoulder belt properly.
1. Adjust the seat, if the seat is adjustable, so you can
sit up straight. To see how, see “Seats” in the Index.
2. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Do not let it get twisted.
The lap-shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt
across you very quickly. If this happens, let the belt
go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt
across you more slowly.
If the shoulder portion of a passenger belt is pulled
out all the way, the child restraint locking feature
may be engaged. If this happens, let the belt
go back all the way and start again.
Engaging the child restraint locking feature may
affect the passenger sensing system. SeePassenger
Sensing System (Without Turbo/With Turbo and
RPO AS5) on page 1-66orPassenger Sensing
System (With Turbo and RPO AR9 or AE4) on
page 1-72.3. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.
If the belt is not long enough, seeSafety Belt
Extender on page 1-31.
Position the release button on the buckle so that
the safety belt could be quickly unbuckled if
necessary.
4. If equipped with a shoulder belt height adjuster,
move it to the height that is right for you. See
“Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment” later in this
section for use and important safety information.
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Page 32 of 450
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster
The vehicle has a shoulder belt height adjuster for the
driver and right front passenger seating positions.
Adjust the height so that the shoulder portion of the belt
is centered on the shoulder. The belt should be away
from the face and neck, but not falling off the shoulder.
Improper shoulder belt height adjustment could
reduce the effectiveness of the safety belt in a crash.
Push down on the release
button (A) and move
the height adjuster to
the desired position.
The adjuster can be moved
up by pushing the release
button up on the shoulder
belt guide.
After the height adjuster is set to the desired position,
try to move it down without pressing the release
button to make sure it has locked into position.
Safety Belt Pretensioners
This vehicle has safety belt pretensioners for
front outboard occupants. Although the safety belt
pretensioners cannot be seen, they are part of the safety
belt assembly. They can help tighten the safety belts
during the early stages of a moderate to severe frontal
or near frontal crash if the threshold conditions for
pretensioner activation are met. And, if the vehicle has
side impact airbags, safety belt pretensioners can help
tighten the safety belts in a side crash and rear events.
Pretensioners work only once. If the pretensioners
activate in a crash, They will need to be replaced,
and probably other new parts for the vehicle’s safety
belt system. SeeReplacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash on page 1-80
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides
Rear shoulder belt comfort guides may provide added
safety belt comfort for older children who have outgrown
booster seats and for some adults. When installed on
a shoulder belt, the comfort guide positions the shoulder
belt away from the neck and head.
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Page 52 of 450
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for
the LATCH System
{CAUTION:
If a LATCH-type child restraint is not attached to
anchors, the child restraint will not be able to
protect the child correctly. In a crash, the child
could be seriously injured or killed. Install a
LATCH-type child restraint properly using the
anchors, or use the vehicle’s safety belts to secure
the restraint, following the instructions that came
with the child restraint and the instructions in this
manual.
{CAUTION:
Do not attach more than one child restraint to a
single anchor. Attaching more than one child
restraint to a single anchor could cause the anchor
or attachment to come loose or even break during
a crash. A child or others could be injured. To
reduce the risk of serious or fatal injuries during a
crash, attach only one child restraint per anchor.
{CAUTION:
Children can be seriously injured or strangled if a
shoulder belt is wrapped around their neck and
the safety belt continues to tighten. Buckle any
unused safety belts behind the child restraint so
children cannot reach them. Pull the shoulder belt
all the way out of the retractor to set the lock, if
your vehicle has one, after the child restraint has
been installed.
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Page 56 of 450
If more than one child restraint needs to be installed in
the rear seat, be sure to readWhere to Put the
Restraint on page 1-42.
1. Put the child restraint on the seat.
2. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder
portions of the vehicle’s safety belt through or
around the restraint. The child restraint instructions
will show you how.
3. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Position the release button on the buckle so that
the safety belt could be quickly unbuckled if
necessary.4. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of
the retractor to set the lock.
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Page 60 of 450
4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Position the release button on the buckle so that
the safety belt could be quickly unbuckled if
necessary.5. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of
the retractor to set the lock.
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Page 66 of 450
If your vehicle has roof-rail airbags for the driver, right
front passenger, and second row outboard passengers,
they are in the ceiling above the side windows.
{CAUTION:
If something is between an occupant and an
airbag, the airbag might not in ate properly or it
might force the object into that person causing
severe injury or even death. The path of an
in ating airbag must be kept clear. Do not put
anything between an occupant and an airbag,
and do not attach or put anything on the steering
wheel hub or on or near any other airbag
covering.
Never secure anything to the roof of a vehicle with
roof-rail airbags by routing a rope or tie down
through any door or window opening. If you do,
the path of an in ating roof-rail airbag will be
blocked. Driver Side shown, Passenger Side similar
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What Will You See After an Airbag
In ates?
After the frontal airbags in ate, they quickly de ate,
so quickly that some people may not even realize an
airbag in ated. Roof-rail airbags may still be at least
partially in ated for some time after they deploy.
Some components of the airbag module may be hot
for several minutes. For location of the airbag modules,
seeWhat Makes an Airbag Inflate? on page 1-64.
The parts of the airbag that come into contact with you
may be warm, but not too hot to touch. There may be
some smoke and dust coming from the vents in the
de ated airbags. Airbag in ation does not prevent the
driver from seeing out of the windshield or being able to
steer the vehicle, nor does it prevent people from leaving
the vehicle.
{CAUTION:
When an airbag in ates, there may be dust in the
air. This dust could cause breathing problems for
people with a history of asthma or other breathing
trouble. To avoid this, everyone in the vehicle
should get out as soon as it is safe to do so.
If you have breathing problems but cannot get
out of the vehicle after an airbag in ates, then get
fresh air by opening a window or a door. If you
experience breathing problems following an airbag
deployment, you should seek medical attention.
The vehicle has a feature that may automatically unlock
the doors, turn the interior lamps on, and turn the
hazard warning ashers on when the airbags in ate.
You can lock the doors, turn the interior lamps off, and
turn the hazard warning ashers off by using the
controls for those features.
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Page 85 of 450
Keys...............................................................2-3
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System..................2-4
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation...................................................2-4
Remote Vehicle Start......................................2-7
Doors and Locks.............................................2-9
Door Locks....................................................2-9
Power Door Locks..........................................2-9
Delayed Locking...........................................2-10
Automatic Door Lock.....................................2-10
Programmable Automatic Door Unlock.............2-10
Rear Door Security Locks..............................2-11
Lockout Protection........................................2-12
Rear Side Cargo Door (HHR Panel Only).........2-12
Liftgate........................................................2-12
Windows........................................................2-16
Power Windows............................................2-17
Sun Visors...................................................2-18Theft-Deterrent Systems..................................2-18
Content Theft-Deterrent.................................2-19
PASS-Key
®III+ Electronic Immobilizer.............2-20
PASS-Key®III+ Electronic Immobilizer
Operation.................................................2-21
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle................2-22
New Vehicle Break-In....................................2-22
Ignition Positions..........................................2-23
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)...................2-25
Starting the Engine.......................................2-25
Engine Coolant Heater..................................2-27
Automatic Transmission Operation...................2-28
Manual Transmission Operation......................2-30
Parking Brake..............................................2-33
Shifting Into Park (Automatic Transmission)......2-34
Shifting Out of Park (Automatic Transmission) . . .2-35
Parking the Vehicle (Manual Transmission).......2-36
Parking Over Things That Burn.......................2-36
Engine Exhaust............................................2-37
Running the Vehicle While Parked..................2-38
Section 2 Features and Controls
2-1
