Head Restraints
Adjust the head restraint so that the top of the restraint is
at the same height as the top of the occupant’s head.
This position reduces the chance of a neck injury in a
crash.
The height of the head restraints can be adjusted on the
rst and second row seats. Pull the head restraint up or
push it down to adjust it.
The head restraints on the third row seat cannot be
adjusted.
Rear Seats
Rear Seat Operation
The rear seats in your vehicle have levers and straps
used to adjust, remove, and reinstall the seats. By using
the levers and straps in the correct order, you can
easily remove the seats from the vehicle. If your vehicle
has second row captain chairs with airbags, the seats
cannot be removed.
When reinstalling the seats, make sure the seats are in
the proper positions.
If your vehicle has a second row center console, it can
be removed. SeeSecond Row Center Console on
page 2-58. Do not put a seat in the center position
because the safety belt cannot be worn properly in
this position. SeeSafety Belts: They Are for Everyone
on page 1-23.
1-6
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 in the
right front seating position may affect the passenger
sensing system. SeePassenger Sensing System
on page 1-85for more information.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 1-42.
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 instructions on use and important safety
information.
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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 of the shoulder.
Improper shoulder belt height adjustment could reduce
the effectiveness of the safety belt in a crash.
To move it down, push
down on the button (A)
and move the height
adjuster to the desired
position. You can move
the height adjuster
up by pushing up on the
shoulder belt guide.
After the adjuster is set to the desired position, try to
move it down without pushing the button to make sure it
has locked into position.
Safety Belt Pretensioners
This vehicle has safety belt pretensioners for the
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.
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 1-93.
1-39
Child Restraints
Older Children
Older children who have outgrown booster seats should
wear the vehicle’s safety belts.The manufacturer’s instructions that come with the
booster seat state the weight and height limitations for
that booster. Use a booster seat with a lap-shoulder belt
until the child passes the below t test:
Sit all the way back on the seat. Do the knees bend
at the seat edge? If yes, continue. If no, return to
the booster seat.
Buckle the lap-shoulder belt. Does the shoulder belt
rest on the shoulder? If yes, continue. If no, try
using the rear safety belt comfort guide. See “Rear
Safety Belt Comfort Guides” underLap-Shoulder
Belt on page 1-37for more information. If the
shoulder belt still does not rest on the shoulder,
then return to the booster seat.
Does the lap belt t low and snug on the hips,
touching the thighs? If yes, continue. If no, return to
the booster seat.
Can proper safety belt t be maintained for the
length of the trip? If yes, continue. If no, return
to the booster seat.
If you have the choice, a child should sit in a
position with a lap-shoulder belt and get the
additional restraint a shoulder belt can provide.
1-43
Q:What are the different types of add-on child
restraints?
A:Add-on child restraints, which are purchased by the
vehicle’s owner, are available in four basic types.
Selection of a particular restraint should take
into consideration not only the child’s weight, height,
and age but also whether or not the restraint will
be compatible with the motor vehicle in which it will
be used.
For most basic types of child restraints, there are
many different models available. When purchasing a
child restraint, be sure it is designed to be used
in a motor vehicle. If it is, the restraint will have a
label saying that it meets federal motor vehicle
safety standards.
The restraint manufacturer’s instructions that come
with the restraint state the weight and height
limitations for a particular child restraint. In addition,
there are many kinds of restraints available for
children with special needs.
{CAUTION:
To reduce the risk of neck and head injury
during a crash, infants need complete support.
This is because an infant’s neck is not fully
developed and its head weighs so much
compared with the rest of its body. In a crash, an
infant in a rear-facing child restraint settles into the
restraint, so the crash forces can be distributed
across the strongest part of an infant’s body, the
back and shoulders. Infants should always be
secured in rear-facing child restraints.
1-48
Built-In Child Restraint
WARNING! DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY can
occur:
Follow all instruction on the child restraint and in
the vehicle’s owner’s manual.
If your vehicle has this feature, the built-in child
restraint is located in the passenger-side position
in the second row.
This child restraint system conforms to all
applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards.
Use only with children who weigh between 22 and
40 lbs (10 and 18 kg) and whose height is between
33.5 and 40 in (850 and 1 016 mm). Use only with
children whose shoulders are below the shoulder
belt slots for the harness system and who are
capable of sitting upright alone.
The child should also be at least one year old. It is
important to use a rear-facing infant restraint until the
child is at least one year old. A rear-facing restraint gives
the infant’s head, neck and body the support they
would need in a crash. SeeOlder Children on page 1-43
orInfants and Young Children on page 1-46.
1-67
A child whose weight is over 40 lbs (18 kg), whose
height is over 40 in (1 016 mm) or whose shoulders are
above the shoulder belt slots for the harness system,
should be restrained in an add-on booster seat
appropriate for the child’s size. SeeChild Restraint
Systems on page 1-49. Once the booster seat is
outgrown, the child should sit on the vehicle’s regular
seat and use the vehicle’s safety belts.
{CAUTION:
Using the vehicle’s built-in child restraint as a
booster seat for a larger child could cause injury to
the child in a sudden stop or crash. A child whose
weight is over 40 lbs (18 kg), whose height is over
40 in (1 016 mm) or whose shoulders are above
the shoulder belt slots for the harness system
should use a restraint system that is appropriate
for their size, either an add-on booster seat or the
vehicle’s safety belt. SeeChild Restraint Systems
on page 1-49orOlder Children on page 1-43.
Securing a Child in the Built-In Child
Restraint
1. Raise the head restraint until the lower edge of the
head restraint is even with the top of the seatback.
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