you will prefer a higher position. When you release the
anchorage try to move it up and down to make sure that
it is locked in position.
In the rear seat, move toward the center of the seat to
position the belt away from your neck.
Lap/Shoulder Belt Untwisting Procedure
Use the following procedure to untwist a twisted lap/
shoulder belt.
1. Position the latch plate as close as possible to the
anchor point.
2. At about 6 to 12 in (15 to 30 cm) above the latch plate,
grasp and twist the belt webbing 180 degrees to create a
fold that begins immediately above the latch plate.
3. Slide the latch plate upward over the folded webbing.
The folded webbing must enter the slot at the top of the
latch plate.4. Continue to slide the latch plate up until it clears the
folded webbing.
Seat Belt Pretensioners
The seat belts for both front seating positions are
equipped with pretensioning devices that are designed to
remove any slack from the seat belts in the event of a
collision. These devices improve the performance of the
seat belt system by assuring that the belt is tight around
the occupant in a collision. Pretensioners work for all size
occupants, including those in child restraints.
NOTE:These devices are not a substitute for proper seat
belt placement by the occupant. The seat belt still must be
worn snugly and positioned properly.
48 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
3. Within 60 seconds of turning the ignition switch to the
ON position, unbuckle and then re-buckle the driver’s
seat belt at least three times within 10 seconds, ending
with the seat belt buckled.
NOTE:Watch for the Seat Belt Reminder Light to turn
on while unbuckling the seat belt and turn off while
re-buckling the seat belt. It may be necessary to retract
the seat belt.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the LOCK position. A
single chime will sound to signify that you have success-
fully completed the programming.
BeltAlertcan be reactivated by repeating this procedure.
NOTE:Although BeltAlerthas been deactivated, the
Seat Belt Reminder Light will continue to illuminate as
long as the driver’s seat belt is unbuckled.Automatic Locking Mode — If Equipped
In this mode, the shoulder belt is automatically pre-
locked. However, the belt will still retract to remove slack
in the shoulder belt. Use the Automatic Locking mode
any time a child safety seat is installed in a seating
position that has a seat belt with this feature. Seat belts
that have the Automatic Locking mode feature have a
distinctive label on the webbing. Children 12 years old
and younger should be properly restrained in the rear
seat whenever possible.
How to Engage the Automatic Locking Mode
1. Buckle the combination lap and shoulder belt.
2. Grasp the shoulder portion and pull downward until
the entire belt is extracted.
3. Allow the belt to retract. As the belt retracts, you will
here a clicking sound. This indicates the safety belt is
now in the Automatic Locking mode.
50 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
WARNING! (Continued)
•If your vehicle is equipped with supplemental
side curtain airbags, do not stack luggage or other
cargo up high enough to block the location of the
side curtain airbag. The area where the side cur-
tain airbag is located should remain free from any
obstructions.
•If your vehicle is equipped with supplemental
side curtain airbags, do not have any accessory
items installed which will alter the roof, including
adding a sunroof to your vehicle. Do not add roof
racks that require permanent attachments (bolts or
screws) for installation on the vehicle roof. Do not
drill into the roof of the vehicle for any reason.
NOTE:Do not use a clothing bar mounted to the coat
hooks in this vehicle. A clothing bar will impede the
proper performance of the curtain airbags.Along with the seat belts, front airbags work with the
instrument panel knee bolsters to provide improved
protection for the driver and front passenger. Side curtain
and seat airbags also work with seat belts to improve
occupant protection.
While the seat belts are designed to protect you in many
types of collisions, the front airbags will deploy in
moderate to severe frontal collisions. For vehicles so
equipped, the supplemental side curtain airbag and front
seat-mounted side airbag on the crash side of the vehicle
will also trigger in moderate to severe side collisions.
However, even in collisions where the airbags deploy,
you need the seat belts to keep you in the correct position
for the airbags to protect you properly.
Here are some simple steps you can take to minimize
the risk of harm from a deploying airbag.
1. Children 12 years old and younger should ride buck-
led up in the rear seat.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 55
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NOTE:
•Ensure that the tether strap does not slip into the
opening between the seatbacks as you remove slack in
the strap.
•When using the LATCH attaching system to install a
child restraint, please ensure that all seat belts not
being used for occupant restraints are stowed and out
of reach of children. It is recommended that before
installing the child restraint, buckle the seat belt so the
seat belt is tucked behind the child restraint and out of
reach. If the buckled seat belt interferes with the child
restraint installation, instead of tucking the seat belt
behind the child restraint, route the seat belt through
the child restraint belt path and then buckle it. This
should stow the seat belt out of the reach of an
inquisitive child. Remind all children in the vehicle
that the seat belts are not toys and should not be
played with, and never leave your child unattended in
the vehicle.
WARNING!
Improper installation of a child restraint to the
LATCH anchorages can lead to failure of an infant or
child restraint. The child could be badly injured or
killed. Follow the manufacturer’s directions exactly
when installing an infant or child restraint.
Installing Child Restraints Using the Vehicle Seat
Belts
The passenger seat belts are equipped with either cinch-
ing latch plates or Automatic Locking Retractors (ALRs),
which are designed to keep the lap portion tight around
the child restraint so that it is not necessary to use a
locking clip. Pulling up on the shoulder portion of the
lap/shoulder belt will tighten the belt. The cinching latch
plate will keep the belt tight; however, any seat belt
system will loosen with time, so check the belt occasion-
ally and pull it tight if necessary.
72 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
Seat belts with an automatic locking retractor have a
distinctive label on the seat belt webbing. The seat belt
must be in the Automatic Locking mode in order to
enable a child restraint to be tightly installed. Refer to
“Automatic Locking Mode” in this section. A locking clip
should not be necessary once the automatic locking
feature is enabled. Position the shoulder and lap belt on
the child restraint. The automatic locking retractor is
activated by first attaching the child seat, then pulling all
of the webbing out of the retractor, then allowing the
webbing to retract back into the retractor. Tighten web-
bing. To release, simply unbuckle the seat belt by de-
pressing the button, allowing the webbing to retract into
the retractor.In 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 belt several times
to shorten it. Insert the latch plate into the buckle with the
release button facing out.
If the belt still can’t be tightened, or if pulling and
pushing on the restraint loosens the belt, you may need
to do something more. Disconnect the latch plate from
the buckle, turn the buckle around, and insert the latch
plate into the buckle again. If you still can’t make the
child restraint secure, try a different seating position.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 73
2
WARNING!
•Be certain that the seatback is securely locked into
position. If the seatback is not securely locked into
position, the seat will not provide the proper
stability for child seats and/or passengers. An
improperly latched seat could cause serious injury.
•The cargo area in the rear of the vehicle (with the
rear seatbacks in the locked-up or folded down
position) should not be used as a play area by
children when the vehicle is in motion. They could
be seriously injured in an accident. Children
should be seated and using the proper restraint
system.
DRIVER MEMORY SEAT — IF EQUIPPED
This feature allows the driver to store up to two different
memory profiles for easy recall through a Memory
switch. Each memory profile contains desired position
settings for the driver seat, side mirror, adjustable pedals,
and power tilt and telescopic steering column, and a set
of desired radio station presets.
The Memory switch is located on the driver’s door trim
panel. The switch contains an (S) button to activate the
memory save function. It also contains a rocker switch
labeled with the number (1) and the number (2). The
rocker switch allows the driver to recall either of two
pre-programmed memory profiles by pressing the appro-
priate side of the switch.
128 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE
WARNING!
The weight and position of cargo and passengers can
change the vehicle center of gravity and vehicle
handling. To avoid loss of control resulting in per-
sonal injury, follow these guidelines for loading your
vehicle:
•Always place cargo evenly on the cargo floor. Put
heavier objects as low and as far forward as
possible.
•Place as much cargo as possible in front of the rear
axle. Too much weight or improperly placed
weight over or behind the rear axle can cause the
rear of the vehicle to sway.
•Do not pile luggage or cargo higher than the top of
the seatback. This could impair visibility or be-
come a dangerous projectile in a sudden stop or
collision.When the seatback is folded to the upright position, make
sure it is latched by strongly pulling on the top of the
seatback above the seat strap.
WARNING!
•Be certain that the seatback is securely locked into
position. If the seatback in not securely locked
into position, the seat will not provide the proper
stability for child seats and/or passengers. An
improperly latched seat could cause serious injury.
•The cargo area in the rear of the vehicle (with the
rear seatbacks in the locked-up or folded down
position) should not be used as a play area by
children when the vehicle is in motion. They could
be seriously injured in an accident. Children
should be seated and using the proper restraint
system.
(Continued)
196 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE
WARNING!
Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in and near the vehicle. As with all vehicles,
you should never exit a vehicle while the engine is
running. Before exiting a vehicle, you should always
shift the transmission into PARK, remove the key
from the ignition, and apply the parking brake. Once
the key is removed from the ignition, the transmis-
sion shift lever is locked in the PARK position,
securing the vehicle against unwanted movement.
Furthermore, you should never leave unattended
children inside a vehicle.
Over-Temperature Mode
The transmission electronics constantly monitor the
transmission oil temperature. If the transmission exceeds
normal operating temperature, the transmission will
change the way it shifts to help control the condition.
This may result in a slightly different feeling or response
during normal operation in DRIVE position. After the
transmission cools down, it will return to normal
operation.
Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System
This vehicle is equipped with a Brake Transmission Shift
Interlock (BTSI) system that holds the shift lever in the
PARK position when the ignition switch is in the LOCK
position. To move the shift lever out of the PARK
position, the ignition switch must be turned to the ON
position, and the brake pedal must be depressed.
STARTING AND OPERATING 315
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