Child Restraints
Older Children
Older children who have outgrown booster seats shouldwear the vehicle's safety belts.
The manufacturer's instructions that come with thebooster seat, state the weight and height limitations forthat booster. Use a booster seat with a lap-shoulder beltuntil the child passes the below fit test:
.Sit all the way back on the seat. Do the kneesbend at the seat edge? If yes, continue. If no,return to the booster seat.
.Buckle the lap-shoulder belt. Does the shoulderbelt rest on the shoulder? If yes, continue. If no, tryusing the rear safety belt comfort guide. See“RearSafety Belt Comfort Guides”underLap-ShoulderBelton page 2!39for more information. If theshoulder belt still does not rest on the shoulder,then return to the booster seat.
.Does the lap belt fit low and snug on the hips,touching the thighs? If yes, continue. If no, returnto the booster seat.
.Can proper safety belt fit be maintained for lengthof trip? If yes, continue. If no, return to thebooster seat.
If you have the choice, a child should sit in a positionwith a lap-shoulder belt and get the additional restrainta shoulder belt can provide.
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Q: What are the different types of add-on childrestraints?
A:Add-on child restraints, which are purchased by thevehicle's owner, are available in four basic types.Selection of a particular restraint should take intoconsideration not only the child's weight, height, andage but also whether or not the restraint will becompatible with the motor vehicle in which it willbe used.
For most basic types of child restraints, there aremany different models available. When purchasing achild restraint, be sure it is designed to be used in amotor vehicle. If it is, the restraint will have a labelsaying that it meets federal motor vehicle safetystandards.
The restraint manufacturer's instructions that comewith the restraint state the weight and heightlimitations for a particular child restraint. In addition,there are many kinds of restraints available forchildren with special needs.
{WARNING:
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.
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Passenger Sensing System
If the vehicle has the passenger airbag status indicatorpictured in the following illustration, then the vehicle hasa passenger sensing system for the right frontpassenger position. The passenger airbag statusindicator, if equipped, is visible on the overhead consolewhen the vehicle is started.
In addition, if the vehicle has a passenger sensingsystem for the right front passenger position, thelabel on the vehicle's sun visors refers to“ADVANCED AIRBAGS”.
United StatesCanada
The words ON and OFF, or the symbol for on and off,will be visible during the system check. If you are usingremote start, if equipped, to start the vehicle from adistance, you may not see the system check. When thesystem check is complete, either the word ON or OFF,or the symbol for on or off, will be visible. SeePassenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 4!31.
The passenger sensing system will turn off the rightfront passenger frontal airbag under certain conditions.The driver airbag, seat!mounted side impact airbags (ifequipped) and the roof-rail airbags are not affected bythe passenger sensing system.
The passenger sensing system works with sensors thatare part of the right front passenger seat and safetybelt. The sensors are designed to detect the presenceof a properly-seated occupant and determine if the rightfront passenger frontal airbag should be enabled (mayinflate) or not.
According to accident statistics, children are safer whenproperly secured in a rear seat in the correct childrestraint for their weight and size.
We recommend that children be secured in a rear seat,including: an infant or a child riding in a rear-facing childrestraint; a child riding in a forward-facing child seat; anolder child riding in a booster seat; and children, whoare large enough, using safety belts.
A label on the sun visor says,“Never put a rear-facingchild seat in the front.”This is because the risk to therear-facing child is so great, if the airbag deploys.
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{WARNING:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the right front
passenger airbag inflates. This is because the
back of the rear-facing child restraint would be
very close to the inflating airbag. A child in a
forward-facing child restraint can be seriously
injured or killed if the right front passenger airbag
inflates and the passenger seat is in a forward
position.
Even if the passenger sensing system has turned
off the right front passenger frontal airbag, no
system is fail-safe. No one can guarantee that an
airbag will not deploy under some unusual
circumstance, even though the airbag is
turned off.
Secure rear-facing child restraints in a rear seat,
even if the airbag is off. If you secure a
forward-facing child restraint in the right front seat,
always move the front passenger seat as far back
as it will go. It is better to secure the child restraint
in a rear seat.
The passenger sensing system is designed to turn offthe right front passenger frontal airbag if:
.The right front passenger seat is unoccupied.
.The system determines an infant is present in achild restraint.
.A right front passenger takes his/her weight off ofthe seat for a period of time.
.Or, if there is a critical problem with the airbagsystem or the passenger sensing system.
When the passenger sensing system has turned off theright front passenger frontal airbag, the off indicator willlight and stay lit to remind you that the airbag is off. SeePassenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 4!31.
The passenger sensing system is designed to turn on(may inflate) the right front passenger frontal airbaganytime the system senses that a person of adult size issitting properly in the right front passenger seat.
When the passenger sensing system has allowed theairbag to be enabled, the on indicator will light and staylit to remind you that the airbag is active.
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Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you do not shift thetransmission into P (Park) properly, the weight of thevehicle can put too much force on the parking pawl inthe transmission. It might be difficult to pull the shiftlever out of P (Park). This is called torque lock. Toprevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then shiftinto P (Park) properly before you leave the driver seat.To find out how, seeShifting Into Park on page 3!39.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out ofP (Park) before releasing the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you might need to haveanother vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some ofthe pressure from the parking pawl in the transmission.Then you should be able to pull the shift lever outof P (Park).
Shifting Out of Park
This vehicle is equipped with an electronic shift lockrelease system. The shift lock release is designed to:
.Prevent ignition key removal unless the shift leveris in P (Park) with the shift lever button fullyreleased, and
.Prevent movement of the shift lever out ofP (Park), unless the ignition is in ON/RUN orACC/ACCESSORY and the regular brake pedalis applied.
The shift lock release is always functional exceptin the case of an uncharged or low voltage(less than 9 volt) battery.
If the vehicle has an uncharged battery or a batterywith low voltage, try charging or jump starting thebattery. SeeJump Startingon page 7!44formore information.
To shift out of P (Park) use the following:
1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you still are unable to shift out of P (Park):
1. Ease the pressure on the shift lever.
2. While holding down the brake pedal, press theshift lever all the way into P (Park).
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you are still having a problem shifting, then have thevehicle serviced soon.
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Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 4!33.
Braking action involves perception time and reactiontime. Deciding to push the brake pedal is perceptiontime. Actually doing it is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three!fourths of asecond. But that is only an average. It might be lesswith one driver and as long as two or three seconds ormore with another. Age, physical condition, alertness,coordination, and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol,drugs, and frustration. But even in three!fourths of asecond, a vehicle moving at 100 km/h (60 mph) travels20 m (66 feet). That could be a lot of distance in anemergency, so keeping enough space between thevehicle and others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatlywith the surface of the road, whether it is pavement orgravel; the condition of the road, whether it is wet, dry,or icy; tire tread; the condition of the brakes; the weightof the vehicle; and the amount of brake force applied.
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive inspurts, heavy acceleration followed by heavy braking,rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a mistake.The brakes might not have time to cool between hardstops. The brakes will wear out much faster with a lotof heavy braking. Keeping pace with the traffic andallowing realistic following distances eliminates a lotof unnecessary braking. That means better brakingand longer brake life.
If the engine ever stops while the vehicle is beingdriven, brake normally but do not pump the brakes.If the brakes are pumped, the pedal could get harder topush down. If the engine stops, there will still be somepower brake assist but it will be used when the brake isapplied. Once the power assist is used up, it can takelonger to stop and the brake pedal will be harderto push.
Adding non!dealer/non!retailer accessories can affectvehicle performance. SeeAccessories andModifications on page 7!4.
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Driving Across an Incline
An off-road trail will probably go across the incline of ahill. To decide whether to try to drive across the incline,consider the following:
{WARNING:
Driving across an incline that is too steep
will make your vehicle roll over. You could be
seriously injured or killed. If you have any doubt
about the steepness of the incline, do not drive
across it. Find another route instead.
.A hill that can be driven straight up or downmight be too steep to drive across. When goingstraight up or down a hill, the length of the wheelbase—the distance from the front wheels to therear wheels—reduces the likelihood the vehiclewill tumble end over end. But when driving acrossan incline, the narrower track width—the distancebetween the left and right wheels—might notprevent the vehicle from tilting and rolling over.Driving across an incline puts more weight on thedownhill wheels which could cause a downhill slideor a rollover.
.Surface conditions can be a problem. Loosegravel, muddy spots, or even wet grass cancause the tires to slip sideways, downhill. If thevehicle slips sideways, it can hit something thatwill trip it—a rock, a rut, etc.—and roll over.
.Hidden obstacles can make the steepness of theincline even worse. If you drive across a rock withthe uphill wheels, or if the downhill wheels dropinto a rut or depression, the vehicle can tilteven more.
For these reasons, carefully consider whether to try todrive across an incline. Just because the trail goesacross the incline does not mean you have to drive it.The last vehicle to try it might have rolled over.
If you feel the vehicle starting to slide sideways, turndownhill. This should help straighten out the vehicle andprevent the side slipping. The best way to prevent thisis to“walk the course”first, so you know what thesurface is like before driving it.
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Loading the Vehicle
It is very important to know how much weight your
vehicle can carry. This weight is called the vehicle
capacity weight and includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo, and all nonfactory-installed
options. Two labels on your vehicle show how
much weight it was designed to carry, the
Tire and Loading Information label and the
Certification/Tire label.
{WARNING:
Do not load the vehicle any heavier than
the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR),
or either the maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). If you do, parts
on the vehicle can break, and it can change
the way the vehicle handles. These could
cause you to lose control and crash.
Also, overloading can shorten the life
of the vehicle.
Tire and Loading Information Label
Label Example
A vehicle specific Tire and Loading Information
label is attached to the center pillar (B-pillar).
With the driver's door open, you will find the
label attached below the door lock post (striker).
The tire and loading information label shows the
number of occupant seating positions (A), and
the maximum vehicle capacity weight (B) in
kilograms and pounds.
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