Page 89 of 614
Third Row
If your vehicle has a third row, remove the guide
from its storage pocket on the side of the seat.
2. Place the guide over the belt, and insert the two edges of the belt into the slots of the guide.
2-51
Page 90 of 614
3. Be sure that the belt is not twisted and it lies flat.The elastic cord must be under the belt and the
guide on top.
{WARNING:
A safety belt that is not properly worn may
not provide the protection needed in a crash.
The person wearing the belt could be seriously
injured. The shoulder belt should go over the
shoulder and across the chest. These parts of the
body are best able to take belt restraining forces.
2-52
Page 91 of 614
4. Buckle, position, and release the safety belt asdescribed previously in this section. Make sure that
the shoulder belt crosses the shoulder.
To remove and store the comfort guide, squeeze the
belt edges together so that the safety belt can be
removed from the guide. Slide the guide into its storage
clip on the interior body or storage pocket on the side of
the seat.
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
Safety belts work for everyone, including pregnant
women. Like all occupants, they are more likely to be
seriously injured if they do not wear safety belts.
A pregnant woman should wear a lap-shoulder belt,
and the lap portion should be worn as low as possible,
below the rounding, throughout the pregnancy.
The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the
mother. When a safety belt is worn properly, it is
more likely that the fetus will not be hurt in a crash.
For pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to making
safety belts effective is wearing them properly.
2-53
Page 92 of 614
Lap Belt
This part is only for the lap belt. To learn how to wear a
lap-shoulder belt, seeLap-Shoulder Belt on page 2‑46.
The vehicle may have a center seating position. When
you sit in the center front seating position, you have a
lap safety belt, which has no retractor.
To make the belt longer, tilt the latch plate and pull it
along the belt.
Buckle, position and release it the same way as the lap
part of a lap-shoulder belt.
To make the belt shorter, pull its free end as shown until
the belt is snug.
If the belt is not long enough, see Safety Belt Extender
on page 2‑55.
Make sure the release button on the buckle is
positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety
belt quickly if necessary.
If you find that the latch plate will not go fully into the
buckle, see if you are using the correct buckle. Be sure
that the latch plate clicks when inserted into the buckle.
2-54
Page 93 of 614
Safety Belt Extender
If the vehicle's safety belt will fasten around you, you
should use it.
But if a safety belt is not long enough, your dealer will
order you an extender. When you go in to order it, take
the heaviest coat you will wear, so the extender will be
long enough for you. To help avoid personal injury, do
not let someone else use it, and use it only for the seat
it is made to fit. The extender has been designed for
adults. Never use it for securing child seats. To wear it,
attach it to the regular safety belt. For more information,
see the instruction sheet that comes with the extender.
Child Restraints
Older Children
Older children who have outgrown booster seats should
wear the vehicle's safety belts.
2-55
Page 94 of 614

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 fit 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 2‑46for more information. If the
shoulder 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, return
to the booster seat.
.Can proper safety belt fit be maintained for length
of 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. Q: What is the proper way to wear safety belts?
A:
An older child should wear a lap-shoulder belt and
get the additional restraint a shoulder belt can
provide. The shoulder belt should not cross the
face or neck. The lap belt should fit snugly below
the hips, just touching the top of the thighs. This
applies belt force to the child's pelvic bones in a
crash. It should never be worn over the abdomen,
which could cause severe or even fatal internal
injuries in a crash.
Also see “Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides” under
Lap-Shoulder Belt on page 2‑46.
According to accident statistics, children and infants
are safer when properly restrained in the rear seating
positions than in the front seating positions.
In a crash, children who are not buckled up can strike
other people who are buckled up, or can be thrown out
of the vehicle. Older children need to use safety belts
properly.
2-56
Page 95 of 614
{WARNING:
Never do this.
Never allow two children to wear the same safety
belt. The safety belt can not properly spread the
impact forces. In a crash, the two children can be
crushed together and seriously injured. A safety
belt must be used by only one person at a time.
2-57
Page 96 of 614
{WARNING:
Never do this.
Never allow a child to wear the safety belt with the
shoulder belt behind their back. A child can be
seriously injured by not wearing the lap-shoulder
belt properly. In a crash, the child would not be
restrained by the shoulder belt. The child could
move too far forward increasing the chance of
head and neck injury. The child might also slide
under the lap belt. The belt force would then be
applied right on the abdomen. That could cause
serious or fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should
go over the shoulder and across the chest.
2-58