Sensing System for Passenger
Airbag
The passenger sensing system will turn off the right
front passenger frontal airbag and seat-mounted
side impact airbag under certain conditions. The driver
airbags and roof-rail airbags are not affected by this.
The passenger airbag status indicator will be visible on
the instrument panel when the vehicle is started.
SeePassenger Sensing System on page 2-66for
important information.
Mirror Adjustment
Exterior Mirrors
Controls for the outside
power mirrors are located
on the inside of the
vehicle near the driver side
mirror.
Use the selector switch to choose either the left or right
outside mirror. Then press the four-way control pad
to move the selected mirror in the desired direction.
SeeOutside Power Mirrors on page 3-35. United States
Canada
1-11
ProCarManuals.com
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster
Your vehicle has a shoulder belt height adjuster for the
driver and right front passenger position.
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.
Squeeze the buttons (A)
on the sides of the height
adjuster and move the
height adjuster to the
desired position.
After the adjuster is set to the desired position, try to
move it down without squeezing the buttons 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 and 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.
Pretensioners work only once. If they 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 2-74.
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides
This vehicle may have rear shoulder belt comfort
guides. If not, they are available through your
dealer/retailer. The guides may provide added safety
belt comfort for older children who have outgrown
booster seats and for some adults. When installed and
properly adjusted, the comfort guide positions the
belt away from the neck and head.
2-26
ProCarManuals.com
Infants and Young Children
Everyone in a vehicle needs protection! This includes
infants and all other children. Neither the distance
traveled nor the age and size of the traveler changes
the need, for everyone, to use safety restraints. In fact,
the law in every state in the United States and in
every Canadian province says children up to some age
must be restrained while in a vehicle.{WARNING:
Children can be seriously injured or strangled if a
shoulder belt is wrapped around their neck and
the safety belt continues to tighten. Never leave
children unattended in a vehicle and never allow
children to play with the safety belts.
Airbags plus lap-shoulder belts offer protection for
adults and older children, but not for young children and
infants. Neither the vehicle’s safety belt system nor
its airbag system is designed for them. Every time
infants and young children ride in vehicles, they should
have the protection provided by appropriate child
restraints.
Children who are not restrained properly can strike
other people, or can be thrown out of the vehicle.
2-34
ProCarManuals.com
Securing a Child Restraint in the
Right Front Seat Position
This vehicle has airbags. A rear seat is a safer place to
secure a forward-facing child restraint. SeeWhere to
Put the Restraint on page 2-40.
In addition, the vehicle has a passenger sensing system
which is designed to turn off the right front passenger
frontal airbag and seat-mounted side impact airbag
under certain conditions. SeePassenger Sensing
System on page 2-66andPassenger Airbag Status
Indicator on page 4-26for more information, including
important safety information.
A label on the sun visor says, “Never put a rear-facing
child seat in the front.” This is because the risk to
the rear-facing child is so great, if the airbag deploys.
{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 it 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.
SeePassenger Sensing System on page 2-66for
additional information.
2-52
ProCarManuals.com
If the child restraint has the LATCH system, seeLower
Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on
page 2-42for how and where to install the child restraint
using LATCH. If a child restraint is secured using a
safety belt and it uses a top tether, seeLower Anchors
and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 2-42for
top tether anchor locations.
Do not secure a child seat in a position without a top
tether anchor if a national or local law requires that the
top tether be anchored, or if the instructions that
come with the child restraint say that the top strap must
be anchored.
In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing child
restraints have a top tether, and that the tether be
attached.You will be using the lap-shoulder belt to secure the
child restraint in this position. Follow the instructions that
came with the child restraint.
1. Move the seat as far back as it will go before
securing the forward-facing child restraint.
When the passenger sensing system has turned off
the right front passenger frontal airbag and
seat-mounted side impact airbag, the off indicator
on the passenger airbag status indicator should light
and stay lit when you start the vehicle. See
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 4-26.
2. Put the child restraint on the seat.
3. 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.
2-53
ProCarManuals.com
6. To tighten the belt, push down on the child restraint,
pull the shoulder portion of the belt to tighten the
lap portion of the belt and feed the shoulder
belt back into the retractor. When installing a
forward-facing child restraint, it may be helpful to
use your knee to push down on the child restraint as
you tighten the belt.
7. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.If the airbags are off, the off indicator in the passenger
airbag status indicator will come on and stay on
when the vehicle is started.
If a child restraint has been installed and the on
indicator is lit, see “If the On Indicator is Lit for a Child
Restraint ” underPassenger Sensing System on
page 2-66for more information.
To remove the child restraint, unbuckle the vehicle
safety belt and let it return to the stowed position.
2-55
ProCarManuals.com
{WARNING:
Airbags inflate with great force, faster than the
blink of an eye. Anyone who is up against, or very
close to, any airbag when it inflates can be
seriously injured or killed. Do not sit unnecessarily
close to the airbag, as you would be if you were
sitting on the edge of your seat or leaning forward.
Safety belts help keep you in position before and
during a crash. Always wear your safety belt, even
with airbags. The driver should sit as far back as
possible while still maintaining control of the
vehicle.
Occupants should not lean on or sleep against the
door or side windows in seating positions with
seat-mounted side impact airbags and/or roof-rail
airbags.
{WARNING:
Children who are up against, or very close to, any
airbag when it inflates can be seriously injured or
killed. Airbags plus lap-shoulder belts offer
protection for adults and older children, but not for
young children and infants. Neither the vehicle’s
safety belt system nor its airbag system is
designed for them. Young children and infants
need the protection that a child restraint system
can provide. Always secure children properly in
your vehicle. To read how, seeOlder Children on
page 2-30orInfants and Young Children on
page 2-34.
2-57
ProCarManuals.com