Page 28 of 370

uuFor Safe Driving uYour Vehicle’s Safety Features
26
Safe DrivingFor the safety of you and your passengers, make a habit of checking these items
each time before you drive.
• After everyone has entered the vehicle, be sure all doors and the tailgate are
closed and locked. Locking the doors and the tailgate helps prevent an occupant
from being ejected and an outsider fro m unexpectedly opening a door or the
tailgate.
2 Locking/Unlocking the Doors from the Inside P. 111
•Adjust your seat to a position suitable for driving. Be sure the front seats are
adjusted as far to the rear as possible while allowing the driver to control the
vehicle. Sitting too close to a front airbag can result in serious or fatal injury in a
crash.
2 Adjusting the Seats P. 143
•Adjust head restraints to the proper position. Head re straints are most effective
when the center of the head restraint aligns with the center of your head. Taller
persons should adjust their head restraint to the highest position.
2Adjusting the Head Restraints P. 145
•Always wear your seat belt, and make sure you wear it properly. Confirm that any
passengers are properly belted as well.
2 Fastening a Seat Belt P. 31
•Protect children by using seat belts or child seats according to a child’s age, height
and weight.
2 Child Safety P. 50
■Safety Checklist1Safety Checklist
If the door and tailgate open indicator is on, a door
and/or the tailgate is not co mpletely closed. Close all
doors and the tailgate tightly until the indicator goes
off.
2 Door and Tailgate Open Indicator P. 73
Page 34 of 370

uuSeat Belts uFastening a Seat Belt
32
Safe Driving
3. Position the lap part of the belt as low as
possible across your hips, then pull up on
the shoulder part of th e belt so the lap part
fits snugly. This lets your strong pelvic
bones take the force of a crash and reduces
the chance of internal injuries.
4. If necessary, pull up on the belt again to
remove any slack, then check that the belt
rests across the center of your chest and
over your shoulder. Th is spreads the forces
of a crash over the strongest bones in your
upper body.
The front seats have adjustable shoulder anchors to acco mmodate taller and shorter
occupants.
1.Move the anchor up and down while
holding the release button.
2. Position the anchor so that the belt rests
across the center of your chest and over
your shoulder.1Fastening a Seat Belt
To release the belt, push the red PRESS button then
guide the belt by hand until it has retracted
completely.
When exiting the vehicle, be sure the belt is out of
the way and will not get caught by closing the door.
3WARNING
Improperly positioning the seat belts can
cause serious injury or death in a crash.
Make sure all seat belts are properly
positioned before driving.Lap belt
as low as
possible
■Adjusting the Shoulder Anchor1Adjusting the Shoulder Anchor
The shoulder anchor height can be adjusted to four
levels. If the belt contacts your neck, lower the height
one level at a time.
After an adjustment, make sure that the shoulder
anchor position is secure.
Push
Page 46 of 370

uuAirbags uSide Airbags
44
Safe DrivingTo reduce the likelihood that a front passenger may be injured by an inflating side
airbag, the passenger side airbag is automatically turned off when:
• The height sensors detect a child or sho rt-statured adult is seated in the front
passenger seat.
• The position sensor detects that the front passenger is leaning into the
deployment path of the side airbag.
When the side airbag cutoff system is activated, the side airbag off indicator comes
on.
2 Side Airbag Off Indicator P. 48
If the side airbag off indicator comes on, have the passenger sit upright. A few
seconds after the passenger is sitting proper ly, the side airbag will automatically be
turned on, and the indicator will go off.
If the front passenger is a child, stop when it is safe to do so, and have the child sit
properly restrained in a rear seat.
■Side Airbag Cutoff System
■Side Airbag Off Indicator
1 Side Airbag Cutoff System
The sensors that monitor the front passenger’s height
and body position may not work if:
•The seat-back is wet•The passenger is touchi ng a metal or other
electrical conductive object
•A seat cushion is on the seat•The passenger is wearing excessively thick clothing
Sensor that
monitor the
passenger’s height.
Sensor that monitor
the passenger’s
position.
Page 55 of 370

Continued53
uuChild Safety uSafety of Infants and Small Children
Safe DrivingIf a child is at least one year old and with in the weight range indicated by the child
seat manufacturer, the child should be pr operly restrained in a firmly secured
forward-facing child seat.
■Forward-facing child seat placement
We strongly recommend placing a forward-
facing child seat in a rear seating position.
Placing a forward-facing child seat in the front seat can be hazardous, even with
advanced front airbags that automatically turn the passeng er’s front airbag off. A
rear seat is the safest place for a child.
■Protecting Smaller Children1 Protecting Smaller Children
Educate yourself about the laws and regulations
regarding child seat use where you are driving, and
follow the child seat manufacturer’s instructions.
Many experts recommend us e of a rear-facing seat
up to age two, if the child’s height and weight are
appropriate for a rear-facing seat.
3WARNING
Placing a forward-facing child seat in the
front seat can result in serious injury or
death if the front airbag inflates.
If you must place a forward-facing child
seat in front, move the vehicle seat as far
back as possible, and properly restrain the
child.
Page 142 of 370
140
uuOperating the Switches Around the Steering Wheel uAdjusting the Steering Wheel
Controls
Adjusting the Steering Wheel
The steering wheel height and distance from your body can be adjusted so that you
can comfortably grip the st eering wheel in an appropriate driving posture.
Push and hold the adjus tment switch to move
the steering wheel in, out, up or down.
Make sure you can see the instrument panel
gauges and indicators.1 Adjusting the Steering Wheel
Make any steering wheel adjustments before you
start driving.
3WARNING
Adjusting the steering wheel position while
driving may cause you to lose control of the
vehicle and be seriously injured in a crash.
Adjust the steering wheel only when the
vehicle is stopped.
Adjustment
Switch
Page 145 of 370

143Continued
Controls
Adjusting the Seats
Adjusting the Seat Positions
Adjust the driver’s seat as far back as possible
while allowing you to maintain full control of
the vehicle. You should be able to sit upright,
well back in the seat and be able to
adequately press the pedals without leaning
forward, and grip the steering wheel
comfortably. The passenger’s seat should be
adjusted in a similar manner, so that it is as far
back from the front airbag in the dashboard
as possible.
■Adjusting the front power seats
1 Adjusting the Seats
The National Highway Traffi c Safety Administration
and Transport Canada recommend that drivers allow
at least 10 inches (25 cm) between the center of the
steering wheel and the chest.
Always make seat adjust ments before driving.
3WARNING
Sitting too close to a front airbag can result
in serious injury or death if the front
airbags inflate.
Always sit as far back from the front
airbags as possible while maintaining
control of the vehicle.
Move back.
Allow sufficient
space.
Horizontal Position
Adjustment
Height Adjustment
Seat-back Angle
Adjustment
Lumbar Support
Adjustment
(Driver’s side only)
Page 147 of 370

Continued145
uuAdjusting the Seats uAdjusting the Seat Positions
Controls
Your vehicle is equipped with head restraints
in all seating positions.
Head restraints are most effective for
protection against whiplash and other rear-
impact crash injuries when the center of the
back of the occupant’s head rests against the
center of the restraint. The tops of the
occupant’s ears should be level with the
center height of the restraint.
■Adjusting the front head restraint positions To raise the head restraint: Pull it upward.
To lower the head restraint: Push it down
while pressing the release button.
■Adjusting the He ad Restraints1Adjusting the Head Restraints
The driver’s and front passenger’s seats have active
head restraints.
2 Active Head Restraints P. 148
3WARNING
Improperly positioning head restraints
reduces their effectiveness and increases
the likelihood of serious injury in a crash.
Make sure head restraints are in place and
positioned properly before driving.
Position head in the center
of the head restraint.
Page 148 of 370
146
uuAdjusting the Seats uAdjusting the Seat Positions
Controls
A passenger sitting in a back seating position
should adjust the height of their head restraint
to an appropriate position before the vehicle
begins moving.
To raise the center head restraint:
Push up on the bottom.
To lower the center head restraint:
Push it down while pressing the release
button.
To tilt the outer head restraint:
Press the tilt button, and then fold it down
backward.
To raise the outer head restraint:
Pull it up by hand.
■Changing the Rear Seat Head Restraint Positions
Center
Release Button Tilt Button
Outer