all the way out and then adjusting the belt to the
desired length to restrain a child seat or secure a large
item in a seat — if equipped
Please pay close attention to the information in this
section. It tells you how to use your restraint system
properly, to keep you and your passengers as safe as
possible.
If you will be carrying children too small for adult-sized
seat belts, the seat belts or the Lower Anchors and Tether
for CHildren (LATCH) feature also can be used to hold
infant and child restraint systems. For more information
on LATCH, refer to “LATCH — Child Seat Anchorage
System (Lower Anchors and Tether for CHildren).”
Here are some simple steps you can take to minimize the
risk of harm from a deploying air bag:
1. Children 12 years old and under should always ride
buckled up in a rear seat.WARNING!
Infants in rear facing child restraints should never
ride in the front seat of a vehicle with a passenger
Advanced Front Air Bag. An air bag deployment can
cause severe injury or death to infants in that posi-
tion.
Children that are not big enough to wear the vehicle seat
belt properly (see section on Child Restraints) should be
secured in the rear seat in child restraints or belt-
positioning booster seats. Older children who do not use
child restraints or belt-positioning booster seats should
ride properly buckled up in the rear seat. Never allow
children to slide the shoulder belt behind them or under
their arm.
You should read the instructions provided with your
child restraint to make sure that you are using it properly.
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 25
CAUTION!
•Many accessories that can be plugged in draw
power from the vehicle’s battery, even when not in
use (i.e., cellular phones, etc.). Eventually, if
plugged in long enough, the vehicle’s battery will
discharge sufficiently to degrade battery life
and/or prevent the engine from starting.
•Accessories that draw higher power (i.e., coolers,
vacuum cleaners, lights, etc.) will degrade the
battery even more quickly. Only use these inter-
mittently and with great caution.
•After the use of high power draw accessories, or
long periods of the vehicle not being started (with
accessories still plugged in), the vehicle must be
driven a sufficient length of time to allow the
generator to recharge the vehicle’s battery.
CIGAR LIGHTER — IF EQUIPPED
WARNING!
When the cigar lighter is in use it becomes very hot.
To avoid serious injury, handle the cigar lighter with
care. Always check that the cigar lighter has turned
off.
114 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE
