
28
Safe Driving
Seat Belts
About Your Seat Belts
Seat belts are the single most effective safety device because they keep you
connected to the vehicle so that you can take advantage of many built-in safety
features. They also help keep you from being thrown against the inside of the
vehicle, against other passengers, or out of the vehicle. When worn properly, seat
belts also keep your body properly positioned in a crash so that you can take full
advantage of the additional protection provided by the airbags.
In addition, seat belts help protect you in almost every type of crash, including:
- frontal impacts
- side impacts
- rear impacts
- rollovers
■ Lap/shoulder seat belts
All five seating positions are equipped with lap/shoulder seat belts with emergency
locking retractors. In normal driving the retractor lets you move freely while keeping
some tension on the belt. During a collision or sudden stop the retractor locks to
restrain your body. The rear seat belts also have a lockable retractor for use with
child seats. 2 Installing a Child Seat with a Lap/Shoulder Seat Belt P. 57
1About Your Seat Belts
Seat belts cannot completely protect you in every
crash. But in most cases, seat belts can reduce your risk of serious injury.
Most states and all Canadian provinces and territories
require you to wear seat belts.
3WARNING
Not wearing a seat belt properly increases
the chance of serious injury or death in a
crash, even though your vehicle has
airbags.
Be sure you and your passengers always
wear seat belts and wear them properly.

50
Safe Driving
Child Safety
Protecting Child Passengers
Each year, many children are injured or killed in vehicle crashes because they are
either unrestrained or not properly restrained. In fact, vehicle accidents are the
number one cause of death of children age 12 and under.
To reduce the number of child deaths and injuries, every state, Canadian province
and territory requires that infants and children be properly restrained when they ride
in a vehicle.
Children should sit properly restrained in a rear seat. This is because:
• An inflating front or side airbag can injure
or kill a child sitting in the front seat.
• A child in the front seat is more likely to
interfere with the driver's ability to safely
control the vehicle.
• Statistics show that children of all sizes and
ages are safer when they are properly
restrained in a rear seat.
1Protecting Child Passengers
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport Canada recommend
that all children age 12 and under be properly
restrained in a rear seat. Some states or provinces/
territories have laws restricting where children may ride.
3WARNING
Children who are unrestrained or
improperly restrained can be seriously
injured or killed in a crash.
Any child too small for a seat belt should be
properly restrained in a child seat. A larger
child should be properly restrained with a
seat belt, using a booster seat if necessary.

60
uuChild SafetyuSafety of Larger Children
Safe Driving
Safety of Larger Children
The following pages give instructions on how to check proper seat belt fit, what kind
of booster seat to use if one is needed, and important precautions for a child who must sit in front.
When a child is too big for a child seat, secure the child in a rear seat using the lap/
shoulder seat belt. Have the child sit upright and all the way back, then answer the
following questions.■Checklist
• Do the child's knees bend comfortably over
the edge of the seat?
• Does the shoulder belt cross between the
child's neck and arm?
• Is the lap part of the seat belt as low as
possible, touching the child's thighs?
• Will the child be able to stay seated like this
for the whole trip?
If you answer yes to all these questions, the child is ready to wear the lap/shoulder
seat belt correctly. If you answer no to any question, the child needs to ride on a
booster seat until the seat belt fits properly without a booster seat.
■Protecting Larger Children
■Checking Seat Belt Fit
1Safety of Larger Children
3WARNING
Allowing a child age 12 or under to sit in
front can result in injury or death if the
passenger's front airbag inflates.
If a larger child must ride in front, move the
vehicle seat as far to the rear as possible,
have the child sit up properly and wear the
seat belt properly, using a booster seat if
needed.

340
INDEX
HFL Status Display.................................... 178
Making a Call .......................................... 195
Options During a Call .............................. 200
Phone Setup ............................................ 183
Receiving a Call ....................................... 199
Speed Dial ............................................... 192
To Clear the System ................................. 190
To Create a Security PIN........................... 188
Hazard Warning Button ............................... 2
Head Restraints ......................................... 129
Headlights ................................................. 118
Aiming .................................................... 268
Automatic Operation ............................... 119
Dimming ......................................... 118, 120
Operating ................................................ 118
Heaters (Seat) ............................................ 139
Heating and Cooling System .................... 140
Cooling ................................................... 142
Defrosting the Windshield and
Windows ............................................... 142
Dust and Pollen Filter ............................... 291
Heating ................................................... 141
HFL (HandsFreeLink ®
)............................... 177
High-Beam Indicator .................................. 73
I
Identification Numbers ............................ 328
Engine and Transmission.......................... 328
Vehicle Identification ............................... 328
Ignition Switch .......................................... 117 Illumination Control
................................. 122
Knob ....................................................... 122
Immobilizer System .................................. 112
Indicator.................................................... 74
Indicators .................................................... 66
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)..................... 69
Charging System ............................... 67, 313
CRUISE CONTROL ............................. 75, 221
CRUISE MAIN .................................... 75, 220
Daytime Running Lights............................. 71
Door Open .......................................... 27, 70
ECON Mode ...................................... 75, 123
EPS (Electric Power Steering
System) ........................................... 71, 315
Fog Light ................................................... 73
High Temperature ..................................... 69
High-Beam ................................................ 73
Immobilizer System ................................... 74
i-VTEC ................................................. 75, 79
Lights On .................................................. 73
Low Fuel ................................................... 68
Low Oil Pressure ................................ 66, 313
Low Temperature ...................................... 74
Low Tire Pressure .............................. 72, 225
Low Tire Pressure/TPMS ............. 72, 225, 226
Maintenance Minder ......................... 75, 243
Malfunction Indicator Lamp............... 67, 314
Parking Brake and Brake System ........ 66, 315
REV ..................................................... 75, 79
Seat Belt Reminder .............................. 29, 68
Security System Alarm ............................... 74 Shift Position............................................. 67
Side Airbag Off ................................... 48, 73
Supplemental Restraint System ........... 46, 69
System Message ....................................... 72
TPMS ................................................ 71, 227
Transmission ............................................. 68
Trunk Open .............................................. 71
Turn Signal ............................................... 73 VSA
®
(Vehicle Stability Assist)
System ............................................ 70, 223
VSA ®
OFF .......................................... 70, 224
Washer Level ............................................ 75
Information .............................................. 323
Information Display ................................... 80
Instant Fuel Economy .......................... 78, 85
Instrument Panel ........................................ 65
Brightness Control .................................. 122
Interior Lights ........................................... 134
Interior Rearview Mirror ......................... 125
i-VTEC and REV Indicators ......................... 79
J
Jack (Wheel Nut Wrench) ........................ 302
Jump Starting ........................................... 307
K
Key Number Tag ...................................... 100
Keyless Lockout Prevention ..................... 102

342
INDEX
Trunk....................................................... 109
Outside Temperature Display .................... 85
Overheating .............................................. 311
P
Panic Mode ............................................... 113
Parking ...................................................... 233
Parking Brake ............................................ 229
Parking Brake and Brake System Indicator ............................................ 66, 315
Passenger Airbag Off Indicator ................. 47
Passing Indicators ..................................... 118
Power Windows ........................................ 114
Precautions While Driving ........................ 213
Rain ......................................................... 213
Pregnant Women ....................................... 33
Puncture (Tire) .......................................... 299
R
Radiator ..................................................... 262
Radio (AM/FM) .................................. 149, 158
Radio Data System (RDS) .................. 150, 160
Range .................................................... 81, 84
RDS (Radio Data System) .................. 150, 160
Readiness Codes (Emissions Testing) ....... 331
Rear Defogger/Heated Door Mirror
Button ...................................................... 123
Rear Seats (Folding Down) ....................... 132
Rearview Mirror ........................................ 125 Refueling
.................................................. 234
Fuel Gauge................................................ 78
Gasoline .................................. 234, 324, 326
Low Fuel Indicator ..................................... 68
Regulations ............................... 226, 283, 329
Remote Transmitter ................................. 101
Replacement
Battery .................................................... 290
Bulbs ....................................................... 268
Fuses ............................................... 318, 319
Tires ........................................................ 286
Wiper Blade Rubber ................................ 278
Reporting Safety Defects ......................... 330
Resetting a Trip Meter ......................... 80, 83
S
Safe Driving ................................................ 23
Safety Check ............................................... 27
Safety Labels ............................................... 63
Safety Message ........................................... 22
Seat Belts .................................................... 28
Adjusting the Shoulder Anchor.................. 32
Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners ................. 30
Checking................................................... 34
Fastening .................................................. 31
Installing a Child Seat with a Lap/
Shoulder Seat Belt ................................... 57
Pregnant Women ...................................... 33
Reminder .................................................. 29
Warning Indicator ............................... 29, 68 Seat Heaters
............................................. 139
Seats .......................................................... 126
Adjusting ................................................ 126
Front Seats.............................................. 126
Rear Seats ............................................... 132
Seat Heaters ........................................... 139
Security System ........................................ 112
Immobilizer System Indicator..................... 74
Security System Alarm Indicator ................ 74
SEL/RESET Knob .................................... 80, 82
Select Lever ................................ 15, 215, 217
Operation ................................. 15, 216, 217
Releasing ................................................ 310
Won’t Move ........................................... 310
Selecting a Child Seat ................................ 54
Selector Knob (Audio) ..................... 147, 155
Setting the Clock ........................................ 98
Shift Lever .................................. 15, 215, 217
Shift Position Indicator ...................... 67, 216
Shifting (Transmission) .................... 215, 217
Shoulder Anchor ........................................ 32
Side Airbags ............................................... 42
Cutoff System ........................................... 44
Off Indicator ............................................. 44
Side Curtain Airbags .................................. 45
Snow Tires ................................................ 288
Spare Tire ................................. 299, 325, 327
Spark Plugs ....................................... 324, 326
Specifications ........................................... 324
Specified Fuel ........................... 234, 324, 326
Speedometer .............................................. 78