To read data recorded by an EDR, special equipment is
required, and access to the vehicle or the EDR is needed.
In addition to the vehicle manufacturer, other parties,
such as law enforcement, that have the special equip-
ment, can read the information if they have access to the
vehicle or the EDR.
Child Restraints
Everyone in your vehicle needs to be buckled up at all
times, including babies and children. Every state in the
United States and all Canadian provinces require that
small children ride in proper restraint systems. This is the
law, and you can be prosecuted for ignoring it.
Children 12 years or under should ride properly buckled
up in a rear seat, if available. According to crash statistics,
children are safer when properly restrained in the rear
seats, rather than in the front.
There are different sizes and types of restraints for
children from newborn size to the child almost largeenough for an adult safety belt. Always check the child
seat owner’s manual to ensure you have the correct seat
for your child. Use the restraint that is correct for your
child.
WARNING!
In a collision, an unrestrained child, even a tiny baby,
can become a projectile inside the vehicle. The force
required to hold even an infant on your lap could
become so great that you could not hold the child, no
matter how strong you are. The child and others
could be badly injured. Any child riding in your
vehicle should be in a proper restraint for the child’s
size.
Infants And Child Restraints
Safety experts recommend that children ride rearward-
facing in the vehicle until they are two years old or until
they reach either the height or weight limit of their rear
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 71
facing child safety seat. Two types of child restraints can
be used rearward-facing: infant carriers and convertible
child seats.
The infant carrier is only used rearward-facing in the
vehicle. It is recommended for children from birth until
they reach the weight or height limit of the infant carrier.
Convertible child seats can be used either rearward-
facing or forward-facing in the vehicle. Convertible child
seats often have a higher weight limit in the rearward-
facing direction than infant carriers do, so they can be
used rearward-facing by children who have outgrown
their infant carrier but are still less than at least two years
old. Children should remain rearward-facing until they
reach the highest weight or height allowed by their
convertible child seat. Both types of child restraints are
held in the vehicle by the lap/shoulder belt or the
LATCH child restraint anchor system. Refer to “Lower
Anchors and Tether for CHildren (LATCH)”.WARNING!
•Rearward-facing child seats must never be used in
the front seat of a vehicle with the front passenger
air bag. An air bag deployment could cause severe
injury or death to infants in this position.
•Improper installation can lead to failure of an
infant or child restraint. It could come loose in a
collision. The child could be badly injured or
killed. Follow the manufacturer’s directions ex-
actly when installing an infant or child restraint.
Here are some tips for getting the most out of your child
restraint:
•Before buying any restraint system, make sure that it
has a label certifying that it meets all applicable Safety
Standards. The manufacturer also recommends that
you try a child restraint in the vehicle seats where you
will use it before you buy it.
72 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
•The restraint must be appropriate for your child’s
weight and height. Check the label on the restraint for
weight and height limits.
•Carefully follow the instructions that come with the
restraint. If you install the restraint improperly, it may
not work when you need it.
•The seat belts in the passenger seating positions are
equipped with either an Automatic Locking Retractor
(ALR) or a cinching latch plate or both. Both types of
seat belts are designed to keep the lap portion of the
seat belt tight around the child restraint so that it is not
necessary to use a locking clip. The ALR will make a
ratcheting noise if you extract the entire belt from the
retractor and then allow the belt to retract into the
retractor. For additional information on ALR, refer to
“Automatic Locking Mode”.
•In the rear seat, you may have trouble tightening the
lap/shoulder belt on the child restraint because the
buckle or latch plate is too close to the belt path
opening on the restraint. Disconnect the latch plate
from the buckle and twist the short buckle-end belt
several times to shorten it. Insert the latch plate into
the buckle with the release button facing out.
•If the belt still cannot be tightened, or if pulling and
pushing on the restraint loosens the belt, disconnect
the latch plate from the buckle, turn the buckle
around, and insert the latch plate into the buckle
again. If you still cannot make the child restraint
secure, try a different seating position.
•Buckle the child into the restraint exactly as the
manufacturer’s instructions tell you.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 73
WARNING!
When your child restraint is not in use, secure it in
the vehicle with the seat belt or remove it from the
vehicle. Do not leave it loose in the vehicle. In a
sudden stop or accident, it could strike the occupants
or seatbacks and cause serious personal injury.
Older Children And Child Restraints
Children who are two years old or who have outgrown
their rear-facing convertible child seat can ride forward-
facing in the vehicle. Forward-facing child seats and
convertible child seats used in the forward-facing direc-
tion are for children who are over two years old or who
have outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit of
their rear-facing convertible child seat. Children should
remain in a forward-facing child seat with a harness for
as long as possible, up to the highest weight or height
allowed by the child seat. These child seats are also heldin the vehicle by the lap/shoulder belt or the LATCH
child restraint anchorage system. Refer to “Lower An-
chors and Tether for CHildren (LATCH)”.
All children whose weight or height is above the
forward-facing limit for the child seat should use a
belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle’s seat belts
fit properly. If the child cannot sit with knees bent over
the vehicle’s seat cushion while the child’s back is against
the seatback, they should use a belt-positioning booster
seat. The child and belt-positioning booster seat are held
in the vehicle by the lap/shoulder belt.
Children Too Large For Booster Seats
Children who are large enough to wear the shoulder belt
comfortably, and whose legs are long enough to bend
over the front of the seat when their back is against the
seatback, should use the lap/shoulder belt in a rear seat.
•Make sure that the child is upright in the seat.
74 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
3. Release the RESET button, then press and hold again
for approximately 10 seconds, until the direction is
displayed, with the CAL indicator on continuously in the
display.
4. To complete the compass calibration, drive the vehicle
in one or more complete 360–degree circles, under 5 mph
(8 km/h) in an area free from power lines and large
metallic objects, until the CAL indicator turns off. The
compass will now function normally.
Average Fuel Economy / Distance To Empty (DTE)
/ Elapsed Time
•
Average Fuel Economy
Shows the average fuel economy since the last reset.
When the fuel economy is reset, the digits will go blank
while the history information is erased. The averaging
will restart when enough new distance and fuel data is
accumulated.
•Distance To Empty (DTE)
Shows the estimated distance that can be traveled with
the fuel remaining in the tank. This estimated distance is
determined by a weighted average of the instantaneous
and average fuel economy, according to the current fuel
tank level. DTE cannot be reset.
•Elapsed Time
Shows the total elapsed time of travel since the last reset.
Elapsed time will increment when the ignition switch is
in the RUN or START positions. The elapsed timer
displays minutes:seconds. After 59minutes:59seconds, it
displays hours:minutes:seconds.
Trip Conditions
Trip Odometer (ODO) / ECO (Fuel Saver Indicator)
— If Equipped
This display shows the distance traveled since the last
reset. Press and release the right button (on the instru-
ment cluster) to switch from odometer to Trip A or Trip B
4
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 287
Distance To Empty (DTE)
Shows the estimated distance that can be traveled with
the fuel remaining in the tank. This estimated distance is
determined by a weighted average of the instantaneous
and average fuel economy, according to the current fuel
tank level. DTE cannot be reset.
NOTE:Significant changes in driving style or vehicle
loading will greatly affect the actual drivable distance of
the vehicle, regardless of the DTE display value.
When the DTE value is less than 30 miles (48 km)
estimated driving distance, the DTE display will change
to a text display of LOW FUEL”. This display will
continue until the vehicle runs out of fuel. Adding a
significant amount of fuel to the vehicle will turn off the
LOW FUEL text and a new DTE value will display.
Elapsed Time
Shows the total elapsed time of travel since the last reset.
Elapsed time will increment when the ignition switch is
in the RUN or START position.
Elapsed time is displayed as follows:
hours:minutes:seconds
Elapsed time can be reset by pressing and holding the
SELECT button (as prompted in the EVIC display). Upon
reset all digits will change to zeros and time will start
incrementing again if the ignition switch is in RUN or
START.
EVIC Units Selection (UNITS IN Display)
Displays the units used for the Outside Temperature,
Average Fuel Economy and Distance to Empty features.
Press and Release the SELECT button to toggle units
between U.S.andMETRIC.
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UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 297
▫Replacement Tires .................... 450
Tire Chains .......................... 452
Tire Rotation Recommendations ........... 453
Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) ....... 454
▫ Base System ........................ 457
▫ General Information .................. 459
Fuel Requirements ..................... 460
▫ Reformulated Gasoline ................ 460
▫ Gasoline/Oxygenate Blends ............. 461
▫ E-85 Usage In Non-Flex Fuel Vehicles ...... 461
▫ MMT In Gasoline .................... 462
▫ Materials Added To Fuel ............... 462 ▫
Fuel System Cautions ................. 463
▫ Carbon Monoxide Warnings ............ 464
Adding Fuel ......................... 465
▫ Fuel Filler Cap (Gas Cap) .............. 465
▫ Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message ........... 466
Vehicle Loading ...................... 466
▫ Certification Label ................... 466
Trailer Towing ........................ 469
▫ Common Towing Definitions ............ 469
▫ Trailer Hitch Classification .............. 472
▫ Trailer Towing Weights
(Maximum Trailer Weight Ratings) ........ 473
370 STARTING AND OPERATING
▫Trailer And Tongue Weight ............. 477
▫ Towing Requirements ................. 478
▫ Towing Tips ........................ 483
Recreational Towing
(Behind Motorhome, Etc.) ................ 485
▫ Towing This Vehicle Behind
Another Vehicle ..................... 485
▫ Recreational Towing – Four-Wheel Drive
Models ........................... 486
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 371