RESTRAINT SAFETY SYSTEM
The restraint system provides an improved overall level of frontal crash
protection to front seat occupants and is designed to help further reduce
the risk of airbag-related injuries. The system is able to analyze different
occupant conditions and crash severity before activating the appropriate
safety devices to help better protect a range of occupants in a variety of
frontal crash situations.
Your vehicle’s restraint system consists of:
•Driver and passenger dual-stage airbag supplemental restraints.
•Front safety belts with pretensioners, energy management retractors,
and safety belt usage sensors.
•Driver’s seat position sensor.
•Front crash severity sensor.
•Restraints Control Module (RCM).
•Restraint system warning light and back-up tone.
•The electrical wiring for the airbags, crash sensor(s), safety belt
pretensioners, front safety belt usage sensors, driver seat position
sensor, and indicator lights.
How does the restraint system work?
The restraint system can adapt the deployment strategy of your vehicle’s
safety devices according to crash severity and occupant conditions. A
collection of crash and occupant sensors provides information to the
Restraints Control Module (RCM). During a crash, the RCM may activate
the safety belt pretensioners and/or either one or both stages of the
dual-stage airbag supplemental restraints based on crash severity and
occupant conditions.
The fact that the pretensioners or airbags did not activate for both front
seat occupants in a collision does not mean that something is wrong with
the system. Rather, it means the restraint system determined the
accident conditions (crash severity, belt usage, etc.) were not
appropriate to activate these safety devices. Front airbags are designed
to activate only in frontal and near-frontal collisions, not rollovers,
side-impacts, or rear-impacts unless the collision causes sufficient
longitudinal deceleration.
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Determining if the restraint system is operational
The restraint system uses a warning light in the instrument cluster or a
back-up tone to indicate the condition of the system. Refer to the
Warning lights and chimessection in theInstrument Clusterchapter.
Routine maintenance of the restraint system is not required.
The Restraints Control Module (RCM) monitors its own internal circuits
and the circuits for the airbag supplemental restraints, crash sensor(s),
safety belt pretensioners, front safety belt buckle sensors, and the driver
seat position sensor. In addition, the RCM also monitors the restraints
warning light in the instrument cluster. A difficulty with the system is
indicated by one or more of the following:
•The warning light will either flash or stay lit.
•The warning light will not illuminate immediately after the ignition is
turned on.
•A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat
periodically until the problem and warning light are repaired.
If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the restraint
system serviced at an authorized dealer immediately. Unless serviced, the
system may not function properly in the event of a collision.
SAFETY BELT SYSTEM
WARNING:Always drive and ride with your seatback upright
and the lap belt snug and low across the hips.
WARNING:To reduce the risk of injury, make sure children sit
where they can be properly restrained.
WARNING:Never let a passenger hold a child on his or her lap
while the vehicle is moving. The passenger cannot protect the
child from injury in a collision.
WARNING:All occupants of the vehicle, including the driver,
should always properly wear their safety belts, even when an air
bag supplemental restraint system (SRS) is provided.
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WARNING:It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people riding in
these areas are more likely to be seriously injured or killed. Do not
allow people to ride in any area of your vehicle that is not equipped
with seats and safety belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a
seat and using a safety belt properly.
WARNING:In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is
significantly more likely to die than a person wearing a seat belt.
WARNING:Each seating position in your vehicle has a specific
safety belt assembly which is made up of one buckle and one
tongue that are designed to be used as a pair. 1) Use the shoulder belt
on the outside shoulder only. Never wear the shoulder belt under the
arm. 2) Never swing the safety belt around your neck over the inside
shoulder. 3) Never use a single belt for more than one person.
WARNING:When possible, all children 12 years old and under
should be properly restrained in a rear seating position.
WARNING:Safety belts and seats can become hot in a vehicle
that has been closed up in sunny weather; they could burn a
small child. Check seat covers and buckles before you place a child
anywhere near them.
WARNING:Front and rear seat occupants, including pregnant
women, should wear safety belts for optimum protection in an
accident.
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Restraint of pregnant women
WARNING:Always ride and drive with your seatback upright
and the safety belt properly fastened. The lap portion of the
safety belt should fit snug and be positioned low across the hips. The
shoulder portion of the safety belt should be positioned across the
chest. Pregnant women should also follow this practice. See figure
below.
Pregnant women should always
wear their safety belt. The lap belt
portion of a combination lap and
shoulder belt should be positioned
low across the hips below the belly
and worn as tight as comfort will
allow. The shoulder belt should be
positioned to cross the middle of
the shoulder and the center of the
chest.
Safety belt locking modes
All safety restraints in the vehicle are combination lap and shoulder
belts. The driver safety belt has the first locking mode and the front
outboard passenger and rear seat safety belts have both types of locking
modes described as follows:
Vehicle sensitive mode
This is the normal retractor mode, which allows free shoulder belt length
adjustment to your movements and locking in response to vehicle
movement. For example, if the driver brakes suddenly or turns a corner
sharply, or the vehicle receives an impact of approximately 5 mph
(8 km/h) or more, the combination safety belts will lock to help reduce
forward movement of the driver and passengers.
In addition, the retractor is designed to lock if the webbing is pulled out
too quickly. If this occurs, let the belt retract slightly and pull webbing
out again in a slow and controlled manner.
Automatic locking mode
In this mode, the shoulder belt is automatically pre-locked. The belt will
still retract to remove any slack in the shoulder belt. The automatic
locking mode is not available on the driver safety belt.
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When to use the automatic locking mode
This mode should be usedany timea child safety seat, except a
booster, is installed in passenger front or rear seating positions. Children
12 years old and under should be properly restrained in a rear seating
position whenever possible. Refer toSafety restraints for childrenor
Safety seats for childrenlater in this chapter.
How to use the automatic locking mode
1. Buckle the combination lap and
shoulder belt.
2. Grasp the shoulder portion and
pull downward until the entire belt
is pulled out.
•Allow the belt to retract. As the belt retracts, you will hear a clicking
sound. This indicates the safety belt is now in the automatic locking
mode.
How to disengage the automatic locking mode
Disconnect the combination lap/shoulder belt and allow it to retract
completely to disengage the automatic locking mode and activate the
vehicle sensitive (emergency) locking mode.
WARNING:After any vehicle collision, the safety belt system at
all passenger seating positions must be checked by an authorized
dealer to verify that the “automatic locking retractor” feature for child
seats is still functioning properly. In addition, all safety belts should be
checked for proper function.
WARNING:BELT AND RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY MUST BE
REPLACED if the safety belt assembly “automatic locking
retractor” feature or any other safety belt function is not operating
properly when checked by an authorized dealer. Failure to replace the
belt and retractor assembly could increase the risk of injury in
collisions.
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Safety belt pretensioner
Your vehicle is equipped with safety belt pretensioners at the driver and
right front passenger seating positions.
The safety belt pretensioner removes some slack from the safety belt
system at the start of a crash. The safety belt pretensioner uses the
same crash sensor system as the front airbags and Safety Canopy
System. When the safety belt pretensioner deploys, the lap and shoulder
belt are tightened.
When the Safety CanopySystem and/or the front airbags are activated,
the safety belt pretensioners for the driver and right front passenger
seating positions will be activated when the respective seatbelt is
properly buckled.
WARNING:The driver and the right front passenger safety belt
system (including retractors, buckles and height adjusters) must
be replaced if the vehicle is involved in a collision that results in
deployment of front airbags or Safety CanopySystem and safety belt
pretensioners.
Refer to theSafety belt maintenancesection in this chapter.
Safety belt height adjustment
Your vehicle has safety belt height
adjustments for the driver and right
front passenger. Adjust the height of
the shoulder belt so the belt rests
across the middle of your shoulder.
To lower the shoulder belt height,
squeeze the side release buttons
with your thumb and finger and
slide the height adjuster down. To
raise the height of the shoulder belt,
squeeze the side release buttons
and slide the height adjuster up. Pull down on the height adjuster to
make sure it is locked in place.
WARNING:Position the safety belt height adjusters so that the
belt rests across the middle of your shoulder. Failure to adjust
the safety belt properly could reduce the effectiveness of the seat belt
and increase the risk of injury in a collision.
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Second row comfort guide
The second row outboard
lap/shoulder belt is equipped with a
belt comfort guide. This guide is
attached to the quarter trim panel
and is used to adjust the comfort of
the shoulder belt for smaller
occupants in the outboard second
row seats.
To adjust the comfort guide:
1. Slip the shoulder belt into the
belt guide. (The portion of the belt
between the latch tongue and the
D-ring, not the portion where the
belt exits from the quarter trim
panel.)
2. Slide the guide up or down along
the webbing so that the belt is
centered on the occupant’s shoulder.
WARNING:Position the safety belt comfort guide so that the
belt rests across the middle of your shoulder. Failure to adjust
the safety belt properly could reduce the effectiveness of the safety
belt and increase the risk of injury in a collision.
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Safety belt extension assembly
If the safety belt is too short when fully extended, a safety belt extension
assembly can be obtained from an authorized dealer.
Use only extensions manufactured by the same supplier as the safety
belt. Manufacturer identification is located at the end of the webbing on
the label. Also, use the safety belt extension only if the safety belt is too
short for you when fully extended.
WARNING:Do not use extensions to change the fit of the
shoulder belt across the torso.
Safety belt warning light and indicator chime
The safety belt warning light illuminates in the instrument cluster and a
chime sounds to remind the occupants to fasten their safety belts.
Conditions of operation
If... Then...
The driver safety belt is not
buckled before the ignition
switch is turned to the on
position...The safety belt warning light illuminates
1-2 minutes and the warning chime
sounds 4-8 seconds.
The driver safety belt is buckled
while the indicator light is
illuminated and the warning
chime is sounding...The safety belt warning light and
warning chime turn off.
The driver safety belt is buckled
before the ignition switch is
turned to the on position...The safety belt warning light and
indicator chime remain off.
Belt-Minder
The Belt-Minderfeature is a supplemental warning to the safety belt
warning function. This feature provides additional reminders to the
driver that the driver’s safety belt is unbuckled by intermittently
sounding a chime and illuminating the safety belt warning lamp in the
instrument cluster.
When the Belt-Minderfeature is activated, the safety belt warning light
illuminates and the warning chime sounds for 6 seconds every
30 seconds, repeating for approximately 5 minutes or until the safety
belts are buckled.
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