
Seat Belts And Pregnant Women
We recommend that pregnant women use the seat belts
throughout their pregnancy. Keeping the mother safe is
the best way to keep the baby safe.
Pregnant women should wear the lap part of the belt
across the thighs and as snug across the hips as possible.
Keep the belt low so that it does not come across the
abdomen. That way the strong bones of the hips will take
the force if there is a collision.
Seat Belt Extender
If a seat belt is too short even when fully extended and
when the adjustable upper shoulder belt anchorage (if
equipped) is in its lowest position, your authorized
dealer can provide you with a seat belt extender. This
extender should be used only if the existing belt is not
long enough. When it is not required, remove the ex-
tender and store it.
WARNING!
Using a seat belt extender when not needed can in-
crease the risk of injury in a collision. Only use when
the seat belt is not long enough when it is worn low
and snug and in the recommended seating positions.
Remove and store the extender when not needed.
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) — Air Bags
This vehicle has Advanced Front Air Bags for both the
driver and front passenger as a supplement to the seat
belt restraint systems. The driver’s Advanced Front Air
Bag is mounted in the center of the steering wheel. The
passenger’s Advanced Front Air Bag is mounted in the
instrument panel, above the glove compartment. The
words SRS AIRBAG are embossed on the air bag covers.
In addition, the vehicle is equipped with a Supplemental
Driver Side Knee Air Bag mounted in the instrument
panel below the steering column.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 57

NOTE:The Driver and Front Passenger Advanced Front
Air Bags are certified to the new Federal regulations for
Advanced Air Bags.
The Advanced Front Air Bags have a multistage inflator
design. This allows the air bag to have different rates of
inflation based on several factors, including the severity
and type of collision.
This vehicle may be equipped with driver and/or front
passenger seat track position sensors that may adjust the
inflation rate of the Advanced Front Air Bags based upon
seat position.
This vehicle may be equipped with a driver and/or front
passenger seat belt buckle switch that detects whether
the driver or front passenger seat belt is fastened. The
seat belt buckle switch may adjust the inflation rate of the
Advanced Front Air Bags.
Advanced Front Air Bag And Knee Bolster Locations
1 — Driver And Passenger Ad-
vanced Front Air Bags 2 — Knee Bolster
3 — Supplemental Driver Side
Knee Air Bag 58 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

•Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains (SABIC)
• Front and Side Impact Sensors
• Front Seat Belt Pretensioners, Seat Belt Buckle Switch,
and Seat Track Position Sensors
Advanced Front Air Bag Features
The Advanced Front Air Bag system has multistage
driver and front passenger air bags. This system provides
output appropriate to the severity and type of collision as
determined by the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC),
which may receive information from the front impact
sensors.
The first stage inflator is triggered immediately during an
impact that requires air bag deployment. This low output
is used in less severe collisions. A higher energy output is
used for more severe collisions.
WARNING!
• No objects should be placed over or near the air
bag on the instrument panel, because any such
objects could cause harm if the vehicle is in a
collision severe enough to cause the air bag to
inflate.
• Do not put anything on or around the air bag
covers or attempt to open them manually. You may
damage the air bags and you could be injured
because the air bags may no longer be functional.
The protective covers for the air bag cushions are
designed to open only when the air bags are
inflating.
• Do not drill, cut or tamper with the knee bolster in
any way.
•
Do not mount any accessories to the knee bolster
such as alarm lights, stereos, citizen band radios, etc.
60 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

SAB and SABIC air bags are a supplement to the seat belt
restraint system. Occupants, including children who are
up against or very close to SAB or SABIC air bags can be
seriously injured or killed. Occupants, especially chil-
dren, should not lean on or sleep against the door, side
windows, or area where the SAB or SABIC air bags
inflate, even if they are in an infant or child restraint.
Always sit upright as possible with your back against the
seat back, use the seat belts properly, and use the
appropriate sized child restraint, infant restraint or
booster seat recommended for the size and weight of the
child.
Supplemental Driver Side Knee Air Bag
The Supplemental Driver Side Knee Air Bag provides
enhanced protection and works together with the Driver
Advanced Front Air Bag during a frontal impact.
Knee Impact Bolsters
The Knee Impact Bolster helps protect the knees of the
front passenger, and position the front occupant for the
best interaction with the Advanced Front Air Bag.
Along with seat belts and pretensioners, Advanced Front
Air Bags work with the Supplemental Driver Side Knee
Air Bag and the passenger side knee bolster to provide
improved protection for the driver and front passenger.
Side air bags also work with seat belts to improve
occupant protection.
Air Bag Deployment Sensors And Controls
Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
The ORC is part of a Federally regulated safety system
required for this vehicle.
The ORC determines if deployment of the front and/or
side air bags in a frontal or side collision is required.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 63

Based on the impact sensor’s signals, a central electronic
ORC deploys the Advanced Front Air Bags, SABIC air
bags, SAB, Supplemental Driver Side Knee Air Bag, and
front seat belt pretensioners, as required, depending on
several factors, including the severity and type of impact.
Advanced Front Air Bags and Supplemental Driver Side
Knee Air Bag are designed to provide additional protec-
tion by supplementing the seat belts in certain frontal
collisions depending on several factors, including the
severity and type of collision. Advanced Front Air Bags
are not expected to reduce the risk of injury in rear, side,
or rollover collisions.
The Advanced Front Air Bags and Supplemental Driver
Side Knee Air Bag will not deploy in all frontal collisions,
including some that may produce substantial vehicle
damage — for example, some pole collisions, truck
underrides, and angle offset collisions. On the other
hand, depending on the type and location of impact,Advanced Front Air Bags may deploy in crashes with
little vehicle front-end damage but that produce a severe
initial deceleration.
The side air bags will not deploy in all side collisions.
Side air bag deployment will depend on the severity and
type of collision.
Because air bag sensors measure vehicle deceleration
over time, vehicle speed and damage by themselves are
not good indicators of whether or not an air bag should
have deployed.
Seat belts are necessary for your protection in all colli-
sions, and also are needed to help keep you in position,
away from an inflating air bag.
The ORC monitors the readiness of the electronic parts of
the air bag system whenever the ignition is in the START
or ON/RUN position. If the ignition is in the OFF
position or in the ACC position, the air bag system is not
on and the air bags will not inflate.
64 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

between the occupant and the door. The SAB fully inflate
in about 10 milliseconds. The side air bag moves at a very
high speed and with such a high force that it could injure
you if you are not seated properly, or if items are
positioned in the area where the side air bag inflates. This
especially applies to children.
Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtain
(SABIC) Inflator Units
During collisions where the impact is confined to a
particular area of the side of the vehicle, the ORC may
deploy the SABIC air bags, depending on the severity
and type of collision. In these events, the ORC will
deploy the SABIC only on the impact side of the vehicle.
A quantity of non-toxic gas is generated to inflate the side
curtain air bag. The inflating side curtain air bag pushes
the outside edge of the headliner out of the way and
covers the window. The air bag inflates in about 30 mil-
liseconds (about one-quarter of the time that it takes toblink your eyes) with enough force to injure you if you
are not belted and seated properly, or if items are
positioned in the area where the side curtain air bag
inflates. This especially applies to children. The side
curtain air bag is only about 3-1/2 in (9 cm) thick when
it is inflated.
Because air bag sensors estimate deceleration over time,
vehicle speed and damage are not good indicators of
whether or not an air bag should have deployed.
Front And Side Impact Sensors
In front and side impacts, impact sensors can aid the
ORC in determining appropriate response to impact
events.
Enhanced Accident Response System
In the event of an impact causing air bag deployment, if
the communication network remains intact, and the
power remains intact, depending on the nature of the
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 67

However, if you haven’t healed significantly within a
few days, or if you have any blistering, see your doctor
immediately.
• As the air bags deflate, you may see some smoke-like
particles. The particles are a normal by-product of the
process that generates the non-toxic gas used for air
bag inflation. These airborne particles may irritate the
skin, eyes, nose, or throat. If you have skin or eye
irritation, rinse the area with cool water. For nose or
throat irritation, move to fresh air. If the irritation
continues, see your doctor. If these particles settle on
your clothing, follow the garment manufacturer’s in-
structions for cleaning. Do not drive your vehicle after the air bags have de-
ployed. If you are involved in another collision, the air
bags will not be in place to protect you.
WARNING!
Deployed air bags and seat belt pretensioners cannot
protect you in another collision. Have the air bags,
seat belt pretensioners, and the front seat belt retrac-
tor assemblies replaced by an authorized dealer im-
mediately. Also, have the Occupant Restraint Con-
troller (ORC) system serviced as well.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 69

time, typically 30 seconds or less. The EDR in this vehicle
is designed to record such data as:
•How various systems in your vehicle were operating;
• Whether or not the driver and passenger safety belts
were buckled/fastened;
• How far (if at all) the driver was depressing the
accelerator and/or brake pedal; and,
• How fast the vehicle was traveling.
These data can help provide a better understanding of
the circumstances in which crashes and injuries occur.
NOTE: EDR data are recorded by your vehicle only if a
non-trivial crash situation occurs; no data are recorded by
the EDR under normal driving conditions and no per-
sonal data (e.g., name, gender, age, and crash location)
are recorded. However, other parties, such as law en-
forcement, could combine the EDR data with the type of personally identifying data routinely acquired during a
crash investigation.
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 every Canadian province, requires
that small children ride in proper restraint systems. This
is the law, and you can be prosecuted for ignoring it.
Children 12 years or younger 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.
72 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE