Page 76 of 388

Installing A Child Restraint with a Switchable
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)
1. Place the child seat in the center of the seating
position. For some second row seats, you may need to
recline the seat and/or raise the head restraint to get a
better fit.
2. Pull enough of the seat belt webbing from the retractor
to pass it through the belt path of the child restraint.
Do not twist the belt webbing in the belt path.
3. Slide the latch plate into the buckle until you hear a
“click.”
4. Pull on the webbing to make the lap portion tight
against the child seat.
5. To lock the seat belt, pull down on the shoulder part of
the belt until you have pulled all the seat belt webbing
out of the retractor. Then, allow the webbing to retract
back into the retractor. As the webbing retracts, you
will hear a clicking sound. This means the seat belt is
now in the Automatic Locking mode.
6. Try to pull the webbing out of the retractor. If it is
locked, you should not be able to pull out any web-
bing. If the retractor is not locked, repeat step 5.
7. Finally, pull up on any excess webbing to tighten the
lap portion around the child restraint while you push
the child restraint rearward and downward into the
vehicle seat.
8. If the child restraint has a top tether strap and the
seating position has a top tether anchorage, connect
the tether strap to the anchorage and tighten the tether
strap. Refer to “Lower Anchors and Tethers for Chil-
dren (LATCH) Restraint System” for directions to
attach a tether anchor.
74 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
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9. Test that the child restraint is installed tightly by
pulling back and forth on the child seat at the belt
path. It should not move more than 1 inch (25.4 mm)
in any direction.
Any seat belt system will loosen with time, so check the
belt occasionally, and pull it tight if necessary.
Installing A Child Restraint With A Cinching
Latch Plate (CINCH) — If Equipped
1. Place the child seat in the center of the seating
position. For some second row seats, you may need to
recline the seat and / or raise the head restraint to get
a better fit.
2. Next, pull enough of the seat belt webbing from the
retractor to pass it through the belt path of the child
restraint. Do not twist the belt webbing in the belt
path.
3. Slide the latch plate into the buckle until you hear a
“click.”
4. Finally, pull up on any excess webbing to tighten the
lap portion around the child restraint while you push
the child restraint rearward and downward into the
vehicle seat.
5. If the child restraint has a top tether strap and the
seating position has a top tether anchorage, connect
the tether strap to the anchorage and tighten the tether
strap. Refer to “Installing Child Restraints Using The
Top Tether Anchorage” for directions to attach a tether
anchor.
6. Test that the child restraint is installed tightly by
pulling back and forth on the child seat at the belt
path. It should not move more than 1 inch (25.4 mm)
in any direction.
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 75
Page 78 of 388

Any seat belt system will loosen with time, so check the
belt occasionally, and pull it tight if necessary.
If the buckle or the cinching latch plate is too close to the
belt path opening of the child restraint, you may have
trouble tightening the seat belt. If this happens, discon-
nect the latch plate from the buckle and twist the short
buckle-end belt up to three full turns to shorten it. Insert
the latch plate into the buckle with the release button
facing out, away from the child restraint. Repeat steps 4
to 6, above, to complete the installation of the child
restraint.
If the belt still cannot be tightened after you shorten the
buckle, disconnect the latch plate from the buckle, turn
the buckle around one half turn, and insert the latch plate
into the buckle again. If you still cannot make the child
restraint installation tight, try a different seating position.
Installing Child Restraints Using The Top Tether
Anchorage
1. Look behind the seating position where you plan to
install the child restraint to find the tether anchorage.
You may need to move the seat forward to provide
better access to the tether anchorage. If there is no top
tether anchorage for that seating position (see the
charts above), move the child restraint to another
position in the vehicle if one is available.
2. Route the tether strap to provide the most direct path
for the strap between the anchor and the child seat. If
your vehicle is equipped with adjustable rear head
restraints, raise the head restraint, and where possible,
route the tether strap under the head restraint and
between the two posts. If not possible, lower the head
restraint and pass the tether strap around the outboard
side of the head restraint.
76 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
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3. Attach the tether strap hook of the child restraint to
the top tether anchorage as shown in the diagram.
4. Remove slack in the tether strap according to the child
restraint manufacturer ’s instructions.
WARNING!
•An incorrectly anchored tether strap could lead to
increased head motion and possible injury to the
child. Use only the anchorage position directly
behind the child seat to secure a child restraint top
tether strap.
•If your vehicle is equipped with a split rear seat,
make sure the tether strap does not slip into the
opening between the seatbacks as you remove
slack in the strap.
Transporting Pets
Air Bags deploying in the front seat could harm your pet.
An unrestrained pet will be thrown about and possibly
injured, or could injure a passenger during panic braking
or in a collision.
Rear Seat Tether Strap Mounting
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 77
Page 375 of 388

Brake, Parking...........................234
Brakes.................................333
Brake System............................237
Anti-Lock (ABS)........................237
Master Cylinder........................333
Parking..............................234
Warning Light.........................153
Bulb Replacement.........................348
Bulbs, Light..............................83
Capacities, Antifreeze (Engine Coolant)..........353
Capacities, Fluid..........................353
Caps, Filler
Fuel.................................277
Oil (Engine)...........................315
Carbon Monoxide Warning...................79
Cargo Area Features.......................137
Car Washes.............................337
CD (Compact Disc) Player...................174
Cellular Phone...........................205
Chains, Tire.............................265
Changing A Flat Tire.......................293
Chart, Tire Sizing.........................247
Check Engine Light (Malfunction Indicator Light) . .151
Checking Your Vehicle For Safety...............78
Checks, Safety............................78
Child Restraint............................56
Clean Air Gasoline........................272
Cleaning
Wheels...............................338
Climate Control..........................205
Clutch.................................333
Clutch Fluid.............................333
Compact Disc (CD) Maintenance..............204
Connector
UCI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..202
Universal Consumer Interface (UCI)..........202
Contract, Service..........................364
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INDEX 373
Page 383 of 388

Remote Sound System (Radio) Controls.........203
Replacement Bulbs........................348
Replacement Keys.........................14
Replacement Parts.........................312
Replacement Tires.........................263
Reporting Safety Defects....................365
Restraints, Child...........................56
Rotation, Tires...........................265
Safety Checks Inside Vehicle..................80
Safety Checks Outside Vehicle.................83
Safety Defects, Reporting....................365
Safety, Exhaust Gas.........................79
Safety Information, Tire.....................245
Safety Tips...............................78
Schedule, Maintenance.....................356
Seat Belt Maintenance......................342
Seat Belt Reminder.........................37
Seat Belts................................80
And Pregnant Women.....................39
Child Restraint..........................56
Extender..............................38
Front Seat.............................29
Inspection.............................80
Pretensioners...........................37
Rear Seat..............................29
Untwisting Procedure.....................34
Seat Belts (Sedan)..........................26
Seats..................................103
Adjustment...........................103
Heated...............................107
Selection of Oil...........................315
Sentry Key (Immobilizer)....................13
Service Assistance.........................362
Service Contract..........................364
Service Engine Soon Light (Malfunction Indicator) . .151
Service Manuals..........................366
Shift Speeds, Manual Transmission.............228
10
INDEX 381