
8Quick Reference Guide
Instrument Panel 
(P 69)
System Indicators
Malfunction 
Indicator Lamp
Low Oil Pressure 
Indicator
Charging System 
Indicator
Anti-lock Brake 
System (ABS) 
Indicator
Vehicle Stability 
Assist (VSA®) System 
Indicator
VSA® OFF Indicator
Low Tire Pressure 
Indicator
Lights Indicators
Lights On Indicator
High Beam Indicator
Fog Light Indicator Immobilizer System 
IndicatorSeat Belt Reminder 
Indicator
System Indicators
CRUISE CONTROL 
Indicator Parking Brake and 
Brake System 
Indicator (Red)Supplemental 
Restraint System 
Indicator
Side Airbag Off 
Indicator
CRUISE MAIN 
Indicator Tachometer Speedometer
Fuel Gauge Security System Alarm 
IndicatorShift Lever Position Indicator
Low Fuel Indicator
Gauges 
(P 83)
/Information Display 
(P 84)
/System Indicators 
(P 70)
Fuel Economy 
Indicator
*
TPMS Indicator
Maintenance Minder 
Indicator
Washer Level 
Indicator
*
Temperature Gauge
Electric Power 
Steering (EPS) System 
Indicator
*
Turn Signal and 
Hazard Warning 
Indicators
System Indicators
CanadaU.S.
CanadaU.S.
Starter System 
Indicator
*
Door and Tailgate 
Open Indicator
Smart Entry System 
Indicator
*
CanadaU.S.
Forward Collision 
Warning (FCW) Indicator
*
Lane Departure Warning 
(LDW) Indicator
*
M (Sequential shift mode) Indicator/
Shift Indicator
*
Daytime Running 
Lights Indicator 

31
uuFor Safe DrivinguYour Vehicle’s Safety Features
Safe Driving
For the safety of you and your passengers, make a habit of checking these items 
each time before you drive.
•After everyone has entered the vehicle, be sure all doors and the tailgate are 
closed and locked. Locking the doors and the tailgate helps prevent an occupant 
from being ejected and an outsider from unexpectedly opening a door or the 
tailgate.
2Locking/Unlocking the Doors from the Inside P. 99
•Adjust your seat to a position suitable for driving. Be sure the front seats are 
adjusted as far to the rear as possible while allowing the driver to control the 
vehicle. Sitting too close to a front airbag can result in serious or fatal injury in a 
crash.
2Adjusting the Seats P. 133
•Adjust head restraints to the proper position. Head restraints are most effective 
when the center of the head restraint aligns with the center of your head. Taller 
persons should adjust their head restraint to the highest position.
2Adjusting the Head Restraints P. 136
•Always wear your seat belt, and make sure you wear it properly. Confirm that any 
passengers are properly belted as well.
2Fastening a Seat Belt P. 35
•Protect children by using seat belts or child seats according to a child’s age, height 
and weight.
2Child Safety P. 54
■Safety CheckList
1Safety CheckList
If the door and tailgate open indicator is on, a door 
and/or the tailgate is not completely closed. Close all 
doors and the tailgate tightly until the indicator goes 
off.
2Door and Tailgate Open Indicator P. 74 

uuSeat BeltsuAbout Your Seat Belts
34Safe Driving
The front seats are equipped with automatic seat belt tensioners to enhance safety.
The tensioners automatically tighten the front seat belts during a moderate-to-
severe frontal collision, sometimes even if the collision is not severe enough to 
inflate the front airbags.■Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners
1Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners
The seat belt tensioners can only operate once.
If a tensioner is activated, the SRS indicator will come 
on. Have a dealer replace the tensioner and 
thoroughly inspect the seat belt system as it may not 
offer protection in a subsequent crash. 

40
uuAirbagsuAirbag System Components
Safe Driving
The front, front side, and side curtain 
airbags are deployed according to the 
direction and severity of impact. Both side 
curtain airbags are deployed in a rollover. 
The airbag system includes:aTwo SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) 
front airbags. The driver’s airbag is stored 
in the center of the steering wheel; the 
front passenger’s airbag is stored in the 
dashboard. Both are marked SRS 
AIRBAG.bTwo side airbags, one for the driver and 
one for a front passenger. The airbags are 
stored in the outer edges of the seat-
backs. Both are marked SIDE AIRBAG.cTwo side curtain airbags, one for each 
side of the vehicle. The airbags are stored 
in the ceiling, above the side windows. 
The front and rear pillars are marked 
SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG.
dAn electronic control unit that continually 
monitors and records information about 
the sensors, the airbag activators, the 
seat belt tensioners, and driver and front 
passenger seat belt use when the ignition 
switch is in ON 
(w*1.
eAutomatic front seat belt tensioners. The 
driver’s and front passenger’s seat belts 
incorporate sensors that detect whether 
or not they are fastened.fA driver’s seat position sensor. If the seat 
is too far forward, the airbag will inflate 
with less force.gWeight sensors in the front passenger’s 
seat. The front passenger’s airbag will be 
turned off if the weight on the seat is 65 
lbs (29 kg) or less (the weight of an infant 
or small child).
hImpact sensors that can detect a 
moderate-to-severe front or side impact.iAn indicator on the dashboard that alerts 
you that the front passenger’s front 
airbag has been turned off.jSensors that can detect if a child or small 
statured adult is in the deployment path 
of the front passenger’s side airbag.kAn indicator on the instrument panel that 
alerts you to a possible problem with your 
airbag system or seat belt tensioners.lAn indicator on the instrument panel that 
alerts you that the front passenger’s side 
airbag has been turned off.mSafing SensornA rollover sensor that detects whether 
the vehicle is about to roll over.*1: Models with the smart entry system have an 
ENGINE START/STOP button instead of an 
ignition switch. 

Continued
43
uuAirbagsuFront Airbags (SRS)
Safe Driving
Front airbags are designed to inflate during moderate-to-severe frontal collisions. 
When the vehicle decelerates suddenly, the sensors send information to the control 
unit which signals one or both front airbags to inflate.
A frontal collision can be either head-on or angled between two vehicles, or when a 
vehicle crashes into a stationary object, such as a concrete wall.
While your seat belt restrains your torso, the 
front airbag provides supplemental protection 
for your head and chest.
The front airbags deflate immediately so that 
they won’t interfere with the driver’s visibility 
or the ability to steer or operate other 
controls.
The total time for inflation and deflation is so fast that most occupants are not 
aware that the airbags deployed until they see them lying in front of them.■Operation■How the Front Airbags Work
1How the Front Airbags Work
Although the driver’s and front passenger’s airbags 
normally inflate within a split second of each other, it 
is possible for only one airbag to deploy. This can 
happen if the severity of a collision is at the margin, 
or threshold, that determines whether or not the 
airbags will deploy. In such cases, the seat belt will 
provide sufficient protection, and the supplemental 
protection offered by the airbag would be minimal. 

44
uuAirbagsuFront Airbags (SRS)
Safe Driving
■When front airbags should not deploy
Minor frontal crashes: Front airbags were designed to supplement seat belts and 
help save lives, not to prevent minor scrapes, or even broken bones that might occur 
during a less than moderate-to-severe frontal crash.
Side impacts: Front airbags can provide protection when a sudden deceleration 
causes a driver or front passenger to move towards the front of the vehicle. Side 
airbags and side curtain airbags have been specifically designed to help reduce the 
severity of injuries that can occur during a moderate-to-severe side impact which 
can cause the driver or passenger to move towards the side of the vehicle.
Rear impacts: Head restraints and seat belts are your best protection during a rear 
impact. Front airbags cannot provide any significant protection and are not designed 
to deploy in such collisions.
Rollovers: Seat belts and, in vehicles equipped with a rollover sensor, side airbags 
and side curtain airbags offer the best protection in a rollover. Because front airbags 
could provide little if any protection, they are not designed to deploy during a 
rollover.■When front airbags deploy with little or no visible damage
Because the airbag system senses sudden deceleration, a strong impact to the 
vehicle framework or suspension might cause one or more of the airbags to deploy. 
Examples include running into a curb, the edge of a hole, or other low fixed object 
that causes a sudden deceleration in the vehicle chassis. Since the impact is 
underneath the vehicle, damage may not be readily apparent.■When front airbags may not deploy, even though exterior damage 
appears severe
Since crushable body parts absorb crash energy during an impact, the amount of 
visible damage does not always indicate proper airbag operation. In fact, some 
collisions can result in severe damage but no airbag deployment because the airbags 
would not have been needed or would not have provided protection even if they 
had deployed. 

45
uuAirbagsuFront Airbags (SRS)
Safe Driving
Your front airbags have advanced features to help reduce the likelihood of airbag 
related injuries to smaller occupants.
The driver’s advanced front airbag system 
includes a seat position sensor.
If the seat is too far forward, the airbag 
inflates with less force, regardless of the 
severity of the impact.
The passenger’s advanced front airbag system 
has weight sensors.
Although we recommends against carrying an 
infant or small child in front, if the sensors 
detect the weight of a child (up to about 65 
lbs or 29 kg), the system will automatically 
turn off the passenger’s front airbag.■Advanced Airbags
1Advanced Airbags
If there is a problem with the driver’s seat position 
sensor, the SRS indicator will come on and the airbag 
will inflate with full (normal) force, regardless of the 
driver’s seating position.
For both advanced front airbags to work properly:•Do not spill any liquid on or under the seats.•Do not put any object under the passenger’s seat.•Make sure any objects are positioned properly on 
the floor. Improperly positioned objects can 
interfere with the advanced airbag sensors.•All occupants should sit upright and wear their seat 
belts properly.•Do not place any cover over the passenger side 
dashboard.
Driver’s 
Seat 
Position 
Sensor
Passenger’s 
Seat 
Weight 
Sensors 

uuAirbagsuSide Airbags
48Safe Driving
To reduce the likelihood that a front passenger may be injured by an inflating side 
airbag, the passenger side airbag is automatically turned off when:
•The height sensors detect a child or short-statured adult is seated in the front 
passenger seat.
•The position sensor detects that the front passenger is leaning into the 
deployment path of the side airbag.
When the side airbag cutoff system is activated, the side airbag off indicator comes 
on.2Side Airbag Off Indicator P. 52If the side airbag off indicator comes on, have the passenger sit upright. A few 
seconds after the passenger is sitting properly, the side airbag will automatically be 
turned on, and the indicator will go off.
If the front passenger is a child, stop when it is safe to do so, and have the child sit 
properly restrained in a rear seat.■Side Airbag Cutoff System■Side Airbag Off Indicator
1Side Airbag Cutoff System
The sensors that monitor the front passenger’s height 
and body position may not work if:•The seat-back is wet•The passenger is touching a metal or other 
electrical conductive object•A seat cushion is on the seat•The passenger is wearing excessively thick clothing
Sensor that 
monitors the 
passenger’s height.
Sensor that monitors the 
passenger’s position.