
Installing A Child Restraint With A Switchable
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)
1. Place the child seat in the center of the seatingposition. For some second row seats, you may need to
recline the seat and/or raise the head restraint to get a
better fit. If the rear seat can be moved forward and
rearward in the vehicle, you may wish to move it to its
rear-most position to make room for the child seat.
You may also move the front seat forward to allow
more room for the child seat.
2. Pull enough of the seat belt webbing from the retractor to pass it through the seat belt path of the child
restraint. Do not twist the belt webbing in the seat 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 seat 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
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 95

the tether strap to the anchorage and tighten the tether
strap. See the section “Installing Child Restraints
Using the Top Tether Anchorage” for directions to
attach a tether anchor.
9. Test that the child restraint is installed tightly by pulling back and forth on the child seat at the seat 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
seat 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. If the rear seat can be moved forward and
rearward in the vehicle, you may wish to move it to its rear-most position to make room for the child seat.
You may also move the front seat forward to allow
more room for the car seat.
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
96 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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 mm) in
any direction.
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, 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,
routing it over the center of the head restraint.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 97

3. Attach the tether strap hook of the child restraint tothe 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 injure a passenger during panic braking or in
a collision.
Pets should be restrained in the rear seat in pet harnesses
or pet carriers that are secured by seat belts.Tether Anchorage Locations
98 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Light............................... .205
Luggage Carrier ....................... .213
Cargo Light ............................ .205
Cargo Load Floor ........................ .208
Cargo Tie-Downs ........................ .209
Car Washes ............................ .512
Cellular Phone ...........................113
Center High Mounted Stop Light ..............527
Chains, Tire ............................ .402
Changing A Flat Tire ...................... .444
Chart, Tire Sizing ........................ .382
Check Engine Light (Malfunction Indicator Light) . .482
Checking Your Vehicle For Safety ...............99
Checks, Safety ............................99
Child Restraint ............................77
Child Restraints Child Seat Installation .....................95
Install A LATCH-compatible Child Restraint .....91Installing Child Restraints Using The Vehicle Seat
Belt
..................................93
Lower Anchors And Tethers For Children .......85
Child Safety Locks .........................34
Clean Air Gasoline ....................... .414
Cleaning Wheels .............................. .513
Climate Control ......................... .306
Clock ................................. .251
Clutch ................................ .503
Clutch Fluid ............................ .503
Coin Holder ............................ .204
Cold Weather Operation ....................328
Compact Disc (CD) Maintenance ..............305
Compact Spare Tire ....................... .397
Compass .............................. .236
Compass Calibration ...................... .247
Compass Variance ........................ .248
552 INDEX

PretensionersSeat Belts ..............................56
Programmable Electronic Features .............244
Radial Ply Tires ......................... .395
Radiator Cap (Coolant Pressure Cap) ...........500
Radio Operation ......................... .249
Radio (Sound Systems) .....................249
Rear Axle (Differential) .....................510
Rear Camera ........................... .181
Rear Drive Assembly ...................... .510
Rear Liftgate (Sedan) .......................39
Rear Seat, Folding ........................ .162
Rearview Mirrors ........................ .109
Rear Window Defroster .....................212
Rear Window Features ......................211
Rear Wiper/Washer ........................211
Recorder, Event Data .......................76
Recreational Towing ...................... .437Reformulated Gasoline
.....................414
Refrigerant ............................. .491
Reminder, Seat Belt .........................60
Remote Control Door Locks ............................20
Security Alarm ..........................18
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) FCC General Information ..................26
Remote Keyless Entry (Sedan) .................20
Remote Sound System (Radio) Controls .........303
Remote Starting System ......................26
Replacement Bulbs ....................... .524
Replacement Keys .........................16
Replacement Parts ........................ .483
Replacement Tires ........................ .401
Reporting Safety Defects ....................545
Restraint, Head .......................... .158
Restraints, Child ...........................77
Retractable Cargo Area Cover ................206
562 INDEX

Roll Over Warning..........................4
Roof Type Carrier ........................ .213
Rotation, Tires .......................... .403
Safety Checks Inside Vehicle .................101
Safety Checks Outside Vehicle ................104
Safety Defects, Reporting ....................545
Safety, Exhaust Gas ....................... .100
Safety Information, Tire .....................380
Safety Tips ...............................99
Satellite Radio Antenna .....................266
Schedule, Maintenance .....................532
Seat Belt Maintenance ..................... .517
Seat Belt Reminder .........................60
Seat Belts .............................. .101
Adjustable Shoulder Belt ...................49
Adjustable Upper Shoulder Anchorage .........49
And Pregnant Women .....................62
Child Restraint ..........................77 Extender
..............................61
Front Seat .............................44
Inspection ........................... .101
Pretensioners ...........................56
Rear Seat ..............................44
Untwisting Procedure .....................53
Seat Belts (Sedan) ..........................40
Seats ................................. .150
Adjustment .......................... .150
Heated .............................. .152
Lumbar Support ....................... .156
Rear Folding ......................... .162
Rear Folding (Sedan) .....................162
Seatback Release ....................... .156
Tilting .............................. .156
Security Alarm ............................18
SENTRY KEY® FCC General Information ..................18
Sentry Key (Immobilizer) ....................15
10
INDEX 563