
▫Seat Belt Pretensioners ..................54
▫ Supplemental Active Head Restraints (AHR) . . .55
▫ Enhanced Seat Belt Use Reminder System
(BeltAlert®) ..........................59
▫ Seat Belt Extender .....................60
▫ Seat Belts And Pregnant Women ...........60
▫ Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) —
Air Bags ............................61
▫ Advanced Front Air Bag Features ...........63
▫ Air Bag Deployment Sensors And Controls ....67▫
Event Data Recorder (EDR) ...............75
▫ Child Restraints .......................76
ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS ....95
SAFETY TIPS ..........................96
▫ Transporting Passengers ..................96
▫ Exhaust Gas ..........................97
▫ Safety Checks You Should Make Inside The
Vehicle .............................98
▫ Periodic Safety Checks You Should Make
Outside The Vehicle ...................100
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 11

•Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag
• Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags (SAB)
• 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.
(Continued)
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 63

•Air Bag covers may not be obvious in the interior trim,
but they will open during air bag deployment.
• Being too close to the Supplemental Side Air Bag
Inflatable Curtain and/or Seat-Mounted Side Air Bag
during deployment could cause you to be severely
injured or killed.
The system includes side impact sensors that are cali-
brated to deploy the side air bags during impacts that
require air bag occupant protection.
WARNING!
• Your vehicle is equipped with left and right
SABIC, do not stack luggage or other cargo up high
enough to block the location of the SABIC. The
area where the side curtain air bag is located
should remain free from any obstructions.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Do not use accessory seat covers or place objects
between you and the SAB; the performance could
be adversely affected and/or objects could be
pushed into you, causing serious injury.
• Your vehicle is equipped with SABIC air bags, do
not have any accessory items installed which will
alter the roof, including adding a sunroof to your
vehicle. Do not add roof racks that require perma-
nent attachments (bolts or screws) for installation
on the vehicle roof. Do not drill into the roof of the
vehicle for any reason.
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
66 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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 appro-
priate sized child restraint, infant restraint or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the child.
Knee Impact Bolsters
The Knee Impact Bolsters help protect the knees of the
driver and front passengers, and position front occupants
for the best interaction with the Advanced Front Air Bags.
Along with seat belts and pretensioners, Advanced Front
Air Bags work with the knee impact bolsters to provide
improved protection for the driver and front passenger.
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.
Based on the impact sensor’s signals, a central electronic
ORC deploys the Advanced Front Air Bags, SABIC air
bags, Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags, and
front seat belt pretensioners, as required, depending on
several factors, including the severity and type of impact.
Advanced Front Air Bags are designed to provide addi-
tional protection 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.2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 67

The Advanced Front Air Bags will not deploy in all
frontal collisions, including some that may produce sub-
stantial vehicle damage — for example, some pole colli-
sions, 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 switch is in the
START or ON/RUN position. If the key is in the OFF
position, in the ACC position, or not in the ignition, the
air bag system is not on and the air bags will not inflate.
The ORC contains a backup power supply system that
may deploy the air bags even if the battery loses power or
it becomes disconnected prior to deployment.
Also, the ORC turns on the Air Bag Warning
Light in the instrument panel for approxi-
mately four to eight seconds for a self-check
when the ignition is first turned on. After the
self-check, the Air Bag Warning Light will turn off. If the
ORC detects a malfunction in any part of the system, it
turns on the Air Bag Warning Light, either momentarily
or continuously. A single chime will sound if the light
comes on again after initial startup.
68 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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.
NOTE:In a rollover the pretensioners and/or SAB and
SABIC air bags may deploy on both sides of the vehicle.
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 event the ORC will determine whether to have the
Enhanced Accident Response System perform the follow-
ing functions:
•
Cut off fuel to the engine.
• Flash hazard lights as long as the battery has power or
until the ignition key is turned off.
• Turn on the interior lights, which remain on as long as
the battery has power or until the ignition key is
removed.
• Unlock the doors automatically.
In order to reset the Enhanced Accident Response System
functions after an event, the ignition switch must be
changed from IGN ON/RUN to IGN OFF.
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 71

Automatic Dimming Mirror — If Equipped
This mirror automatically adjusts for headlight glare
from vehicles behind you. You can turn the feature on or
off by pressing the button at the base of the mirror. A light
to the left of the button will illuminate to indicate when
the dimming feature is activated. The sensor to the right
of the button does not illuminate.
NOTE:This feature is disabled when the vehicle is
moving in reverse.
CAUTION!
To avoid damage to the mirror during cleaning, never
spray any cleaning solution directly onto the mirror.
Apply the solution onto a clean cloth and wipe the
mirror clean.
Automatic Dimming Mirror
3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 107

CAUTION!
The TPMS has been optimized for the original
equipment tires and wheels. TPMS pressures and
warning have been established for the tire size
equipped on your vehicle. Undesirable system opera-
tion or sensor damage may result when using re-
placement equipment that is not of the same size,
type, and/or style. Aftermarket wheels can cause
sensor damage. Do not use tire sealant from a can or
balance beads if your vehicle is equipped with a
TPMS, as damage to the sensors may result.
23. Odometer Display / Trip Odometer Display
This display indicates the total distance the vehicle has
been driven. NOTE:
U.S. Federal regulations require that upon trans-
fer of vehicle ownership, the seller certify to the pur-
chaser the correct mileage that the vehicle has been
driven. If your odometer needs to be repaired or serviced,
the repair technician should leave the odometer reading
the same as it was before the repair or service. If s/he
cannot do so, then the odometer must be set at zero, and
a sticker must be placed in the door jamb stating what the
mileage was before the repair or service. It is a good idea
for you to make a record of the odometer reading before
the repair/service, so that you can be sure that it is
properly reset, or that the door jamb sticker is accurate if
the odometer must be reset at zero.
4
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 223