An energy-absorbing steering col-umn and steering wheel
Active Hood System
Knee bolsters/blockers for front seat occupants
Front seat belts incorporate preten- sioners that may enhance occupant
protection by managing occupant
energy during an impact event
All seat belt systems (except the driver’s and front passenger's) in-
clude Automatic Locking Retrac-
tors (ALRs), which lock the seat
belt webbing into position by ex-
tending the belt all the way out and
then adjusting the belt to the de-
sired length to restrain a child seat
or secure a large item in a seat
Please pay close attention to the infor-
mation in this section. It tells you how
to use your restraint system properly,
to keep you and your passengers as
safe as possible.
If you will be carrying children too
small for adult-sized seat belts, the
seat belts or the ISOFIX feature also can be used to hold infant and child
restraint systems. For more informa-
tion, refer to ISOFIX — Child Seat
Anchorage System.
NOTE: The Advanced Front Air
Bags have a multistage inflator de-
sign. This allows the air bag to
have different rates of inflation
based on several factors, including
the severity and type of collision.
Here are some simple steps you can
take to minimize the risk of harm
from a deploying air bag:
1.
Children 12 years old and un-
der should always ride buckled up
in a rear seat.
WARNING!
Never place a rear facing infant seat in front of an air bag. A de-
ploying Passenger Advanced
Front Air Bag can cause death or
serious injury to a child 12 years
or younger, including a child in a
rearward facing infant seat.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
Only use a rearward-facing childrestraint in a vehicle with a rear
seat.
Children that are not big enough to
wear the vehicle seat belt properly
(see section on Child Restraints)
should be secured in the rear seat in
child restraints or belt-positioning
booster seats. Older children who do
not use child restraints or belt-
positioning booster seats should ride
properly buckled up in the rear seat.
Never allow children to slide the
shoulder belt behind them or under
their arm.
You should read the instructions pro-
vided with your child restraint to
make sure that you are using it prop-
erly.
2. All occupants should always
wear their lap and shoulder belts
properly.
3. The driver and front passenger
seats should be moved back as far
as practical to allow the Advanced
Front Air Bags room to inflate.
29
Driver And Passenger Advanced
Front Air Bag Inflator Units
The Driver and Passenger Advanced
Front Air Bag Inflator Units are lo-
cated in the center of the steering
wheel and on the right side of the
instrument panel. When the ORC de-
tects a collision requiring the Ad-
vanced Front Air Bags, it signals the
inflator units. A large quantity of non-
toxic gas is generated to inflate the
Advanced Front Air Bags. Different
air bag inflation rates are possible,
based on several factors, including the
collision type and severity. The steer-
ing wheel hub trim cover and the up-
per right side of the instrument panel
separate and fold out of the way as the
air bags inflate to their full size. The
air bags fully inflate in about 50 to 70
milliseconds. This is about half of the
time it takes to blink your eyes. The
air bags then quickly deflate while
helping to restrain the driver and
front passenger.
The Advanced Front Air Bag gas is
vented through the vent holes in thesides of the air bag. In this way, the air
bags do not interfere with your con-
trol of the vehicle.
Supplemental Driver Side Knee
Air Bag Inflator Unit
The Supplemental Driver Side Knee
Air Bag unit is located in the instru-
ment panel trim beneath the steering
column. When the ORC detects a col-
lision requiring the Advanced Front
Air Bags, it signals the inflator units.
A large quantity of non-toxic gas is
generated to inflate the Supplemental
Driver Side Knee Air Bag. The trim
cover separates and folds out of the
way allowing the air bag to inflate to
the full size. The air bag fully inflates
in about 15 to 20 milliseconds.
Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side
Air Bag (SAB) Inflator Units
The Supplemental Seat-Mounted
Side Air Bags (SAB) are designed to
activate only in certain side collisions.
The ORC determines if a side collision
requires the side air bags to inflate,
based on the severity and type of col-
lision.Based on the severity and type of col-
lision, the side air bag inflator on the
crash side of the vehicle may be trig-
gered, releasing a quantity of non-
toxic gas. The inflating SAB exits
through the seat seam into the space
between the occupant and the door.
The SAB fully inflates 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 de-
ploy 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 gener-
ated to inflate the side curtain air bag.
43
position and interfere with the pedals
or impair safe operation of your ve-
hicle in other ways.
WARNING!
Pedals that cannot move freely can
cause loss of vehicle control and
increase the risk of serious personal
injury.
Always make sure that floor matsare properly attached to the floor
mat fasteners.
Never place or install floor mats or other floor coverings in the ve-
hicle that cannot be properly se-
cured to prevent them from mov-
ing and interfering with the
pedals or the ability to control the
vehicle.
Never put floor mats or other floor coverings on top of already
installed floor mats. Additional
floor mats and other coverings
will reduce the size of the pedal
area and interfere with the ped-
als.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
Check mounting of mats on aregular basis. Always properly re-
install and secure floor mats that
have been removed for cleaning.
Always make sure that objects cannot fall into the driver foot-
well while the vehicle is moving.
Objects can become trapped un-
der the brake pedal and accelera-
tor pedal causing a loss of vehicle
control.
If required, mounting posts must be properly installed, if not
equipped from the factory. Fail-
ure to properly follow floor mat in-
stallation or mounting can cause
interference with the brake pedal
and accelerator pedal operation
causing loss of control of the ve-
hicle.
PERIODIC SAFETY
CHECKS YOU SHOULD
MAKE OUTSIDE THE
VEHICLE
Tires
Examine tires for excessive tread wear
and uneven wear patterns. Check for
stones, nails, glass, or other objects
lodged in the tread or sidewall. In-
spect the tread for cuts and cracks.
Inspect sidewalls for cuts, cracks and
bulges. Check the wheel nuts for
tightness. Check the tires (including
spare) for proper cold inflation pres-
sure.
Lights
Have someone observe the operation
of brake lights and exterior lights
while you work the controls. Check
turn signal and high beam indicator
lights on the instrument panel.
Door Latches
Check for positive closing, latching,
and locking.
61
8. Tire Pressure Monitoring Tell-
tale LightEach tire, including the
spare (if provided), should
be checked monthly when
cold and inflated to the in-
flation pressure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pressure la-
bel.
As an added safety feature, your ve-
hicle has been equipped with a Tire
Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
that illuminates a low tire pressure
telltale when one or more of your tires
is significantly under-inflated. Ac-
cordingly, when the low tire pressure
telltale illuminates, you should stop
and check your tires as soon as pos-
sible, and inflate them to the proper
pressure. Driving on a significantly
under-inflated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-inflation also reduces fuel effi-
ciency and tire tread life, and may
affect the vehicle’s handling and stop-
ping ability. Please note that the TPMS is not a
substitute for proper tire mainte-
nance, and it is the driver’s responsi-
bility to maintain correct tire pres-
sure, even if under-inflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumina-
tion of the TPMS low tire pressure
telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped
with a TPMS malfunction indicator to
indicate when the system is not oper-
ating properly. The TPMS malfunc-
tion indicator is combined with the
low tire pressure telltale. When the
system detects a malfunction, the tell-
tale will flash for approximately one
minute and then remain continuously
illuminated. This sequence will con-
tinue upon subsequent vehicle start-
ups as long as the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is il-
luminated, the system may not be
able to detect or signal low tire pres-
sure as intended. TPMS malfunctions
may occur for a variety of reasons,
including the installation of replace-
ment or alternate tires or wheels on
the vehicle that prevent the TPMS
from functioning properly. Alwayscheck the TPMS malfunction telltale
after replacing one or more tires or
wheels on your vehicle, to ensure that
the replacement or alternate tires and
wheels allow the TPMS to continue to
function properly.
CAUTION!
The TPMS has been optimized for
the original equipment tires and
wheels. TPMS pressures and warn-
ing have been established for the
tire size equipped on your vehicle.
Undesirable system operation or
sensor damage may result when us-
ing replacement equipment that is
not of the same size, type, and/or
style. Aftermarket wheels can cause
sensor damage. Do not use tire seal-
ant from a can or balance beads if
your vehicle is equipped with a
TPMS, as damage to the sensors
may result.
161
To disengage AutoStick® mode, hold
the shift lever to the right or press and
hold the (+) shift paddle (for
versions/markets, where provided)
until “D” is once again indicated in
the instrument cluster. You can shift
in or out of the AutoStick® mode at
any time without taking your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
WARNING!
Do not downshift for additional en-
gine braking on a slippery surface.
The drive wheels could lose their
grip and the vehicle could skid,
causing a collision or personal in-
jury.
ALL-WHEEL DRIVE
(AWD) (for versions/
markets, where provided)
This vehicle is equipped with an ac-
tive on-demand All-Wheel Drive
(AWD) system which makes available
optimum traction for a wide variety of
road surface and driving conditions.
The system minimizes wheel slip byautomatically redirecting torque to
the front and rear wheels as necessary.
To maximize fuel economy, your AWD
vehicle automatically defaults to rear-
wheel drive (RWD) when road and
environmental conditions are such
that wheel slip is unlikely to occur.
When specific road and environmen-
tal conditions require increased levels
of road traction, the vehicle automati-
cally shifts into AWD mode. Auto-
matic AWD operation could be acti-
vated by outside temperature, wheel
slip, or other predetermined condi-
tions (there may be a slight delay for
AWD engagement after a wheel slip
condition occurs). AWD can also be
manually selected by moving the shift
lever into the AutoStick® mode (+/-)
(for versions/markets, where pro-
vided) or activating the windshield
wipers for an extended period of time.
Drive mode, RWD or AWD, is dis-
played momentarily in the Electronic
Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) in
the gauge area of the vehicle display
when the transmission is first shifted
into gear, and if the drive mode
changes during vehicle operation.NOTE: If the “SERVICE AWD
SYSTEM” warning message ap-
pears after engine start up, or dur-
ing driving, it means that the AWD
system is not functioning properly
and that service is required. Refer
to “Electronic Vehicle Information
Center (EVIC)” in “Understanding
Your Instrument Panel” for further
information.
CAUTION!
All wheels must have the same size
and type tires. Unequal tire sizes
must not be used. Unequal tire size
may cause failure of the front dif-
ferential and/or the transfer case.
DRIVING ON SLIPPERY
SURFACES
ACCELERATION
Rapid acceleration on snow covered,
wet, or other slippery surfaces may
cause the driving wheels to pull errati-
cally to the right or left. This phenom-
enon occurs when there is a difference
in the surface traction under the rear
(driving) wheels.
213
The Electronic Brake Force Distribu-
tion (EBD) prevents the rear wheels
from over-braking and provides
greater control of available braking
forces applied to the rear axle.
When the vehicle is driven over
11 km/h, you may also hear a slight
clicking sound as well as some related
motor noises. These noises are the sys-
tem performing its self check cycle to
ensure that the ABS is working prop-
erly. This self check occurs each time
the vehicle is started and accelerated
past 11 km/h.
ABS is activated during braking un-
der certain road or stopping condi-
tions. ABS-inducing conditions can
include ice, snow, gravel, bumps, rail-
road tracks, loose debris, or panic
stops.
You also may experience the following
when the brake system goes into Anti-
Lock:
The ABS motor running (it maycontinue to run for a short time
after the stop), The clicking sound of solenoid
valves,
Brake pedal pulsations, and
A slight drop or fall away of the brake pedal at the end of the stop.
These are all normal characteristics of
ABS.
WARNING!
The ABS contains sophisticated electronic equipment that may be
susceptible to interference caused
by improperly installed or high
output radio transmitting equip-
ment. This interference can cause
possible loss of anti-lock braking
capability. Installation of such
equipment should be performed
by qualified professionals.
Pumping of the Anti-Lock Brakes will diminish their effectiveness
and may lead to a collision.
Pumping makes the stopping dis-
tance longer. Just press firmly on
your brake pedal when you need
to slow down or stop.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
The ABS cannot prevent thenatural laws of physics from act-
ing on the vehicle, nor can it in-
crease braking or steering effi-
ciency beyond that afforded by
the condition of the vehicle
brakes and tires or the traction
afforded.
The ABS cannot prevent colli- sions, including those resulting
from excessive speed in turns, fol-
lowing another vehicle too
closely, or hydroplaning.
The capabilities of an ABS equipped vehicle must never be
exploited in a reckless or danger-
ous manner that could jeopardize
the user's safety or the safety of
others.
All vehicle wheels and tires must be
the same size and type and tires must
be properly inflated to produce accu-
rate signals for the computer.
218
It is not recommended driving a ve-
hicle loaded at full capacity or to tow
a trailer while a tire is in the run flat
mode.
See the tire pressure monitoring sec-
tion for more information.
Spare Tires (for
versions/markets, where
provided)
NOTE: For vehicles equipped
with TIREFIT instead of a spare
tire, please refer to “TIREFIT KIT”
in “In an emergency” for further
information.
CAUTION!
Because of the reduced ground
clearance, do not take your vehicle
through an automatic car wash
with a compact, full size or limited-
use temporary spare installed.
Damage to the vehicle may result.Spare Tire Matching Original
Equipped Tire And Wheel (for
versions/markets, where
provided)
Your vehicle may be equipped with a
spare tire and wheel equivalent in
look and function to the original
equipment tire and wheel found on
the front or rear axle of your vehicle.
This spare tire may be used in the tire
rotation for your vehicle. If your ve-
hicle has this option, refer to an au-
thorized tire dealer for the recom-
mended tire rotation pattern.
Compact Spare Tire (for
versions/markets, where
provided)The compact spare is for temporary
emergency use only. You can identify if
your vehicle is equipped with a com-
pact spare by looking at the spare tire
description on the Tire and Loading
Information Placard located on the
driver’s side door opening or on the
sidewall of the tire. Compact spare tire
descriptions begin with the letter “T”
or “S” preceding the size designation.
Example: T145/80D18 103M.
T, S = Temporary Spare Tire
Since this tire has limited tread life,
the original equipment tire should be
repaired (or replaced) and reinstalled
on your vehicle at the first opportu-
nity.
Do not install a wheel cover or at-
tempt to mount a conventional tire on
the compact spare wheel, since the
wheel is designed specifically for the
compact spare tire. Do not install
more than one compact spare tire and
wheel on the vehicle at any given time.
WARNING!
Compact spares are for temporary
emergency use only. With these
spares, do not drive more than
80 km/h. Temporary use spares
have limited tread life. When the
tread is worn to the tread wear in-
dicators, the temporary use spare
tire needs to be replaced. Be sure to
follow the warnings, which apply to
your spare. Failure to do so could
result in spare tire failure and loss
of vehicle control.
228
Full Size Spare (for
versions/markets, where
provided)
The full size spare is for temporary
emergency use only. This tire may
look like the originally equipped tire
on the front or rear axle of your ve-
hicle, but it is not. This spare tire may
have limited tread life. When the
tread is worn to the tread wear indi-
cators, the temporary use full size
spare tire needs to be replaced. Since
it is not the same as your original
equipment tire, replace (or repair) the
original equipment tire and reinstall
on the vehicle at the first opportunity.
Limited-Use Spare (for
versions/markets, where
provided)
The limited-use spare tire is for tem-
porary emergency use only. This tire is
identified by a label located on the
limited-use spare wheel. This label
contains the driving limitations for
this spare. This tire may look like the
original equipped tire on the front or
rear axle of your vehicle, but it is not.
Installation of this limited-use sparetire affects vehicle handling. Since it is
not the same as your original equip-
ment tire, replace (or repair) the origi-
nal equipment tire and reinstall on the
vehicle at the first opportunity.
WARNING!
Limited-use spares are for emer-
gency use only. Installation of this
limited-use spare tire affects ve-
hicle handling. With this tire, do
not drive more than the speed listed
on the limit-use spare wheel. Keep
inflated to the cold tire inflation
pressures listed on your Tire and
Loading Information Placard lo-
cated on the driver’s side B-Pillar or
the rear edge of the driver’s side
door. Replace (or repair) the origi-
nal equipment tire at the first op-
portunity and reinstall it on your
vehicle. Failure to do so could result
in loss of vehicle control.
Tire Spinning
When stuck in mud, sand, snow, or ice
conditions, do not spin your vehicle's
wheels above 48 km/h or for longer
than 30 seconds continuously without
stopping.
Refer to “Freeing A Stuck Vehicle” in
“In an emergency” for further infor-
mation.
WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be danger-
ous. Forces generated by excessive
wheel speeds may cause tire dam-
age or failure. A tire could explode
and injure someone. Do not spin
your vehicle's wheels faster than
48 km/h for more than 30 seconds
continuously when you are stuck,
and do not let anyone near a spin-
ning wheel, no matter what the
speed.
229