Summary Of Recommendations For Restraining Children In Vehicles
Child Size, Height, Weight Or Age Recommended Type Of Child Restraint
Infants and Toddlers Children who are two years old or
younger and who have not reached the height or weight limits of their child restraint Either an Infant Carrier or a Convertible
Child Restraint, facing rearward in the rear seat of the vehicle
Small Children Children who are at least two years old or who have out-grown the height or weightlimit of their rear-facing child restraint Forward-Facing Child Restraint with a
five-point Harness, facing forward in the rear seat of the vehicle
Larger Children Children who have out-grown their forward-facing child restraint, but are too
small to properly fit the vehicle’s seat belt Belt Positioning Booster Seat and the ve-
hicle seat belt, seated in the rear seat of the vehicle
Children Too Large
for Child Restraints Children 12 years old or younger, who
have out-grown the height or weight limit of their booster seat Vehicle Seat Belt, seated in the rear seat of
the vehicle
70 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
Infants And Child Restraints
Safety experts recommend that children ride rear-facing
in the vehicle until they are two years old or until they
reach either the height or weight limit of their rear-facing
child restraint. Two types of child restraints can be used
rear-facing: infant carriers and convertible child seats.
The infant carrier is only used rear-facing in the vehicle.
It is recommended for children from birth until they
reach the weight or height limit of the infant carrier.
Convertible child seats can be used either rear-facing or
forward-facing in the vehicle. Convertible child seats
often have a higher weight limit in the rear-facing
direction than infant carriers do, so they can be used
rear-facing by children who have outgrown their infant
carrier but are still less than at least two years old.
Children should remain rear-facing until they reach the
highest weight or height allowed by their convertible
child seat.
WARNING!
•Never place a rear-facing child restraint in front of
an air bag. A deploying passenger Advanced Front
Air Bag can cause death or serious injury to a child
12 years or younger, including a child in a rear-
facing child restraint.
• Only use a rear-facing child restraint in a vehicle
with a rear seat.
Older Children And Child Restraints
Children who are two years old or who have outgrown
their rear-facing convertible child seat can ride forward-
facing in the vehicle. Forward-facing child seats and
convertible child seats used in the forward-facing direc-
tion are for children who are over two years old or who
have outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit of
their rear-facing convertible child seat. Children should
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 71
remain in a forward-facing child seat with a harness for
as long as possible, up to the highest weight or height
allowed by the child seat.
All children whose weight or height is above the
forward-facing limit for the child seat should use a
belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle’s seat belts
fit properly. If the child cannot sit with knees bent over
the vehicle’s seat cushion while the child’s back is against
the seatback, they should use a belt-positioning booster
seat. The child and belt-positioning booster seat are held
in the vehicle by the seat belt.
WARNING!
•Improper installation can lead to failure of an
infant or child restraint. It could come loose in a
collision. The child could be badly injured or
killed. Follow the child restraint manufacturer ’s
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
directions exactly when installing an infant or
child restraint.
• After a child restraint is installed in the vehicle, do
not move the vehicle seat forward or rearward
because it can loosen the child restraint attach-
ments. Remove the child restraint before adjusting
the vehicle seat position. When the vehicle seat has
been adjusted, reinstall the child restraint.
• When your child restraint is not in use, secure it in
the vehicle with the seat belt or LATCH anchor-
ages, or remove it from the vehicle. Do not leave it
loose in the vehicle. In a sudden stop or accident, it
could strike the occupants or seatbacks and cause
serious personal injury.
72 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
Adjusting The Seat Up Or Down
The height of the seats can be adjusted up or down. Pull
upward or push downward on the seat switch. The seat
will move in the direction of the switch. Release the
switch when the desired position is reached.
Tilting The Seat Up Or Down
The angle of the seat cushion can be adjusted in four
directions. Pull upward or push downward on the front
or rear of the seat switch, the front or rear of the seat
cushion will move in the direction of the switch. Release
the switch when the desired position is reached.
Power Lumbar — If Equipped
Vehicles equipped with power driver or passenger seats
are also equipped with power lumbar. The power lumbar
switch is located on the outboard side of the power seat.
Push the switch forward to increase the lumbar support.Push the switch rearward to decrease the lumbar sup-
port. Pushing upward or downward on the switch will
raise and lower the position of the support.Power Lumbar Switch
3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 123
To raise the head restraint, pull upward on the head
restraint. To lower the head restraint, push the adjust-
ment button located at the base of the head restraint and
push downward on the head restraint.
To remove the head restraint, remove the seat belt from
the seat belt loop. Raise the head restraint as far as it can
go then push the adjustment button and the release
button at the base of each post while pulling the head
restraint up. To reinstall the head restraint, put the head
restraint posts into the holes while pushing the adjust-
ment button and release button. Then adjust it to the
appropriate height.
WARNING!
•A loose head restraint thrown forward in a colli-
sion or hard stop could cause serious injury or
death to occupants of the vehicle. Always securely
(Continued)
Head Restraint1 — Release Button
2 — Adjustment Button
3 — Seat Belt Loop 130 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE
•Temporary spare tires are designed for temporary
emergency use only. Temporary high pressure com-
pact spare tires have the letter “T” or “S” molded into
the sidewall preceding the size designation. Example:
T145/80D18 103M. •
High flotation tire sizing is based on U.S. design
standards and it begins with the tire diameter molded
into the sidewall. Example: 31x10.5 R15 LT.
Tire Sizing Chart
EXAMPLE:
Example Size Designation: P215/65R15XL 95H, 215/65R15 96H, LT235/85R16C, T145/80D18 103M, 31x10.5 R15 LT
P = Passenger car tire size based on U.S. design standards, or
....blank.... = Passenger car tire based on European design standards, or
LT = Light truck tire based on U.S. design standards, or
TorS= Temporary spare tire or
31 = Overall diameter in inches (in)
215, 235, 145 = Section width in millimeters (mm)
65, 85, 80 = Aspect ratio in percent (%)
– Ratio of section height to section width of tire, or
10.5 = Section width in inches (in)
398 STARTING AND OPERATING
Safety Checks Inside Vehicle..................93
Safety Checks Outside Vehicle .................95
Safety Defects, Reporting ....................547
Safety, Exhaust Gas .........................92
Safety Information, Tire .....................397
Safety Tips ...............................91
Schedule, Maintenance .....................528
Seat Belt Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) ...........51
Energy Management Feature ................51
Lap/Shoulder Belt Operation ................47
Lap/Shoulder Belts .......................44
Lap/Shoulder Belt Untwisting ...............49
Pregnant Women ........................50
Seat Belt Extender .......................49
Seat Belt Pretensioner .....................50
Seat Belt Reminder .......................43
Seat Belt System .........................41
Seat Belt Maintenance ..................... .501Seat Belt Reminder
.........................43
Seat Belts ............................ .43, 93
Child Restraint ..........................68
Extender ..............................49
Front Seat ....................... .43, 44, 47
Inspection .............................93
Operating Instructions ....................47
Pregnant Women ........................50
Pretensioners ...........................50
Rear Seat ..............................44
Reminder ............................ .221
Untwisting Procedure .....................49
Seats ................................. .121
Adjustment .......................... .121
Head Restraints ....................... .129
Height Adjustment ..................... .122
Power .............................. .122
Rear Folding ......................... .131
Seatback Release ....................... .131
566 INDEX