7. Once the seat belt is long enough to fit properly,insert the latch plate into the buckle until you hear
a “click.” (fig. 148)
8. To remove the slack from the lap belt, pull upward on the shoulder portion of the seat belt.
9. To release the seat belt, push the red button on the buckle.WARNING!
Securely lock the seat cushion into posi-
ti on
before using the seat . Otherwise,
the seat will not provide the proper stability for
child seats and/or passengers. An improperly
latched seat cushion could cause serious injury.
(fig. 148)
Proper Belt Use
222
KNOWINGYOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING AND
DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTSAND
MESSAGES
IN
AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICINGAND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
WARNING!
• An incorrectly anchored tether strap
c ould
lead to increased head motion and
possible injury to the child. Use only the anchor-
age 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 re-
move slack in the strap.
WARNING!
The child restraint owner ’s manual pro-
vides ins
tructions for installing the child
restraint using the seat belt . Read and follow
these instructions to install the child seat
properly.
Transporting Pets
Air Bags deploying in the front seat could harm your
pet. An unrestrained pet could 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 har-
nesses or pet carriers that are secured by seat belts.
SAFETY TIPS
Transporting Passengers
NEVER TRANSPORT PASSENGERS IN THE CARGO
AREA.
WARNING!
• Do not leave children or animals inside
par k
ed vehicles in hot weather. Interior
heat build-up may cause serious injury or death.
• It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo
area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision,
people riding in these areas are more likely to be
seriously injured or killed.
• Do not allow people to ride in any area of your
vehicle that is not equipped with seats and seat
belts.
• Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and
using a seat belt properly.
• On seven passenger models, do not drive the
vehicle with the second row passenger seat in the
easy entry/exit position (seat cushion flipped up-
ward and seat moved forward), as this position is
only intended for entering and exiting the third
row seats. Failure to follow this warning may
result in personal injury.
(Continued)
233
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND
DRIVING
WARNING
LIGHTS
AND
MESSAGES
IN
AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
Air Bag Warning LightThe light should turn on and remain on for
four to six seconds as a bulb check when the
ignition switch is first turned ON. If the light
is not lit during starting, or if the light stays
on, flickers, or turns on while driving, have the system
checked by an authorized dealer.
Defroster
Check operation by selecting the defrost mode and
place the blower control on high speed. You should be
able to feel the air directed against the windshield. See
your authorized dealer for service if your defroster is
inoperable.
Floor Mat Safety Information
Always use floor mats designed to fit the footwell of
your vehicle. Use only floor mats that leave the pedal
area unobstructed and that are firmly secured so that
they cannot slip out of position and interfere with the
pedals or impair safe operation of your vehicle 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 mats are properly
attached to the floor mat fasteners.
• Never place or install floor mats or other floor
coverings in the vehicle that cannot be properly
secured to prevent them from moving and inter-
fering 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
pedals.
• Check mounting of mats on a regular basis.
Always properly reinstall and secure floor mats
that have been removed for cleaning.
• Always make sure that objects cannot fall into
the driver footwell while the vehicle is moving.
Objects can become trapped under the brake
pedal and accelerator pedal causing a loss of
vehicle control.
(Continued)
235
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND
DRIVING
WARNING
LIGHTS
AND
MESSAGES
IN
AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
WARNING!
• It is dangerous to shift out of PARK or
NEUTR AL
if the engine speed is higher
than idle speed. If your foot is not firmly pressing
the brake pedal, the vehicle could accelerate
quickly forward or in reverse.You could lose con-
trol of the vehicle and hit someone or something.
Only shift into gear when the engine is idling
normally and your foot is firmly pressing the
brake pedal.
• Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in or near the vehicle. As with all vehicles,
you should never exit a vehicle while the engine is
running. Before exiting a vehicle, always apply
the parking brake, shift the transmission into
PARK, turn the engine OFF, and remove the Key
Fob.When the ignition is in the OFF position, the
transmission is locked in PARK, securing the ve-
hicle against unwanted movement .
• When leaving the vehicle, always make sure the
ignition is in the OFF position, remove the key fob
from the vehicle, and lock the vehicle.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
• Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Allowing children
to be in a vehicle unattended is dangerous for a
number of reasons. A child or others could be
seriously or fatally injured. Children should be
warned not to touch the parking brake, brake
pedal or the transmission gear selector.
• Do not leave the Key Fob in or near the vehicle
(or in a location accessible to children), and do
not leave the ignition in the ACC or ON/RUN
position. A child could operate power windows,
other controls, or move the vehicle.
KEY IGNITION PARK INTERLOCK
This vehicle is equipped with a Key Ignition Park Inter-
lock which requires the transmission to be in PARK
before the engine can be turned off. This helps the
driver avoid inadvertently leaving the vehicle without
placing the transmission in PARK.
This system also locks the transmission in PARK when-
ever the ignition switch is in the OFF position.
247
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND
DRIVING
WARNING
LIGHTS
AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENC
Y
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
WARNING!
• Never use the PARK position as a sub-
s t
itute for the parking brake. Always ap-
ply the parking brake fully when parked to guard
against vehicle movement and possible injury or
damage.
• Your vehicle could move and injure you and
others if it is not completely in PARK. Check by
trying to move the shift lever out of PARK with
the brake pedal released. Make sure the trans-
mission is in PARK before leaving the vehicle.
• It is dangerous to shift out of PARK or NEU-
TRAL if the engine speed is higher than idle
speed. If your foot is not firmly pressing the brake
pedal, the vehicle could accelerate quickly for-
ward or in reverse. You could lose control of the
vehicle and hit someone or something. Only shift
into gear when the engine is idling normally and
your foot is firmly pressing the brake pedal.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
• Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in or near the vehicle. As with all vehicles,
you should never exit a vehicle while the engine is
running. Before exiting a vehicle, always apply
the parking brake, shift the transmission into
PARK, turn the engine OFF, and remove the Key
Fob.When the ignition is in the OFF position, the
transmission is locked in the PARK, securing the
vehicle against unwanted movement .
• When leaving the vehicle, always make sure the
ignition is in the OFF position, remove the key fob
from the vehicle, and lock the vehicle.
• Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Allowing children
to be in a vehicle unattended is dangerous for a
number of reasons. A child or others could be
seriously or fatally injured. Children should be
warned not to touch the parking brake, brake
pedal or the shift lever.
• Do not leave the Key Fob in or near the vehicle
(or in a location accessible to children), and do
not leave the ignition in the ACC or ON/RUN
position. A child could operate power windows,
other controls, or move the vehicle.
250
KNOWING YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING AND
DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTSAND
MESSAGES
INAN
EMERGENC
Y
SERVICING AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
NOTE:Even if the transmission can be reset, we
recommend that you visit your authorized dealer at
your earliest possible convenience. Your authorized
dealer has diagnostic equipment to determine if the
problem could recur.
If the transmission cannot be reset, authorized dealer
service is required.
Overdrive Operation
The automatic transmission includes an electronically
controlled Overdrive (top gear). The transmission will
automatically shift into Overdrive if the following con-
ditions are present:
• The shift lever is in the DRIVE position.
• The transmission fluid has reached an adequate tem- perature.
• The engine coolant has reached an adequate tem- perature.
• The vehicle speed is sufficiently high.
• The driver is not heavily pressing the accelerator.
Torque Converter Clutch
A feature designed to improve fuel economy has been
included in the automatic transmission on your vehicle.
A clutch within the torque converter engages auto-
matically at calibrated speeds. This may result in a
slightly different feeling or response during normal
operation in the upper gears. When the vehicle speed
drops or during some accelerations, the clutch auto-
matically disengages.
NOTE: The torque converter clutch will not engage
until the transmission fluid and engine coolant are
warm (usually after 2 to 5 km of driving). Because the
engine speed is higher when the torque converter
clutch is not engaged, it may seem as if the transmission
is not shifting into Overdrive when cold. This is normal.
Using the AutoStick® shift control, when the transmis-
sion is sufficiently warm, will demonstrate that the
transmission is able to shift into and out of Overdrive.
253
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND
DRIVING
WARNING
LIGHTS
AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENC
Y
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
NOTE:Remember that everything put into or on the
trailer adds to the load on your vehicle. Also, additional
factory-installed options or dealer-installed options
must be considered as part of the total load on your
vehicle. Refer to the Tire and Loading Information
placard, located on the face of the driver's door or on
the driver's side “B” pillar, for the maximum combined
weight of occupants and cargo for your vehicle.
TOWING REQUIREMENTS
To promote proper break-in of your new vehicle drive-
train components the following guidelines are recom-
mended:
• Do not tow a trailer at all during the
first 805 km the new vehicle is driven.The
engine, axle or other parts could be dam-
aged.
• Then, during the first 805 km that a trailer is
towed, do not drive over 80 km/h and do not make
starts at full throttle. This helps the engine and
other parts of the vehicle wear in at the heavier
loads.
Perform the maintenance listed in the Maintenance
Schedule. When towing a trailer, never exceed the
GAWR ratings.
WARNING!
Improper towing can lead to an injury
acci den
t . Follow these guidelines to
make your trailer towing as safe as possible:
• Make certain that the load is secured in the
trailer and that it will not shift during travel.
When trailering cargo that is not fully secured,
dynamic load shifts can occur that may be diffi-
cult for the driver to control.You could lose con-
trol of your vehicle and have an accident .
• All trailer hitches should be professionally in-
stalled on your vehicle.
• When hauling cargo or towing a trailer, do not
overload your vehicle or trailer. Overloading can
cause a loss of control, poor performance, or
damage to brakes, axle, engine, transmission,
steering, suspension, chassis structure, or tires.
• Safety chains must always be used between
your vehicle and trailer. Always connect the
chains to the frame or hook retainers of the
vehicle hitch. Cross the chains under the trailer
tongue and allow enough slack for turning cor-
ners.
(Continued)
263
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND
DRIVING
WARNING
LIGHTS
AND
MESSAGES
INAN
EMERGENC
Y
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
12. Anti-Lock Brake (ABS) LightThis light monitors the Anti-Lock Brake Sys-
tem (ABS). The light will turn on when the
ignition switch is turned to the ON/RUN
position and may stay on for as long as four
seconds.
If the ABS light remains on or turns on while driving, it
indicates that the Anti-Lock portion of the brake sys-
tem is not functioning and that service is required.
However, the conventional brake system will continue
to operate normally if the Brake System Warning Light
is not on.
If the ABS light is on, the brake system should be
serviced as soon as possible to restore the benefit of
Anti-Lock brakes. Furthermore, the ABS light should
be checked frequently to assure that it is operating
properly. If the light does not turn on, have the system
checked by an authorized dealer. (Refer to “Electronic
Brake Control System” in “Knowing Your Vehicle” for
further information). 13. Fuel Cap Indicator
This symbol indicates the side of the vehicle
where the fuel filler cap is located.
14. Rear Fog Light Indicator This indicator will illuminate when the rear fog
lights are on. (Refer to “Rear Fog Lights” in
“Knowing Your Vehicle” for further
information).
15. Vehicle Security Light This light will flash rapidly for approximately
16 seconds when the vehicle security system
is arming and then flash slowly when the
system is armed. The light will also turn on
for about three seconds when the ignition switch is
first turned to ON/RUN. (Refer to “Vehicle Security
Alarm” or “Premium Security System” in “Knowing
Your Vehicle” for further information).
278
KNOWING YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING AND
DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTSAND
MESSAGES
INAN
EMERGENC
Y
SERVICING AND
CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS