
WARNING!
•Being too close to the steering wheel or instrument
panel during Advanced Front Air Bag deployment
could cause serious injury, including death. Air
bags need room to inflate. Sit back, comfortably
extending your arms to reach the steering wheel or
instrument panel.
•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.
Advanced Front Air Bag Locations
1 — Driver And Passenger Advanced Front Air Bags
2 — Passenger Knee Bolsters
3 — Supplemental Driver Knee Air Bag/Driver Knee Bolster
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 45

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 or other system components.
The first stage inflator is triggered immediately during an
impact that requires air bag deployment. A low energy
output is used in less severe collisions. A higher energy
output is used for more severe collisions.
This vehicle may be equipped with driver and/or front
passenger seat track position sensors that may adjust the
inflation rate of the Advanced Front Air Bags based upon
seat position.
This vehicle may be equipped with a driver and/or front
passenger seat belt buckle switch that detects whetherthe driver or front passenger seat belt is fastened. The
seat belt buckle switch may adjust the inflation rate of the
Advanced Front Air Bags.
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)
46 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!(Continued)
•Relying on the air bags alone could lead to more
severe injuries in a collision. The air bags work
with your seat belt to restrain you properly. In
some collisions, air bags won’t deploy at all. Al-
ways wear your seat belts even though you have air
bags.
Advanced Front Air Bag Operation
Advanced Front Air Bags are designed to provide addi-
tional protection by supplementing the seat belts. Ad-
vanced Front Air Bags are not expected to reduce the risk
of injury in rear, side, or rollover collisions. The Ad-
vanced Front Air Bags will not deploy in all frontal
collisions, including some that may produce substantial
vehicle damage — for example, some pole collisions,
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. Because air bag sensors mea-
sure 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.
When the ORC detects 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.
The steering wheel hub trim cover and the upper right
side of the instrument panel separate and fold out of the
way as the air bags inflate to their full size. The Advanced
Front Air Bags fully inflate in less time than it takes to
blink your eyes. The air bags then quickly deflate while
helping to restrain the driver and front passenger.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 47

WARNING!
•Your vehicle is equipped with left and right
Supplemental Door-Integrated Side Air Bag Inflat-
able Curtains (SABICs). Do not stack luggage or
other cargo up high enough to block the deploy-
ment of the SABICs. The door trim below the side
windows where the SABIC and its deployment
path are located, should remain free from any
obstructions.
•SABICs need room to inflate. Do not lean against
the door or window. Sit upright in the center of the
seat.
•Being too close to the SABICs during deployment
could cause you to be severely injured or killed.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
•Relying on the SABICs alone could lead to more
severe injuries in a collision. The SABICs work
with your seat belt to restrain you properly. In
some collisions, SABICs won’t deploy at all. Al-
ways wear your seat belt even though you have
SABICs.
NOTE:Air bag covers may not be obvious to you, but
they will open during air bag deployment.
Supplemental Driver Knee Air Bag
This vehicle is equipped with a Supplemental Driver
Knee Air Bag mounted in the instrument panel below the
steering column. The Supplemental Driver Knee Air Bag
provides enhanced protection during a frontal impact by
working together with the seat belts, pretensioners, and
Advanced Front Air Bags.
50 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Knee Impact Bolsters
The Knee Impact Bolsters help protect the knees of the
driver and front passenger, and position the front occu-
pants for improved interaction with the Advanced Front
Air Bags.
WARNING!
•Do not drill, cut, or tamper with the knee impact
bolsters in any way.
•Do not mount any accessories to the knee impact
bolsters such as alarm lights, stereos, citizen band
radios, etc.
If A Deployment Occurs
The Advanced Front Air Bags are designed to deflate
immediately after deployment.NOTE:Front and/or side air bags will not deploy in all
collisions. This does not mean something is wrong with
the air bag system.
If you do have a collision, which deploys the air bags, any
or all of the following may occur:
•The air bag material may sometimes cause abrasions
and/or skin reddening to the occupants as the air bags
deploy and unfold. The abrasions are similar to fric-
tion rope burns or those you might get sliding along a
carpet or gymnasium floor. They are not caused by
contact with chemicals. They are not permanent and
normally heal quickly. However, if you haven’t healed
significantly within a few days, or if you have any
blistering, see your doctor immediately.
•As the air bags deflate, you may see some smoke-like
particles. The particles are a normal by-product of the
process that generates the non-toxic gas used for air
bag inflation. These airborne particles may irritate the
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 51

skin, eyes, nose, or throat. If you have skin or eye
irritation, rinse the area with cool water. For nose or
throat irritation, move to fresh air. If the irritation
continues, see your doctor. If these particles settle on
your clothing, follow the garment manufacturer ’s in-
structions for cleaning.
Do not drive your vehicle after the air bags have de-
ployed. If you are involved in another collision, the air
bags will not be in place to protect you.
WARNING!
Deployed air bags and seat belt pretensioners cannot
protect you in another collision. Have the air bags,
seat belt pretensioners, and the seat belt retractor
assemblies replaced by an authorized dealer imme-
diately. Also, have the Occupant Restraint Controller
System serviced as well.NOTE:
•Air bag covers may not be obvious in the interior trim,
but they will open during air bag deployment.
•After any collision, the vehicle should be taken to an
authorized dealer immediately.
Enhanced Accident Response System
In the event of an impact, 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 Sys-
tem perform the following functions:
•Cut off fuel to the engine.
•Flash hazard lights as long as the battery has power or
until the ignition is cycled to OFF.
52 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

6. Turn Left Turn Signal
Switch ON.Left Turn Light is ON
SOLID. Right Turn Light
is ON SOLID.
7. Turn Left Turn Signal
Switch OFF. (Turn Signal
Switch Must be placed in
Neutral State).Left Turn Light is OFF.
Right Turn Light is OFF.
8. Turn ignition OFF. System is now reset and
the engine may be
started.
9. Turn Hazard Flashers
OFF (Manually).
If a reset procedure step is not completed within 45
seconds, then the turn signal lights will turn off and the
reset procedure must be performed again in order to be
successful.Air Bag Warning Light
The air bags must be ready to inflate for your protection
in a collision. The Air Bag Warning Light
monitors the internal circuits and interconnect-
ing wiring associated with air bag system elec-
trical components.
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 ignition switch is in
the OFF position 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 approximately four to eight seconds
for a self-check when the ignition is first turned to the
54 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

ON/RUN position. After the self-check, the Air Bag
Warning Light will turn off. If the ORC detects a mal-
function in any part of the system, it turns on the Air Bag
Warning Light, either momentarily or continuously. A
single chime will sound to alert you if the light comes on
again after initial startup.
The ORC also includes diagnostics that will illuminate
the instrument cluster Air Bag Warning Light if a mal-
function is detected that could affect the air bag system.
The diagnostics also record the nature of the malfunction.
While the air bag system is designed to be maintenance
free, if any of the following occurs, have an authorized
dealer service the air bag system immediately.
•The Air Bag Warning Light does not come on during
the four to eight seconds when the ignition switch is
first turned to the ON/RUN position.
•The Air Bag Warning Light remains on after the four to
eight-second interval.•The Air Bag Warning Light comes on intermittently or
remains on while driving.
NOTE:If the speedometer, tachometer, or any engine
related gauges are not working, the Occupant Restraint
Controller (ORC) may also be disabled. In this condition
the air bags may not be ready to inflate for your protec-
tion. Have an authorized dealer service the air bag
system immediately.
WARNING!
Ignoring the Air Bag Warning Light in your instru-
ment panel could mean you won’t have the air bags
to protect you in a collision. If the light does not come
on as a bulb check when the ignition is first placed in
the on position, and stays on after you start the
vehicle, or if it comes on as you drive, have an
authorized dealer service the air bag system immedi-
ately.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 55