
Installing A Child Restraint With A Switchable
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)
1. Place the child seat in the center of the seatingposition. For some second row seats, you may need to
recline the seat and/or raise the head restraint to get a
better fit. If the rear seat can be moved forward and
rearward in the vehicle, you may wish to move it to its
rear-most position to make room for the child seat.
You may also move the front seat forward to allow
more room for the child seat.
2. Pull enough of the seat belt webbing from the retractor to pass it through the belt path of the child restraint.
Do not twist the belt webbing in the belt path.
3. Slide the latch plate into the buckle until you hear a “click.”
4. Pull on the webbing to make the lap portion tight against the child seat. 5. To lock the seat belt, pull down on the shoulder part of
the belt until you have pulled all the seat belt webbing
out of the retractor. Then, allow the webbing to retract
back into the retractor. As the webbing retracts, you
will hear a clicking sound. This means the seat belt is
now in the Automatic Locking mode.
6. Try to pull the webbing out of the retractor. If it is locked, you should not be able to pull out any web-
bing. If the retractor is not locked, repeat step 5.
7. Finally, pull up on any excess webbing to tighten the lap portion around the child restraint while you push
the child restraint rearward and downward into the
vehicle seat.
8. If the child restraint has a top tether strap and the seating position has a top tether anchorage, connect
the tether strap to the anchorage and tighten the tether2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 89

strap. See the section “Installing Child Restraints
Using the Top Tether Anchorage” for directions to
attach a tether anchor.
9. Test that the child restraint is installed tightly by pulling back and forth on the child seat at the belt
path. It should not move more than 1 inch (25.4 mm)
in any direction.
Any seat belt system will loosen with time, so check the
belt occasionally, and pull it tight if necessary.
Installing Child Restraints Using The Top Tether
Anchorage
WARNING!
Do not attach a tether strap for a rear-facing car seat
to any location in front of the car seat, including the
seat frame or a tether anchorage. Only attach the
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
tether strap of a rear-facing car seat to the tether
anchorage that is approved for that seating position,
located behind the top of the vehicle seat. See the
section “Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren
(LATCH) Restraint System” for the location of ap-
proved tether anchorages in your vehicle.
1. Look behind the seating position where you
plan to install the child restraint to find the
tether anchorage. You may need to move the
seat forward to provide better access to the
90 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

tether anchorage. If there is no top tether
anchorage for that seating position, move
the child restraint to another position in the
vehicle if one is available.
2. Rotate or lift the cover to access the anchor directly behind the seat where you are placing the child
restraint.
3. Route the tether strap to provide the most direct path for the strap between the anchor and the child seat. If
your vehicle is equipped with adjustable rear head
restraints, raise the head restraint, and where possible,
route the tether strap under the head restraint and
between the two posts. If not possible, lower the head
restraint and pass the tether strap around the outboard
side of the head restraint.
4. Attach the tether strap hook of the child restraint tothe top tether anchorage as shown in the diagram.
Tether Strap Mounting
1 — Cover
3 — Attaching StrapA — Tether Strap Hook
B — Tether Anchor
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 91

5. Remove slack in the tether strap according to the childrestraint manufacturer ’s instructions.
WARNING!
•An incorrectly anchored tether strap could lead to
increased head motion and possible injury to the
child. Use only the anchorage 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 remove
slack in the strap.
Transporting Pets
Air Bags deploying in the front seat could harm your pet.
An unrestrained pet will 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 harnesses
or pet carriers that are secured by seat belts.
ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS
For vehicles equipped with the 3.6L or 5.7L use the
following engine break-in recommendations:
A long break-in period is not required for the drivetrain
(engine, transmission, clutch, and rear axle) in your new
vehicle.
Drive moderately during the first 300 mi (500 km). After
the initial 60 mi (100 km), speeds up to 50 or 55 mph (80
or 90 km/h) are desirable.
92 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!
•Be certain that the seatback is securely locked into
position. If the seatback is not securely locked into
position, the seat will not provide the proper sta-
bility for child seats and/or passengers. An improp-
erly latched seat could cause serious injury.
• The cargo area in the rear of the vehicle (with the
rear seatbacks in the locked-up or folded down
position) should not be used as a play area by
children when the vehicle is in motion. They could
be seriously injured in a collision. Children should
be seated and using the proper restraint system.
TO OPEN AND CLOSE THE HOOD
Two latches must be released to open the hood.
1. Pull the hood release lever located under the left side of the instrument panel. 2. Move to the outside of the vehicle, the safety catch is
located under the center front edge of the hood.
Hood Release Lever
3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 137

Brake Control System, Electronic..............413
Brake Fluid .............589, 591, 593, 594, 596, 597
Brake, Parking .......................... .409
Brakes ................................ .413
Brake System ........................ .413, 555
Fluid Check .......555, 589, 591, 593, 594, 596, 597
Master Cylinder ....................... .555
Parking ............................. .409
Warning Light ..................... .233, 413
Brake/Transmission Interlock .................394
Braking ............................... .267
Braking Distance ......................... .267
Break-In Recommendations, New Vehicle .........92
Brightness, Interior Lights ...................146
Bulb Replacement ..................... .580, 582
Bulbs, Light .......................... .99, 580
Camera, Rear ........................... .195
Capacities, Fluid ................585, 586, 587, 588 Caps, Filler
Fuel ................................ .465
Oil (Engine) ....................... .535, 536
Radiator (Coolant Pressure) ................552
Carbon Monoxide Warning ................95, 465
Cargo (Vehicle Loading) ....................468
Car Washes ............................ .561
Center High Mounted Stop Light ..............584
Certification Label ........................ .468
Chains, Tire ............................ .450
Changing A Flat Tire ...................... .501
Chart, Tire Sizing ........................ .429
Check Engine Light (Malfunction Indicator Light) . .529
Checking Your Vehicle For Safety ...............95
Checks, Safety ............................95
Child Restraint ............................73
Child Restraints Booster Seats ...........................77
Center Seat LATCH ......................84
628 INDEX

Child Restraints.........................73
Child Seat Installation .....................89
How To Stow An Unused ALR Seat Belt ........86
Infants And Child Restraints ................75
Install A LATCH-Compatible Child Restraint ....84
Installing Child Restraints Using The Vehicle Seat
Belt ..................................87
Lower Anchors And Tethers For Children .......79
Older Children And Child Restraints ..........75
Seating Positions ........................78
Using The Top Tether Anchorage .............90
Clean Air Gasoline ....................... .461
Cleaning Wheels .............................. .562
Climate Control ......................... .340
Automatic ........................... .340
Cold Weather Operation ....................386
Compact Spare Tire ....................... .445
Console, Overhead ....................... .198Contract, Service
......................... .619
Coolant Pressure Cap (Radiator Cap) ...........552
Cooling System .......................... .549
Adding Coolant (Antifreeze) ...............551
Coolant Capacity .............585, 586, 587, 588
Coolant Level ..................... .549, 553
Disposal Of Used Coolant .................553
Drain, Flush, And Refill ...................550
Inspection ........................... .553
Points To Remember .....................554
Pressure Cap ......................... .552
Radiator Cap ......................... .552
Selection Of Coolant (Anti-
freeze) .....550, 585, 586, 587, 588, 589, 590, 592, 595
Corrosion Protection ...................... .560
Cruise Control (Speed Control) ................160
Cruise Light ......................... .255, 256
Cupholders ......................... .214, 566
Customer Assistance ...................... .617
10
INDEX 629

Replacement Keys.........................18
Replacement Parts ........................ .530
Replacement Tires ........................ .449
Reporting Safety Defects ....................621
Restraint, Head ...................... .133, 134
Restraints, Child ...........................73
Restraints, Occupant ........................44
Rocking Vehicle When Stuck .................514
Rotation, Tires .......................... .452
Safety Checks Inside Vehicle ..................96
Safety Checks Outside Vehicle .................99
Safety Defects, Reporting ....................621
Safety, Exhaust Gas .........................95
Safety Information, Tire .....................428
Safety Tips ...............................95
Schedule, Maintenance ............600, 602, 604, 607
Seat Belt Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) ...........55Energy Management Feature
................55
Lap/Shoulder Belt Operation ................51
Lap/Shoulder Belts .......................48
Lap/Shoulder Belt Untwisting ...............53
Pregnant Women ........................54
Seat Belt Extender .......................53
Seat Belt Pretensioner .....................55
Seat Belt Reminder .......................46
Seat Belt System .........................44
Seat Belt Maintenance ..................... .566
Seat Belt Reminder .........................46
Seat Belts ............................ .46, 96
Child Restraint ..........................73
Extender ..............................53
Front Seat ....................... .46, 48, 51
Inspection .............................96
Operating Instructions ....................51
Pregnant Women ........................54
Pretensioners ...........................55
10
INDEX 641