
14 || 15
S
AFETYSAFETY
Child Safety
each year, many children are injured or killed in vehicle crashes because they are
either unrestrained or not properly restrained. In fact, vehicle collisi\
ons are the
number one cause of death of children ages 12 and under.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Transport Canada
recommend that all children ages 12 and under be properly restrained in \
a rear seat.
Some states or provinces/territories have laws restricting where childre\
n may ride.
To reduce the number of child deaths and injuries, every state, Canadian \
province
and territory requires that infants and children be properly restrained \
when they ride
in a vehicle.
Protecting Child Passengers
• An inflating front or side airbag can injure or kill a child sitting i\
n the front seat.
• A child in the front seat is more likely to interfere with the driver’\
s ability to
safely control the vehicle.
• Statistics show that children of all sizes and ages are safer when they \
are
properly restrained in a rear seat.
• Any child who is too small to wear a seat belt correctly must be restrai\
ned in an
approved child seat that is properly secured to the vehicle using either\
the lap
belt portion of the lap/shoulder belt or the lower anchors of the LATCH system.
• Never hold a child on your lap because it is impossible to protect them \
in the
event of a collision.
• Never put a seat belt over yourself and a child. During a crash, the bel\
t would
likely press deep into the child and cause serious or fatal injuries.
• Never let two children use the same seat belt. Both children could be ve\
ry
seriously injured in a crash.
• Do not allow children to operate the doors, windows, or seat adjusters.
• Do not leave children in the vehicle unattended, especially in hot weath\
er when
the inside of the vehicle can get hot enough to kill them. They could al\
so activate
vehicle controls, causing it to move unexpectedly.
Protecting Infants
An infant must be properly restrained in a rear-facing, reclining child seat until the
infant reaches the seat maker’s weight or height limit for the seat, and the infant
is at least one year old. Many experts recommend use of a rear-facing seat for
a child up to two years old if the child’s height and weight are appropriate for a
rear-facing seat.
Child seats must be placed and secured in a rear
seating position. rear-facing child seats should
never be installed in a forward-facing position.
When properly installed, a rear-facing child seat may prevent the driver or a front
passenger from moving their seat all the way back, or from locking their\
seat-
back in the desired position. It can also interfere with proper operatio\
n of the
passenger’s advanced front airbag system.
If this occurs, we recommend that you install the child seat directly be\
hind the
front passenger’s seat, move the seat as far forward as needed, and leave it
unoccupied. or, you may wish to get a smaller rear-facing child seat.
Allowing a child to play with a seat belt or wrap one around their neck \
can
result in serious injury or death.
Instruct children not to play with any seat belt and make sure any unuse\
d
seat belt a child can reach is buckled, fully retracted, and locked.
WARNING
Children who are unrestrained or improperly restrained can be seriously \
injured or killed in a crash.
Any child too small for a seat belt should be properly restrained in a c\
hild
seat. A larger child should be properly restrained with a seat belt, usi\
ng a
booster seat if necessary.
WARNING
Placing a rear-facing child seat in the front seat can result in serious injury or
death during a crash.
Always place a rear-facing child seat in the rear seat, not the front.
WARNING

40 || 41
V
EHICLE CONTROLSVEHICLE CONTROLS
Adjusting the Seats
Make seat adjustments before driving to ensure the best comfort and safe\
ty.
Adjusting the Front Seats
Adjust the driver’s seat as far back as possible while
allowing you to maintain full control of the vehicle.
You should be able to sit upright and well back in the
seat, adequately press the pedals without leaning
forward, and grip the steering wheel comfortably.
The passenger’s seat should be adjusted in a similar
manner, so that it is as far back from the front airbag
in the dashboard as possible.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Transport Canada
recommend that drivers allow at least 10 inches (25 cm) between the ce\
nter of the
steering wheel and the chest.
Power Seats*
*if equipped
Move back and allow sufficient space.
Horizontal position
adjustment
Height adjustment
(driver’s seat only) Seat-back angle
adjustment
Reclining the seat-back too far can result in serious injury or death in \
a crash.
Adjust the seat-back to an upright position, and sit well back in the se\
at.
WARNING
Sitting too close to a front airbag can result in serious injury or deat\
h if the
front airbags inflate.
Always sit as far back from the front airbags as possible while maintain\
ing
control of the vehicle.
WARNING
Manual Seats*
*if equipped
Floor Mats*
Position the front seat floor mats properly, and anchor
them. If they are not properly positioned, the floor
mats can interfere with the front seat functions.
Do not put additional floor mats on top of the
anchored mats.
Horizontal position
adjustment
Pull up on the bar to move the
seat, then release the bar.
Height adjustment(driver side only )
Pull up or push down the lever
to raise or lower the seat .
Seat-back angle
adjustment
Pull up the lever to
change the angle.
Sitting improperly or out of position can result in serious injury or de\
ath in a
crash.
Always sit upright, well back in the seat, with your feet on the floor\
.
WARNING
Unlock
Lock

42 || 43
V
EHICLE CONTROLSVEHICLE CONTROLS
Adjusting the Head Restraints
Your vehicle is equipped with head restraints in all seating positions. H\
ead
restraints are most effective for protection against whiplash and other \
rear-impact
crash injuries.
The center of the back of the occupant’s head
should rest against the center of the restraint. The
tops of the occupant’s ears should be level with the
center height of the restraint.
To raise the head restraint: Pull it upward.
To lower the head restraint: Push it down while
pressing the release button.
To remove the head restraint: Pull the restraint up
as far as it will go. Then push the release button,
and pull the restraint up and out.
To reinstall a head restraint: Insert the legs back in place, then adjust the head
restraint to an appropriate height while pressing the release button. Pu\
ll up on the
restraint to make sure it is locked in position.
In order for the head restraint system to work properly:
• Do not hang any items on the head restraints, or from the restraint legs\
.
• Do not place any object between an occupant and the seat-back.
• Install each restraint in its proper location.
Position head in the
center of the head
restraint.
Improperly positioning head restraints reduces their effectiveness and
increases the likelihood of serious injury in a crash.
Make sure head restraints are in place and positioned properly before dr\
iving.
WARNING
Failure to reinstall, or correctly reinstall, the head restraints can re\
sult in
severe injury during a crash.
Always replace the head restraints before driving.
WARNING
Folding Down the Rear Seats
The rear seat-back(s*) can be folded down to make room for large items\
in the
trunk.
1. Pull the release lever in the trunk to release the
lock.
2. Fold down the seat-back.
Push the seat-back up firmly until it locks into
place to return it to its original position.
Make sure all items in the trunk or items
extending through the opening into the rear
seats are properly secured. Loose items can fly
forward if you have to brake hard.
*if equipped
Release
lever*
Release lever
Adjusting the Steering Wheel
The steering wheel height and distance from your body can be adjusted so\
that you
can comfortably grip the steering wheel in an appropriate driving postur\
e.
1. Pull up the steering wheel adjustment lever.
2. Move the steering wheel up or down, and in or out.
3. Push down the steering wheel adjustment lever to
lock the steering wheel in position.
Adjusting the steering wheel position while driving may cause you to los\
e
control of the vehicle and be seriously injured in a crash.
Adjust the steering wheel only when the vehicle is stopped.
WARNING
To adjust
To lock Lever

90 || 91
DRIVING
DRIVING
DRIVING
Learn about preparation for driving, as well as other features.
Before Driving
Check the following items before you begin driving.
Exterior Checks
• Make sure there are no obstructions on the windows, door mirrors, exterior
lights, or other parts of the vehicle.
•
remove any frost, snow, or ice.
• Make sure the hood is securely closed.
• Heat from the engine and exhaust can ignite flammable materials left u\
nder
the hood, causing a fire. If you’ve parked your vehicle for an exte\
nded period,
inspect and remove any debris that may have collected, such as dried grass
and leaves that have fallen or have been carried in for use as a nest by\
a small
animal. Also check under the hood for leftover flammable materials aft\
er you or
someone else has performed maintenance on your vehicle.
• Make sure the tires are in good condition.
• Make sure there are no people or objects behind or around the vehicle.
Interior Checks
• Store or secure all items on board properly.
• Do not pile items in the cargo area higher than the seatback height.
• Do not place anything in the front seat footwells. Make sure to secure t\
he floor
mats.
• If you have any animals on board, do not let them move freely around in \
the
vehicle.
• Securely close and lock all doors and the trunk.
• Adjust your seating position, mirrors, and steering wheel properly.
• Make sure items placed on the floor behind the front seats cannot roll\
under the
seats.
•
everyone in the vehicle must fasten their seat belt.
• Make sure that the indicators in the instrument panel come on when you s\
tart
the vehicle, and go off soon after.
If the doors are frozen shut, use warm water around the door edges to me\
lt any
ice. Do not try to force them open, as this can damage the rubber trim a\
round the
doors. When done, wipe dry to avoid further freezing.
NOTICE In addition:
• During the first 600 miles (1,000 km) of operation, avoid sudden acc\
eleration or
full throttle operation so as not to damage the engine or powertrain.
• Avoid hard braking for the first 200 miles (300 km). You should also follow this
when the brake pads are replaced.
Improper accessories or modifications can affect your vehicle’s handling,
stability, and performance, and cause a crash in which you can be seriously
hurt or killed.
Follow all instructions in the vehicle owner’s manual regarding accessories
and modifications.
WARNING

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M
AINTENANCEMAINTENANCE
Opening the Hood
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface, and set the
parking brake.
2. Pull the hood release handle under the lower left
corner of the dashboard.
3. Push the hood latch lever in the center to the
right to release the lock mechanism, and open
the hood.
4. remove the support rod from the clamp using the
grip. Mount the support rod in the hood.
When closing, remove the support rod, and
stow it in the clamp, then gently lower the hood.
remove your hand at a height of approximately
12 inches (30 cm) and let the hood close.
Do not open the hood when the wiper arms are raised. The hood will strik\
e the
wipers, and may damage either the hood or the wipers.
NOTICE
Hood release handle
Pull
Lever
Support rodGrip
Clamp
Engine Oil
Park the vehicle on level ground, and wait approximately three minutes after turning
the engine off before you check the oil.
Checking the Oil
1. remove the dipstick (orange).
2. Wipe the dipstick with a clean cloth or paper
towel.
3. Insert the dipstick back all the way into its hole.
4. remove the dipstick again, and check the level.
It should be between the upper and lower marks.
Add oil if necessary.
1.5 engine model\
s
Upper mark
Lower mark
1.5 engine models
Upper mark
Lower mark
2.0 engine models
2.0 engine model\
s

142 || 143
M
AINTENANCEMAINTENANCE
Tire Service Life
The life of your tires is dependent on many factors, including driving h\
abits, road
conditions, vehicle loading, inflation pressure, maintenance history, speed, and
environmental conditions (even when the tires are not in use).
In addition to regular inspections and inflation pressure maintenance,\
it is
recommended that you have annual inspections performed once the tires re\
ach
five years old. All tires, including the spare, should be removed from\
service after
10 years from the date of manufacture, regardless of their condition or \
state of
wear.
Winter TiresIf driving on snowy or frozen roads, mount all season tires marked “M\
+S”, snow
tires, or tire chains; reduce speed; and maintain sufficient distance \
between
vehicles when driving. For winter tires, select the size and load ranges\
that are the
same as the original tires, and mount them to all four wheels.
Tire ChainsBecause your vehicle has limited tire clearance, we strongly recommend u\
sing
the following chains:
For 215/55R16 tires:
Cable-type: Autotrac 0154505
For 215/50R17 tires:
Cable-type: Autotrac 0154005
Install tire chains on the front tires only. Mount chains as tightly as you can, and
make sure that they do not touch the brake lines or suspension.
Using the wrong chains, or not properly installing chains, can damage th\
e
brake lines and cause a crash in which you can be seriously injured or k\
illed.
Follow all instructions in this guide regarding the selection and use of\
tire
chains.
WARNING
Traction devices that are the wrong size or improperly installed can dama\
ge your
vehicle’s brake lines, suspension, body, and wheels. Stop driving if they are hitting
any part of the vehicle.
NOTICE
Tire Labeling
The tires that came on your vehicle have a number of markings. Those you\
should be aware of are described below.
Here is an example of what each marking means: P205/55R16 89H
P: vehicle type (passenger)
205: tire width in millimeters
55: aspect ratio (tire section height as a
percentage of its width)
r: tire construction code (radial)
16: rim diameter in inches
89: load index (code indicating maximum load
tire can carry)
H: speed symbol (code indicating maximum
speed rating)
Tire Identification Number (TIN)The tire identification number
(TIN) is a group of numbers
and letters that look like the
example below. TIN is located
on the sidewall of the tire.
Glossary of Tire TerminologyCold Tire Pressure – The tire air pressure when the vehicle has been
parked for at least three hours or driven less than 1 mile (1.6 km).
Load rating – The maximum load that a tire is rated to carry for a given
inflation pressure.
Maximum Inflation Pressure – The maximum tire air pressure that the\
tire
can hold.
Maximum Load rating – The load rating for a tire at the maximum
permissible inflation pressure for that tire.
recommended Inflation Pressure – The cold tire inflation pressure \
recommended by the manufacturer.
Treadwear Indicators (TWI) – The projections within the principal gr\
ooves
designed to give a visual indication of the degrees of wear of the tread\
.
Tire size
Tire
identi cation
number (TIN)
Maximum
tire load
Maximu m
tire pressure
Tire siz e
DOT B97R FW6X 2209
DOT: This indicates that the tire meets all
requirements of the U.S. Department of
Transportation.
B97R: Manufacturer’s identi cation mark
FW6X: Tire type code
22 09: Date of Transportation
Year
Week