
WARNING!
•Improper installation of a child restraint to the
LATCH anchorages can lead to failure of the re-
straint. The child could be badly injured or killed.
Follow the child restraint manufacturer ’s directions
exactly when installing an infant or child restraint.
• Child restraint anchorages are designed to withstand
only those loads imposed by correctly-fitted child
restraints. Under no circumstances are they to be
used for adult seat belts, harnesses, or for attaching
other items or equipment to the vehicle.
Installing Child Restraints Using The Vehicle Seat
Belt
Child restraint systems are designed to be secured in
vehicle seats by lap belts or the lap belt portion of a
lap/shoulder belt.
WARNING!
• Improper installation or failure to properly secure a
child restraint can lead to failure of the restraint. The
child could be badly injured or killed.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Follow the child restraint manufacturer ’s directions
exactly when installing an infant or child restraint.
The seat belts in the passenger seating positions are
equipped with a Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
(ALR) that is designed to keep the lap portion of the seat
belt tight around the child restraint so that it is not
necessary to use a locking clip. The ALR retractor can be
“switched” into a locked mode by pulling all of the
webbing out of the retractor and then letting the webbing
retract back into the retractor. If it is locked, the ALR will
make a clicking noise while the webbing is pulled back into
the retractor. Refer to the “Automatic Locking Mode”
description in “Switchable Automatic Locking Retractors
(ALR)” under “Occupant Restraint Systems” for additional
information on ALR.
Please see the table below and the following sections for
more information.
70 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Lap/Shoulder Belt Systems For Installing Child
Restraints In This Vehicle
Frequently Asked Questions About Installing Child Restraints With Seat Belts
What is the weight limit (child’s weight + weight of the child re-
straint) for using the Tether Anchor
with the seat belt to attach a forward facing child restraint? Weight limit of the Child Restraint Always use the tether anchor when
using the seat belt to install a for-
ward facing child restraint, up to the recommended weight limit of the child restraint.
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) Locations
•ALR = Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
•
Top Tether Anchorage Symbol 2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 71

Frequently Asked Questions About Installing Child Restraints With Seat Belts
Can the rear-facing child restraint
touch the back of the front passenger seat? Yes Contact between the front passenger
seat and the child restraint is al-
lowed, if the child restraint manufac- turer also allows contact.
Can the head restraints be removed? YesCenter Only may be removed.
Can the buckle stalk be twisted to
tighten the seat belt against the belt path of the child restraint? No
Do not twist the buckle stalk in a
seating position with an ALR retrac- tor.
Installing A Child Restraint With A Switchable
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR):
Child restraint systems are designed to be secured in
vehicle seats by lap belts or the lap belt portion of a
lap/shoulder belt.
WARNING!
•Improper installation or failure to properly secure a
child restraint can lead to failure of the restraint. The
child could be badly injured or killed.
• Follow the child restraint manufacturer ’s directions
exactly when installing an infant or child restraint. 1. Place the child seat in the center of the seating position.
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.”
72 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

4. Pull on the webbing to make the lap portion tightagainst 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 webbing.
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 tether
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 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 approved tether
anchorages in your vehicle.
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 73

Periodic Safety Checks You Should Make Outside
The Vehicle
Tires
Examine tires for excessive tread wear and uneven wear
patterns. Check for stones, nails, glass, or other objects
lodged in the tread or sidewall. Inspect the tread for cuts
and cracks. Inspect sidewalls for cuts, cracks, and bulges.
Check the wheel nuts for tightness. Check the tires (includ-
ing spare) for proper cold inflation pressure.
Lights
Have someone observe the operation of brake lights and
exterior lights while you work the controls. Check turn
signal and high beam indicator lights on the instrument
panel.
Door Latches
Check for proper closing, latching, and locking.
Fluid Leaks
Check area under vehicle after overnight parking for fuel,
engine coolant, oil, or other fluid leaks. Also, if gasoline
fumes are detected or if fuel, power steering fluid (if
equipped), or brake fluid leaks are suspected, the cause
should be located and corrected immediately.
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 81

MIRRORS
Inside Day/Night Mirror — If Equipped
A single ball joint mirror is provided in the vehicle. It is a
twist on mirror that has a fixed position at the windshield.
The mirror installs on the windshield button with a coun-
terclockwise rotation and requires no tools for mounting.
The mirror head can be adjusted up, down, left, and right
for various drivers. The mirror should be adjusted to center
on the view through the rear window.
Headlight glare from vehicles behind you can be reduced
by moving the small control under the mirror to the night
position (toward the rear of the vehicle). The mirror should
be adjusted while the small control under the mirror is set
in the day position (toward the windshield).
Automatic Dimming Mirror — If Equipped
The mirror head can be adjusted up, down, left, and right
for various drivers. The mirror should be adjusted to center
on the view through the rear window.
This mirror automatically adjusts for headlight glare from
vehicles behind you.
NOTE:The Automatic Dimming feature is disabled when
the vehicle is in REVERSE to improve rear view viewing.
Adjusting Rearview Mirror
88 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

The BSM system sensors operate when the vehicle is in any
forward gear or REVERSE.
The BSM detection zone covers approximately one lane
width on both sides of the vehicle 12 ft (3.8 m). The zone
length starts at the outside rear view mirror and extends
approximately 10 ft (3 m) beyond the rear bumper of the
vehicle. The BSM system monitors the detection zones on
both sides of the vehicle when the vehicle speed reaches
approximately 6 mph (10 km/h) or higher and will alert
the driver of vehicles in these areas.NOTE:
•
The BSM system does NOT alert the driver about
rapidly approaching vehicles that are outside the detec-
tion zones.
• The BSM system detection zone DOES NOT change if
your vehicle is towing a trailer. Therefore, visually verify
the adjacent lane is clear for both your vehicle and trailer
before making a lane change. If the trailer or other object
(i.e., bicycle, sports equipment) extends beyond the side
of your vehicle, this may result in the BSM warning light
remaining illuminated the entire time the vehicle is in a
forward gear.
The area on the rear fascia where the radar sensors are
located must remain free of snow, ice, and dirt/road
contamination so that the BSM system can function prop-
erly. Do not block the area of the rear fascia where the radar
sensors are located with foreign objects (bumper stickers,
bicycle racks, etc.).
The BSM system notifies the driver of objects in the
detection zones by illuminating the BSM warning light
located in the outside mirrors in addition to sounding an
audible (chime) alert and reducing the radio volume. Refer
to “Modes Of Operation” for further information.
BSM Warning Light
98 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

Rear Cross Path
The Rear Cross Path (RCP) feature is intended to aid the
driver when backing out of parking spaces where the
vision of oncoming vehicles may be blocked. Proceed
slowly and cautiously out of the parking space until the
rear end of the vehicle is exposed. The RCP system will
then have a clear view of the cross traffic and, if an
oncoming vehicle is detected, will alert the driver.
RCP monitors the rear detection zones on both sides of the
vehicle, for objects that are moving toward the side of the
vehicle with a minimum speed of approximately 3 mph(5 km/h), to objects moving a maximum of approximately
20 mph (32 km/h), such as in parking lot situations.
NOTE:
In a parking lot situation, oncoming vehicles can
be obscured by vehicles parked on either side. If the
sensors are blocked by other structures or vehicles, the
system will not be able to alert the driver.
When RCP is on and the vehicle is in REVERSE, the driver
is alerted using both the visual and audible alert, including
reducing the radio volume so that the alert can be better
heard.
WARNING!
Rear Cross Path (RCP) is not a Back Up Aid system. It
is intended to be used to help a driver detect an
oncoming vehicle in a parking lot situation. Drivers
must be careful when backing up, even when using
RCP. Always check carefully behind your vehicle, look
behind you, and be sure to check for pedestrians,
animals, other vehicles, obstructions, and blind spots
before backing up. Failure to do so can result in serious
injury or death.
RCP Detection Zones
102 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE