Summary Of Recommendations For Restraining Children In Vehicles
Child Size, Height, Weight Or AgeRecommended Type Of Child Re-
straint
Infants and Toddlers Children who are two years old or
younger and who have not reached the height or weight limits of their child restraint Either an Infant Carrier or a Convert-
ible Child Restraint, facing rearward in the rear seat of the vehicle
Small Children Children who are at least two years
old or who have out-grown the
height or weight limit of their rear- facing child restraint Forward-Facing Child Restraint with
a five-point Harness, facing forward in the rear seat of the vehicle
Larger Children Children who have out-grown their
forward-facing child restraint, but
are too small to properly fit the vehi- cle’s seat belt Belt Positioning Booster Seat and the
vehicle seat belt, seated in the rear seat of the vehicle
Children Too Large for Child Re- straints Children 12 years old or younger,
who have out-grown the height or weight limit of their booster seat Vehicle Seat Belt, seated in the rear
seat of the vehicle2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 61
Infants And Child Restraints
Safety experts recommend that children ride rear-facing in
the vehicle until they are two years old or until they reach
either the height or weight limit of their rear-facing child
restraint. Two types of child restraints can be used rear-
facing: infant carriers and convertible child seats.
The infant carrier is only used rear-facing in the vehicle. It
is recommended for children from birth until they reach
the weight or height limit of the infant carrier. Convertible
child seats can be used either rear-facing or forward-facing
in the vehicle. Convertible child seats often have a higher
weight limit in the rear-facing direction than infant carriers
do, so they can be used rear-facing by children who have
outgrown their infant carrier but are still less than at least
two years old. Children should remain rear-facing until
they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their
convertible child seat.
WARNING!
•Never place a rear-facing child restraint in front of an air
bag. A deploying passenger 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.
WARNING! (Continued)
•Only use a rear-facing child restraint in a vehicle
with a rear seat.
WARNING!
Do not install a rear-facing car seat using a rear support
leg in this vehicle. The floor of this vehicle is not
designed to manage the crash forces of this type of car
seat. In a crash, the support leg may not function as it
was designed by the car seat manufacturer, and your
child may be more severely injured as a result.
62 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
Older Children And Child Restraints
Children who are two years old or who have outgrown
their rear-facing convertible child seat can ride forward-
facing in the vehicle. Forward-facing child seats and con-
vertible child seats used in the forward-facing direction are
for children who are over two years old or who have
outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit of their
rear-facing convertible child seat. Children should remain
in a forward-facing child seat with a harness for as long as
possible, up to the highest weight or height allowed by the
child seat.
All children whose weight or height is above the forward-
facing limit for the child seat should use a belt-positioning
booster seat until the vehicle’s seat belts fit properly. If the
child cannot sit with knees bent over the vehicle’s seat
cushion while the child’s back is against the seatback, they
should use a belt-positioning booster seat. The child and
belt-positioning booster seat are held in the vehicle by the
seat belt.
WARNING!
•Improper installation can lead to failure of an infant
or child restraint. It could come loose in a collision.
The child could be badly injured or killed. Follow
the child restraint manufacturer ’s directions exactly
when installing an infant or child restraint.
• After a child restraint is installed in the vehicle, do
not move the vehicle seat forward or rearward be-
cause it can loosen the child restraint attachments.
Remove the child restraint before adjusting the ve-
hicle seat position. When the vehicle seat has been
adjusted, reinstall the child restraint.
• When your child restraint is not in use, secure it in
the vehicle with the seat belt or LATCH anchorages,
or remove it from the vehicle. Do not leave it loose in
the vehicle. In a sudden stop or accident, it could
strike the occupants or seatbacks and cause serious
personal injury.2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 63
Summary Of Recommendations For Restraining Children In Vehicles
Child Size, Height, Weight Or AgeRecommended Type Of Child
Restraint
Infants and Toddlers Children who are two years old or
younger and who have not reached the height or weight limits of their child restraint Either an Infant Carrier or a Convert-
ible Child Restraint, facing rearward in the rear seat of the vehicle
Small Children Children who are at least two years
old or who have out-grown the
height or weight limit of their rear- facing child restraint Forward-Facing Child Restraint with
a five-point Harness, facing forward in the rear seat of the vehicle
Larger Children Children who have out-grown their
forward-facing child restraint, but
are too small to properly fit the vehi- cle’s seat belt Belt Positioning Booster Seat and the
vehicle seat belt, seated in the rear seat of the vehicle
Children Too Large for Child Re- straints Children 12 years old or younger,
who have out-grown the height or weight limit of their booster seat Vehicle Seat Belt, seated in the rear
seat of the vehicle2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 67
SEATS............................... .149
▫ Driver’s Power Seat — If Equipped .........149
▫ Power Lumbar — If Equipped ..............150
▫ Front Heated Seats — If Equipped ..........151
▫ Manual Front Seat Adjustments .............152
▫ Recliner Adjustment ....................153
▫ Driver’s Seat Height Adjustment — If
Equipped ........................... .154
▫ Fold-Flat Front Passenger Seat — If Equipped . .154
▫ Head Restraints ...................... .155
▫ Third Row Passenger Seats — Seven Passenger
Models ............................. .159
▫ 60/40 Split Second-Row Passenger Seats ......159
▫ 50/50 Split Third-Row Passenger Seats With
Fold-Flat Feature — Seven Passenger Models . . .164
TO OPEN AND CLOSE THE HOOD ..........166
LIGHTS ............................. .168
▫ Headlight Switch ..................... .168▫
Automatic Headlights ...................168
▫ Headlights On With Wipers ...............169
▫ Headlight Time Delay ...................169
▫ Daytime Running Lights (DRL) ............170
▫ Lights-On Reminder ....................170
▫ Fog Lights — If Equipped ................170
▫ Multifunction Lever ....................171
▫ Turn Signals ......................... .171
▫ Lane Change Assist .....................171
▫ High/Low Beam Switch .................171
▫ Flash-To-Pass ........................ .172
▫ Interior
Lights ........................ .172
▫ Map/Reading Lights ....................172
WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND WASHERS .......172
▫ Intermittent Wiper System ................172
▫ Windshield Wiper Operation ...............173
▫ Windshield Washers ....................174
86 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE
SEATS
Seats are a part of the Occupant Restraint System of the
vehicle.
WARNING!
•It is 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.
In a collision, people riding in these areas are more
likely to be seriously injured or killed.
• Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and
using a seat belt properly.
Driver’s Power Seat — If Equipped
The power seat switch is on the outboard side of the seat
near the floor. Use this switch to move the seat up, down,
forward, rearward or to tilt the seat.
Adjusting The Seat Forward Or Rearward
The seat can be adjusted both forward and rearward. Push
the seat switch forward or rearward. The seat will move in
the direction of the switch. Release the switch when the
desired position has been reached.
Adjusting The Seat Up Or Down
The height of the seats can be adjusted up or down. Pull
upward or push downward on the seat switch. The seat
will move in the direction of the switch. Release the switch
when the desired position is reached.
Power Seat Switch
3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 149
WARNING!(Continued)
be seriously or even fatally injured. Use the recliner
only when the vehicle is parked.
Driver’s Seat Height Adjustment — If Equipped
The seat height control lever is located on the outboard side
of the seat. Raise the lever to raise the seat. Lower the lever
to lower the seat. The total seat travel is approximately 2.15
inches (55 mm).
Fold-Flat Front Passenger Seat — If Equipped
This feature allows for extended cargo space. When the
seat is folded flat, it is an extension of the load floor surface
(allowing long cargo to fit from the rear hatch up to the
instrument panel). The fold-flat seatback also has a hard-
back surface that you can use as a work surface when the
seat is folded flat and the vehicle is not in motion.
Pull upward on the recline lever to fold or unfold the seat.
Seat Height Adjustment Lever
Fold-Flat Seat
154 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE
push the adjustment button located on the base of the head
restraint, and push downward on the head restraint.
WARNING!
A loose head restraint thrown forward in a collision or
hard stop could cause serious injury or death to occu-
pants of the vehicle. Always securely stow removed
head restraints in a location outside the occupant
compartment.To remove the head restraint, push the adjustment and the
release buttons while pulling upward on the whole assem-
bly and raise it up as far as it can go. To reinstall the
headrest, put the headrest posts into the holes while
pushing the release buttons. Then adjust it to the appro-
priate height.
WARNING!
ALL the head restraints MUST be reinstalled in the
vehicle to properly protect the occupants. Follow the
re-installation instructions above prior to operating the
vehicle or occupying a seat.
NOTE: For proper routing of a Child Seat Tether, refer to
“Occupant Restraints” in “Things To Know Before Start-
ing”.
WARNING!
Driving a vehicle with the head restraints removed or
improperly adjusted could cause serious injury or
death in the event of a collision. The head restraints
should be checked prior to operating the vehicle and
never adjusted while the vehicle is in motion.
1 — Release Button
2 — Adjustment Button 158 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE